Last year was the first time I did Lent. It was a very spiritual experience for me so that’s why I’m doing it again this year and eagerly looking forward to see what will unfold. Lent is that time of year in the 40 days leading up to Easter where believers can set time aside for fasting and to reflect on what Jesus did for us at the Cross and the suffering he went through.
The number 40 is a significant number in the Bible. The Israelites were led out of slavery in Egypt and were 40 years in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. After being baptised and told by God that He was his Beloved Son, Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan. That is a stunning statement that God called Jesus to be tempted, to do battle with Satan. Spiritual Warfare is no fun picnic. You’d better be prepared if you have to face a cruel and ruthless enemy. Jesus fasted for 40 days while he was in the wilderness and at the end of that time, he was very hungry! At his physically weakest, that’s when Satan came to him.
The temptations Satan made were very powerful and attractive to Jesus. Satan was attempting to place doubts in Jesus mind about many things - his relationship with God, his physical needs, his abilities, his status, his prestige and to offer a shortcut to his mission. In my experience I have seen Satan work like this in people’s lives many times. At the very moment when God is working powerfully in someone’s life, that’s when the temptations come to pull that person away. If you are in that position, I say;
• Don’t doubt that God loves you
• Don’t allow yourself to feel that you have anything to prove
• Don’t take shortcuts to what you know you are called to do
• Watch out for the attractive “better offer” - Don’t miss out on what God has planned for you!
Lent is a time for Spiritual Warfare. At this time I need to be close to God, I don’t want to walk into an ambush, unprepared. On the one hand there is nothing I can sacrifice that will bring me closer. I am totally dependent on the sacrifice Jesus made for that. However, I do believe that I can demonstrate to God that I am serious about the matter I want to bring to Him. He can judge my heart and see what motivates me. I am doing Lent for my friends who don’t yet believe.
Not that I can twist God’s arm or make a decision for someone else. I cannot. Everyone is free including God to decide for themselves what is right.
