Jesus fasted for 40 days and was tempted while in the wilderness. Why do we celebrate Lent for 40 days? How do you do Lent?
FORTY
This number is quite significant in the Bible. God made it rain for forty days and forty nights during the time of Noah in order to wipe evil from the face of the earth (Genesis 7:4). When Moses met up with God up in Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, he was called inside the cloud of God's holiness and stayed there for forty days and forty nights (Genesis 24:18). Elijah walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Mount Horeb where GOD has instructed him to go, to run away from Jezebel (1Kings 19:8). When Jonah preached at Nineveh for the first time, he warned the people that they have forty days to repent and believe in GOD, otherwise the city will be destroyed (Jonah 3:4). When Moses sent men to spy Canaan, the men stayed there to explore and came back to report after forty days (Numbers 13:25). And many other stories and examples of the use of the number 40 in the Bible.
Traditions have it that since Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness before the start of his public ministry and because the number forty holds a significance in the Bible, they replicate the commemoration of LENT to this too. The Lenten Season starts from Ash Wednesday and forty days on to Easter Sunday. (Yes, it is more than 40 days but according to the church tradition you do not count the Sundays as this day is always a celebration of Resurrection).
One thing noticeable during LENT is that a lot of people seems to start getting laid back, "sober" if you can say it that way, serious, focused and 'religious' (really do not want to put that word in because it is always misused). They all want to be 'holy' so to speak and start making little 'sacrifices' by giving up things for the Lenten Season like getting off social networking for the holy week, not eating meat every Friday, giving up socializing for the time being, etc. Honestly, what is the purpose of giving up all these things in line with Lent? Is there even a purpose to it or it's only because a lot of people post things like this on social media? What is the real significance of Lent to you? How should we commemorate Lent? What do you do during the Lenten Season? How well do you understand it and how can this help you in whatever season you are in right now in your life? Where is JESUS in all these for you?
TEMPTED BUT NEVER SINNED
Antioch Church-on-the-Rock (ACOTR) started this #40DAYS sermon series this month of March. Our Pastor opened up the Lenten Season at ACOTR with the Ash Wednesday Service, then this message entitled "Tempted" the Sunday after. The Bible reading is on Luke 4:1-13. This is the passage when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Before he started his pubic ministry here on earth, Jesus was baptized and received the Holy Spirit to get him ready for it. After this, he went into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days and forty nights. He spent forty days of uninterrupted time fasting and praying, preparing for His spiritual warfare and ministry. During this time he was tempted in all ways by the devil but Jesus never sinned.
Temptation #1: FOOD (physical need) - "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." (verse 3).
JESUS answered: "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone.' (verse 4)
Temptation #2: WORSHIP (spiritual need) - "I will give you all the authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours." (verses 6-7).
JESUS answered: "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' (verse 8)
Temptation #3: TESTING HIS POWER (Omnipotence) - "If you are the Son of God,' he said, "throw yourself down from here. (the devil had Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple) For it is written: (used even the scripture) "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (verse 9-11)
Jesus answered: "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' (verse 12 firm, with full conviction and authority)
This is how Jesus was tempted by the devil. This is how we are tempted everyday. Jesus was tempted in all directions but never sinned. He was tempted with a physical need. Imagine being tempted with food when He was actually feeling hungry, but He never give in. He was tempted to worship the devil who has dominion over the earth, but Jesus never had a second thought about His reply that only GOD and GOD alone deserves the highest worship in heaven and over earth. He was tested and offered the power to rule over all, but the devil truly never knew who he was dealing with. He was not sure what power JESUS has over him and over everything...that Jesus is the Son of God Almighty. In each temptation, Jesus replied with the conviction of the Word of God, the most powerful tool against the devil. He used the scriptures to stop him right on his tracks, told him the truth the devil never wanted to hear, to keep the devil in his rightful place....right down below and showed him what power our Father has over the devil, over evil, over any temptation. Jesus made it clear that only God, the Father is Omnipotent (all powerful). Jesus lived here on earth as human as possible and experienced what all of us goes through in this life on earth, but unlike all of us He overcame and triumphed over these temptation and never sinned.
FAST, PRAY & SEEK HIS FACE
JESUS' sole purpose in going into the wilderness was to FAST and PRAY. He spent #40Days of uninterrupted time with the Father. This is to basically spend more time with the Father. Jesus build Himself up spiritually, He received the Holy Spirit before going into the wilderness. This is in preparation to defend Himself from the temptation. Remember "He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry." (Luke 4:2b) He was physically vulnerable, but Jesus was well prepared spiritually.
LENT is a season of FASTING and PRAYING. It is a season of REPENTANCE. It is best observed by spending time with the Father, a time to strengthen our faith, it is a time to personally seek JESUS. It is our one-on-one time with the Father. This is the season wherein we look at ourselves and come before JESUS.... "to FAST and PRAY and SEEK HIS FACE."
