Today we are going to talk about how
temptations prepare us for service and ministry. Jesus was prepared for His temptation in the
wilderness. In chapter 3, He was obedient in baptism, He was praying, He was anointed
by the Spirit, and now in Luke 4:1, He was filled with the Holy Spirit.
There is no way that we can avoid temptation! Whenever we
become a follower of Jesus Christ we become an enemy of Satan. And when we determine
to serve Jesus we become a target for the devil. Satan tempts us to bring out
the worst in us, but God can use these difficult experiences to put the best
into us. Temptation is Satan's weapon to defeat us, but it can become God's
tool to build us.
We must remember that temptation itself is not sin. The solicitation
by the devil for us to sin or to do evil is not sin. It is only when we yield or
surrender to the temptation that it becomes sin. James tells us about this in James
1:13-16, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by
God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then,
when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is
full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
Mark’s Gospel says that Jesus was “driven by the Spirit into
the wilderness” (Mark 1:12). Luke says He was “led by the Spirit into
the wilderness”. To be filled with
the Holy Spirit means that we have yielded our will and our lives to the
control and authority of the Holy Spirit. We recognize that, “our body is
the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in us, whom we have from God, and we are
not your own? For we were bought at a price; therefore we glorify God in our
body and in our spirit, which are God's” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). In other
words, like Oswald Chambers puts it: “We have given up the only right we have, and
that is the right to give up the right of ourselves to God”.
We have determined to present our body to God as a living
sacrifice like Romans 12:1-2 says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Temptation in itself is not sin as we said. You can’t help
it when the bird flies over your head, but when it begins to make a nest in
your hair you can do something about it. James also tells us in James 1:2-4, “My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, knowing that
the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect
work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The temptation
here has to do with trials and tribulations and the difficulties that we
encounter in life.
Trials and temptations actually are tools that the Lord
uses to prepare us for ministry and a life of service! And what the devil means
for evil, God can use for good (Genesis 50:20). Paul states this same truth in Romans
5:2-5, “Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which
we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we
also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and
perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
who was given to us.”
We must be prepared for the trials of life and the temptations
of the devil by being filled with the Spirit and led by the Spirit, but we must
also realize that temptations prepared us for more service, greater and more
effective ministry.
Yes, my friend, as we learn from Jesus’ example, we can be
an overcomer and enjoy victory every day through the power of ministry of the
Holy Spirit in our lives!
God bless!
