There is nothing wrong in desiring peace and calmness, but it is not the lot of the soldier who constantly faces relentless attacks from the enemy. There is no comfort zone for the one who declares himself a warrior, and has entered the ground of battle. Even Jesus was not exempted from the testing by the enemy, who persevered with his attacks for forty days and carried on further, until He took the sword of the word of God: “Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil.” (Lk 4:1-2) Testing and temptations are integral part of life, which we need to pass with the weapon of God’s word and prayer, as Jesus himself taught: “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” (Mt 6:13) In His last hours on earth, Jesus insisted upon the importance of prayer against temptation: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41) May we cultivate the regular habit of prayer, and equip ourselves with the word of God that alone has the power to drive away the tempter who constantly nudges us on the way to progress and victory.

Abba, Thank You for alerting us of the tests that await in the journey of faith. Let Your Spirit ever support us with the supply of Your Word that drives away the tempter, In Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.