Wilderness Training

Luke 3: Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ² being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

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“Do you want to hang out with us?” was code for “Let’s go out drinking, dancing and laughing all night.” Yes was my normal answer, but this time a strange word came out of my mouth. “No” I said. One guy would not take “no” for an answer. “There will be lots of honey’s there” he said trying to change my answer. “Hmm, I don’t have anything to do.” I thought to myself.

• There was a time when the purpose of my life was focused on maximizing relaxation.
• There was a time when I pursued as much pleasure as possible.
• There was a time when I spent an enormous amount of time and money on “fun.”

JESUS was led into the wilderness by the HOLY SPIRIT. For forty days HE did not experience pleasure or comfort. HE did not eat so HIS body was weak. At HIS weakest moments the devil tempted HIM, but HE held strong. Each temptation HE denied only made HIM stronger.

• JESUS wants me to bypass temptation little by little in order to get stronger.
• JESUS wants me to purposefully focus on growing in HIM little by little.
• JESUS wants me to follow HIS example knowing I will fail, but try again and again with HIS help.

JESUS had to remain sinless in order to redeem a sinful world. HE does not require me to be sinless, because I cannot redeem mankind. HE does want me to know that the less I sin the more of HIS power can be shown.

HE somehow rewards me when I turn from temptation, but it takes practice in order to do it. HE sees when I fail, but more importantly HE sees when I succeed in passing up the temptation in order to further HIS kingdom. JESUS knows my every weakness and still has total grace for me.

• Do you feel like a failure to GOD?
• Do you feel like you are not being good enough?
• Will you stop trying so hard to be good and allow GOD to transform you little by little at HIS pace to do HIS will?