Then Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry. The Devil said to Him, “If  You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread – Luke 4:1-3).

Prior to Jesus’ temptation, He was baptized by John, and as He was being baptized, the Holy Ghost (Spirit) descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. Sometimes we think or feel that if the Holy Spirit leads us, it will always be “beside the still waters”, but that is not necessarily true, that’s our thoughts and not God’s. The Spirit led Jesus into a desolate place to be tempted by Satan. Just as the Spirit led Jesus in a desolate place, He will also lead us into difficult times of testing, as well as difficult situations. While Jesus was in the wilderness, He didn’t eat or drink, He fasted. Whenever we’re going through a test, the first thing we must believe, that God is going to bring us through the test with the victory as we follow His instructions. Secondly, we need to place the plates face down on the table and fast. Fasting doesn’t move God, it doesn’t make the situation better or remove it, but it strengthens us to withstand the test as well as remove impurities in our spirit and heart.

When facing trials or testings, first make sure you haven’t brought them on yourself through sin or unwise choices. If you find no sin to confess or unwise behavior to change, then ask God to strengthen you for the test. Fasting will make your spirit sensitive to the Holy Spirit as well as Satanic spirits that will try to influence you to doubt God or make you believe He has forsaken you while you’re being tested. It’s good to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, but its also wise to be sensitive to Satanic spirit to know who’s doing the leading.

Jesus didn’t hunger until after the days were completed of His testing, then the Bible states, He hungered.  Yearly, churches call for the members to fast, and when you example the character of the people, they are the same spiritually, behavior hasn’t  changed, nor has their character, the fast is a tradition.  Many times we call a fast, and the fast didn’t come from God and we’re wondering why we couldn’t complete the fast or we’re having a complication during the fast. When God gives us a fast, we change spiritually. Whenever God gives His children a fast, He will enable them to complete the days He has set forth for them to fast. Giving ourselves fast and assigning days to consecrate ourselves to the Lord is different. Christians should have days they present themselves before the Lord with fasting.

Satan chooses the times for his attack and it’s usually when we’re vulnerable. This is why we have been instructed to put on the “whole armor of God”. The armor enables us to stand against the attack without blaming God, without losing faith, it enables us to stand in confidence that our God is able to bring us through to the victory. Testing allows us to see what’s in us, God already knows what’s in us. Testing will build your faith or make you lose your faith. God never allows us to go through a test or trial He has allowed without giving us the victory, when we fail a test or a trial, it’s because we haven’t strengthened ourselves through prayer, fasting reading the Word and applying it; accompanied with our faith in God and not in our fast or prayers, but knowing that God’s Word is Him, and He is His Word.

Without tests and trials, many Christians would never take the time to fast and pray or read the Bible. Many attend church, but if you would ask for a show of hands who read the Bible through the week, the majority would be none. The Bible is our spiritual food, it’s our ammunition. As a Christian, we will have days of testing as long as we’re living, but when the test comes, make sure you weren’t the cause, make sure your faith is in God and not what you’re going through.  As Jesus was our example, be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God living within our physical being. We’re His sanctuary, be prepared to pass the test and not fail the test.