FASTING is really surrendering ourselves to GOD. A personal experience of seeking Jesus, asking for forgiveness for our sins, praying for a personal revival and cleansing. In Matthew, Jesus reminded His disciples about fasting and the same is still true. Fasting and praying during LENT is not just for show. It should be done in a very private manner, and nobody really needs to know that you are fasting. Fasting and praying really is a personal matter, a spiritual journey between you and the Father (Matthew 6:16-18). Remember, you are FASTING unto the Lord. Our focus is on Him during this time....so that He can cleanse us, we can renew our relationship with Him and let His blessings flow and pour fresh over us. I have liken this to a cleansing diet, wherein you go through a process of emptying the gut in order to clear it and rid of unnecessary materials; therefore get it ready to receive and process better nutrients that can be absorbed and used by the whole body more efficiently. When we FAST, we ready our spiritual body to be cleansed so that God's word can be absorbed and flow through us better and more effectively.
Modern times seems to depict and define Lent as the season of giving up something. We do not give up something because it is Lent. Fasting is nothing more about 'giving up' but more on receiving from the Father. When we are fasting it is more on identifying an area of your life that occupies a lot of your time and your energy like social media, technology, indulgence with food, movie binge, coffee (that's me!) or whatever thing that seems to rule over your life lately. Once you have identified that, we need to surrender 'this thing' to the Lord and say..."Father, (Identify "the thing') has consumed a big chunk of my time and effort, I surrender it to you this season."
So that's it? NO! not really always keep in mind IT's NOT what you GIVE UP, it is what you do in it's place. In it's place we seek to have a more fruitful and meaningful time with the Lord. How do we do this? So you fast, pray and seek His face, instead or in place of the thing you are willing to surrender or give up for Lent.
SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THE LORD
LENT is also a season of INTENTIONALLY FALLING IN LOVE again with the Lord, so we might know Him more. Fasting is a 1:1 time with the Lord. Our relationship with God is like a marriage. We need to spend more quality time with the Lord. in prayer, Bible study, in praise and worship, fellowship with other Christians and extending our hand to the needy.
Lent is like 'one long date night with God'. Make the most of it. Take time to know God more, spend quality time with Him and let Him lead your life. It is acknowledging what has taken priority in your life and what has taken over our worship of this thing instead of worshiping GOD. It is surrendering this thing and lifting it up to Him. This time of surrender means we can spend more time romancing GOD...meaning spending more time with Him in prayer, in worship, in service of GOD.
SEASON OF SURRENDER
"Lord, I SURRENDER, whatever had taken precedence over my life so that, I can have a better relationship with You."
Let us make LENT as season of Surrender. Not a season of 'giving up' but a season of intentionality. Intentionally falling in love with JESUS. Intentionally spending more time knowing Him. Intentionally fasting, praying and seeking His face.
EASTER is really a celebration of our Redemption. As we commemorate what JESUS had done for us in the cross, we also celebrate our new found life in JESUS. If you have confessed your sins, ask for forgiveness and receive the gift of salvation from JESUS then this is what Redemption is about. This is what we are really celebrating during Easter, during the Lenten Season. Being saved is not the end by any means, it is only the beginning of our journey with Jesus into our pursuit of righteousness.
HOW DO I DO MY LENT?
Honestly, I have not done any fasting in my life (only for medical purposes like an imposed fasting for blood test or medical/surgical procedure). Why have I not, you may ask...since I have been preaching about it here? Growing up I have always asked my Mom why do they go on fasting? What do they do when fasting? I thought growing up that only the spiritually matured Christians do fasting. Then I became one of them (that's what I thought I was), I still cannot fully comprehend how to fast. By this time, apart from knowing that you pray a lot (in replacement of eating) when fasting. I guess I was afraid to ask my Bible Study teacher about it.
Now that I am actually spiritually maturing, (and I know I am and feel I am and assured I am) I look at fasting and praying in a totally different point of view. Our Pastor's message on Fasting and Praying truly enlightened me more and made it clearer for me. This Lenten Season, I am truly ready to fast and pray....and seek His face. This Lent, I am starting my prayer journal and spending more time reading and studying God's word so that I can know my Savior more, I can know what He's calling me to do and I can have a closer relationship with Him.
How are you doing this Lent? What are you willing to give up in order to have more time knowing Jesus? How are you spending time with the Lord? in prayer? in worship? in service to others? in study of His words? All or any of these things that we do in replacement of some other worldly things that take up a lot of our time and energy will surely get us into a closer relationship with Jesus. It is not too late my friend, anytime spent with the Lord is not too late. Forty days or twenty days or even just ten days of uninterrupted time with Jesus is worth it, totally worth it. What matters is what thing and how much time are you willingly giving up to spend more time with Him.
This LENT, why not spend #40Days of uninterrupted time with the Lord, to fast, pray and seek His face?