Today is Your Day, part 60

Warriors Arise: July 8, 2021

Matthew 4:11 (NKJV) Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

And behold, what does that phrase make you think of? Something magnificent is about to happen. Talk about building to the climax. When I hear people speak from Matthew 4:1-10 there is so much involved in the revelation paralleling the different ways Satan tempted Jesus but it is as if Matthew doesn't want you to miss the really cool part. Sure, the devil came and tempted Jesus but He was awesome like He always is. He didn't twitch under the pressure of the devil, He just gave it back more powerful blows than the Tempter could handle. It is why the Tempter didn't continue to press his point but tried to shift to another topic. It was over with one verse spoken by Jesus, the Son of Man, the great I Am. Jesus didn't quote just any verse, He quoted "the" verse that applied to the question being asked. Any verse won't due. You need "the" verse that applies to the temptation. Paul exhorts Timothy in this way:

2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Paul is encouraging Timothy to be prepared for any question to come at any time. Timothy was young but it didn't mean he had to be less knowledgable of the Word nor of God. Paul knew from experience that a challenge can come from anywhere at anytime.

The words and behold, command your attention but most people do not give much weight to what follows those words. I am not sure if it is because we feel the most intense part of this scene was Jesus facing off with the Tempter or we don't think angles are real. The problem with giving weight to the reality of the Tempter and what we may not think as real, the angels, is that the Tempter was an angel, a fallen angel, one cast out of heaven.

The words and behold should grab our attention. Something important is about to happen. It is Matthew's word of choice to get our attention, to make a shift change.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NKJV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Verse 23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14. Isaiah had an amazing statement of prophecy. What he was about to say was going to boggle the minds of people until the end of this age. Joseph couldn't' comprehend it and an angel was sent to help him understand. The shift as Joseph is deciding what to do with Mary, Matthew uses the word behold. A heavenly download was about to happen. Here are a few more from Matthew.

• Jesus is about to be born and we have another shift change as the only people to know what is about to happen is about to be announce behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem...

• A sign in the heavens appears and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

• God had an answer in play before Herod could harm His Son, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee...

• Shift change, Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and HIs mother, and go to the land of Israel...

• Jesus defeats the Tempter and we have another behold moment as angels appear on the scene.

It might be an interesting study to go through the book of Matthew and study every time he penned behold. He definitely wants us to take note of what is about to happen after he writes, behold. We are not to take for granted all the times God has intervened in our lives, made a way when there was no way, fulfilled His Word to us, directed our path, ministered to us after we have overcome the attacks, challenges and temptings of the devil. God wants us to take note, He is an active part in our life. Today is your day to see what God has done in the midst of the traumatic events in your life. Today is your day to know how much God was been with you. Today is your day to know you have never been left alone.

Father, remind me of the behold moments in my life. Remind me of the times You have intervened. I want to remember the times You have created opportunity when the doors were slammed shut. I want to remember the times when You spoke a promise to me and then it became a reality. I want to remember when You directed my path. I want to remember You spoke to me in the midst of the attack and by the Spirit of God I was renewed in my purpose. I want to remember when You empowered me to overcome the temptation the enemy placed before me. I want to remember when You ministered to me after a long day of battling one blow after another. I want to remember when You encouraged my heart and steadied my mind when it seemed like I was hounded by the enemy for months. You are my God and there is no other. I will serve You and submit to Your will. I will honor Your leading and follow You. I will seek You and hear Your voice. I will know what to do because You will lead me into all righteousness for Your name's sake. You are the Rock upon which I take a stand. I will remember all You have done and will praise Your Name in Jesus' name, amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.