Facing Temptations

Satan will do everything in his power to tempt you and turn you aside from God’s destiny for you. He’ll try to undermine your calling, rob you of your anointing, and convince you that God’s approval on your life is a lie.

When Jesus went into the wilderness, after forty days of fasting he grew hungry. At this moment when Jesus was physically vulnerable, the devil brought his first temptation. Scripture says: “When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread’” (Matthew 4:2-3).

Satan was challenging Jesus: “If you’re fully God, then you have God’s power in you. Just speak the word and command yourself out of this.” This is one of the most insidious temptations facing truly godly people. You have a passion for God and when you are led into a wilderness experience, after a long period of testing, questions arise. And that is when Satan’s temptations become fiercer than ever.

The enemy wants you to act independently of the Father. When you’re in the midst of your trial, the devil says, “Your suffering isn’t of God. You don’t have to go through this. You have God’s power in you, through the Holy Spirit, so you don’t have to put up with this another day. Speak the word and free yourself.”

Jesus answered the devil’s temptation: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). Even at the height of his suffering, Jesus didn’t lose sight of his eternal purpose. If our Lord learned dependence and compassion through a wilderness experience, so will you!

God loves you in your testing times. His own Spirit has led you into the wilderness where his own Son has already been. Let him complete his work of building into you utter dependence and trust in him.