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DesertofPowerByTonyFrancis
YouknowwhathashappenedthroughoutJudea,beginninginGalileeafterthebaptismthat
Johnpreached howGodanointed JesusofNazarethwith theHolySpiritandpower,and
howhewent arounddoing good andhealing allwhowereunder thepowerof thedevil,
becauseGodwaswithhim.Acts10:3738
DidJesusreallybeginhisministryrightafterhisbaptisminJordan?Didhebegintoserveright
afterhewasfilledwiththeHolySpiritwhentheheavenlyFatherdeclared:Thisismybeloved
soninwhomIamwellpleased.?No.ThewordofGodclearlyshowsusthattheSpiritofGod
ledJesustothedeserttobetemptedbythedevilandnoticethestartingversesaysthatGod
anointedJesuswiththeHolySpiritandpowerafterthebaptism,soJesus inthebaptismwas
onlyfilled
with
the
Holy
Ghost.
Why
did
God
lead
Jesus
to
the
desert
after
he
was
filled
with
the
Holy Spirit? Is itnecessaryGod? Isnt itenough that Iam filledwith theHoly Spirit to start
ministering?Dont you see Lord that I amnowqualified for service? Look Lord, I can shake
underthepowerandpresenceoftheHolySpiritplusIcanspeakintonguesfluently!
Letmeaskyouthis,doyoulikereceivingpropheticwords?Yeah,wealldo.Itswonderfulwhen
theLord speaks toourhearts theresnothingmore thrilling than thekissesofhisword.But
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watch outmy friend because some propheticwords given to you can break loose the hell
against you; is ita reason to fear?Absolutelynot, its adivineopportunity to establish this
word,pray it,walk itoutandbe translated intoawholenew levelofgloryandpower.Hell
breaks looseagainst Jesuswhenhereceivedapropheticword fromhisheavenlyFather.You
maytellmewhatissodangerouswiththiscutelittlewordgiventoJesusthatheisthebeloved
Sonof
God?
Oh,
it
means
alot
ifyou
understand
alittle
bit
of
the
background
of
the
Jewish
culture. Interestingly,Jesusenteredhisministryatabout30yearsofage.Alsoat30aJewish
fathermightpubliclydeclarehissontobetheinheritorofallthathehad,oranadoptedsonin
hisplace.ThevoicethatspokeoutofheavenatJesus'baptism(Luke3.22)wasGoddeclaring
JesustobeHistruesonandinheritor.Itsanageofmaturityandnothingscaresthedevilthan
thematuresonsofGodwhoknowhowtoadvancethekingdomoftheirFather.Sothedevil
wonderedifthisistrueaboutJesusanddecidedtotakethispropheticwordtobetestedatthe
LaboratoryDesertCenter,willthiswordstand?WillthisonejustbeencalledSonofGod
provehismaturityforservice?Ihopenotbecauseifhedoes,hewillthreatenmykingdomandI
dontwantheadaches.
Now the question is how will Jesus prove his maturity and stand against all the ferocious
demonictemptations?Romans8:1314isthemeterofmeasurementofmaturity:Forifyou
live according to the sinful nature, youwill die; but if by the Spirit you put todeath the
misdeedsofthebody,youwilllive,becausethosewhoareledbytheSpiritofGodaresonsof
God.Romans8isawonderfulchapterthatteachesushowtowalkinthespiritandnotinthe
fleshanditshowsusthewonderfuloutcomesofthis.Jesusdoesnthaveasinfulnaturebutif
hewasunabletofallintotemptationsthenthiswasnothingbutafarceanditisnot.According
toRomans8:14, Jesuswillprovehe isamature son ready to servebywalking in theSpirit.
DidntthedevilwhisperedwickedlyandrepeatedlyifyouarethesonofGod,ifyouaretheson
ofGoddothisanddothat?WhatwastherealintentionbehindSatanstemptationstoJesus?
