A Prayer to See God as the Ultimate Counselor
By Chelsey DeMatteis
Bible Reading
And Jesus answered him, "It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - Luke 4:12
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Each year as the Christmas season unfolds, I find myself in awe of who God is and what He did for us when He sent His son Jesus into the world. Jesus's coming changed the trajectory of life for all who are His. A topic I love to study in this season is the sacred names of God, one of my favorites being Wonderful Counselor. We see this lived out so beautifully in Luke 4 when Jesus is tempted by Satan. I know it may seem difficult to look at this story during the season of Advent, but it's a story we cannot overlook. It puts depth and meaning to who God is and what He does for His people.
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. - Luke 4:9-13
As I unpack Luke 4, I'm always taken aback at how Jesus shuts down the enemy's temptation. Each rebuttal He gave began with, "It is written, or it is said." Here, we see Jesus in the thick of temptation, reciting exactly what God's Word says. What an incredible example this is for us because often, in the throws of an attack, we get overly emotional or too discouraged to speak the Word with authority and send Satan back to where he belongs. Jesus showed us that we shouldn't speak what we "think" or what we "feel" to Satan but what we know as all authoritative truth. You see, knowing the Word of God is so much more than just memorizing. It is hiding the ultimate truth that cuts through the enemy's tactics in our hearts. It means that we must lean into the Lord as our Counselor and speak His Word because it is the only weapon of defense we have on this earth.
Friend, as I reflect on my relationship with the Lord and how it's grown, I see the spots of deafening temptation that God sustained me through. I see many, many moments where His Word and His Spirit counseled my heart; guiding, directing, and protecting me through the current world that we reside in for now. My prayer for your heart and mine this season is that we look to the fullness we have received in our relationship with God the Father. He has promised to counsel us, shepherd us, and sustain us through this time and all the temptations that come up against us. As you settle into the season, begin to unpack who God says He is, why we must know His Word, the reason we speak it with authority, and the promise this season has given us.
Let's Pray:
Lord, thank you for the promises and provision we have through your Word. I pray, Lord, for boldness to speak your truth in the moments I’m tempted to speak what I think or what I feel. May I always seek to be led by your Holy Spirit as I journey through whatever you have before me on earth.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©SWNdesign/BethanyPyle
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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