Victorious in the desert
Series: Simple. Quiet. Present. | Bible text: Matthew 4:1–11
Just as Jesus overcame temptations in the desert through renunciation and trust, our lives also need many no’s for the big yes to God. Possessions, popularity and power can become a substitute for God. In consciously chosen «desert times» – quiet, simple and present before God – we learn to trust anew. There we are inwardly renewed and able to resist temptation and live from God’s fullness.
If an athlete wants to be victorious at the Olympics, it takes a lot of no’s for the big yes. Over four years, athletes live with sacrifice, discipline and clear priorities in order to be ready on the decisive day. If they don’t succeed, a world often collapses – the commitment, emotions and dedication are so great. Marco Odermatt, for example, was determined to win the gold medal in the downhill. The disappointment of fourth place was huge. After so many no’s, you long for the big yes.
In our life with God, we also need many «no’s» for the big «yes». This is exactly what our theme for the year expresses: simple – not elaborate, quiet – not loud, present – not distracted. The big yes is a life in the fullness of God, in which we do not win by our own strength, but because HE fights for us.
The location of the event
«Jesus was then led by the Holy Spirit into the desert […]» (Matthew 4:1 NLB).
According to Hebrew thinking, the desert is far more than just a geographical location. It has a deep spiritual, theological and existential meaning. Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus were prepared for their ministry in the desert. The desert is a place of encounter with God, a place of dependence and trust, a place of purification and education, a place where God speaks, a place of love – but not of comfort, a place of struggle – but also of preparation.
The desert is the place where man does not have much – and that is precisely why God is everything. It is a space for focussing.
In the book of Micah Desert and Pasture the same root word is used (Micah 2:12). From a European perspective, desert and pasture are opposites, whereas in the biblical land they originally belonged closely together. The difference lies in the way of thinking: The desert was named after what was still possible in it. While arable farming was hardly possible, grazing remained. People were able to live from livestock farming despite the barren landscape. They had to wander, search, wait and adapt. Life was possible – but only in dependence.
Attempts are made
In the desert, Jesus did not eat for forty days and forty nights. «And the tempter came and said to him[…]» (Matthew 4:3 LUT). The devil is called the tempter here (Greek peirazon). He puts people to the test in order to lead them away from trusting in God. We are up against an adversary who knows exactly where we are vulnerable.
- Temptation 1: «[…] If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread» (Matthew 4:3 NLB). If someone can turn stones into bread, he becomes both a benefactor and an honoured man. This is about relevance and ownership.
- Temptation 2On the highest point of the temple wall, the tempter speaks: «If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone» (Matthew 4:6 NLB). It’s all about being spectacular, being seen, being popular.
- Temptation 3: «Next, the devil took him to the top of a high mountain and showed him all the countries of the world and their riches. «I will give you all this,» he said, «if you kneel before me and worship me» » (Matthew 4:8f NLB). This is about power.
Possession, popularity and power are not bad things in themselves. They are part of life. But the tempter twists them. He urges us to gain them by kneeling down before him and worshipping him. Our trust should be detached from God. Sin is when we put our trust in something other than God. The aim of the tempter is to take us away from trusting in God.
This makes our lives and those of our fellow human beings difficult. Relationships break down, people burn out, inner emptiness grows. Someone once said: «For that for which you live is your God.» This is precisely where the danger lies: these three areas have the potential to dominate our hearts.
The result is existential fear – in three forms: the fear of not being loved; the fear of not having enough; the fear of being dominated by others. These fears drive us into spirals. Those who are afraid of missing out accumulate more possessions. But possessions don’t bring security – and so the fear continues to grow. The same applies to popularity and power: it is never enough.
Be victorious
Many no’s for the big yes – that is the way to a victorious life. Jesus said no three times in order to hold on to the big yes: trust in his Father.
The desert symbolises this path. A space without distraction, without security, without abundance. The desert teaches trust instead of control, faith instead of possessions, devotion instead of power. For Jesus, fasting was not weakening, but preparation. In silence, his gaze became clear, his heart firm and his trust deep.
The desert reveals what we really rely on. It shows whether our stronghold is the Lord himself or the things we have built up to survive: Control, distraction, self-sufficiency – even religious habits that have unnoticedly replaced closeness to Him.
A few weeks ago, after a sermon on the desert, a person came up to me and said: «I find myself in a desert right now.» There are times of disruption that we do not choose. Times when certainties break away and questions remain. But even there, God leaves no desert unused.
Don’t wait until you are involuntarily led into a desert. We are invited to search for our own desert in the midst of everyday life – a place where we can come to rest and re-centre ourselves on God. This begins in a very practical way: Reserve time and place to be alone with God. The form will look different for everyone. But spiritual discipline never remains vague. Such times can begin in the morning – consciously, quietly, without distraction. It can also be helpful to withdraw for half a day every month. If you want to live for the big yes, you can’t avoid times like these.
Simple. Quiet. Present. Find a place where you are alone and won’t be distracted - neither by devices nor by people. Light a candle, take a deep breath and become still before God. That is living faith. We cling to Christ like our oxygen – invisible, but vital. Seeing Christ as our life means recognising our need for him and relying on him in every situation. And this life is not a life of fear, but of loving devotion.
Study and meditate on the Bible, the living Word of God, during these times. Jesus parried the tempter’s attacks with words from the Torah. We too must know the word of God if we want to resist the lies of the adversary.
In our pastors» group we were recently talking about an older person who is always offending and hurting people. Someone asked: «How is it possible for someone to walk with Jesus for decades and see so little fruit?» Another said that what you haven’t learnt at 60 is unlikely to improve later. But I don’t think that’s the last word. I am convinced that God changes people in the desert – regardless of their age. And what St Paul says applies: «Even if the strength of our outer man is worn out, our inner man is renewed day by day» (2 Corinthians 4:16 New Testament). This requires many no’s for the big yes.
Possessions, popularity and power can have their place – if they are lived out of trust in Jesus. Jesus himself says that all power in heaven and on earth has been given to him (Matthew 28:18). But this power did not corrupt Him. He used it in our favour: «But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become children of God […]» (John 1:12 LUT).
This is the real secret of a victorious life: We don’t fight for significance, we live from an identity that has been given to us. We don’t have to prove ourselves, we are accepted. We don’t have to secure ourselves, we are held. We don’t have to rule, we belong to the King. Anyone who knows that they are a child of God can calmly say no – because they have long since received the greatest yes.
Possible questions for the small groups
Bible text: Matthew 4:1–11
- Where am I currently experiencing my «desert» – voluntarily chosen or involuntarily – and what could God be showing me in it?
- Which of the three areas challenges me the most at the moment: possessions, popularity or power? How do I notice this in my everyday life?
- What would be a concrete «no» that I should say this week to strengthen my big yes to God?
- What could a regular «desert time» with God look like for me in practice (place, time, form)? What is a realistic first step?
- What does it mean for me personally to live from the «power of being a child of God» – and where would that change my thoughts or actions in concrete terms?
