We see clearly in the gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and especially John, that since birth, Jesus was in constant communion or contact with His Father. Even at an early age, He saw to develop this relationship. Jesus knew that His identity would play a significant role in the future.

Jesus knew that He was the only begotten Son of the Father. The Father confirmed the same words after Jesus was baptized at the river Jordan and the Father God was pleased with Him. One trait that Jesus had was His ability to listen to His Father. Because He was able to develop that listening ear early in His life, Jesus was easily able to do what He had heard.

After the Holy Spirit surrounded Jesus after His baptism, Jesus was sent into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil three times. Every time Jesus answered the Devil with “it is written.” Where were the words written? The words were written in Jesus’s heart, in His identity of who He was, and in the contact He had with His Father. The scriptures and the words Jesus spoke were words of power that deterred the Devil not once, not twice, but three times in the desert.

Jesus defeated temptation not because He was special, but because He knew His Father and was in constant contact with Him.

Remember these points:

• Jesus walked as we walk– as a man. He left His deity in Heaven.
• Jesus was tempted the same way we are tempted every day.
• Jesus conquered death and the Devil as a human being only and not as God and part human.
• Jesus was in constant contact with His Father and was empowered with the third part of the trinity the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus won the battle at the Garden of Gethsemane when He surrendered to the Father by Choice saying not my will, but your will be done.

Just like in the natural world that you and I know, if electric cables are not in contact with one another and to the source, the power plant, the cables will be useless. If our pipes are not hooked up to a water source, they will be useless. If the gas in our homes do not have pipes and a connection to a source, the gas is useless.

Having this wonderful salvation available to us in Christ Jesus and not being connected to His spirit limits us to the usefulness of our salvation. Remember that His spirit brings life to our very being. Those who love Jesus Christ and strive every day to be connected to the source who brings life to our mind, soul, and spirit will reap the fullness of the benefits of their salvation.

Stay connected to Jesus every day until your last breath. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Let His word be the last word in your life and direct and connect you to Him. Amen.