Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” Luke 4:1-13 NKJV
Beware of the opportune time! The enemy will not leave us alone when we love Jesus. He never stops, even while he knows his eventual demise. He only doubles down on the pain and suffering he wants to inflict against we who love our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
It is written:
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NIV
Peter’s warning rings so true! Satan is known as the great enticer, and the great accuser. Proof is evident throughout the Bible; Eve, Job, and many other biblical figures have suffered when they drew the enemy’s interest.
Our hope may live in a prayer, spoken by our Lord when he prayed:
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. John 17:15 NIV
Jesus knew this danger required his own prayer for His apostles – then he remembered us!
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, John 17:20 NIV
Let us be sure we don’t get complacent, as Christ never did. He understood the desires of the enemy and defeated Him at the Cross to protect and redeem us from that danger.
Praise our Lord! Thru him we have what we need to guard against that opportune time.
Remember to Love one another
Barnabas
Special thanks to Barnabas for this guest submission.
Hey, Barnabas – very timely, and that’s not an opportune thing. Any time is good time for the Word and good counsel.
Thank you for these reminders. Thankful to Jesus who intercedes through prayer to the Father on our behalf. Praise God for the Victory has already been won. However, it is crucial that we put on the FULL armour of God for the battles are daily. Praise Him that He fights for you, me, and all those who believe in Christ through faith. We are truly blessed.