Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.(Matthew 4:1) and And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness (Luke 4:10
Most likely, we are familiar with the account of Jesus’s temptation, of His time in the wilderness and how He withstood the onslaught of the enemy because He employed the Word of God. But something stood out to me in these verses - Jesus was led into the wilderness, the place of temptation, by the Spirit.
That seems contrary to what we believe, doesn’t it? I mean, after all, don’t we pray “lead us not into temptation”? How does this fit?
Jesus was indeed led by the Spirit into this place of temptation - so let’s consider why God led Him there, why this doesn’t conflict with what He Himself told us to pray, and what that means for us.
God led Jesus by the Spirit into the wilderness on purpose. He certainly knew what lay ahead there and it was for this purpose He took Him in. Hebrews 4:15 comforts us with these words: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Jesus can not only understand our weakness but also lead us to victory because He has faced every temptation that we have. Every single one. This time of temptation was necessary for Him to experience so that He could aid us later on.
While it is true that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, it is also true that He told us in Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. How can both be true? Because there is a difference between “to be” and “into” . God often allows us into situations where we will be tempted but He exhorts us not to let the temptation take us in! The temptations will be there as long as we are alive but we don’t have to go “into them” - we can go around them or away from them! We are to pray to be delivered from them, not to fall into them.
What do we learn from this? First, that being “full of the Holy Spirit” does not mean we avoid trials and temptations. We might have a tendency to believe that being tempted equals sin, that if we are tempted to do evil, then we must have been out of God’s will to begin with. Not necessarily. The Bible clearly communicates here the fullness of the Spirit in Jesus and that it was the leading of the Spirit that put Him in the place of being tempted. So, do not assume that the presence of a problem means we have done something wrong. Second, notice how the Word of God was used in the temptation. Satan quoted Scripture!!! He just twisted it to support the temptation - but Jesus knew the whole counsel of God so He successfully wielded the Sword of the Spirit against the temptation and the tempter. Let us, also, not be swayed to think that just because someone quotes a verse that it is being used correctly. We must know the whole counsel of God! Just recently, I was engaged in a situation where a well-meaning believer had become deceived about issues of sexuality and gender because he had fallen prey to this very tactic. Sisters, be discerning, be wise, test words and see if they are indeed TRUTH.
Lastly, why does God allow us to be tempted? Jesus was tempted so He could identify with us and give us victory. But why would God allow temptation in our lives, especially when He knows how often we will fail? I don’t presume to know the mind of God but I see evidence in Scripture at least a few of the purposes God has for temptation in our lives. One, the attraction temptation holds reveals to us the hidden idols in our heart. James 1:14 tells us but each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Our particular temptations give us insight about the condition of our hearts - what I am tempted by tells me what I believe will satisfy more than Christ. How merciful God is to expose those lies and not let me fall prey to them! Two, temptation is a reminder of how much I need Jesus! As I struggle against the pull of discontentment or grumbling or self-pity or overeating, it prompts me to press in to Christ and the power of His might. I am acutely aware of my own inadequacy - and His glorious sufficiency! Three, the way we respond to temptations will be our testimony to others. Either we demonstrate the superiority of Christ when we chose Him over the passing pleasures of sin. Or we show the unfathomable mercy of God when we have failed and then we go straight to the cross for forgiveness. Ultimately, temptations are a way for God to be glorified. He is exalted when we increase our dependence on Him, when we see the truth of His precious value over all, and when those around us can be encouraged to press in to Him because of our testimony.
Temptation. It is not sin but it is an opportunity for Christ to be exalted in our lives. That, dear sisters, is why God employs it - for HIS purposes!