Jesus was dedicated. But people say, “well, that kind of dedication is fine for Jesus, but not for me”? What if I told you to fast for forty days? I’m pretty sure you would argue His forty-day fast does not apply to you—because He IS Jesus, after all.
And I might even agree. Jesus was God. His earthly life was different than ours. But He was also a man. An extremely dedicated man.
Talk about setting a P.R.—He was always outdoing Himself. He did not merely fast for forty days at the beginning of His ministry. He also spent an incredible amount of time in prayer throughout His work.
“During those days, He went out to the mountain to pray and spend all night in prayer to God” Luke 6:12.
All night long in prayer? Why? Was he dying? No, or at least, not yet. But the world was dying in sin and He was gravely serious about the battle He was fighting. And He did not go home and sleep all day the next day. He prayed through the night, then continued healing people, reaching people, and preaching.
THAT is dedication. THAT is TRUE GRIT.
And dedication—especially PREPARATION—THAT is where battles are won and lost. The toughest battles we face are often battles with our own will. Are you going to pray or not? Are you going to pick up your Bible, or keep scrolling through your phone? Are you going to put an oar in the water and paddle for the shore, or will you bob along like a styrofoam cup, floating wherever life’s current takes you?
Jesus got His power from the Father. Forty days of fasting prepared Him for three years of supernatural battles. Entire nights spent in prayer gave Him strength to cast demons from dozens, heal hundreds, and walk from one end of Israel to the other preaching the Good News.
“Every battle is won before it is fought.” –THE ART OF WAR. Sun Tzu.
Spiritual preparation is everything. What are you doing to PREPARE for battle?
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