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Tag: The Temptation of Jesus

40 days and 40 nights :: Time to get Strong (Spiritually)

This is part of the 40 days and 40 nights series.

The Bible states that Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness and after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, the tempter (devil) came to him and tested/tempted him.

First it is important to recognize that Jesus was not alone in the wilderness. It was the Holy Spirit of God who was with him and who led him. Second, it is interesting to recognize that the tempter comes to tempt Jesus, during his time of physical weakness – after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights. The forty days and forty nights was the time before Jesus’ testing. Physically Jesus was empty but spiritually he was fully charged and even in his hunger, he had full control of his mind and effectively used the quick, powerful and sharp two-edged sword of God (the Scripture) (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12) to fight against the tempter and his temptations. His Spirit was willing and he did not succumb to the desires of his flesh.

Points to ponder:
When the Spirit of God leads us, even the wilderness of our lives is not a place where we are to feel alone and though physically (in the flesh) we may be weak, we will be strong and super-charged spiritually (in our spirit), when we are led by the Spirit of God. The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthews 26:41), so we ought to watch for the Spirit’s supervision and watch out for satan’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 2:11) and pray that the Lord deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13) so that we do not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:40-41). Are you feeling lonely? Are you strong and supercharged?

Matthew 4:1-3a (KJV)
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, ..

Jesus in the OT :: Obadiah

The book of Obadiah gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

This book has only one chapter and is the only book in the Old Testament which is composed of a single chapter. But this one chapter is packed with facts that prefigures the Salvation and deliverance that is to come (Obadiah 1:17; Romans 10:13), the presence of Holiness (Obadiah 1:22; Mark 1:23-25) and the Kingdom of the Lord (Obadiah 1:21; Luke 23:46)

Obadiah means Worshiper of Yahweh.

In the temptation of Christ, Jesus responded by saying that “You shall worship the Lord your God only and only Him shall thou serve”. Note how worship and service go hand in hand. Satan had asked Jesus only to worship him (not serve him – Matthew 4:10), but Jesus responded by including serving with worshiping God. Today, there are many Christians worshiping God, but not serving him. Are you/Am I one of them?

Interesting, Obadiah not only means Worshiper of Yahweh but ALSO Servant of Yahweh.

Jesus Himself said, I have come to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:28)

In Obadiah, Jesus is the deliverance from Zion, the Holiness of God, who is to be worshiped and served.

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