“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” – Matthew 4:1

Given that our Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God leads them not into temptation, this verse always bothered me.

Why then did the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted?

Well, it actually doesn’t say that the Spirit led Him into temptation; it says the Spirit led Him into the wilderness (to seek God) and while there He was tempted by the devil.

Indeed, the Scripture says the tempter came at the end of his 40-day fast, not at the beginning.

It says after the 40 days of fasting, He was hungry and then the tempter came.

But to get the real import of Jesus’ temptation, you need to read the last verse of Chapter 3: “And lo a voice came from heaven saying; ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:17).

That unprecedented public affirmation from the Father was so fundamental to Christ’s life and ministry that the tempter was desperate to challenge it.

Jesus had waited for that moment for 30 years as it would signal the start of His public ministry.

It was the word upon which Jesus would build His ministry for the next three years.

And that is why the tempter targeted to attack that affirmation first and foremost: “If [indeed] you’re the Son of God [as the voice stated]…” (Matthew 4:3, 6).

If the tempter could make Jesus doubt the voice of His Father, he would have defeated him. Thankfully, our Lord stood firm.

The One who overcame temptation will never leave you nor forsake you for He was tempted in all points like as we are yet He did not at any time doubt the promise and affirmation in His heart.

The original word for ‘tempt’ means to ‘prove’ or to try’ or to ‘test.’

The devil will never be interested in you as a person. Why would he?

Jesus was 30 years old at the time but the tempter had never tried to tempt Him, well, at least there is no record of it in the Scriptures to that effect.

He only targeted Him after the Father’s public affirmation that in Him the Father “was well-pleased.” 

That implies that the tempter’s main target is the word of prophecy, the promise, the divine affirmation that had come upon Christ during His baptism in the Jordan River.

To this day, the Word of God upon your life is the seed that the temper wants to nip in the bud.  He wants you to doubt if indeed the Father is well-pleased in you.

That’s how he defeated Adam and Eve. “Did God say?” He asked (Genesis 3:1). He succeeded in creating doubt in Eve’s mind about what God had said.

Then he said; “No you shall not die” a direct negation of what God’s word said.(Genesis 3:4).

Referring to Joseph, the Psalmist says; “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” (Psalm 105:19).

Joseph had a prophetic word and “it tried him” until it came to pass.

So everything – all the trouble, the false accusation, the years in prison – that Joseph went through were intended to “try” the divine word that was upon his life!

Whatever temptation you’re going through right now, God is not the source of it (James 1:13-15).

He cannot be the source of the Word and temptation against it at the same time.

Rather, He promises to provide a way of escape so that you can bear it (1 Cor. 10:13).

The Father says hold firm onto the word of prophecy.

The one who overcame temptation will never leave you nor forsake you for He was tempted in all points like as we are yet He did not at any time doubt the promise and affirmation in His heart.

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you for the word that you have spoken upon my life. Whatever happens, I know it will accomplish the purpose for which you sent it. For the glory of your Name, Amen!