Temptations

     While studying the lesson for today, my eyes were opened to more than the lesson was portraying.  The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts when we open our hearts to the Holy Scriptures.   When my studies don’t have a lesson for me, I feel as I need to search my heart, mind, and soul to find the reason.  The devil always takes every circumstance to tempt us and turn us away from God.  He wants to clog our whole being with the things that will separate us from God.  So, we need to be watchful and stand firm in our faith (1 Cor. 16:13) as we “put on the whole armor of God, so that we will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11)  
     In Luke 4, after Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, he is tempted of the devil.  Now, I pull out my American Standard and NIV to compare with the translations.  The NIV says, “For forty days he was tempted by the devil.”  All the translations read that he was tempted by Satan forty days.  Many times we teach the lesson with Jesus going into the wilderness to fast for forty days.  He did fast for forty days, but he was being tempted at the same time.  However, don’t forget that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit and He was full of the Spirit.  Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist, and Jesus’ ministry on earth was beginning.
     When any good ministry is beginning, we can count on road blocks or obstacles placed there by the devil to end the ministry before it begins.  Satan wants to be god of all and destroy the growth of God’s Kingdom.   In Luke, Satan wanted to stop Jesus’ ministry.  Jesus was tempted for forty days as he fasted.  Jesus experienced temptations just as we do today.  Remember, Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we have the same Holy Spirit in us.  Yes, we have a helper to ward off temptations.  God is always there for us no matter the situation or how bad the situation.  God is there.  I know.  My faith in Emmanuel (God with us.) helps me to be watchful, and as I put on the whole armor of God, I’m able to follow Jesus when the devil tempts me. 

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