2020 VISION | Day 6 | Led!
“Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test.
The Devil was ready to give it.
Jesus prepared for the Test
by fasting forty days and forty nights”
(Matthew 4:1-2, MB).
In 1995, Oldsmobile introduced the first GPS navigation system in a U.S. produced car. In 2004, Map Quest publicly released its digital directions resource. In 2013, Google purchased Waze, added their social data inputting systems, and drivers gained access to real-time directions. When I think about how receiving directions have changed, I am amazed. I remember asking my parents, stopping at a local gas station, or trying to interpret the ancient Road Atlas. Methods have changed. What hasn’t changed is our dependence on a reliable source. In Matthew 4, Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted.” This Holy Spirit leading brought about a painful, but purposeful experience for Jesus. MacArthur Study Bible comments that “God Himself is never the agent of temptation (James 1:13), but here God uses even Satanic tempting to serve His Sovereign purpose.” In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs how to pray and fast. He says things like: “go into your room” (a private place), “close the door” (limit distractions), “pray to your Father” (talk to God), and “do not keep babbling like pagans” (avoid meaningless words). As it relates to fasting, Jesus encouraged them not to “look somber” or “show others” you were fasting. Instead, we should have a pleasant demeanor and approach it as an authentic time with our Heavenly Father. In the coming days, you may face the temptation to give up on your fast. I encourage you to seek the most reliable source for direction. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak. Trust Him to guide you along this journey.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, please guide me in and through this fast. Help me to put off distractions, authentically connect with you, and trust you along this spiritual journey. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
