Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

Have you ever noticed how Jesus always seemed to be one step ahead of every obstacle, temptation, challenge, and question that he was presented with.  When reading the New Testament you never get the impression that Jesus was taken by surprise by anything that he would face through His life.  In every moment He had this very lucid way of turning the challenge into this powerful lesson that would lead all who were listening back to the revelation of God.  Was He able to do this because He was God, and we possess no hope on this side of eternity to ever experience the kind of self control and discernment Jesus demonstrated? 

Ephesians 1:8 "According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven, and things on earth."

Jesus was able to stay one step ahead of every attack, every obstacle, and every temptation because of two reasons.  First, He knew His God and His God's plan.  Secondly, He knew His enemy and the lengths the enemy would go to destroy him.  He walked the path that the Father would set before Him and in the moments of challenge He was not shocked because He was looking for the crafty attack that He knew his enemy would bring against him.  In those moments, if we are connected to our God, just as Jesus was we will share in the same Divine wisdom and strength that Jesus possessed.  Truly we can do all things through Christ who gives us Strength!