Apr 9
Read through the Gospels in a Year: Mark 1:9-20
Read the New Testament in a Year: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Mark’s favorite word is ‘immediately’. Jesus knew all about a pressurized life. He experienced both spiritual highs and lows. At his baptism Jesus experienced a great spiritual high. He saw a vision: ‘He saw heaven being torn open’ (v.10b). He experienced the Holy Spirit: ‘The Spirit descending on him like a dove’ (v.10b). He heard God’s voice: ‘A voice came from heaven’ (v.11a). He received an assurance of sonship: ‘You are my Son’ (v.11b). He knew deep down God’s love for him: ‘… whom I love’ (v.11c). He enjoyed God’s pleasure: ‘With you I am well pleased’ (v.11d).
From there he went straight into a spiritual low out in the desert where he was tempted by Satan for forty days (v.12). Do not be surprised by the spiritual attack that follows great spiritual experiences. We always try to warn people about this. If, for example, on the Alpha weekend, you have been filled with the Holy Spirit, receiving a deep assurance of God’s love for you and knowing that you are a child of God, do not be surprised by the attacks – in the form of doubts and temptations – that often follow.
As I look back on my own life, I can see that, although these times of testing seemed very painful at the time, I now recognize how significant they were in preparing me for what lay ahead.
This is all part of God’s economy – it was ‘the Spirit’ who sent Jesus into the desert (v.12) to ‘be tempted by Satan’ (v.13). In some ways, the ‘desert’ times and fierce temptations give an assurance that it really is true. The experience of the Holy Spirit is real but at the same time the spiritual battle and testing may be intense.
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