What If Christianity Isn't What You Think?Sample

You Aren’t Who You Think

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

One of the most fascinating things about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry is the way things unfolded. According to the story, we see before He even entered public ministry there is this very memorable moment where The Father Himself shouts from Heaven during His baptism and declares He is well pleased with Jesus. He loves Him. He is delighted in Him.

Before He had done anything. Jesus hadn’t healed one person yet. Jesus hadn’t died on the cross yet. Jesus hadn’t fed five thousand yet.

Notice the flow. It goes baptism, wilderness, and then ministry. Not ministry and then baptism. Not even baptism and then ministry.

First he hears the voice of the Father over Him. Then he goes into the wilderness and is tempted in that very way (Satan says, “if you are the son of God…”). Then when His identity is forged even deeper because of the wilderness then He goes into ministry.

We have to know who we are before we can do anything. And sometimes the wilderness isn’t God’s curse but actually God’s blessing. It’s where we truly learn to live in who God says we are.

Are you resisting the wilderness today? Do you believe what God says about you?