TEMPTATION AFTER BAPTISM

What happened after the Lord Messiah Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan? He was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, while he observed a fast for 40 days.

Notice: Luke 4:1-12:

The Temptation of the lord Messiah Jesus

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was hungry. 3 So the devil said to him, “Since you are the Son of God, order this stone that it become bread!” 4 And Jesus replied to him, “It is written: ‘Man will not live on bread alone.’”

5 And he led him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment. 6 And the devil said to him: “I will give you all this domain and their glory, because it has been handed over to me, and I can give it to whomever I want. 7 So if you will pay homage before me, all this will be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him: “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord- Yehovah your God, and serve only him.’”

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and had him stand on the highest point of the temple and said to him: “Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 11 and ‘on their hands they will lift you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”[Psalm 91:12] 12 And Jesus answered and said to him: “It is said, ‘You are not to put to the test the Lord- Yehovah your God.’” 13 And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a while.

Matthew 4:1-4: Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, 2 and after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, then he was hungry. 3 And the tempter approached and said to him: “Since you are the Son of God, order that these stones become bread.” 4 But he answered and said: “IT IS WRITTEN, MAN WILL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.

The lord Messiah Jesus suffered by being tempted by Satan during his 40-day fast. There are spiritual lessons we who have been baptised can learn and apply to our daily life.

Note what 1 Peter 2:21 says: “The Messiah suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” He suffered for hours when he was beaten, whipped with a cat of nine tails, and nailed to a stake, crucified. Before he died, he offered himself up to his God and his Father Yehovah as a sin-offering sacrifice, so that God could reconcile [bring back] humanity to Himself.

1. The importance of baptism and its connection with God’s Holy Spirit.

You become a true follower of the lord Messiah Jesus only when God’s Holy Spirit lives in you.

Note: Romans 8:9: But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of the Messiah, this person is not of him.

The question we have to ask: When do you receive the Spirit of God as a pledge, as a seal, and as an anointing? The Scriptural answer is, we receive the Spirit of God at baptism when that baptism is accompanied by faith. It is when faith is present that the baptism becomes not only meaningful but vital.

Now let’s look at some details regarding baptism: The lord Messiah Jesus tells Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5] Notice the importance of water. “Unless a person is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5). Baptism by water alone is not enough, but “water and the Spirit,” or he will not enter the kingdom of God.

Baptism and God’s Holy Spirit are connected

John the Baptist taught in Mark 1:8: “I have baptized you with water, but he [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The Lord Jesus is saying you need to be baptized with both water and the Holy Spirit. n fact, the Lord Jesus says again that you need both baptisms in Acts 1:5: “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” It is vitally important to know that unless you are born not only of the Spirit but also of water, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.

Baptism is: 1) cleansed by water; 2) anointed by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. Note: Ephesians 5:25-26 reads: Husbands, love your wives, as the Messiah loved the called-out Assembly and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. Do you see this word " water " again? The lord Messiah Jesus cleanses the called-out Assembly by water and by faith in the word of God. It is not the water alone that matters, but it is the water and faith in the word of God. Paul explains this perfectly clearly. Jesus died with the very purpose that he could cleanse us, that is, make us holy. And how should we be cleansed? We are to be cleansed with the water of repentance and by faith in the word of God.

Now then, how does the lord Messiah Jesus cleanse us with the water of repentance? How does the water cleanse us with the word of God? In baptism, of course!

The apostle Paul explains this very point in Acts 22:16 because that was what he was taught at the time when he came to the lord Messiah Jesus. What was he told? In Acts 22, he was giving his own testimony - he gave his testimony three times in Acts - saying that this was what Ananias instructed when he first came to the Lord in verse 16: And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his [Jesus] name.” How do you wash away your sins? By being baptized and calling on the name of the lord Messiah Jesus.

By comparing Acts 22:16 with Ephesians 5:26, we can see that the lord Messiah Jesus offered himself up to his God and his Father Yehovah as a sin-offering sacrifice and then died that he might make us holy, “having cleansed the called-out Assembly by the washing of water with the word.” How are we cleansed? “Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the lord [Jesus].” We are washed from our sins by baptism as we call on the name of the Lord [Jesus]. That is where faith comes in.

At baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Paul experienced this very blessing in Acts 9:17 when he was baptized, and his name was still Saul.

So, Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Why did the lord Messiah Jesus send Ananias? Two things: Firstly, that the Apostle Paul may regain his sight, because he was blinded when the lord Messiah Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Secondly, that he might be filled with the Holy Spirit. How was Ananias going to help Paul to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Ananias laid hands on him at his baptism, and that was how he was filled with the Spirit. Read verse 18: And immediately something like scales fell off his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized.

Using the lord Messiah Jesus as the reference point, when was he anointed? He was anointed in the River Jordan when he was baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him bodily.

What happened after the lord Messiah Jesus’ baptism? He went forth to preach the gospel. He says a few verses later, in Luke 4:18a, where he quotes Isaiah 61:1-2:

“The Spirit of the Lord- Yehovah is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news (the gospel) to the poor.”

Why was he preaching the gospel? He had been anointed to preach the gospel at his baptism. Why did he not preach the gospel before that? He had not been baptised and anointed. Now that he was baptised and anointed by God’s Spirit, he could go forth to preach the gospel.

2. After baptism comes temptation

God allows temptation of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, after baptism, so they can learn obedience.

What happens after you have been baptized, after your sins have been washed away, as you have called on the name of the Lord- Yehovah God committing yourself totally to him as Lord and Master of your life? Acts 22:16. Luke 4:1 and Matthew 4:1 tell us that after being baptised comes temptation. Know that soon after your baptism, you are going to find that the enemy [Satan] starts putting pressure on you to cause you to fail or fall away. All the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus are targeted by Satan to try to get them to fail in their total commitment to the Lord God- Yehovah- and to give up and fall away.

