Re:Verse passage – Luke 4:1-13 (day four)
Jesus had just returned from His baptism. A voice from heaven had proclaimed God’s pleasure with Him. Now, as He returned from the Jordan, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Certainly, this had been a mountain-top experience. We’ve all had them…experiences that draw us near to God and bring blessings overflowing.
What happens to Jesus next? Often times, following a mountain-top experience, we face some of the greatest tests of our lives. Jesus faced a grueling round of temptations that challenged Him to choose any way but God’s to move forward in His ministry. Spiritual highs can prepare us to face those lows of temptation. Guard yourself against the wiles of Satan…when you least expect it, he is poised to spring the trap! We are lulled into carelessness with those feelings of euphoria after being in the presence of God. Be vigilant…stand strong…Satan prowls about like a hungry lion, seeking those whom he may devour.
Jesus shows us even He was tempted by Satan so we would experience the same thing. We, human beings, will face trials and tests just like Jesus did.
We will constantly fight against Satan as we walk with God. Life is up and down. Our career will have high points and low points. There are times of dissatisfactions and disappointments. After a period of spiritual highs, there will most always be a period of spiritual lows. No one can stay on the high points in their lives forever; and no one will stay on the low points in their lives forever. It was not God’s will for mankind. We will experience struggles, pain and sufferings as Jesus did!! Jesus showed us how life on earth would be! And He prepared us how to minimize, if not eliminated, the struggles, the pain, and sufferings if we trust and believe in Him and His Word!!
Faith can fade if we don’t have a strong spiritual foundation. We can easily fall into Satan’s traps if we don’t have a strong ethical, moral and spiritual foundation. It happens in all walks of life, including personal, religious, political, and organizational life!
Everything starts with a foundation, spiritual foundation, financial foundation, family foundation, and so on. Every house relies on a good and solid foundation so it can not easily be washed away by heavy rain and heavy flood! Each of us, Christians, relies on a good and solid Christian foundation so we will not easily be swayed into the Satan’s path! Trials and tests are part of God’s plan for us and are God’s instrument to test our trust and faith in Him.
Life is full of temptations that are undesirable by God’s standards. Having a strong ethical, moral, and spiritual foundation will help us see positive perspectives and remain faithful to God and His Word despite how life has turned on us. Keep our minds and hearts for the Lord even in times of adversity and He will turn adversity to victory. I am convinced.
The Bible is our foundation for staying away from Satan’s sinful influences and is the foundation for finding peace, joy and happiness until Jesus’ returns. When our spiritual foundation is strong, Satan will walk away from us as He will find no pleasure or find winning outcomes in influencing God’s strong believers and followers.
No matter how our life journey starts or ends, mountains or valleys, we should have no fear! God will be present and lead us to victory! What foundation will you rely on if your life turns to adversity? What foundation did you rely on when you were in deep valleys? Have you thought about how to get up and to rise up if you experience spiritual lows? Whom will you turn to when your life turns to undesirable life journey? Whom do you trust and why?