One thing that Jesus was NOT - was flashy. When He cured someone, it was with a touch. When He spoke, the crowds came to Him. And when He resisted the Devil - it was through the simple mechanisms of fasting, prayer, and Scripture. These are things each of us can do daily or weekly, which fits completely with Jesus's advice to not put on a public display. Your life - your resistance to temptation - will be all the display you need.
In the Gospels, the best known examples of Jesus facing and resisting temptation are the 3 tests in the desert at the very beginning of His ministry. Just after His baptism by John, Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, where He fasted for 40 days. At the end of that time, the Devil came and tempted Him 3 times. The first was the request to turn stones into bread. For the second test, the Devil took Jesus to the top of the Temple and bade Him leap off, and be protected by the angels. The third test was the presentation to Jesus of all the world's empires, in exchange for Jesus worshipping the Devil. What is notable about all three examples - and the most applicable to your life - is that Jesus had the strength to resist these powerful and almost overwhelming temptations by His fasting and praying for 40 days, and by quoting Scripture.
Another example is Jesus's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus never asked to be let out of His mission. He simply asked if there were an alternative. Jesus always recognized that God's will must be done. Jesus berated the apostles who accompanied Him for falling asleep, explaining that the time could be better spent in prayer, the better to strengthen themselves against temptation.
Jesus faced several temptations during His trial before Pilate and Herod, including the mocking by the soldiers and the physical and emotional torture He faced by the whipping, crowning with thorns, and humiliating slaps from the guards. Jesus resisted the temptation to either quit His ministry or retaliate (remember, He had told Peter in the Garden at his arrest that He could summon legions of angels to His side). Jesus resisted the temptation by remaining true to His mission.
The final temptation of Jesus was when He was hanging on the cross, dying from blood loss and suffocation. The crowd and the thief to his side mocked Him, calling for Him to come down from the cross. Again, Jesus resisted the temptation by focusing on His mission, even granting eternal life to the thief who praised Him.
Jesus throughout the Gospels emphasized connecting with God, but nowhere was that more obvious than these incidents where He was tempted. He repeatedly explained that prayer and fasting were paramount in strengthening yourself to resist temptation, and quoted Scripture to answer the Devil.
A copy of "The Six Temptations Of Jesus Christ" can be purchased at: http://www.knowledge-download.com/Six_Temptations
Erik Carter is an experienced computer programmer and attorney. He has written SIX TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS CHRIST (http://www.knowledge-download.com/six_temptations) and AGGRESSIVE PLEADINGS FOR THE NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER (http://www.knowledge-download.com/six_temptations).
recurring cleaning service Mundelein ..You can't help but feel a sense of electricity in... Read More
Do you have a servant's heart? Has God blessed you... Read More
The word "gravity" is a word coined by Sir Isaac... Read More
Being a Christian does not exempt us from having to... Read More
I had the intention of writing about Soul Mates but... Read More
The Mystical Experience"The mysteries of life become lucid ? and... Read More
Do you go to God seeking His will for your... Read More
What really binds us to any negative emotional state in... Read More
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. --ROMANS... Read More
Sometimes trying to be spiritual holds us back from actually... Read More
Over the past number of years, while going through my... Read More
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ... Read More
As I sit here and ponder my existence my heart... Read More
In looking back at my process over the years I... Read More
I had visions of my daughter for about five years... Read More
Maybe once in a lifetime, we find ourselves seeking spiritual... Read More
Do you know where your current path is taking you?Education,... Read More
Ever notice how people dread discussing... Read More
Among some of us who deem ourselves spiritual, the use... Read More
I believe in the source we refer to as 'God'.... Read More
Most of our troubles are bought about by exercising our... Read More
As a Psychiatrist I spent most of my life training... Read More
No one, not even God can make us choose the... Read More
In a recent case study which I also summarized in... Read More
Everybody knows that if you stick your hand in a... Read More
tidy up service Buffalo Grove ..Attract and hold your family at home with some unique... Read More
Behold, a certain young maiden did often times and at... Read More
The words 'new age' and 'spirituality' can have people running... Read More
With excitement and anticipation I jumped on a plane last... Read More
We all have spirit guides and we all benefit from... Read More
Until recently, miracles were usually credited to a supernatural power.... Read More
You know that the Bible tells us a lot about... Read More
An etheric body, also known as the aura, surrounds every... Read More
To many people in the Western world Metaphysical Healing is... Read More
Looking for some ways to feed your soul in the... Read More
How do you feel when you see homeless people on... Read More
Have you ever noticed how much our lives resemble a... Read More
Often, in being dishonest about our own faults and failures,... Read More
I am often asked to explain what I mean by... Read More
That we must live with imperfections is a fact of... Read More
Years ago no matter where I lived, whether a house... Read More
Whether we admit it or not, we operate by emotion.... Read More
Sometimes showing up for life can seem like a major... Read More
Did you ever get a feeling or gain notion of... Read More
Ever notice how people dread discussing... Read More
"What does it profit a man to have gained the... Read More
It's late. But it's usually those words that you cannot... Read More
When we ask ourselves the question who am I in... Read More
I would like to tell you the story of a... Read More
It's the most powerful weapon on Earth. It can turn... Read More
Spirituality |