Daily Devotional for Tuesday, December 30

The Length of Jesus’ Temptation

“Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered,” Luke 4:2.

When we think of Jesus’ temptation, we often focus on the three moments where Satan tempted Him at the end of His fast; however, verse 2 tells us that Jesus was tempted continuously for forty days. This was not just a one-time test; it was an extended period of trial, hunger and spiritual battle. Forty days is a long time to endure hardship, especially without food. The number forty appears throughout Scripture as a time of testing and preparation: It rained on Noah for forty days and nights, Moses hid in the wilderness for forty years and spent forty days on Mount Sinai, the Israelites wandered forty years in the wilderness, Goliath taunted the Israelites for forty days and Jonah warned Nineveh of destruction within forty days. Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness were not just about personal endurance. They were a part of His preparation for ministry.

This passage reminds us that trials in life are often longer than we expect. Sometimes we face days, weeks or even years of hardship, wondering when relief will come. But just as Jesus relied on His Father for strength, we, too, must trust God in our own times of testing. He allows these seasons to refine us, strengthen our faith and prepare us for greater things ahead. There is a saying floating around throughout Christian circles, “41 is coming.” This represents the dawn of something new. After the grueling preparation period, if you endure the forty, there is a day forty-one when the giant is slain, the rain stops, the angels bring food and the Promised Land is flowing with milk and honey.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Temptation and trials may last longer than we expect, but God’s power is always greater. Trust Him in the wilderness, and He will strengthen you for what lies ahead.

Ashley Ridings