What Jesus Did! 'Led to the Test' — Matthew 4:1

Most of us hate tests - whether they're school tests, professional tests, or life tests. Spiritual tests are the most difficult of all. Yet in this passage and the verses that follow, Jesus faces tests that the Spirit of God led him to experience. These tests confront Jesus with choices about the direction of his ministry: Would he take shortcuts or would he pay the full price and redeem humanity? Jesus chooses the long way, the hard way, the way of the cross and suffering. It's said that "The longest distance between two points is a shortcut!" Jesus refuses the shortcut and lives up to the Father's expectations for him as he is led by the Spirit. He refuses to compromise and chooses to be the obedient Son. There is great comfort for us in his choices. Because Jesus experiences temptation and is victorious, he can help us in our times of trials and temptations (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15). In addition, his Spirit leads us and molds us into greater strength as we follow him. Let's seek help in overcoming our own temptations, and the result will be victory for us just as Jesus conquered sin by overcoming all of his temptations!