In the Midst of Wild Animals
“Immediately the Holy Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness. He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him” – Mark 1:12 (NLT).
On the heels of Jesus’ triumphal moment in the waters of his baptism, he is compelled to go into the wilderness to be attacked by Satan.
The two scenes could not be different. Jesus goes from hearing God’s approving voice, to hearing animals. He goes from the thundering voice of God to the silence of the desert. He goes from the presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove to the presence of Satan.
What a contrast!
It is in this contrast that we find a principle for life: On the heels of our victories and triumphs will almost always be a temptation or Satanic attack. One follows the other, for those who triumph for the Lord become the Evil One’s targets.
After Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem came his crucifixion. After Peter preached the first gospel sermon and helped to baptize more than 3,000 people, he was thrown into prison. After the apostles successfully stood up to the Sanhedrin and felt the building shake where they prayed, Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church and had to be struck dead. After Paul baptized Lydia and members of her household to begin the church at Philippi, a demon-possessed girl hounded him relentlessly.
This pattern is repeated again and again throughout scripture. On the heels of triumph is temptation or attack. On the heels of joy is discouragement, and suddenly we find ourselves with the wild animals!
The Good News is that God sends angels to help us just as he did for Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews wrote, “Angels are only servants. They are spirits sent from God to care for those who will receive salvation” – Hebrews 1:14 (NLT).
Once when I was in Bible College, I was bench pressing in the weight room. I foolishly put too much weight on the bar at the end of my workout. The bar came down, but I couldn’t get it up. It was stuck on my chest and creeping down towards my neck. I cried out for help, but no one was there. All had gone for the weekend and the dorm was empty. I cried out several times, and when I finally thought I was going to die, a young boy suddenly came into the room. I asked him to push up on one side of the bar to help be get the weights off my chest. He pushed. When the weights came off, I set the bar down, and turned back to thank the boy.
He was gone.
I searched the hallways, and ran outside to survey the campus. He was nowhere in sight, and boys never came on campus anyway. To this day, I am convinced that God sent an angel to save my life.
It is an unalterable principle that after triumph attack will come. But it is equally unalterable that God has angels that watch over us when we walk through a season of life that is like a wilderness with wild animals snapping at us all around.
This does not mean we will not suffer. Remember Jesus was still very hungry, and no doubt weary even though angels were there. We will suffer sometimes too. We may feel hunger or pain or loneliness or weariness or even despair.
But in the midst of it all, God will minister encouragement to our spirits. He will help us survive. He will crush Satan beneath our feet if we will obey his Word, hold his hand, and keep walking. For even in the midst of wild animals when we are surrounded by angry-throated growls and gnashing fangs, God’s angels are there.