While he was speaking the Holy Spirit reminded me of Matt. 3:17..."And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Jesus had just been water baptized and the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him like a dove. Right after that, in chapter 4, Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted by the devil. After fasting for 40 days & nights, Jesus heard these words, not from His loving Father but from the tempter..."If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written..." Notice Satan left off the "Beloved" part??
I believe the main temptation of Satan was not to get Jesus to turn stones into bread, but I believe he wanted to tempt Him to doubt His position in God, His sonship, that He was God's beloved! In many scriptures in the New Testament we are now referred to as God's "Beloved" also. Have you ever noticed Satan doing that with you after you have received a "word", or had a revelation, come to you from the Father?? Satan is the same tempter today as he was then, he will try to do the same to us as he tried to do with Jesus! Notice also that Jesus did not answer him with His own words but with the Father's ...."It is written!"
(The word "Beloved" is defined as: Adored, much loved, cherished, treasured, prized highly, regarded, admired, esteemed. That is how God sees His Son Jesus and that is also how He sees us who have put our trust in Jesus as our Savior & Lord!)
This seems to be Satan's No. 1 temptation to the believer as well, if he can get us to doubt the Father's love for us and our sonship, he will steal our "roar" and our confidence to stand up and declare God's Word right in Satan's face like Jesus did!!
Remember, you are the Father's beloved, let Him love on you today and you return that love to Him and others! 1John 4:7&8,11 - "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."...Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
Until next time, may the Lord Bless you & Keep you!
Your Sister in Christ - Kathy
