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Day 44

Luke 4:1-13 "LET US NOT BE AFRAID OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE"

Day 44 – Luke 4

Text: Luke 4:1-13

LET US NOT BE AFRAID OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Many Christians are basically afraid of the Devil. Many actually prefer as little mention of the Devil as possible. Somehow, the mere thought of spiritual warfare with the Devil brings fear to the heart.

As we study Luke 4:1-13, let us recall what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
But of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Spiritual warfare has been declared against us, whether we like it or not. Powerful evil forces have been ranged against us, whether we know it or not. Spiritual warfare has been waged against us, whether we are ready or not! The battle has been joined. Let us seek to overcome our fears. Let us learn from our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, how He overcame the enemy of our soul!

PREPARATION FOR PUBLIC MINISTRY – A PROPHETIC INSIGHT

The prophet Isaiah wrote much about the way in which God prepared Jesus for the ministry. In Isaiah 42, the Messiah was portrayed as One who would come as God’s Servant. We read these beautiful words in Isaiah 42:1

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My Soul delights!
have put My Spirit upon Him…”

A more complete statement of how the Spirit of God came upon Jesus is recorded in another prophetic statement. This is found in Isaiah 11:2

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

This same Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to spend time in sweet communion with God. For a full forty days and forty nights, Jesus entered into a total fast as He sought His Father in prayer.

We catch a glimpse of the spiritual power that was in Jesus, as we ponder over how He was able to sustain this spiritual fast. In a spiritual fast like this, especially one so extensive, Jesus would have to survive on water alone. One of the temptations of the Lord Jesus was with reference to His hunger and not His thirst. The partaking of only water for physical survival must be allowed for.

Still, to go without food for such an extended period of time reminds us of how Luke described the growth of Jesus when He was growing up. “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit…” (Luke 2:40; 2:52). It takes tremendous spirit to be able to sustain a long period of fasting.

We may suppose that the Lord Jesus Christ was accustomed to such practices. There is no need to assume that this was the first time that Jesus ever fasted. It is more correct to assume that Jesus was constantly in preparation for the day when He would be publicly announced to the world.

We read intimations of how God trained Him in a number of places in the Book of Isaiah. Let us consider the following passages:_

“The Lord has called Me from the womb;
From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My Name.
He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;
In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,
And made Me a polished shaft;
In His quiver He has hidden Me” Isaiah 49:1-2

“The Lord GOD has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.” Isaiah 50:4

THANK GOD FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIFE

We need never be afraid of spiritual battle, if we know that God is involved in our life! He wants to equip and ready us for any spiritual battle that may arise. His Word can fortify us significantly. His Spirit can empower us tremendously.

What is our part if we are to win our spiritual battles? Let us not be afraid of spiritual conflicts. Let us draw much strength and encouragement from the Scriptures. If we will give ourselves to seeking God in constant and faithful communion and prayer, and if we allow the Spirit of God to teach us His Word, we would be lots stronger spiritually. Let us seek to be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).