by David Brenneman
Probably a strange mix of this verse and the concept of HALT.
When we're most at risk is when we need someone to be in our corner. When vulnerability strikes were in danger of a sin nature that by now you're understanding doesn't get tired. Or maybe that's never crossed your mind...that your sin nature doesn't get tired? It looks for weakness in order to take advantage of us in those moments of life.
When we're Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.
I find it interesting that in at least the written accounts, angry doesn't seem to be the one area Satan didn't test Jesus in.
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: ‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will lift You up, So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took Him along to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him." Matthew 4:1-11.
Jesus had no sin for to trip Him up. Jesus, by the time Satan had showed up, was probably a prime candidate in Satan's eyes. Been by Himself for 40 days...that's over a month, I think the Jewish calendar is a 30 day month. It clearly says that nobody was around Him. It says clearly that He was hungry. No food often tends to make a body susceptible to being tired and vulnerable to suggestion.
Yet Satan's not considering what had already happened. The Spirit was with Him. Later on in the story of the woman at the well. The Disciples thought He was speaking about food. Jesus said He had food to eat that they didn't know about.
"Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." John 4:31-34.
Leaning into our relationship with Jesus through the Spirit in our times of weakness is a necessity. Finding a brother who will stand with you is a great idea as well.
We're never to go through the Christian life alone. We're meant to live in relationships with other Believers. Life alone only sets us up for battles we're not prepared to fight.
I end up many times at the end of a long day entering into the realm of HALT.
It's much harder to admit we need help or sometimes we're so quickly slipping that we're unprepared to call for help.
My Dear Reader we're not defined by those moments we fail to fight nor are we defined by anything that has tripped us up in our walk with Jesus.
When we came to Christ we got our adoption papers certified by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Validated by God the Father and certified by the Spirit.
Both Satan and your sin nature want you to believe otherwise.
TobyMac has a song "Get Back Up"
"You turned away when I looked you in the eye
And hesitated when I asked if you were alright
Seems like you're fighting for you life
But why, oh, why?
Wide awake in the middle of your nightmare
You saw it comin' but it hit you out of nowhere
And there's always scars
When you fall that far
We lose our way
We get back up again
It's never too late to get back up again
And one day you gonna' shine again
You may be knocked down
But not out forever
Lose our way
We get back up again
So get up, get up
You gonna shine again
Never too late to get back up again
You may be knocked down
But not out forever
(May be knocked down but not out forever)
You rolled out at the dawning of the day
Heart racin' as you made your little get away
It feels like you've been runnin' all your life
But, why, oh, why?
So you pull away from the love that would've been there
And start believin' that your situation's unfair
But there's always scars
When you fall that far
We lose our way
We get back up again
It's never too late to get back up again
And one day, you gonna shine again
You may be knocked down but not out forever
We lose our way, we get back up again
So get up, get up
You gonna shine again
It's never too late, to get back up again
You may be knocked down, but not out forever
May be knocked down, but not out forever
This is love callin', love callin', out to the broken
This is love callin'
This is love callin', love callin', out to the broken
This is love callin'
This is love callin', love callin'
I am so broken
This is love callin' love callin
We lose our way, (way way way ay ay ay)
We get back up again, (get back up again)
It's never too late (late late late ate ate ate)
You may be knocked down but not out forever
Lose our way
We get back up again
So get up get up
You gonna shine again
Never too late to get back up again
You may be knocked down
But not out forever
This is love (lose our way) callin' love callin' (get back up again)
To the broken
This is love (never too late) callin'
(May be knocked down but not out forever)
This is love (lose our way) callin' love callin' (we get back up again)
To the broken
This is love (never too late) callin'
(May be knocked down but not out forever)
This is love callin' love callin'
Out to the broken
This is love callin'
My Dear Reader, forgiveness for the Believer is a prayer away. The Bible says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
My prayer continues to find as close a friend as I had with my brother in Christ, Russ Alexander. The Spirit reminds me when HALT is starting. It's my own stubbornness in trying to finish something that trips me up.
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8.
Take a different look at why you're struggling in your day. You just probably are getting involved with HALT and even the Bible says these things are common to man.
Run to Jesus in prayer, don't walk. He will always run to you.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
No comments:
Post a Comment