The Spirit that Overcomes Temptation

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’” (Luke 4: 1-4).

Eager Christ followers long to be filled with the Holy Spirit. They want the power and glory that the Spirit brings. But diligent disciples want more. They want to be led by the Holy Spirit. Evidence of the new birth and of maturing discipleship is being led by the Holy Spirit. When we truly surrender to the leading of the Spirit He will often lead us to places we might not naturally choose to go. Jesus showed us how to trust the Spirit’s leading as He was “led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days”. While being led there, Jesus was “tempted by the devil”. While being led there, Jesus received no food and he became very hungry. In submitting to the Holy Spirit’s leading and preparation for a face-to-face encounter with the devil, Jesus shows His serious disciples the Spirit that overcomes temptation.

Overcoming temptation begins as the Holy Spirit leads us into the wilderness. The wilderness is a desolate, lonely place that challenges our faith. In the wilderness we miss the familiar comforts of our natural world. Adam and Eve were expelled from the paradise of Eden into a foreboding wilderness in the first step of God’s plan of redemption… “He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). The Old Testament children of promise spent forty years in the wilderness on their way toward the Promised Land… “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2). For New Testament children of promise (see Galatians 4:28), our wilderness experiences test and mature our faith, humbling us and making us more like Christ as we journey toward Heaven, our Promised Land… “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). The Spirit gives victory over the wilderness’ temptation.

Overcoming temptation continues as the Holy Spirit leads us away from the world. For forty days Jesus’ desire for the world’s food was replaced by trust in the Spirit’s leading… “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). The Spirit gives victory over the world’s temptation.

Overcoming temptation is completed as the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of God’s Word. As the Spirit led the “Son of God” into a direct encounter with the devil, He also led Jesus deeper into reliance on the Word of God. Here was a divinely orchestrated opportunity to choose God’s truth over the simpler, easier solution offered by the devil. The devil has not changed his approach. He still tempts us by twisting truth. Our overcoming strategy is to imitate Christ’s example by destroying the devil’s temptation with truth from God’s Word… “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15-17). Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will lead diligent disciples deeper into God’s truth… “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13). The Spirit gives victory through the truth of God’s Word.

As we grow up into Christ our faith is refined and strengthened as we yield to the leading of…

The Spirit that Overcomes Temptation.