Why does God allow you to be tempted after baptism? For many reasons, but above all, that you may be strengthened by learning obedience through suffering. You must learn. Your profession of commitment is going to be tested. After you are baptized, you are in spiritual warfare, but you need not be afraid.

It is only in battle that you will know how strong you are in the lord Messiah Jesus. It is only when your strength is put to the test that you realize what strength you really have, because of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. It is through winning spiritual battles that you grow spiritually. it is through winning spiritual battles that you grow spiritually. Notice what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13: God will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able to bear.

Satan attacks after every spiritual blessing

Every time a blessing comes, say: “Ah, the attack is going to come! Get ready for it!” Remember what the apostle James says in James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Realize God watches over you as the apple of his eye. Bear the reality of spiritual warfare carefully in mind, knowing that your God and Father Yehovah is with you every step of the way.

Anticipate and understand how Satan attacks to ward him off

It is not enough to know that you are going to be tempted, but to know how Satan will tempt you; then you will know how to ward him off.

Temptation 1: Satan will try to influence you to let legitimate physical and material desires control your spiritual life

The meaning of being anointed by God’s Spirit is that God gives you a certain authority. When you were anointed (receiving the gift of the Spirit of God at baptism), what did you get? Among other things, you got the authority to become a child of God. That is what John says: “As many as believed in Him, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). The word “right,” in fact, is the Greek word “authority.” You have been given the authority, the right to become children of God; you may exercise that right. There is a right way to exercise your anointing, and there is a wrong way to do it. The whole point of Satan’s temptation is to get you to do it in the wrong way. Understand that very carefully.

The temptation is that you should use your new spiritual power of anointing to get material benefit. Now that is a very serious temptation. It is to make the flesh dominate over the spirit, to make the flesh the motivation for whatever you do, and if you fall for that temptation, you are back under sin, back in the world, and you have gone back under the control of the flesh. That is the subtle temptation of Satan: Let the flesh determine your action!

Notice that it is the temptation to meet a legitimate physical need. The temptation to sin is not obvious at all, and you are going to find that the most dangerous temptation. The dangerous temptation is not an obvious appeal to do something evil. It is to use what is not bad in itself to slowly draw your spiritual life under the control of your physical desires and needs. Seek God’s direction over your physical desires and needs; follow His lead in knowing what to do.

Countermeasure 1: Always do God’s will

Pray to God and let Him know, “Lord, I desire nothing but to do your will.” If you want to serve God, the only thing that matters as a disciple is to have God in your life. Look for the power of the Spirit.

Countermeasure 2: Fast to bring your flesh under control

Fasting gives you the power to exercise discipline over your flesh. The whole meaning of Jesus fasting in the wilderness was, in fact, to make Satan’s temptation less effective against him. Satan attacks you through your flesh. Then how do you deal with temptation? You fast to bring the flesh under control. Once you learn to control the flesh through fasting, Satan’s means of attacking you are greatly reduced because you have disciplined the flesh. The undisciplined flesh is the surest weapon in Satan’s hands. That is why Satan always uses your flesh to target you. The spiritual man disciplines the flesh. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:27 that he gives himself black eyes, or he brings his flesh under control. You must learn to fast! Learn to bring your flesh under control by fasting. That is what the lord Messiah Jesus did.

The Lord Jesus fasted for forty days because he was a man trained to fast. The Son of God knew what it was to discipline the flesh. That is why he could fight the spiritual warfare against Satan so effectively. Through the whole period of forty days of temptation, he fasted, shutting off his flesh to the attacks of the enemy, thus greatly reducing Satan’s capabilities against him. The man of God is hard to attack because he has got his flesh so well under control.

Countermeasure 3: Feed on God’s word

We come to our final point in Luke 4:1-4. The lord Messiah Jesus answers Satan from Deuteronomy 8:3, saying:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 KJV).

1. Spiritual life depends on God’s Word to live

Just as you have to live physically by eating food, you have to live spiritually by eating the word of God.

2. Grow spiritually by feeding on God’s word or die

Secondly, it is not enough just to be born again in the spiritual life. If you are going to continue to grow spiritually, you must eat the word of God. It is wonderful to be born spiritually, but you must feed on God’s Word if you are going to survive.

Peter says: “Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk” (cf. 1 Peter 2:2). What is that milk? The word of God! That is the way you can live and grow.

3. Always do God’s word in your life

What does it mean to feed on God’s Word? Feeding upon God’s Word means doing it, not just reading it. You don’t actually live spiritually until you live according to God’s Word. That is very important. Feeding on God’s Word is not just to understand or know it, it is to live it! Conform your life to God’s word.

Summary

Baptism is essential. It is being cleansed by water and anointed with the Spirit of God – that is, given God’s authority to preach the gospel.

After baptism comes temptation. Satan’s first principle of attack is to tempt you to put your personal, material, worldly, fleshly desires above the spiritual.

How then shall we meet temptation? First, by always doing God’s will, and so be filled with his Holy Spirit. Remember the first words in Luke 4:1-2: “And Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit for forty days into the wilderness, tempted by the devil.”

We are not going to fight the spiritual warfare in our own strength. We are given the Spirit of God to overcome temptation.

The second thing is: bring your body under control, and fasting is a very useful means. It is not the only means, but it is a useful means. Exercise is a way of disciplining your body. Do you let yourself get sloppy? Jog, cycle, run, or do some light weight-lifting if you like. Whatever the exercise, get your body under control. The athlete controls his body. But use fasting also wisely, moderately, to bring the body under control.

Finally, feed constantly on God’s Word by living out the spiritual principles in your life. Then you will experience God’s power in your life.