Holy Boldness

to such a place of weakness just to be tempted? In the economy of God, weakness gives God the opportunity to show Himself strong. God’s instructions often seem to compromise a person’s strength and leave them vulnerable right under the nose of one’s enemy. Gideon was instructed to send home most of his armed men right before the battle with the Midi anites. (Judges 7) The children of Israel were instructed to circumcise all the males right after they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land and they sat exposed before their enemies in Jericho. (Joshua 5) And Jesus was led to fast for 40 days before His confrontation with Satan. Why? So that He might respond, not out of the strength of His flesh but out of the identity of being a son. God seemingly led Jesus right into a trap; he was weak, vulnera ble, and weary. Jesus’ scriptural answers to the temptations all exhibited the centrality of the fear of the Lord in His life, a deep organic under standing of the scriptures, and His profound dependence on the Father. Three times Satan came to Jesus to tempt Him but each time Jesus answered Satan’s temptations with scripture. Those answers did not come from a mere list of memorized passages of the Old Testament. They came from a mind and heart that had been disciplined in the true meaning and intention of the scripture. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12-13) This verse holds true for Jesus as much as for us. Jesus remained steadfast under trial, and He received a reward for it! ‘ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.’ (James 1:14) Is there a difference between a temptation and a test? The word translated temptation in this verse could also be translated test . So why do we say men are tested by God but tempted by the devil? The thing that makes the difference is the motivation behind them. When God tests His children, it is always unto the purpose of graduating them to higher degrees of maturity and understanding. Consider these words from the 1 Peter 5:8-10 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him firm in your faith knowing that the

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