"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," MAT 3:16-17.

It is very important to recognize the timing of our greatest test of faith! It is most often right after our greatest blessings or deliverance. This is when Satan is most apt to catch us off guard. This is when he is most apt to strike.

So how did the Lord preserve the Apostle Paul from the temptation of pride and self-exaltation? See what Paul said about this in 2CO 12:7. "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure."

Satan's strongest time was immediately after His baptism. Therein the Lord Jesus Christ publicly sealed His commitment into His Father's service as a Servant--and the Father's acceptance publicly proclaimed.

The baptism of Christ agrees in nature with ours--baptism is our initiation into the service of Christ. This not only implies work as servants, but also a fight against the powers of Satan and sin.

Those who are initiated into the church of Christ by baptism are admonished in ROM 6:12-13, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

This same principle comes through in ROM 13:12-14. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

The baptism of Christ (like ours) was an engagement or commitment to the service of God. The special use of baptism is our public profession of having the seal of the new covenant. "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people," HEB 8:10.

No person, young or old is a proper candidate for baptism without having received that seal, which is evidenced by repentance. "Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham," LUK 3:7-8.

Christ's baptism, even as ours--was His initiation into the great battle against Satan and sin. As the Captain of Our Salvation He went on before us into the battle to break the power of sin and deliver His people from the service of sin.

1JO 3:8 says, "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil," LUK 3:7-8.

Our Saviour's being tempted of the devil for 40 days was preparatory to His Prophetic office as our Teacher and Intercessor. See what He said to Peter in LUK 22:32, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

No man is fitted for the ministry until he is able to speak from experience of his walk in the footsteps of our Saviour-- in the battle against Satan, in the way of the cross. Having learned by firsthand experience of the power of Satan's temptations--our Saviour was prepared for the recovery of sinners from the power and tyranny of Satan and sin.

HEB 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Through His victory over the power of Satan, sin, and temptation He battled Satan in firsthand combat in behalf of His Church. He set out to recover poor lost souls from the bondage of Satan -by proclaiming the way to perfect liberty.

MAR 1:13-15 says "And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Amen.