EP 58: Navigating Wilderness Seasons
Wilderness seasons. Whether you love them or hate them, we all have them.
And there’s so much to learn in their midst.
Maybe you’re in one right now, questioning why God would allow something so painful or confusing to take place as you wonder if this season even has an end in sight.
It’s no secret that it can be very, very difficult to grasp and see God’s beauty when we are wading in the wilderness, but we must. Because God only allows things that are infiltrated with His sovereign and perfect purpose to take place. Yes, even suffering. And even if our human minds cannot see or comprehend His purpose in the hard and heartbreaking events that occur on this side of Heaven, His purpose remains. And it reigns. And there is nothing, nor will there ever be, anything inherently evil about it.
When this episode airs, I will be two weeks out from having my daughter, Selah. If you are not familiar with her story, Selah is going to be born with a single ventricle heart. Because of this, she will need a procedure when she is born and two major open heart surgeries after that—one at 4-6 months and the other at 2-4 years old— to correct it.
I will never forget the day we received her diagnosis. It was an early morning appointment. I was wearing maternity leggings with a mustard colored tank top and white tennis shoes. I had my red distressed Daughter of Delight dad hat on with a side ponytail and decided it was a bare face kind of day because I didn’t have the energy for makeup. Michael, my husband, was not supposed to be at this appointment with me, but his job is weather dependent and it rained that day, so we were able to go together. Of course, there was no mistake in that and the Lord was very gracious to allow us to receive the difficult news together.
What was supposed to be an in and out appointment turned into a long and tear-filled day. Selah had been diagnosed with something I couldn’t even understand in the initial moments it was being explained to us because I was heartbroken by the idea of my baby having a broken heart and simply could not stop crying. Michael and I both sat in that dark and cold room and cried our eyes out. The life we had envisioned for our baby girl would no longer look like what we thought.
I knew something was wrong when the tech stepped out of the room to get the doctor’s opinion on something, but instead of questioning and running through the worst case scenario thoughts my anxiety tempted me to lose myself in, I laid there, reminded myself that God was my peace, and prayed that His peace would cover us in the midst of what we would learn when they walked back into the room just minutes later.
This day was the beginning of a wilderness season that Michael and I went on to endure and process in different but difficult ways. At first, for me, it felt much easier to question why this was happening to us—to her—and to spend hours doing research and asking questions about all the different things I may have done during my pregnancy to contribute to my baby’s broken heart than it did to surrender the fear-ridden burdens of my heart into the hands of my Father in exchange for His peace and a chance to grow in my trust of Him- specifically with her life.
But it wasn’t easier at all. The truth is, I was looking for answers and peace in all the wrong places.
Every day offered what felt like an unbearable weight of its own. It felt like I was standing in the wilderness getting drenched by the dark cloud that hovered over me wherever I went. It felt like no matter which direction I took a step in, I ended up in the exact same spot I started.
That was, until I let it all out and laid it all down in order to set my exhausted and blurry gaze on my Father.
The wilderness remained, but I wasn’t alone. My Great Shepherd was there to wipe my tears and guide me Home. He had always been there.
Now, I can’t tell you why my daughter is going to be born with a single ventricle heart. I can’t tell you what her future looks like and the struggles her congenital heart defect may present as she grows. But I can tell you, with complete peace, that God has breathed life and purpose into her being for reasons I can’t even wrap my mind around. Because they’re that big and that beautiful, and His glory and faithfulness continue to seep through every detail of her story- big and small. I can tell you that her life is in the greatest hands and it’s in those same set of hands my hope is found, too.
I don’t know what your story is, sister. But I know this world is filled with a whole lot of hurt and many unknowns. The Christian life is not to a breeze, but a battle. That said, there is so much for us to learn even in the midst of our darker days because of the bigger picture—the Bigger Story—at hand.
With that, I want to spend some time in Matthew 4 with you today. Specifically the passage of Jesus spending 40 days and nights in the desert. Then, we will wrap up our time together with some practical takeaways. I highly recommend grabbing your Bible, go-to notebook, pens and highlighters for this one because we are going to make some powerful connections and cover some really important truths today!
Sound good? Let’s do it!
MATTHEW 4
If you can, grab your Bible and turn with me to the end of Matthew 3.
Just a little about the book of Matthew in general before we dive in, the authorship is unknown. Since the author didn’t identify himself, he probably thought that it wasn’t important for his readers to know his name. Although we do not know with certainty who the human author was, we know the primary Author, AKA God’s Holy Spirit.
Like all the Gospels, the purpose of Matthew is to convey the kingship and authoritative teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are extensive uses of Old Testament fulfillment references all throughout MAtthew, which I absolutely love because it reminds us of the overarching story of Scripture. It reminds us that the Old Testament is the fulfillment of the New; and that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of it all.
It is typically presumed that Antioch in Syria was most likely the location for the writing of the Gospel and for the church for which it was originally composed. Ignatius, the earliest writer to quote Matthew, was bishop of Antioch. The congregation in Antioch was mixed with Jewish and Gentile people, which would account for problems, such as legalism, that Matthew addresses.
