January 14, 2012 Tough Start

Tough Start

Mark 1:12-13 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

PERHAPS you’ve begun a new job or graduated from long years of study. You were excited and feeling well-prepared for the work. Maybe you prepared for years to begin a business. Now the time had arrived. You were sure you could handle any challenge that might come your way.
But something happened. You faced difficulties far beyond what you had foreseen. You didn’t realize things would be that difficult! What to do?
One of the many things that mazes me about this scripture is this: The Holy Spirit of God has just anointed the Son of God to do the work of God in the world. And it seems his first task is to confront the devil. Right out of the chute, so to speak, Jesus goes from his anointing to ministry to a very severe test of his anointing. He faces horrible, unbelievable physical deprivation. Other Gospels record he was in the desert 40 days with no food or water. No mere mortal could survive that kind of physical punishment.
No mere mortal could survive the devil’s persistent temptations. Jesus faced a most severe test on who he was and what he was to do. The devil was desperate to dissuade him.
In the power of God, Jesus withstood the test. He resisted evil. He stood on the truth of the Word of God (after all, he is the “Word become flesh”), and he left the test strengthened to do his work.
This same power is available for you. Where are your struggles and temptations? Where are you feeling weak and unable to deal with life as it is today? Go to the Word of God and find your strength. Call on the Spirit, and he will refresh you.

Pause and consider how the devil keeps pursuing you and you must keep pursuing the Word of God.