You are Loved!!!

Luke 3:21-22; Luke 4:1-3 NLT

21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."

4 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. 3 Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

(Italics added)

Here we see Jesus being baptised, and as He came out of the water, He heard these words, "You are My dearly loved Son, and You bring Me great joy," straight after hearing this, it says full of the Holy Spirit, He was led in to the wilderness where He was tested by the devil. I believe that if Jesus hadn't received these words, it would have been a lot more difficult to endure the temptation. The devil started with, "If You are the Son of God..." firstly, notice he left out one crucial word, "BELOVED" - The devil wants to start by getting us to doubt who we are, he wants to steer clear of reminding you that you ARE loved by God, you are a beloved son and daughter of our Heavenly Father, the devil can ask the question, but the fact remains, we are adopted into His family, repeat after me..."I AM A CHILD OF GOD!!!"

You may be in a barren season, and the devil is saying to you, "If you are the son/daughter of God..." remember the words, "You ARE My dearly loved son/daughter, and you bring Me great joy." The season doesn't change who you are, in fact, just like Jesus, you will leave this season, full of the Power of the Holy Spirit. Hold tight, this season will pass, and you will come out stronger.