~ written by Connie Dunmyer
He was shot down on Good Friday. Injured, he evaded capture and climbed 7000 feet to hide in the mountain crags. Upon connection with those who would become his savior, his first words were “God is Good”. He knew that even in the darkest moment of life, and facing possible death, he was not alone. He knew to Whom he belonged. And then before sunrise on Easter Sunday morning, some 45 hours later, he was rescued. His stone was rolled away. His life was saved. He was lifted and resurrected to safety.
By now, everyone has heard the incredible rescue stories of the servicemen who were shot down over Iran. The first serviceman had been rescued within a few hours. The second man had to lean on his training in order to survive until his rescue.
Having just come through Holy Week and Easter Sunday, it would be easy to kind of gloss over the idea of resurrection and rescue. The day after Easter, I nearly did not post my Monday Yield: “Hupomoné – Hopeful Endurance” because I struggled to embrace it. I felt a bit hypocritical in posting because I couldn’t find the daylight in it. Then God began bombarding me with stories, blogs and scriptures about Gethsemane turning into Resurrection. Below is some of what God is planting in me – some training I am leaning upon. I hope you find encouragement in it too.
In order for Resurrection to take place – it must be preceded by death. And the knowledge of that, as any human can attest, brings about the prayer “Please let this cup pass from me.” Jesus was no exception. So when we read that Jesus knows what we’re feeling, including our fears and temptations, we can believe it. [Hebrews 4:14-16]
In fact, some years before His Gethsemane prayer, Jesus was tempted in the desert (Luke 4). And we’re not talking about the "temptation to sneak a piece of your child’s Easter candy". We’re talking the deep temptations that all humans face, during which time He fasted for 40 days. Fasting is a concept I don’t fully understand. But if Jesus needed to fast in order to make it through temptation and testing, then who do I think I am to not need fasting as well.
Following these 40 days of fasting, the devil hits Jesus with the biggies… the things that are just so easy for us to give into because we’re exhausted, we’re weary, we’re hungry, and we don’t always know the will of the Father at that moment.
The devil offers Jesus food – sustenance. Food was not the problem, it was the “shiny thing” that was dangled in front of Jesus, to grab His attention. What’s the shiny thing in my life? Sometimes it IS food. But even as necessary as food, or any other shiny thing is, it cannot, it should not take our attention from staying close to the Father.
When food, when sustenance, doesn’t work – the devil goes for something bigger – power, position, and financial security. Now I may not think that “power” is a temptation for me – but if I’m honest, “financial security” really is a temptation. And the devil not only dangles it in front of my face, but he turns it into a million fiery darts and shoots them into my brain day and night.
Finally, when Jesus doesn’t fall for sustenance, power, position, financial security – the devil says: “Ok. So you don’t want what I have to give. Prove it. Prove You are Who You say You are!” And he even used scripture – a Psalm no less – to create this temptation. Of course I’m using a little editorial license, but how often does the devil do that me? “Oh really. You think you’re so strong. You really think you’re a child of God? Prove it! Prove that you love the unlovable. Prove that you’re redeemed. Prove that you believe scripture. Prove it!” And if I stumble or can’t find the right words – I can easily become disenchanted and maybe give the devil what he wanted all along - - - to give up. Or worse, I start to believe the lies – especially if he has twisted in a scripture or two.
On my best days, I don’t focus on the temptations – I focus on the model Jesus gave for combating the enemy. Never try to find your own right words. Never try to make excuses. Never give in or give up. Never believe the lie or the liar. Rather – find a scripture and repeat it over and over. Say it out loud. Jesus did. In fact, Jesus recited every single one of His rebuttals from the Torah – from Deuteronomy – 6:13, 6:16, & 8:3. (For those who think the Old Testament doesn’t offer promise-weapons, I offer this as proof it does. And I encourage all to re-read and memorize Old Testament promises.)
But here’s the other thing I have to remember. Even if I speak promise-weapons, and even if the devil leaves me alone for a little while, he will return, and eventually we will meet again in my own “Gethsemane”.
Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”
Gethsemane WAS that opportune time. And it still is.
What better opportune time than when I am in the desert or in my own Gethsemane. Gethsemane gets its name from two Hebrew words: one that signifies “valley of fatness” and another for “olive-press”. Remember we recently discussed the “crush” as it relates to wine. This garden experience is where Jesus was “pressed” – He was crushed, to the point of sweating blood. It was no accident. And I can be sure that at His weakest point, and at my weakest point, during the pressing is the opportune time for the devil to attack.
In my Gethsemane, I am pressed, I am crushed. I have not sweat blood. But I have fallen face-down, prostrate on the floor, desperately calling out to the Father “pleeeeeease let this cup pass from me”. The question becomes, what do I do next? What did Jesus do? He prayed this very prayer, after all. Well, let’s go see.
39 “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
Three times Jesus begged to be rescued. BUT three times, He submitted to the Father’s will. He was not resigned or even reluctant. He was still the Son of God after all. He could have said “no” to saving the world – to saving me. But Jesus knew that the ONLY answer for sin and death was for Him to BECOME sin and death for me. And so in His submission to the Father’s will – there was the recognition of the promise of Resurrection. Then following resurrection, as a final act here on earth, Jesus even redeemed Gethsemane. Gethsemane is a part of the Mount of Olives which is where Jesus ascended into heaven. He redeemed that symbol of such pain and grief by turning it into a symbol of eternal victory!
The devil is a master-tempter. But before I even reach Gethsemane, I need to have made up my mind that resurrection will come.
“I will not give up”,
“I will not complain”,
“I won’t blame God or people”,
“I won’t doubt or worry”.
To survive, I must lean into my training and my Trainer. I must follow Jesus’ example. I must wage war against the devil by repeating scripture aloud. I may need to fast, to go without sustenance, to actually become stronger. I must pray in faith – a lot! And nevertheless, no matter what, I must yield to the Father’s will and trust in His goodness for me before that stone rolls away.
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© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.