Read
Luke 4:1-2 NIV  
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 

Reflect 
Have you ever run up against an opponent that was just too strong, too big, too much for you to handle? His nickname was “Little John” and he was anything but little. He played for the opposing high school football team and he was playing directly opposite me. At the end of that game I was exhausted and entirely defeated. I am not sure I was successful in even one play of that game. But not all was lost. My battle on the football field ended in victory because I did not play the game alone. A good team effort gave our team the victory. 

It certainly seems like Jesus was overmatched in his battle against the devil. For one thing, he was in the wilderness – a place where he was isolated and all alone. Nobody was coming to his aid. He was on his own and he was on Satan’s turf. And while he was out there, he was fasting. Physically, he was drained. 

You know how that feels, don’t you – to be spiritually overmatched? You feel like you are on your own and the devil keeps on coming. He tempts you with doubt: “If God really loves us, why did he let this virus happen and kill so many?”  He must not really mean what he says in his Word, “For God so loved the world …”  Sometimes it feels as if the devil and evil are winning the battle. Lord help my unbelief (Mark 9:24). 

Like my battle that day, which I just could not win and like the battle the world is facing against a virus, we are not alone. There is a world-wide team hard at work. Additionally, believers also have Jesus on their team. The one who faced the full onslaught of the devil and his schemes and was totally victorious. He stands with us in every battle including this battle against COVID-19.  

Remember Jesus! He went to battle for you. He crushed the devil and defeated all our enemies. Do not let fear and uncertainty push you down to defeat.  He gives you the weapons to defeat the devil in your daily life. As Paul declares to the Ephesian church, “Put on the whole armour of God…… and having done all, to stand.”  (Eph. 6:13). We may be in a difficult battle, but we know we will win the war against evil. 

Pray
Dear Jesus, thank you for defeating Satan for me. Thank you for equipping me with your Word that I might stand in the midst of trial, temptation and difficulty. Amen.