I have ruminating over this verse below for the last few days and its implications for my life and for those in my influence…
In Luke 4:13, just after Jesus was tempted in the desert by the Devil, the scripture says,
“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him[Jesus] until an opportune time“.
Now I am thinking,
What would constitute an “opportune time”?
Would an “opportune time” be the Garden of Gethsemene?
Yes! That would be an “opportune time” for the Devil to tempt Jesus. At Gethsemene, Jesus is in absolute anguish over what He ‘must’ do. The battle between the flesh and the Spirit is very intense and yet Jesus prays “Not my will Father, but yours“.
Would an “opportune time” be the actual crucifixion?
Yes! That would be an “opportune time” for the Devil to tempt Jesus. At the cross, Jesus was worn out, in extreme pain, rejected, hated, tormented and yet, Jesus prays “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”.
Now how does this relate to me?
Well, you see, the Devil is prowling around waiting for that “opportune time”, that moment of weakness, to pounce and devour me.
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” [1 Peter 5:8].
Do I ‘simply’ eliminate those moments of weakness so I can avoid the temptation?
Well, that depends on whether I am talking about managing my weaknesses or am I talking about transformation?
Soul management or Spiritual transformation?
Let’s apply this soul management to Jesus for a moment. I mean, what if Jesus managed to avoid all of His weak moments? There would be no fast in the wilderness, no Gethsemene and no cross. No, no, no. Avoidance of our weaknesses is not the solution.
So, IN that moment of weakness, that “opportune time” of the Devil, what do I do? What is the answer?
Here is the solution. God says…
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
[2 Cor 12:9]
“I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong“. [2 Cor 12:9b-10]
In our moments of weakness (when the Devil is prowling) CHRIST’S POWER can be manifest in our lives through the honour and glory we give our Heavenly Father by the choices that we make.
As with Jesus…
Our weakest moments will be His sweetest victories
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast“. [1 Peter 5:6-10]
Enlightened Hope 
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