“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee …” (Luke 4:13,14)
God wants to meet us in a dry and thirsty land, but so does Satan. It is in the wilderness of want that the tempter comes to us. Jesus told him he savored the things of men, not God. He pretends to be on our side; an ally only trying to help us out. When it appears our dreams are in danger of dying, he has a way for them to be kept alive. He especially finds us when our soul is at its thirstiest. He pretends to pity us, and always has a plan to compensate us for all we’ve been deprived of. He wants to help us get what we deserve, and if we’re easily flattered he has the perfect snare for us.
Temptations are strong in a day of want. The wilderness is a dangerous place to traverse without a seasoned guide. Jesus has gone before us. He not only survived; He thrived in the wilderness. He came out of it stronger than when He went in. It was not Satan that brought Him there; it was God.
Yes, Satan is an opportunist; he will exploit any situation he can to cause us to fall. But what he uses for evil, God means for good. The Lord would bring us forth from the trial of our faith as precious gold tried in the fire. But if Satan is to get behind us, we must savor the things that are of God. Staying true to Him must matter more to us than all this world can offer.
Satan is a persistent “salesman.” He will only depart when he knows we’re not buying what he’s selling. The “fool’s gold” he offers must be refused for the true gold that God gives on the other side of obedience.