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.’ “ –Matthew 4:1-4
The Problem/Need
Afterward He was hungry. (v. 2)
Sometimes leaders go through wilderness experiences and feel tired and hungry. You may relate to feeling desperate, stressed, depleted, frustrated, pressured to meet an eminent deadline or make a decision, and more. In short, you can feel the need to “eat “immediately. This feeling of urgency could be the result of a difficult situation a leader encounters, such as: a critical staff position needs to be filled quickly, a church member is sowing discord in the congregation, an unforeseen financial need arises, attendance is low, attitudes of staff or congregation members appear apathetic, etc.
The Counterfeit Solution
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” (v. 3)
Leaders can especially be presented with the temptation to take matters into their own hands during “crunch time.” The enemy knows just the right time to present the decoy (counterfeit) and dangles it like a carrot in front of a leader to try to lure him or her in. When you feel those hunger pangs, it can be very tempting to pick up the “rock” and want to turn it into bread. This usually happens at a time when either a “breakthrough” or a “breakdown” will be determined.
The “rock” you pick up -the matter you take control of yourself- may involve the following actions, among many others: hiring a leader in your church who is rich in talent but lacking in character, getting into a shouting match with a difficult church member, taking out a bank loan without seeking God’s wisdom, relying more on your own talent or the latest trend, marketing campaign, etc. than on the Holy Spirit, to grow your church.
The Real Solution
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.’ (v. 4)
Jesus modeled for us how to pass the tests of the enemy’s temptations. He based his strategies, decisions, and actions on the will of the Father and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as a man, had the strength to make the right choice because He had been fasting and in intimate fellowship with the Father.
I can of Myself do nothing… I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. (John 5:30)
Kings in the Old Testament had the option of calling on a neighbor or of hiring a mercenary army for help when they were under pressure from opposing armies. There were times when God allowed this and other times when He told a king to not do this and that He would provide the help they needed. The key to victory was in regarding God as their source rather than the power of the auxiliary help.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright. -Psalm 20:7-8
Jesus exemplified reliance on the Father. When Jesus needed to choose the right people for His staff, He did so after spending a night in prayer (Luke 6:12-16). As Jesus was led by the Spirit, He knew how to handle conflicts as they arose. He acted out in righteous anger towards the money changers in the temple (Matthew 21:11-13). He was blunt and direct with the Pharisees when necessary (Matthew 23:26-28)8) and merciful and loving to the woman caught in adultery (John 8). And how about the feeding of multitudes as an example of God’s provision for ministry? When Jesus’ disciples couldn’t feed the 5,000 plus people, Jesus wasn’t rattled.
When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.”
Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”
They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”
But He was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”
That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.” -Mark 6:35-38 (MSG)
Jesus went on to feed all the people using the five loaves and the two fish. He spoke the Word, supernatural multiplication occurred, and it was clearly known that this miracle took place by the hand of God and not by man. In this instance, there wasn’t a need to take out a bank loan, take up an offering, or ignore the needs of the people. God provided what was needed and there was plenty to spare!
Jesus’ ministry grew as He spoke from the heart of the Father. There wasn’t any self-promotion, personal agenda, or man-pleasing. Not everyone liked Him or chose to follow Him. His commitment to the Kingdom of God without compromise drew that line in the sand so that those who chose to truly follow Him knew exactly what they were getting themselves into.
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
–John 6:66-68.
A special note to Ministers: You know how easily you can devote all of your time, and even your life, to ministering to others. Visitations, outreaches, evangelism, discipleship, counseling, missions, teaching and preaching, serving, and much more are required of you and are important. Yet, it is essential that you devote time to intimate fellowship with God the Father, to personal ministry to Him and ministry from Him as well. This keeps your “spiritual tank” full and enables you to have a fresh overflow that you can pour out to others. There needs to be enough faith deposited in your inner man so that you can say: “The battle is the Lord’s.” (You’ll also agree that it is highly important to take care of yourself and your family.)
Conclusion
The late Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin has told of a time when he pastored and had difficulty with his people and staff getting along with one another. He wanted to take matters into his own hands and operate in the flesh. Instead, he sought God and was led of the Lord to preach straight from the Word on the topics of the love of God and of heaven. He did this for quite a while. Over time, the Word worked. The Holy Spirit touched the hearts of the people in the church and turned them around. By the time he left that church, the ministry was more successful than it had been at any previous point in time. Some time later, Brother Hagin was contacted for advice by the then current pastor of that same church who had similar challenges with congregation members and with decreasing attendance. Once the pastor implemented what Kenneth E. Hagin had done years before, that church grew to the greatest number ever, giving increased, and the ministry was very successful.
When King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah faced overwhelming odds coming against them, the king sought the Lord for help and proclaimed a fast throughout the land. God gave wisdom, guidance and supernaturally responded to the situation.
Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon,
Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon
and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. -2 Chronicles 20:22-23
Rev. Greg Squires, senior pastor of Freedom Life Church in Kissimmee, FL , has said that, when you are squeezed what is on the inside will come out. This is why leaders need to consistently stay close to God so that when the pressure comes, they are less tempted by the pull of sources other than the Source. I like the following analogy given by Pastor Chad Dillon, also of Freedom Life Church: When you are up in an airplane and look down, the cars, houses, etc. seem like little toys. But as you draw closer, the actual size becomes clearer and bigger. How big is God to you?
Application Questions
- What counterfeit solutions (if any) am I entertaining right now?
- How often do I run to God first during a “crunch time”?
- How well am I keeping my spiritual tank full? What can I change to make it better?
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are in New King James Version.
Acknowledgement: Many thanks to my wife, Gabrielle Cuan, for her assistance with writing/editing this blog.
Oscar Cuan 