Matt 4:1 ( Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into wilderness to be tempted of the devil)
The Holy Spirit directed Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Man must face trials first before he can be tempted; it’s not only in afflictions that temptation does come. Sometimes, it comes in the time of ease and abundance.
What is Temptation to Christians?
Temptations of the Lord came in three dimensions where sin enters in to humans which are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Every Christian must be tempted in all these areas to see if the stronghold of Satan has truly been broken in his life.
Whoever fail one of these failed in all and will affect every area of his life.
There is no person in this world that won’t have one challenge or the other. There is a time coming that’s called hour of temptations upon the dwellers of the earth, which is to try everyone dwelling upon the earth but the Lord promised to keep His servants from it.
It’s trials and temptations that led some people into cultism, while it drove some back into the presence of God.
These tests are to try the spirit operating in an individual.
Importance of Test and Trials To Christians
In a Christian life, God chooses this way to test our motives for coming to Him. He laid afflictions on our side to expose where we belong.
- Trials expose the hidden place of sin in one’s life; it might dislodge it, or it dwells comfortably in the hearts of those who hate God but honour him with their mouth.
- God won’t use anyone without passing him through the furnace of afflictions. He arranged it to purify and sanctify His people; it’s either he comes out as gold or burns as dross; the trials will expose him.
- Tests and trials reveal the real image in us. A Christian who opted out of God’s way and plan has it hidden in his heart since the beginning; it’s just exposed through trials, while temptations come to show who the man truly is.
Even though Jesus Christ is the son of God, He came under trials and temptations to reveal His intent and motives.
Most Christians failed in this area; they claim that it’s hunger and poverty that pulled them out of divine presence, but they’ve made that second choice since they came to Christ—what if?
Anything that happens in man’s life is for test, poverty, or abundance; some Christian sisters started bleaching and applied make-up the moment God prospered them; they weren’t like that before from the beginning; secret enticement to the things of the world was lying dormant in their souls; it was the test of riches that exposed it.
Satan just came to bring their motives to fulfillment by tempting them; it’s the enemy within that opened the door for the one outside to operate.
Job was tempted during trials; his wife told him to curse God and die, and even his friend mocked him for bringing it upon himself, but in all these, he never denied God.
There are devises in man’s heart waiting for outside force to empower and execute; a saint who fell into adultery or fornication has it within him; the devil just sent his agent for confirmation.
King Saul, who consulted the necromancer at the end of his ministry, had it in mind the moment he slew the prophets of God.
It’s Philistines invasion that preempts him from taking the decisions through the counsel of his servant.
Hatred for God was lying deep in the heart of Judas, which led him to betray his master. He was never committed to following Christ from the beginning; it’s the gain in it that he focused on, which led him to that temptation.
God knows whose name is written in the book of life, and he knows whose name shall be blotted out in the end; it’s tests and trials that will reveal it.
Prayer: Father Lord preserve me in the hour of temptations by your mercy, in Jesus name amen
