Right after His baptism, the Gospels tell us that Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. Matthew writes:
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1)
Mark emphasizes the urgency:
“Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.” (Mark 1:12–13)
Luke records it in similar words:
“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.” (Luke 4:1–2)
The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to show that He came not only to fulfill righteousness but to confront and overcome the enemy where humanity had fallen. Adam failed in a garden, but Jesus stood firm in the wilderness. Israel failed during forty years of wandering, but Jesus triumphed during forty days of testing. His baptism had publicly declared Him the Son of God; the wilderness trial immediately tested that identity.
By going into the wilderness, Jesus began His ministry with victory over Satan, showing that He is the faithful Son who obeys the Father perfectly. This set the pattern for His whole mission: to destroy the works of the devil and to save those who had fallen into sin.
