Reading Plan:

Luke 4

Our Thoughts:

Is it just me or have you noticed that every blessing seems to come with a battle? Every mountain comes with a valley. Just when you think you have a leg up or that you've found the Promised Land, BOOM! The boss calls you to the office. The doctor calls. You get in a fight with your spouse, and you are right back at square one.

The "Promised Land" that we are all looking for in life is always just on the other side of a barrier. Come to think of it, when the Old Testament Israelites entered into the land God had promised them (the literal Promised Land), there were plenty of battles to be fought before and after crossing the border. So maybe it's not the battle and THEN the blessing, maybe what we are meant to experience is more like the battle AND the blessing. What if the blessing is found in experiencing God in the midst of the battle?

Here's the tricky part. Most of the battles we face aren't external forces. It's easy to fight the enemy you can see, but we can't always see the enemy we're fighting on the other side of the battlefield. Scripture says that the enemy we are battling is "the father of lies" and "a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy." It's hard to see the thief who hides in the shadows or the voice that whispers disparaging lies of self-deprecation. How do you fight what you cannot see?

Even though we can't see our enemy, Jesus provided us with a strategy to engage in the battle. John 4 tells us that after 30 years of preparation, Jesus began His earthly ministry of restoration and redemption. However, before His public ministry began, Jesus was locked in battle with the enemy, the father of lies (John 4:1-13).

Here are four things we learn from the example that Jesus set of how to battle against the enemy's lies:

Be alert - Temptations come early and often. Satan wasted no time waging war against Jesus. The battle started before any miracle or parable. James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us "Count it all joy brothers WHEN you meet trials of various kind." I emphasize "when" because it's not a matter of "if" but "when." Be ready because the battle will come.

Train in the truth - Good and right aren't always the same thing. It's amazing how much scripture the enemy laced in the temptations he proposed to Jesus - his promises even sounded good. Make no mistake about it, the enemy knows God's Word, probably better than you or me. I believe this is one of the reasons it becomes so easy to justify our sins. The enemy twists and contorts the truth of God hidden in our hearts until we convince ourselves that anything can be justified or even good. This is why it is vital that we stay trained in God's word so that we can recognize what is true and right.

Stay connected - Real strength comes from real connection. At the point of His temptation, Jesus had been fasting and praying for 40 days. At the end of those 40 days, His body would have been exhausted, but His soul would have been empowered by a deep, constant, and dependent connection with His Heavenly Father. In regular habits like scripture, prayer, and fasting, we have the same access to this kind of connection with God and His power and strength.

Trust Him - God understands. He has been there. Right there in the middle of the fight. He knows what it feels like to be tired, hungry, worn down, and battle-weary. He knows, and He provides. I'm reminded of His promise, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

Every blessing may come with a battle, but in God, every battle comes with a victory.

More Questions: 

• What battles are you facing this year?

• How are you planning to "train in the truth" and "stay connected" so you can experience the blessing in the battle?

Author: Kyle Warren