Victory in the Mind: Lessons From Jesus in the WildernessMuestra

The Wilderness

In our journey through life, we all experience phases where we feel lost in the wilderness. The wilderness is an inhospitable place that cannot be cultivated, devoid of resources. You might be going through such a phase right now, feeling lost and uncertain about the future. Your mind may be clouded with fear, sadness, or depression. However, this doesn't mean you're disconnected from the Spirit of God or won't make it through. It's just a part of your journey, and with patience and perseverance, you'll eventually find your way out.

In the wilderness, your faith is the treasure within you. It's the substance of what you're hoping for. Your mind is the battlefield in which your faith is threatened, and the devil is working hard to take your faith through a series of negative thoughts meant to make you give up.

However, we can see what Jesus did when the devil tempted him. Foremost, the devil went straight for Jesus's weakness — His hunger. He told Jesus to turn a stone into bread to eat. The devil knows Jesus could do the impossible, so he directed Him to make it happen. Jesus said, "Man cannot live by bread alone, but on every word that comes out the mouth of God."

The devil tried to do two things: get Jesus to take matters into His own Hands— but also to get Jesus to obey him instead of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not make a move without instructions from God, and He did not submit to the directives of the devil. Anytime we are instructed to do something without God, we are not being led by God.

Next, the devil took Jesus to the temple's highest point and told Him to throw Himself off the temple and command Angels to take charge of Him. At this moment, it is safe to say he was tempting Jesus to take His own life by suicide. However, Jesus said it is written, "Do not put your Lord to the test."

After being tempted to harm Himself, Jesus was asked to worship the devil. Jesus eventually demanded that he leave Him alone, and the devil fled. After that, Angels from Heaven came to minister to Jesus.

Before we go to the next day, inhale and repeat after me, "I will not give into the temptation of the devil." Exhale and say, "I have the victory."