The desert temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4 all add up to the same question; "If you are the Son..." How interesting Satan would be using the question immediately after God had already stated at the Jordan river that Jesus IS His Son? Immediately after God speaks the truth of Jesus' identity, Satan comes and launches an attack on that identity. Does Jesus believe strongly enough who the Father says He is?
Does Jesus not only trust who God says He is, but does He fully embrace His identity as the Son?
Something happens in the wilderness, and our identity is at risk. In the wild desert times of life we are interpreters of something vital. Our wilderness moments are often immediately after we have been confident of who we are. So we enter a desert moment when an enemy will attack your identity and whether you trust and embrace who God has already said of who you are.
We are not all as trusting and confident as our Lord. Not all of us are strong enough to emerge from our desert moments in life with a full trust of our identity as sons and daughters of God. There are a few who are able to stand in the wilderness and know they "live on every word from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Few have so fully embraced their identity as sons and daughters that they can stand confidently in the face of this question in the wilderness.
This has been the challenge of every wilderness God's children come into and through; IF YOU ARE A SON/DAUGHTER OF GOD..." you trust and embrace that identity because your Father has already spoken that over you. That IS who you are. (1 John 3:1)
