Jesus’ Fast

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Matthew 4:1-11

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. Mark 1:12-13

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

These passages cover the 40 day fast of Jesus. Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted. It was intentional on the part of God. He allowed it. Often we give in to the idea that “The Devil made me do it,” but just like Jesus we have to not give in to the desires of the flesh but instead be led by the Spirit within. The same Spirit that saw Jesus through the temptations is the same Spirit that lives in every believer. Each version of this testimony from the Gospels, make it clear Holy Spirit directed Jesus into the wilderness. This fast, again was no food and no water, like Moses for 40 days.

Mark and Luke say Jesus was tempted for 40 days, not just that he fasted 40 days. We are given three tests the devil brought. Jesus would have faced the same temptation every person faces that fasts – to give in and eat and drink to satisfy the flesh, to go back to the place of comfort and fullness. Jesus had to overcome the same temptations our human flesh does, and likely the hangry emotions that go with it. Maybe He had more grace but it all comes out in a fast. Scriptures make it clear Jesus was hungry.

The Devil questioned Jesus’s identity saying “If You are the Son of God…” This is the same lie that the enemy planted with Eve in the garden.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Jesus knew His identity. Man was made in the image of God, in His likeness but Jesus is God. Eve questioned her likeness. Eve chose to give into the flesh. In order to face the challenges of the tempter, we have to know our identity in Christ.

Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus, but out of context. Jesus stood on the truth of God’s word. It is not enough to know what the Bible says, it must be applied in context. We can not just quote scriptures out of context as a way to get what we want. God is not a genie in a bottle. Jesus knew it was every word of God, not just a few, that we are called to live upon.

The Scripture also says that “the devil took Jesus” twice. MaybeJesus could have said no, but again He was being led by Holy Spirit. Sometimes we have to go with the devil to prove we aren’t going to give in to the sin. It has to be when we are led by Holy Spirit otherwise we will likely fail or open up doors that lead us to fall into other temptations. Our weakness is no match for the enemy. Only when our weakness is covered by the strength of the Lord can we can stand.

Satan tried to get Jesus to take an action at his command. This would have put a requirement on God, which would have been bowing God to Satan’s will. The enemy’s trickery is always bigger than the immediate face value of the situation. This was true with Jesus and in the garden with Eve and it is still true today.

I believe Satan overplayed his hand with Luke 4:6 because while Jesus did say that the devil was ruler in the world, he did not have all authority, that belongs to God.

The holy angels who take care of the earth have decided this. It is their command. Now everyone will be sure that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. He causes humble men to rule as kings.” ’ Daniel 4:17.

Authority comes from God.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Matthew 28:18

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Romans 13:1

When Jesus finished His fast and the temptation He was ministered to by angels.

So from Jesus experience in fasting some things I need to consider are:

• Is my fast led by the holy spirit?
• Am I abstaining from food and water?
• There are usually testings along with temptation, some are from the flesh, others allowed by God to prepare us for what is next.
• Do I know my true identity in Christ, or will I succumb to the temptation when it is tested?
• Do I know Scripture well enough to recognize when it is being twisted or used out of context?
• Stand firm on the scripture I know?
• Is this temptation or test of my own making or is God Using it to refine or show me what is already refined?
• What are the bigger consequences or larger implications of me giving into the temptation?
• How much of what the enemy is stating is over exaggerated?
• Do I allow God’s Angels to minister to me afterward before jumping into something else?

Lord, there are things I’ve never noticed from the testimony of Jesus before and his temptation. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of your spirit. I want more of a spirit led life and less of a flesh or enemy lead life.