When relationships go wrong (4/4) | The unhappily married
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is ...
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Lent: finding strength in the wilderness (1/5) | When God affirms and the devil attacks
When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry….
LUKE 3:21–23
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
LUKE 4:1–2
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Jesus is now 30 years old and has just embarked on his public ministry (Luke 3:23). In Jewish tradition, 30 marked the age of spiritual maturity – a time when a man could be recognised as a rabbi and when Levites began their temple service. This pivotal moment in Jesus’ life begins with his baptism by John.
As Jesus prays, the Holy Spirit descends on him, and a voice from heaven declares, ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased’ (Luke 3:22). It’s a profound moment. Jesus’ identity and calling are confirmed: Jesus is God’s Son, the chosen one who will fulfil Israel’s calling without repeating its past mistakes. God’s pleasure in – and commitment to – him is clear.
Imagine what that must have felt like. If you’ve ever sensed God’s presence or heard him affirm your purpose, you might have a glimpse of this experience: deep assurance, clarity, and the confidence that you are loved.
But then, an abrupt transition. Immediately after this spiritual high, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness – a place of hunger, isolation, and testing. The voice of God is replaced by the voice of the devil: ‘If you are the Son of God…’ The very identity just confirmed is now questioned. This, too, is a defining moment, a dark night of the soul. Will Jesus trust what God has said, or will he give in to the devil’s temptations?
How often do we experience something similar? A moment of deep encounter with God – one that reassures us of our identity and calling – can quickly be followed by challenge, discouragement, or even spiritual attack. The enemy’s strategy hasn’t changed – sowing doubt about who we are and whether God is truly with and for us.
Yet, could it be that these moments of encounter with God and assurance are meant to equip us for what follows? Rather than being disconnected events, the highs and lows work together – God strengthens us in his presence so that we can step into his mission with resilience.
Just as Sundays should prepare us for Mondays, spiritual highs aren’t meant to be an escape from reality but a foundation for faithful living. They remind us of who God is, who we are, and what we are called to do. Whether in joy or struggle, God’s presence sustains us, empowering us to carry his love into the world.
Paul Woolley
CEO, LICC
How might God’s affirmation of your identity ready you to face Satan’s attack and more faithfully live your calling today?
The Joy of the Lord is MY strength. Reminded to put on the armour of God today.
Yes! Isn’t it interesting that Lk 4:1 twice declares that it isn’t the devil that orchestrated the temptation, but the Holy Spirit?
I’ve been wondering whether, while temptation isn’t good, it has a positive and a negative aspect. The negative aspect is an attempt to distract us. The positive aspect is that God wants us to chose him, and focus our efforts on his call – above the distractions of personal comfort, power and fame which the tempter offers. How much we are distracted today by these things which clutter our lives! Jesus chose not to be distracted, so instead he focussed on the one things that really mattered: us.
Perhaps the Holy Spirit here was like that very good, slightly scary, friend who asks us what’s absorbing our time. And doesn’t accept our easy answers until we’ve realised the quantity of clutter in our lives.