Shout out to my ESV Reformation Study Bible for this information! Highly recommend this Bible if you are in the market for one, by the way. I’ll be sure to link it in today’s show notes.
Alright, with that, let’s dive in. Although we are going to be in Matthew 4:1-11, we are going to back things up and start in Matthew 3:13 to help set the scene and make some contextual connections along the way. So, look with me at Matthew 3:13-Matthew 4:11.
I will be reading to us from the ESV translation:
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,[c] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,[d] with whom I am well pleased.”
The Temptation of Jesus
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST JESUS
Okay, let’s back up to Jesus’ baptism for a few minutes. I love that this takes place right before he is led into the wilderness. There’s no mistake in the order of events here, so keep that in mind.
In verse 14, John the Baptist says, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” And Jesus responds by telling him his baptism is necessary to, and I quote, “fulfill all righteousness”.
I don’t know about you, but if I were John I would have responded the same way! John knew that there was no need for Jesus to be baptized because he was without sin; because he had no need for repentance. But here’s what John was lacking in understanding:
It would be Christ’s baptism that secured “all righteousness” for sinners. Jesus knew baptism was necessary in order for Him to fully identify with His people as the bearer of their sins, which would be accomplished in two ways: through his baptism and death. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf. This taking of our sin was not just for a few hours on the cross. Jesus’s whole ministry—his entire life—involved his taking our place.
The life and baptism of Christ Jesus point to His death as a “ransom for many” and shows the perfect obedience in which He fulfills all righteousness. Because of this fulfillment, the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of righteousness were made possible and can only be received through our faith in Christ and Christ alone. Jesus made a way for us, and praise be for that.
Right after John baptizes Jesus, something wonderful happens. Jesus is anointed with the Spirit of the Triune God! Verse 16 lays it out for us: “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,[c] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,[d] with whom I am well pleased.”
At the same time Jesus identified with fallen humanity at his baptism, the Holy Spirit and the Father identified Jesus as the unique Son of God. How cool is this!? I cannot imagine what it must have been like for John the Baptist to witness this.
So far, Jesus has identified with His people through baptism, His anointment with the Spirit, and what is about to be His victory over temptation. About three years of conflict lie before him, which he knows will end in his death. How shall he begin? Well as we just read, Jesus began filled with the Holy Spirit!
THE 3 TEMPTATIONS OF CHRIST
That said, let’s go ahead and transition into Matthew 4. Here is the timeline of events: Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus became hungry. This is when Satan, who Matthew refers to as the tempter, moves in to make his 3 scheme-driven plays. Let’s pick things up in verse 3 together:
And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Do the words of Christ sound familiar to you at all here? They should if you are familiar with Deuteronomy! What we are reading here in Matthew 4:1-11 is a parallel to the testing of Israel in the wilderness. The 40 days correspond to the 40 years of wandering. Jesus refers specifically to Deuteronomy 8:1-5 when it comes to the first initial temptation the tempter presents Him with.
Knowing that Jesus went 40 days of solitude without eating anything may have you questioning, “Why would the Son of God go without?” And, simply put, it was to demonstrate that he was not enslaved by anything or anyone but His Father in Heaven.
Jesus was hungry and Satan knew it. But Jesus knew, as John 4:34 says, that His food was to do the will of the One who sent him. Christ’s physical appetite was inferior to His superior, divine appetite for God.
Let’s look at Satan’s next move in verses 5-7:
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Here, Satan tempts Jesus to reveal Himself by performing an act rooted in pride. To reveal Himself to the world for who He is by throwing Himself down and letting the angels save Him.
Matthew Henry says, “The devil would persuade Christ to throw himself down, hoping that he would be his own murderer, and that there would be an end of him and his undertaking, which he looked upon with a jealous eye; to encourage him to do it, he tells them, that there was no danger, that the good angels would protect him, for so was the promise (Ps. 91:11), He shall give his angels charge over thee.”
Alright, let’s not miss this. To assist with this temptation presented before Christ, Satan quotes the Word of God. Here, Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 in a way that is completely opposite to the original meaning. These two verses say, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against.” If you read Psalm 91 in full, you will see that it is an exhortation to trust in God. What Satan does with this, however, is attempt to replace trust in God with a test before Him, therefore casting doubt on God’s faithfulness.
But Jesus was no fool!
Satan is smart. He knew the Word of God and he knew how to misquote and misapply it for his evil, tempting ways. In fact, he still does these very things. But like I said here a minute ago, Jesus was no fool and he responds with the wisdom of God that we also read in Deut. 6:16. Jesus replies with “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
So far, the score here is Satan 0, Christ 2. Will we see Satan strike out with his third and final temptation? Let’s see. Take a look with me beginning in verse 8:
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Satan would have done anything in his power to prevent Jesus’ suffering; to fulfill his earthly appetite and take his eyes off his being filled with the Spirit and one with the Triune God. So much so, that he tempted him with authority over all the kingdoms of the world, as long as Christ turned his devotion away from His Father--the sovereign God of all creation--to the one who has come to kill and destroy. I love how Jesus dismisses Satan here. “Be gone” he says, and then he powers his dismissal of the enemy with the all-powerful Word of God.