Satanwants
to
lead
Jesus
and
not
the
Holy
Spirit.
Do
you
remember
when
God
gave
the
first
AdamauthorityanddominionoverthecreationbutAdamcouldntkeephispositioninthetime
oftemptationbecausehewasnotledbytheHolySpiritbutratherbythedevil?Wedontjust
want to receive the free blessings from God; we want to keep it for a long time. God is
interestednotonlyinblessingyoubuttoshapetherightcharacterinyoutokeepyouenjoying
hisblessings.Withpositioncomesresponsibility.
Youarenotreadingthiswordaccidently;Godwantsto launchyou intoanewrealmofglory
andpowerinhiskingdom.AreyouasonofGod?Proveit!Iheardawomanpreachertellsher
storythatpeopleenvyherforthebeautifulministryshehasandtheir lifewillbeawesome if
they
have
a
ministry
like
hers
but
this
woman
preachers
answer
is:
would
you
pay
the
price
I
paid to get here? Because all the years of preparations were costly. If you study the
temptationsofJesusyounoticethatSatansucceededonlyinleadingJesusindifferentplaces&
positionsbuthewasneverable to lead Jesusspirituallybecause Jesuswas totallyunder the
influenceoftheHolySpirit,thephysicalneed,the fear&thepridecouldnot lead Jesus.The
devilcan successfully leadus intoplaceswedont like togo toor tomeethardshipsorbad
circumstancesbut is itanexcuse to fall in thedeedsof the fleshandsin?Weare trained to
bringupourbagofexcusesandthrowsillythingslike:Oh,Iwasundersomuchpressure,he
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didthistome,shedidthat,andthelistgoeson.Whatisyourlist?Burnthislistitisdelaying
yourmaturity.Psalms23:45EventhoughIwalkthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath,I
willfearnoevil,foryouarewithme;yourrodandyourstaff,theycomfortme.Youpreparea
table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup
overflows.TheHolySpiritiswithusashewaswithJesus;itisuptoustotrusthimandyield
tohim
to
walk
in
the
spirit.
Victory
is
adecision
backed
up
with
prayer,
fasting
and
angelic
intervention! According to this verse, when will God anoint you and when will your cup
overflows?Inthedesert,inthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath.Romans8:1719Nowifweare
children,thenweareheirsheirsofGodandcoheirswithChrist, if indeedweshare inhis
sufferingsinorderthatwemayalsoshareinhisglory.Iconsiderthatourpresentsufferings
arenotworth comparingwith the glory thatwillbe revealed inus. The creationwaits in
eagerexpectation for the sonsofGod tobe revealed. Ifwe livea lifestyleofmaturityby
suffering for the sakeof righteousnesswewillwalk in the gloryandpowerofGodand the
creationwillbefreefromitsbondages,wewillbeeffective.
Dont forget these3keys: fullof theHolyGhost,being ledof theHolyGhost,walking in the
PoweroftheHolyGhost.Luke4:1Jesus,fulloftheHolySpirit,returnedfromtheJordanand
wasledbytheSpiritinthedesert.Luke4:14JesusreturnedtoGalileeinthepowerofthe
Spirit,andnewsabouthimspreadthroughthewholecountryside.Jesuswasanointedwith
powerforministryafterhewalkedouthisdesertvictoriouslyandafterhefoughthismonsters.
DavidgrewinthepoweroftheHolySpiritinthedesertwherehekilledthelion,thebearand
Goliath.Luke1:80speakingofJohntheBaptistsays:Andthechildgrewandbecamestrongin
spirit;andhe lived in thedesertuntilheappearedpubliclyto Israel.Romans8:2930For
thoseGodforeknewhealsopredestinedtobeconformedtothe likenessofhisSonthathe
mightbethefirstbornamongmanybrothers.Andthosehepredestined,healsocalled;those
hecalled,healsojustified;thosehejustified,healsoglorified.