40 DAYS FASTING

SERIES: JESUS BEGINS EARTHLY MINISTRY

TEXT: LUKE 4:1-14

Just after Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him and the voice of God the Father was heard declaring, “This is my son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased”-Matt. 3:16-17. Then, Jesus immediately was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to seek the face of the Father with prayer and fasting before starting to preach, teach and heal. He was led by the Holy Spirit. The greatest servants of God always start their journey from the wilderness. It was in the wilderness where Moses met God, where King David was identified by God when he was keeping sheep, where John the Baptist started his powerful ministry, and where Apostle Paul was prepared by God. Our Lord Jesus ate nothing for 40 days. It was not an easy time but He purposed to do it. Fasting is hard and painful, only those who are willing to pay a price and go the extra mile in seeking God can do it. More about the fasting of Jesus:-

HE ATE NOHING DURING THOSE DAYS-Luke 4:2.

He travelled to the wilderness of Judea and purposed not to take food for the purpose of suppressing the physical body and empowering the spirit person. The purpose of the fast was to prepare himself for the 3 years of the earthly ministry by drawing closer to God. Fasting is to weaken the body by denying it food, sometimes water and pleasure. It’s in this state that one can hear the voice of God clearly without distraction.
Jesus knew He had hard work ahead of Him and He needed to be empowered before starting the ministry.
Jesus was fully human and fully God. Being fully human, he felt hungry-Luke 4:2.

SATAN TEMPTS JESUS WITH FOOD-Luke 4:3-4.

The enemy satan has used food many times, to test man. When he appeared to Eve in the garden of Eden, he persuaded her to eat.
Satan shows up with the same kind of temptation he presented to Adam and Eve. He shows up as a good person who is concerned about the problem facing Jesus, hunger.
It would not have been sin for Jesus to eat but he would lose His intended purpose and Jesus did not need any advice from the devil.
Jesus answered the devil that, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”-Deut. 8:3.
A human being needs more than the simple food to keep him/her biologically alive. Man is more than just a material being, and God is the source of life.

SATAN TEMPTS JESUS WITH MATERIAL THINGS AND PRESTIGE-Luke 4:5-8.

Satan offered Jesus authority over the kingdoms of the world and their prestige and glory, in exchange of worship. Jesus rejected the offer and quoted scripture, “It is written.” Jesus knew scripture. Many believers today, don’t know scripture; they cannot tell the devil, “it is written.”
The way of the scripture/Bible is the way to overcome satan in any debate. The Bible is the sword of the Holy Spirit, for the believer to fight the enemy. Satan cannot be overcome by philosophy, education or rationale.
Jesus overcame the enemy by quoting scripture.

SATAN TEMPTS JESUS WITH PRESTIGE-Luke 4:9-12.

Satan now brings a temptation using scripture. He quotes to Jesus Psalm 91:11-12, but Jesus knew scripture better than the devil.
We must read scripture again and meditate on it to get insight.
Jesus overcame satan and told him, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God-Luke 4:12.
With this, satan frustrated, left Jesus until an opportune time-Luke 4:13. An opportune time is a time where one seems vulnerable.

JESUS RETURNS-FULL OF POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Jesus went into the wilderness filled with the Holy Spirit-Luke 4:1.
Jesus returned from the wilderness full of the power of the Holy Spirit-Luke 4:14.

CONCLUSION