By Annaika Dastine | Founder, Who Is This Jesus? Ministry

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

Victory Before the Battle: How Jesus Was Prepared

My friends, as I have shared in this ministry, temptation itself is not sin. What we do when we are tempted is what matters. If Jesus, the Son of God, was tempted, how much more will the enemy come after humanity?

So the question becomes: how did Jesus prepare for the battle against the enemy?

We know that Jesus’ ministry did not begin until He was about 30 years old. This means He lived life as you and I do. He had parents, siblings, and a community. He learned a trade and worked as a carpenter. Jesus was not hidden away in isolation until His calling—He was living life.

We can understand that He had relationships, responsibilities, and daily experiences within His community. But have you ever wondered what His life looked like during those thirty years?

Scripture does not give many details, but it does give us one powerful glimpse:

Luke 2:46 (NIV)
“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”

From this, we see that Jesus was a student of God—learning, listening, and growing in the presence of the Father.

Luke 2:49 (NIV)
“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

My friends, this tells us that being in the presence of God was His priority—it was His life.

So when we look at this, we understand that Jesus was not unprepared for the battlefield. He was being prepared all along. Every moment in the presence of the Father was equipping Him for what was to come.

Now let me ask you something, my friend… have you ever thought of Jesus as a disciple?

Yes, I know—He is known as the Son of God, Lord, Savior, Messiah, the Word of God… but as a disciple?

Yes—Jesus, in His earthly walk, modeled the life of a disciple, fully submitted to God, His Father.

Read these passages with me:

John 5:19 (NIV)
“The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing…”

Jesus did not act independently. From the moment He came to earth, He walked in full submission to the Father’s will. God was His Rabbi—teaching Him, leading Him, and directing His steps.

John 5:30 (NIV)
“I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”

This is what is so powerful: Jesus never asks us to do anything He Himself has not already done.

He was obedient.
He was submitted.
He was a student and followed the Father’s will.

And my friend, if we understand this, it changes everything.

In every military, there are ranks. God is supreme. Jesus carries out the Father’s will, and we are invited to follow Him, to stand firm and fight against the enemy of our souls—Satan.

But we do not fight alone.

We fight by following the One who already showed us how to live, resist, and overcome through the Holy Spirit.

My friend, to be a disciple, Jesus teaches us that surrender to the will of God is a requirement: not half-commitment, but full obedience.

That is why in Revelation 2:1–7, Jesus addresses half-hearted devotion with a warning.

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV) – Jesus humbled Himself and submitted fully.
1 Peter 2:21 (NIV) – Christ left us an example.
Romans 15:3 (NIV) – Christ did not please Himself.

My friend, true discipleship requires humility and surrender to Jesus Christ’s commands.

How did God lead Jesus to victory against Satan?

Think about this question as I share a few steps from Scripture, next time, how Jesus obeyed to be ready for His mission and left for us as an example to follow.

Are you obeying God fully, or are you going through the motions of religion?

Weekly Scripture Hebrews 4:15 NIV