Sayre Woods Bible Church

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil… (Luke 4:1-2a)

The role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life is very clear in Luke 4. Jesus was filled by the Spirit (4:1), led by the Spirit (4:2), empowered by the Spirit (4:14), and anointed by the Spirit to preach good news (4:18).

Being filled and led by the Spirit, however, did not deliver Jesus from temptation or trials. Indeed, the Spirit led Him right into the desert to be tempted by Satan. This was part of God’s plan. Jesus needed to be “tempted in every way, just as we are” in order to be an empathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:15), to show His power over Satan (Hebrews 2:14), and to learn what it means to obey God through suffering (Hebrews 5:8).

I personally think that Jesus had this situation in mind when He instructed us to pray: “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). God does not tempt us (James 1:13) but He, at times, leads us into the ”place of temptation” where we encounter the evil one and his schemes. Why? So that we will learn to depend on His Spirit and grow stronger in our faith.

This is not a fun process. Indeed, I think that’s why we pray–”do not lead us into temptation.” This is not something to be desired or taken lightly. None of us should be so arrogant to say, “Bring it on, Satan. I can take it. Give me your best shot.” I am reminded of Peter’s words to Jesus in Matthew 26:33, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble!” Peter’s machismo in the face of the coming trial was the very thing that predicted his failure in the trial. “Assuredly I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times,” Jesus replied.

No, we do not go looking for spiritual battles but when they come, when the Spirit leads us into the place of tempation and trial, we pray, “Lord, deliver us from the evil one!” Give us your strength! We are not strong enough for the battle on our own. We only win the battle when we are weak enough to be smart enough to rely enough on God’s Spirit.

This is what Paul learned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Lord, do not lead me into the place of temptation but when those temptations come, may I find my strength and peace in You and You alone.

Today begins our reading of the gospel of Luke. If you have gotten off track with the daily reading of God’s Word, today is a good day to get back on track! With the coming of the Christmas season, reading a chapter from Luke is a good way to start each day (or end it depending on your schedule).

Luke 1 is a long chapter and there is certainly a lot to consider. For some reason the following verses are what really stood out to me this morning. They are spoken by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, the soon-to-be father of John the Baptist. Gabriel tells Zechariah what his future son will do:

Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:16-17)

That had to be quite a moment for Zechariah. First of all, to see an angel had to be a “memory maker” to say the least! Secondly, to hear that you are going to have a son…when your wife has been barren for most of your marriage. And finally, to hear that your son is going to be a great man of God, preparing the way for the coming Messiah of Israel. Zechariah certainly never forgot that day…nor did he forget that he responded to Gabriel in disbelief and lost his voice for the next nine months.

But what struck me was the prophesied mission of John the Baptist. He would fulfill the prophecy given in Malachi 4:5-6 that God would send Elijah before the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist’s role was to bring the people back to the Lord, to turn the disobedient toward righteousness, and to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children.

As a father, that phrase hit me. It’s interesting that turning the hearts of fathers to their children is an essential part of turning the people back to the Lord and preparing them for Messiah. Apparently the fathers during this time had abandoned their role as leaders in the home and as imparters of the faith to their children. And when fathers abandon this role, a whole generation is unprepared for the Lord.

I couldn’t help but think of our own generation. Fatherless homes are the norm. Children are growing up everywhere without fatherly leadership. Where are the fathers? Doing their own things. Pursing their own dreams. Fathering children and then leaving them with their mothers to raise them. Some men simply don’t see their importance. “Mom does a better job anyway.” But children need their fathers! Fathers impart a child’s first impression of God the Father. Unfortunately we have a whole generation who pictures God as absent and unconcerned about their lives. Or even worse, as abusive, angry, and unable to be pleased.

O God, turn the hearts of fathers back to their children! Give me a heart that sees the importance of investing time in my kids, that commits to raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Give me a heart for You and a life of integrity so that I won’t be ashamed when my kids follow my example. Raise up many Elijahs in this generation to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children.

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.      Selah (Psalm 4:4)

Psalm 4 is a good “nighttime psalm.” It basically tells us what to do each night when we go to bed, particularly if we are emotionally distraught or upset. What did David (the writer of the psalm) do each night?

1. He prayed and called out to God (4:1-3).
2. He evaluated his emotional state and dealt with any anger before going to sleep (4:4).
3. He reaffirmed his faith in God and reminded himself of God’s joy and protection (4:5-8).

It was this second point that caught my attention. So often we are afraid to even feel our emotions much less evaluate them. David was an emotional man. You can’t read the psalms and not see David’s emotions. He experienced the full spectrum–from extreme despair to exuberant praise.

In this psalm, David had to deal with anxiety and anger. He was under attack from others and feeling the pressures of life. His heart was not at peace. Like Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:5, David could say, This body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn–conflicts outside, fears within.

How do you sleep under such great stress? David said, “In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” David recommended taking an “emotional inventory.”

Search your heart. Why are you so upset? What are you focusing upon? What are you trusting in? Be silent. Quiet your heart. Stop fighting. Cry out to God and then allow Him to speak to you. Selah. This is a Hebrew term meaning, “Stop and contemplate.” Take a deep breath. Relax. Refocus. Release your grip. Let go of your need to control. Reaffirm your faith in God. Rest in Him.

This psalm was obviously a favorite of Paul’s too. He quotes it in Ephesians 4:26-27, “In your anger do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and do not give the devil a foothold.” Don’t go to bed angry or in emotional distress. Clean the slates. Forgive. Reconcile if need be. Let go. Trust.

Of course, this is not easy. It takes discipline and practice. Some nights the mind just won’t quiet down. Our grip seems locked. Our heart seems out of control. Such nights require lots of praying, pleading, and wrestling with God. Such nights also require us to really search our hearts to find out what is so hard for us to let go of. What are we holding onto? What do we think we can’t live without? What “idol in our heart” is threatened? What area of our life are we unwilling to give over to God?

In the end, when we learn the discipline of resting in God and casting all our care upon Him, we can say with David, You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety (4:7-8).

Lord, give me peace of heart. Open my eyes to see areas of my life that I have not given over to You. Deliver me from anger and anxiety and help me to rest in You.