The book Ulysses by James Joyce is often hailed as a masterpiece of modern fiction, but to some it’s a strange if not wholly incomprehensible book. Joyce himself was considered odd as well. His preferred writing position was to lie down on his stomach and use an oversized pencil, his face only inches away from the page. Many viewed this as nothing more than the curious behavior of a strange man. But the fact is that there was good reason behind his behavior: Joyce was nearly blind and was forced to write in this manner in order to see the page clearly.
On the surface, Jesus’ trials in the desert seem to be odd as well. He had just been baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-16), the most powerful prophet of the time, and His first step after that was to retreat into the desert in order to fast and be tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1). That’s a different way to start a ministry! But we see in this passage that there’s more to this situation as it was the Spirit of God who led Jesus into the desert. This was no foolish choice—the wisdom and care of God went with Jesus as He faced His challenging foe. Indeed, this was not the only moment of His life where the Spirit led Christ, for we know the Spirit was present at His baptism (Matthew 3:16) and gave Jesus His first words of ministry (Luke 4:18).
The choices of Jesus’ followers will not always make sense to outside observers. That’s because our lives are led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9,14), whose ways often do not make sense to the world (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). But if we’re led by the Spirit, we can trust that God’s presence, love, and wisdom go with us—no matter what turn we take in life.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 2:41–3:11
More:
Read Acts 8:26-40 for another example of the Spirit leading someone to do something incredibly unpredictable and utterly miraculous.
Next:
Have you ever been led by the Spirit to do something that others could not understand? How do you distinguish between the leading of the Spirit and the whims and desires of your own heart?
gagirllive on October 9, 2016 at 7:14 am
Peter, it wasn’t until I began to take a closer look at scripture that I moved away from the idea that the word desert always carried a negative connotation. I learned that not every desert is a barren place, and even more surprising, I discovered that God Himself often leads people there. In fact, He’s done some of His most grandest work in the lives of His people in desert places. In my own life, the Spirit has providentially lured me into the desert so that God could speak tenderly to me there. (Hosea 2:14) It has often been the place where He has my fullest attention and the place where I’ve heard Him clearest. It has been a place of discipline, instruction, and preparation, as well as comfort and peace. My conclusion is that if it is Spirit-led, the desert can be one of the most fruit-bearing places of our lives. Now if we’ve led ourselves into the desert, the journey and experience there will most likely be quite arduous—yet there is grace and recovery even in that. The key is to walk in step with the Spirit. Only then will we know and go where He leads. Thank you for the encouragement today, Peter. A blessed Lord’s Day to everyone.
youssef1777 on October 9, 2016 at 7:39 am
without to be guide by the holy spirit . we will lost , always when you have hard matter to deal with , pray for his guide to help you .
youssef1777 on October 9, 2016 at 7:48 am
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HELP US TO DO GREAT THING .
Gary Shultz on October 9, 2016 at 7:58 am
Hi Peter, oddities, desert experiences and life choices. All things that pull at a walk in life, in Christ. GG has scoped a nice view of the desert journey. And as it seems always true the depth and definition of our walk come from those experiences. We would not go there on our own, but in God’s plan we must be placed there. The gain from those places is too valuable to be left untouched…. I have experienced great confusion and loss because of the last sentence of the “Next” section. Thinking I’ve had a good plan when the action has only led to cost and confusion. So for me it does well to examine motives and be sharp if it not only passes the grid of scripture, but is it where the Spirit is really leading. That is where the close walk with Christ “being in God’s presence” come into play. Allowing time for the leading of the Spirit and a path chosen by God to be our direction. And there are those wonderful times when you are where you are and you don’t have much to say or do about it. God uses a little more direct approach, maybe not a whisper, but a full directive of what and where you will be involved in. Thanks Peter
minkjh on October 9, 2016 at 7:24 pm
Well Gary, I can emphatically agree with your response to Peter’s last question. Maybe even use the byline of a hit single from many years ago- ‘I second that emotion’. Oftimes that’s how our response is driven, by our emotional reaction to a given set of circumstances that confront us. There’s a tie-in here with discipleship where Jesus sternly cautions us to count the cost before we embark on the journey to follow him. Spiritual discernment is an absolute necessity for moving forward and that can only come supernaturally from one source.
sim jing ying on October 9, 2016 at 11:36 am
I have been led by the Holy Spirit seems to be not understandable because ultimately the bigger picture matters in the future. For me, I know it’s the Holy Spirit as it’s easy to distinguish as in the concept of black and white and God is always I am who I am, the desires of the heart are always selfish and without motives.