“For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”
There was no getting around it, the One true King was devoted to the Triune God and nothing—not even all of the power and glory the world had to offer him in that very moment....not even the chance to go ahead and partake in the kingship the world could offer—could change his mind.
Jesus refused to follow any path of kingship that avoided the Cross, and thanks be to God for that! Amen?
Jesus was tempted in every way possible, but He did not sin. Satan tried to make Jesus question God’s presence and God’s plan. He knew that if he could get Jesus to doubt God’s goodness toward him, even just a little bit, the rest would fall into place. That’s the root of the tempter’s temptations toward us: to get us to establish our identity on something other than God’s declaration over us in Christ.
Reading the temptations set before Christ, it’s important to acknowledge all that was at stake here. If Christ failed, a way to be reconciled with the Father would not have been made! If he failed, the vicious jaws of the lion would devour the world and all of creation would burn in the fire of judgment. But Jesus did not fail in combat with the lion. He succeeded! He made a way, and because of that we will live with Him some day in a world far more beautiful than we can even imagine.
Jesus refused to abandon His trust in God. He knew the Lord would provide. And although he may have been physically famished in the midst of temptation, he was filled spiritually.
Did you notice He battled EVERY temptation of Satan with the sword of the Spirit; with the holy, infallible Word of God? Jesus relied on Scripture for victory in His spiritual struggle, and my dear sister, we are to do the very same! Jesus standing in the trenches of temptation allowed Him to identify with His people all the more. Our Savior and King knows what it’s like to stand face-to-face with temptation. He set such a powerful example of how to turn our back on the enemy when this happens.
To wrap up the rest of our time together, let’s take a look at some ways we can be on guard against the devil and His schemes.
WHAT TO DO IN THE WILDERNESS:
+ Recognize that yes, Satan has power in this world, but he cannot move a single inch without God’s permission. Matthew 4:1 tells us, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
The Lord knew what was going to happen because He allowed it. He was not in any way, shape or form taken by surprise in regards to Satan’s schemes. God does not tempt us, but He does allow us to be tempted by the tempter. And there’s reason for that.
In yesterday’s episode of Ask Elle, we explored a question regarding just how much power Satan truly has. I think it can be really easy to attribute every hard and hurtful thing that takes places in life as the fault of the enemy, but we have to be so careful in doing that because giving the devil too much credit can take away from the sovereign power and glorious purpose that belongs in the hands of God and God alone.
John 12:31 refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world”. But Daniel 4:17 tells us, “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom he wishes.” Again, Satan may be the ruler of this world, but our sovereign God has the final say. If you are struggling to understand this, I highly recommend listening to that particular Ask Elle episode.
+ Next, give grief, sorrow, and tears their place in the wilderness. But do not do so in a way that results in leading you to take your sight off the goodness of our great God. Psalm 25:10 tells us, “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.” All the paths — even the ones that take us through the wilderness. The Lord’s steadfast love has brought you here, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Quoting Deuteronomy here for ya, just like Jesus did in the wilderness! I urge you to do the same. Be led by the truths of the Lord, not the emotions of the flesh.
+ In Christ, know that God did not bring you into the wilderness to starve you, but to FEED you! Jesus reminds us in Matthew 4:4 that man does not live by bread alone. Our hope, peace, life, and your joy only found in and through the One who died and rose again to save you for himself — the one who is your life, your pleasure, your milk and honey, your all. Cherish the True Treasure! And here’s how you do that.
It’s not simply living with faith. It’s living BY faith and in accordance with the Word of God. It can be really easy to tell ourselves that “God’s got this” to try and cover up for the pain and hurt we are feeling. This is an example of living with faith but not by faith. In order to live by faith, we must recognize that there is glorious purpose even in the midst of our hurting and confusion. We must recognize that God is with us and for us and that in Him, NO thing is wasted-- not even the temptation of the enemy. God allows the things He does with glorious purpose in mind.
My dear sister, if we learn to live by God’s Word in the wilderness, we will find ourselves delighting in Him in ways that may very well indeed take our flesh by surprise. We will find ourselves on our knees, thanking and praising God for His glorious purpose and for the opportunity to suffer for His namesake. We will be able to recall and rejoice in the truth that He is our steadfast guide and be led by Him over the mountain where eternity awaits us on the other side.
We will truly be able to proclaim with our whole hearts that, “The steadfast love of the Lord is better than life” (Psalm 63:3).
Wilderness seasons. We all have them, and there is so much to learn in their midst. Not just that, but what we do during our time in the wilderness matters.
In this episode, we explore wilderness seasons through the lens of Matthew 4:1-11. There is so much to learn from Christ's time in the wilderness and how he fought against the temptations of the tempter.
Whether you are in a wilderness season now or you