40 Days In The Wilderness!

   I do not think it was coincidental that Jesus was taken into the wilderness immediately upon his baptism at the hands of John.  The text reminds us that he was "...taken by the Spirit..." and was immediately tempted by Satan.  There are some great lessons to be derived from those three efforts to get Jesus to sin, but that is not the point of this blog.


   When is a new Christian the most susceptible to Satan's evil ploys?  It is my contention those first few days are among the most dangerous for the new convert.  Even though the excitement of obeying the gospel is still fresh, Satan will not wait very long until he begins his attacks on the spiritual infant.  Babies cannot fend for themselves in any manner!  They have to be fed, housed, and protected, right?  Are "baby" Christians any different?  I think not!


   We are doing the new Christian a terrible injustice by not helping them to prepare for the onslaught of Satan's temptations that are going to come within hours of their obedience.  Remember, Satan's job is to keep everyone out of the kingdom of Christ and if he cannot do that he must make it as difficult as possible on those kingdom citizens.  What better time to attack than when those young Christians are not prepared to defend themselves against the evil ways of the Devil?


   Those temptations are going to come from many different sources.  I have seen old "friends" attack the new child of God by bringing up the "good old days!"  Rekindling the desires of the flesh by recalling the past are a tool that will destroy many of those new (and old) Christians.  Old friends. Old romances. Old entertainment.  All of those will overcome the joy of obedience in the minds of some.  I have seen parents turn their backs on their own children who decided to obey Jesus in baptism.  A young man in Ohio was disowned by his parents for years for becoming a Christian and it was not until this young man and his wife bore their first grandchild that their hearts melted.  There are times that fellow-workers will make it very difficult on the new convert because she will no longer act toward the management as she has always done.  Oh, the list of ways Satan will lead attacks on the young Christian during those first few hours is long and dangerous!


   One final thought.  The fact that Jesus was tempted by Satan for "forty days" might give us an idea that the first month or so is critical to the success of one's conversion.  Those first few weeks are the time this child of God is beginning to form new relationships that will sustain them during those early days and later as well.  It will be a time when they are growing in knowledge of the Word and spending more time than ever in prayer, but they will still be in a susceptible position.  We need to surround these folk with circles of fellowship to give them a favorable chance of survival.