The Mirror of the Word by C.E. White can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Word-Devotions-Reveal-Refine/dp/B0DFZS83C7  To learn more about this author and other words, visit https://cewhitebooks.com/

“After he was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

—Matthew 3:16–17

Immediately after this, Jesus went into a time of fasting and praying alone in the wilderness. If God were to open up heaven and speak audibly about us to a crowd, we would probably want to immediately go and do great works in front of everyone—to go on a preaching or healing tour.

But Jesus knew the most beneficial thing to do after God appears in our life is to go out where we can be alone and spend dedicated time with him.

When we have “mountaintop experiences” with the Lord, we tend to want to show them off, but, in reality, it’s often a time we should retreat and prepare for the work he has for us next. Satan loves to come after us when everyone is watching and we’re feeling invincible.

Had Jesus not spent his days fasting and praying in the wilderness, would he have been prepared to face the temptation that came? He was weak in body after that time but strong in spirit.

Let’s take his example and retreat in prayer and fasting when the Lord moves in our lives so that when it’s time to begin his work, we’ll be ready for the spiritual attack the devil will launch against us, since “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12).

Public work requires private devotion. If we neglect that, our public work will be fruitless, and we will be vulnerable to temptation of all kinds.

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