Following the Father – Know the Truth

In today’s social media crazed world Jesus could be considered The Father’s Instagram Post! Furthering that idea I thought one post about Jesus could be a video showing the heavens ripping open and God’s voice bellowing out at Jesus’ baptism and another similar post might be at the transfiguration. With such a visual post we can see without a doubt that God the Father has an immense love for His Boy. After Jesus’ baptism a Holy Spirit-filled Jesus heads off to war against Satan in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13). This time the Father posts an Instagram of His Son in the thick of a spiritual battle. In this battle Jesus demonstrates for us how to conquer such situations and temptations in our own lives.

Jesus’ temptations are real and Satan knows exactly where to aim his repugnant arrows. In each case Satan goes after the Son’s identity found in the Father’s love. This crafty one states, “if you are the Son of God” turn the stones into bread and feed your hungry stomach and another time he says, “if you are the Son of God” jump off the high point of the temple and dazzle the crowds to prove your Father’s love. Satan does the same to us by trying to convince us to turn away from the Father’s love and worship his temporal lures for satisfaction. Satan says all we need to do is give our heart’s allegiance to him and in exchange we get all the pleasures of the world without having to “carry the cross” of our Father’s will (Luke 4:8-9). What a lie from the father of lies!

This post from our Father begs us to tuck in behind our Savior Jesus Christ. We need to follow Him through the maze of temptations we face each day from the enemy telling us the Father’s love is not enough. Jesus stands on the rock solid promise of His Father’s Word every time His identity is attacked and we must do the same. Notice Jesus’ response to the first temptation:

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

Jesus’ identity was not rooted in the things of the world but rather in the Words of the Father. For you and me the greatest “word that comes from the mouth of God” is “Jesus!” The Father sent Jesus to show what His love looks like culminating in the victory over sin and Satan at the Cross. Jesus’ finished work enables us to war against the onslaught of the enemy’s attacks and temptations.

Know that by being a follower of Christ temptations will come, and by hiding The Word in your heart and knowing that because of the cross of Christ you have the victory. Your identity and security is in Christ! Go ahead and like that post!!