Butt Kicking

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. (Proverbs 1:5)

Solomon, the author of Proverbs, was a very wise man.  He had the opportunity to ask God for anything and the thing he asked for was wisdom.  We now have the opportunity to glean from that wisdom.  These words above remind us how important it is to listen and learn.  We find guidance in discernment.  Discernment comes from our connection to God.  We get connected to God by getting to know Him.  Let’s continue to learn from the Word and see what it has to offer us.  May our ears be in tune to the work of God and may we truly listen for God’s guidance!  I pray the Word will come alive for you today!

Let’s take a look at the beginning of Luke 4.  The place where Jesus has just returned from His baptism.  The Bible says He is full of the Holy Spirit.  We know, as the reader, that He has just been declared the Son of God.  The Father just spoke a blessing on His Son from Heaven.  Here are those very words.

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

Take a moment to imagine the scene.  Jesus must have been feeling pretty good now.  Life is good!  His Father just spoke powerful words into His life.  Can it get any better?  Well, the next scene looks pretty familiar to me.  It looks a lot like my life and maybe yours too.  Life gets to that beautiful place, that moment when everything is just as it should be and then the bottom gives out.  Jesus faced everything you have ever faced.  He knows what you’re going through.  He can handle your pain and He won’t let you suffer it alone.  Let’s see what Jesus had to face.

Just after the baptism, Jesus was led into the desert.  Is this starting to sound familiar yet?  From the mountain top to the valley.  That’s how life goes sometimes.  And the desert experience that Jesus went through really gives us nothing to complain about. Let’s take a look at who was there to greet our Lord.

“…where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.  He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” (Luke 4:2)

Jesus was accompanied by Satan himself.  Imagine if Satan took 40 days to torment you.  I mean that’s pretty excruciating.  Satan took time out from everyone else and just focused on Jesus for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 40 days in a row.  That’s pretty awful when you think about it!  I do know that Satan had a big task ahead of him.  He had to keep Jesus from being the Savior of the world.  If he could make Jesus stumble in this 40 days, then he could prevent the salvation of all mankind.  Yikes!  This was no easy road for Jesus!  I can’t handle five minutes of Satan messing with my thoughts.  I would despise 4o days with him.

The thing we need to pay attention to are the tactics that Satan uses.  He has the same tricks for us and just repackages them over and over.  Let’s learn from Jesus and start to win the battles against Satan.

The first attack that is recorded against Jesus comes in a familiar form.  Satan tries to create doubt by making Jesus question who He is.  He uses the “If you are…” phrase.  I know you have heard it.  I’ve heard it many times.  “If you were more like…, If you were good enough…, If you had…, If you…”  Just fill in the blank.  And remember it goes back to the Garden of Eden where Satan used these words, “Did God really say…”

See how he works, he wants to get you to question what you already know is true.  He knew that Jesus just came from His baptism and was declared the Son of God.  Satan’s not stupid.  He was using the baptism against Jesus and trying to twist the very words of God, just like he did in the Garden of Eden. Only this time, Jesus would not give in to the lie like the first Adam.  He would not succumb to doubt.  He knew who He was and He knew how to fight.  Here are His words:

Jesus answered, “It is written:  ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)

Please always remember this: Satan attacks with lies and Jesus battles with the Truth.  Jesus used the Word of God to fight the Enemy.  The same Word that you hold in your hands.  You have the ability to fight your Enemy every day.  Place the Word in your heart and every time the Enemy comes to attack with his fiery arrows, you can extinguish them with the Truth. The next time Satan tries to twist the Truth in your head, tell him what you really think.  Let him know what God has spoken to you.  Don’t let him get away with the lies.

Practice this:  “…we take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Satan confronted Jesus two more times in the Scripture passage.  Please take time to read this and watch how Jesus responded.  Jesus never gave in.  Remember, He was hungry and 40 days with Satan had to feel like forever.  I’m sure Jesus was ready to get out of that desert, but He went through it for you and for me.  There is nothing that you can face, that He has not faced.  He is there for you!  The last words spoken in the desert were from Jesus.  Jesus had the final word and so do you!  Here are those words:

“Away from me, Satan!  For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)

You have the authority to give Satan a good butt kicking through Jesus.  The Word of God is powerful and it will do amazing things when you put it to good use!  I pray that you will continue to watch the Word of God influence your life!

Challenge: Read Proverbs 2 & 3 over the weekend.

Memory Verse: Psalm 37:23-24, I will be sharing a new verse with you on Monday.

Dear Father God, I have to admit it brings me great joy to watch Jesus kick Satan’s butt in the desert.  Jesus knew how to fight with authority and I pray that You will teach me how to fight like this.  May I remember that it is You who arms me for battle and You who goes before me.  Every battle I face is Yours!

Living in Your Strength Lord,