Overcoming Diabolical Interference
- davidwperk
- Sep 15
- 6 min read
Daily Office Devotional, Monday, September 15, 2025
Proper 19, the week of the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrase for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
4:1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings: (BCP, 984)
AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65
1 Kings 21:1-16; 1 Cor. 1:1-19; Matt. 4:1-11
Today we celebrate the Feast of Holy Cross Day. (See below.)
David's Reflections
After his baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness of Judea to be tempted by the devil. The verbal phrase "to be tempted" tells us that the purpose of the wilderness journey was to confront the Evil One. There, after a 40 day fast, which we reenact in Lent, Jesus wrestled with solicitations from the Evil One to fulfill his mission as Son of God in ways contrary to his sense of identity and calling.
The verb “led” in the original language has more vivid energy than our English word “led.” Mark uses another verb that gets closer to the idea, “Jesus was thrust/cast into the desert.” The Spirit compelled Jesus into the desert—that’s closer to the sense.
Wrestling with the options Satan presented probably served to crystallize even more clearly for Jesus that unique sense of calling that had propelled him out of his private life to be baptized by John the Baptist and to begin his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing. The tests ultimately attacked his identity, "If you are the Son of God, then . . . . "
Jesus' temptations demonstrate graphically that following the inner voice of God inevitably brings us into conflict with the Evil One (however, one conceives that) and with our own inner darkness, which habitually pushes against the gentle persuasions of the love of God. If we resolve to respond to our most noble desires, which we would take as urgings from God's Spirit, we must contend with outer resistance from the Evil One and people who would sabotage us. as well as with inner resistance from our tendency to self-direct and self-determine our lives.
David Bolt once said, "Anyone who has ever tried to formulate a private prayer in silence, and in his own heart, will know what I mean by diabolical interference. The forces of evil are in opposition to the will of God. And the nearer a man's will approaches God's the more apparent and stronger and more formidable this opposition is seen to be. It is only when we are going in more or less the same direction as the devil that we are unconscious of any opposition at all." *
That last line speaks to me today. "It is only when we are going in more or less the same direction as the devil that we are unconscious of any opposition at all." * Today, if you are struggling to pray, fighting to hold on to your core values, feeling inwardly conflicted, perhaps you can reframe that experience as a symptom of your attempt to go in the right direction.
Kris Kristopherson wrote a song about his friend and mentor, Johnny Cash, who died in 2003. A line in that song went, "He's a walking contraction, partly truth and partly fiction."+ Today, we can place ourselves in the hands of Jesus, who became our brother by living a life perpetually in conflict with resistive evil and who bore that temptation for us. Now, he certainly knows how to bear temptation with us. And, his love will remain constant even though we are something of a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction.
*David Bolt, Of Heaven and Hope. Foreword, J. B. Phillips (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1965), p. 115.
+Kris Kristofferson
Collect of the Day, Proper 19, the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP 233)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Holy Cross Day
Collect of the Feast of Holy Cross Day
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
Collect for Divine Strength
O Tree of Calvary, send your roots deep into my soul. Gather together my frailties—my soiled heart, my sandy instability and my muddy desires—and entwine them with the strong roots of your arboreal love. Amen.
(Daily Prayer for All Seasons {New York: Church Publishing, 2014), p. 129.)
For Those Who Mourn
Merciful God, whose Son Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus: look with compassion on all who are bound by sorrow and pain through the death of N. (or a loved one). Comfort them, grant them the conviction that all things work together for good to those who love you, and help them to find sure trust and confidence in your resurrection power; through Jesus Christ our deliverer. Amen. (Enriching Our Worship: 2, pp. 65-66)
In the Order of Worship for Evening
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of
our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
Daily Office Gospel, Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 4:1-11
4:1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’ 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you,” and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’ 7Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’ 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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