Preparation for ministry

Preparation for ministry 
S -  Mathew 4:5-11 (NASB)

⁵ Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,⁶ and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;

and

‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

⁸ Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; ⁹ and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down andworship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” ¹¹ Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

O -  Mathews account of Jesus entering the formal outward ministry gives me an understanding of how God might call us into ministry.   Jesus was born and raised by his parents.  He was named and dedicated to God but he still needed to be grow under his parents (and of course God's) shepherding.   After being baptized by the John the Baptist God proclaimed Jesus as his son, in whom he was well pleased, and then he was lead off to the desert to be tempted by the devil.  Jesus both flesh and spirit , felt the ache of the human condition after 40 days of fasting and yet the spirit in him clung tightly to God and His word.   It was after these testing from the devil, and his stalwart responses that once Jesus was physically recovered, at the assistance of the angels, that he began his active ministry.

A -   The application for me is to reflect on my own journey and walk with God.  I have been reborn a new creation in Christ, and raised by my spiritual family to begin to understand the things of God and His church.  I have proclaimed my faith through baptism in water, and have received the holy spirit.     In this season I am in, I feel as if though I am not so much in the desert, I have been given over to Satan and allowed to be tested.  My body is not physically weak but my spirit is , and I need to continue to lean on God's truth to defend against and rebuke the devil's lies.

P - Lord Jesus, give me strength and confidence to walk through this season, and give me protection with you word against the devil's discouraging and tempting words.   Help me like you  to walk away in victory from tempation that I might serve my purpose here on earth.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.