Good morning,
His favorite week
I can’t say for sure, but I would guess that this week each year is one of his favorite times to celebrate what he feels belongs to him and no one else. Now we call October 31, Halloween, that he has twisted from what used to be called All Saints’ Day. Right after the Lord Jesus was baptized he was sent by the Holy Spirit to begin a 40 day visit to a hot, dry, cruel desert. Jesus ate nothing during those challenging days and when he was physically weak, the devil came to tempt him to take a short cut to his ministry here on earth. For one temptation he offered, "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”(Luke 4:6,7) Jesus didn’t argue with him, He just said, "The Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’”(v.8) Satan was blind to the God man he was tempting. He had ignored what David knew when he wrote, O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.(Ps.8:1) This same Jesus not only created the earth, He also created all the stars and planets and heaven itself. This Jesus is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords.(Rev.19:16)
Jesus knew exactly why he had come to earth. He knew that the Accuser loved the power that he had because of our sins. Jesus knew that he would do more than throw Satan out of heaven. Jesus came to live with us, face the temptations that all humans must deal with, and he came to live a perfect life. He faced the anger of his enemies and never gave up even when he was nailed to a cruel cross. He told his disciples that, "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.(John 5:24) Jesus paid the price for all of our sins in his suffering and death so that he could set us free from the power and control of this hateful enemy. Paul explains this truth to us when he wrote, But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.(1Cor.15:20) Those of us who are living on earth today, who are a part of God’s family, will still face the temptations and spiritual forces of evil, but we now live under the control of the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. Before Jesus left us to return to heaven he promised, And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.(John 14:16) It seems to me that in recent years our Enemy grows stronger and stronger, but we must remember that our Savior and Lord is always with us and no one or nothing will ever be able to tear us away from the arms of our Father, and Savior and God’s Holy Spirit. Never Give Up!
1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Roy Wisner
