Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 19, 2023: SOAP #5099: Matthew 1-4

(reworked SOAP from 2010)

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

OBSERVATION:  “Jesus was led by the Spirit.”  That sounds good.  But He was led “into the desert.”  That does not sound very good.   Led “to be tempted.”  That is even worse!   “Tempted by the devil.”  Was Jesus really following the Spirit?  Did the Spirit make a mistake? 

This wilderness time was important for laying out the principles by which Jesus would live His life, i.e.  He would live by the word.  He would bow only to His Father God.  And He would not force God to prove that He (Jesus) was the One with God’s favor.

APPLICATION:  When I am in the “desert” I should not immediately think that I have done something wrong.  It may be that I am exactly where God wants me.   Even if God did not specifically lead me into hard times, I can take advantage of them to clearly demonstrate the principles by which I live.  And if the devil had something to do with the difficulties around me, may I so glorify God that the devil ends up saying, “I never want to do that to Leon again.”

PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, I trust you to lead me, even if it is through tough times.  Guide each word and each action so that others can see Jesus living in me.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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