The Easy Way Out is Not Always Best

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You. if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” (Matthew 4:1-11)

Trials are a part of life, Jesus said that we will have them. He went through them so He could identify and understand us. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:14-18)

Some trials, God will use to make us aware of sin. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) Sin not repented of will end up hindering you; keeping you stuck. Other trials will open your eyes to something you are either doing or not doing that is beneficial to you and will also teach you valuable lessons. Trials help you to learn and to grow spiritually in the area of endurance as well as faithfulness.

Trials will also draw a passion and purpose out of you that would not have happened otherwise. Remember Hannah? She was barren and she sought and prayed to the Lord earnestly to give her a son. She even promised her first born to His service. Would she have done that if she had been able to have children all along? No and due to that she gave birth to Samuel, and you can find this story in the book of I Samuel in the Bible. As a result, Samuel was a prophet, a priest, the first to anoint kings and the last of the judges. He was greatly used by God. What will be birthed in and through you as a result of the trials you are going through?

Satan offered Jesus many outs, but after all, He was Jesus our Creator in the flesh and He did not need Satan’s help. He could have skipped the wilderness period, but that would not have been beneficial to us. Jesus endured and overcame while here in the flesh. Yes He is the Son of God, but good news; we can to through the Holy Spirit. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Satan offers us many escapes that do not help us, and in fact they hinder us and keep us trapped if we fall for them. A couple of examples are drugs and alcohol and gambling. Drugs and alcohol will numb the pain, but the issue is still there! You end up addicted and broke and with the loss of your home, friends, relationships and your job. Gambling to get quick money; you end up addicted and selling what you have, using bill money to gamble with and like drugs and alcohol, chasing the high. You lose your job, relationships and home as well. Quick fixes are not always the best answer.

Quick fixes to get to that place of prominence may help and even exalt you, but will it exalt God? When you wait on God you will not only be promoted but what a testimony you will have! Remember in the Book of Daniel when his three friends were thrown into the fire? They would not bow down and worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar or any other god. They were thrown into the furnace and it was turned up seven times hotter than normal. Read the story? If not, you would expect them to be a goner, but God! Everyone looking on saw them walking around in the fire and what they saw as a son of the gods, which was really Jesus, the Son of God walking in the fire with them! Yes, as He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Their chains had even come off.

Your trials will not only lead to your deliverance but they will set you free of things in your spirit, mind and emotions that you do not need and may even be harmful to you. Daniel and his friends were promoted and God was glorified that day. You will move on from your trial, you will be purged of sin and other things you do not need and a passion and purpose and testimony will be birthed as a result. Why would you want to miss out on that? The easy way out will bypass all that. Do you still want the easy way out, the quick fix? Not me.

“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)