Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. Luke 4:1-2
If you live in Pennsylvania the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is known as Fastnacht Day. A day to enjoy the tasty triangular and square pastry treats. They are not donuts, they are in a league of their own steeped in German history. Traditionally they are made from potato dough with yeast, or flour with baking powder with sugar, eggs and lard or butter. The tradition began so people in both Catholic and Protestant Churches could use up all the rich and sweet things they were going to need to give up for Lent. The name Fastnacht actually means “eve of the fast”.
Fastnacht Day reminds us that not only is Easter coming in 40 days, but that Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days when He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness after His baptism. There Satan tried to tempt Him into worshiping him and giving up His authority. But no matter how Satan tried, it didn’t work. Thinking he could tempt Jesus with the same snares he could with man proved to be futile and was defeated with Jesus reminding him how powerful the word of God truly is.
Jesus walked out of that wilderness empowered and showing us how when we know the word and follow the Spirit’s leading we can overcome anything the enemy throws at us. That same Spirit helped Him fulfil His purpose by nailing our sins, sicknesses and everything else trying to destroy us to the tree. His blood washing sin and its affects away and sealed their fate when He rose from the dead. So when we find ourselves wandering in a wilderness, or fighting a disease or any medical condition, or just the temptation of sin, remember Jesus overcame them all and because as He is so are we in this world (1 John 4:17), then we can too.
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