The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” ~ Luke 4:3
READING: Luke 4:1-13
Tucked into the narrative of the temptation of Jesus, as a small aside to the main battlegrounds, there’s an odd repetition in the devil’s words which gives us a clue as to how he tempts us: “If you are the Son of God . . .”
Of course, Satan knew perfectly well that Jesus was, in fact, the Son of God. Yet he used that insinuating question to tempt Jesus to do something outlandish or extreme to prove his identity. Turn these stones into bread . . . Throw yourself down from here. He implied that Jesus needed to do something – anything – to prove what was actually innate.
He whispers the same sneer into our minds: “If you are a child of God, pray twice as long as you do.” Or “If you are a church planter, then you will do such and so.” Or “How can you call yourself a Christian, if you haven’t done a forty-day fast?”
It’s all rubbish!
If you are truly a child of God, it’s because God did a sovereign work in your heart and you accepted Christ as your Savior. That’s the criterion. You don’t become more God’s child by praying a lot.
If you heard God’s call to church planting, as confirmed by the body of Christ, you are one, to God’s glory, even on the days when you feel most frustrated.
No amount of fasting or toil, no flashy publicity stunt or miracle-working can make you something you already are. It’s as counter-productive as trying to start a car engine that’s already running.
So, be like Christ, secure in His identity, concerned only to please His Father.
Father, Help me to walk in simple obedience, and to laugh in Satan’s face when he tries to mess with my head. Amen.
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