The Last place You Want to Be (Luke 4:1-2)
"Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry." (Luke 4:1, 2 NLT)
After Jesus left His encounter with the Holy Spirit by the river, immediately the climate of His life took a turn for the worse. He quickly found Himself smack dab in the middle of an uncomfortable season of life.
What happened?
God happened. The same Spirit that had only yesterday blessed Him and affirmed His close relationship with God had suddenly made an unexpected "wrong" turn into a radically different season of continual unpleasantness out in the Judean wilderness. God took Jesus into a place where He knew He would be tempted, tested, and tried under crushing circumstances. It puts quite a spin on the whole notion of "lead us not into temptation".
Jesus was completely alone. He was in serious need. There were no visible signs of God's presence or blessing anywhere. During that time the only company was the devil himself who was actively waging all out assault on Jesus, questioning His relationship with God, and challenging God's love and goodness.
Of course nobody in their right mind would ever ask God for a day like that let alone six weeks straight! But the strange part of the story though is that Jesus never asked for any of this. Luke tells us that it was no accident that He ended up in the last place He would ever want to be prior to the cross.
Verse 1 says that it was the very Spirit of God who had led Him into this season of difficulty. It was the next stop on the journey in God's plan for His Son at that exact moment in time.
Why, do you say, would God do such a thing?
It doesn't really say. No answers. But for some reason it is significant enough to be mentioned by more than one New Testament writer. All we really do know is that this trying season of life played an integral part in preparing Jesus for His ministry.
As you follow the Holy Spirit, don't be shocked or dismayed if you suddenly find yourself in circumstances that appear to be the last place you want to be. Our lack of awareness of God's presence does not necessarily mean we "missed God". If you are surrendered to Him God has you right where He wants you.
There are seasons of life that God directs that are themselves not good but are for our good. It's in those moments in life when we search for answers and come back empty handed that God may in fact be doing His best work and preparing us for His purposes.
Thankfully, God never changes (Malachi 4;6) but the seasons of life always will (Daniel 2:21). His plans for us are ultimately for our good (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28), and we are assured that every season has a divine purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In every circumstance we can find reason for joy despite them (James 1:2) as we trust in the faithfulness of the God who helps us through it all (Romans 8:37-38).
You may be today in the last place you want to be, but hold on. The same God who led you there will sustain you through it. In the end the test time will prove that the leadership of the Spirit through every season of life has equipped us for a God-sized purpose greater than we will ever know.
Facebook.com/Josh1Eight
Twitter @Josh1Eight
After Jesus left His encounter with the Holy Spirit by the river, immediately the climate of His life took a turn for the worse. He quickly found Himself smack dab in the middle of an uncomfortable season of life.
What happened?
God happened. The same Spirit that had only yesterday blessed Him and affirmed His close relationship with God had suddenly made an unexpected "wrong" turn into a radically different season of continual unpleasantness out in the Judean wilderness. God took Jesus into a place where He knew He would be tempted, tested, and tried under crushing circumstances. It puts quite a spin on the whole notion of "lead us not into temptation".
Jesus was completely alone. He was in serious need. There were no visible signs of God's presence or blessing anywhere. During that time the only company was the devil himself who was actively waging all out assault on Jesus, questioning His relationship with God, and challenging God's love and goodness.
Of course nobody in their right mind would ever ask God for a day like that let alone six weeks straight! But the strange part of the story though is that Jesus never asked for any of this. Luke tells us that it was no accident that He ended up in the last place He would ever want to be prior to the cross.
Verse 1 says that it was the very Spirit of God who had led Him into this season of difficulty. It was the next stop on the journey in God's plan for His Son at that exact moment in time.
Why, do you say, would God do such a thing?
It doesn't really say. No answers. But for some reason it is significant enough to be mentioned by more than one New Testament writer. All we really do know is that this trying season of life played an integral part in preparing Jesus for His ministry.
As you follow the Holy Spirit, don't be shocked or dismayed if you suddenly find yourself in circumstances that appear to be the last place you want to be. Our lack of awareness of God's presence does not necessarily mean we "missed God". If you are surrendered to Him God has you right where He wants you.
There are seasons of life that God directs that are themselves not good but are for our good. It's in those moments in life when we search for answers and come back empty handed that God may in fact be doing His best work and preparing us for His purposes.
Thankfully, God never changes (Malachi 4;6) but the seasons of life always will (Daniel 2:21). His plans for us are ultimately for our good (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28), and we are assured that every season has a divine purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In every circumstance we can find reason for joy despite them (James 1:2) as we trust in the faithfulness of the God who helps us through it all (Romans 8:37-38).
You may be today in the last place you want to be, but hold on. The same God who led you there will sustain you through it. In the end the test time will prove that the leadership of the Spirit through every season of life has equipped us for a God-sized purpose greater than we will ever know.
Facebook.com/Josh1Eight
Twitter @Josh1Eight
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