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| The Desert Experience |
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4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 1:13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. Mark 1:3 NIV
The desert is a harsh and difficult place to survive. It gets extremely hot in the day and at night the temperature drops drastically. It is a dry place and because of that there is very little water and shade. There are very few things able to live and dwell there. If you were to find yourself lost in the desert unless you were very savy your chances of survival would be slim to none.
The Bible speaks many times of the desert, being a place of testing and trial. As I was meditating on this I noticed few times that the desert was a place of spiritual testing, a time for preparation for ministry. My thoughts turned to Moses the Prince of Egypt who fled into the desert in fear for his life. It was in the desert that the Prince learned to be Shepherd. He spent 40 years on the backside of the desert where God was preparing for him his role to be the deliverer of his people from slavery in Egypt. Now the Bible does not give us a lot of details about what happened to Moses during those 40 years but we know that he became a Shepherd and he met God at the burning bush on the backside of the desert. I have not been a Prince and I have not been a Shepherd of flocks but I can tell you that they appear to be a stark contrast from one another. In the palace, there was abundance, and ease, and pleasure, but I am sure being a shepherd was difficult, and involved intense labor, and though it may have had it's rewarding moments I am sure Moses often times thought of the good life he once had.
Perhaps you can relate to this? A good part of your life was comfortable, enjoyable, and even prosperous but now when you think you should be hitting your stride and entering into your prime of earning, and growing, and learning you find yourself in a dry place. You find yourself in an unforgiving harsh place where the heat is intense but the loneliness and bitterness have left you cold and lifeless. I know that I have been there. Once on top of the world and even had success at a young age and then found myself suddenly in the desert. If this is you take heart something good is about to happen to you!
When I think of the desert experience I think of Jesus our Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that he was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the Devil. This is interesting to me, just think Jesus was just baptized by John the Baptist heard the voice of the Father affirm Him by saying He was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and now immediately thereafter Jesus was sent/driven/led into the desert to be tempted for 40 days and forty nights. Jesus was sent into that dry place, the difficult place, that place of utter dependence upon God the Father for His provision and strength. We see that Jesus went from this wonderful place of blessing to a place of barren fruitlessness in His life. He was constantly assaulted by the enemy and notice that the devil did not leave Jesus alone, but he kept coming back with another offer or temptation to sin. Perhaps you are in that place where you feel like you are barren and fruitless. You feel like you have been kicked to the curbside by God and that He has not kept His end of the bargain. You may think, "Hey, I am a good guy, a beloved son, why is this happening to me?" Well welcome to the desert! This is your time of testing and preparation for your future purpose and ministry. The Lord is not going to send a warrior out to battle without first making sure that particular warrior is equipped and tested and ready for battle. The desert time can seem like an eternity and that it is a waste of time but trust me, as dry as it is, as hot as it is, as cold as it is, as barren as it is, God has a purpose for you to be there and I encourage you to be like Jesus and Moses and go through what you have to go through so that you may enter into what God has in store for you!
When Jesus was in the desert the Scriptures tell us that he was attended to by angels. God sent His ministering servants to take care of Jesus during those difficult days of testing. The same is true for us. God will send people and other things like the Ravens for Elijah to take care of you in the midst of your desert time. As I reflect on my desert experience I can see the hand of God making a way in the desert for me. It is kind of like what it says in the book of Isiah:
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
God is doing a new thing in your life. He is taking you to a new level of ministry and effectiveness and in the desert He is creating life in you to be shared down the road with someone else. I have heard it said, that in order to have a testimony you have to have a test. We go into these desert experiences to prepare, and to grow, and to come out ready for battle. The gospel of Matthew says that once Jesus came out of the desert He started preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and started healing the sick, and casting out demons. Not only did He have the power of the Holy Spirit, but He has the benefit of experience. He was tested at all points just like we are tested yet He did not sin and came out victorious. If you are in the desert here is your opportunity to prepare for what God has in store for you. This is not a place to be down cast and to lose hope, if you find yourself in the the spiritual desert get happy and get excited for your breakthrough is not far away. Before you know it, you might have your "burning bush experience" where God calls you and sets you apart for a work that you have been created to do! Don't lose heart, hang in there and keep your faith up for it won't be long and you will be out of the desert and on to bigger and better things for and with God! Hallelujah! Amen! |
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| To add a comment to "The Desert Experience" |
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| November 19, 2008 |
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| Somedays, I can clearly see the hand of God in my desert. Other days, I am just groping and grasping, trying to stay upright, because the heat is so instense. I appreciate your wisdom Todd. And I know that one day I will lokk back and say with worship and affection" Thank you Jesus for the desert!" But today, it is just hard to be in the midst of barreness and only the strength of Jesus has kept me from falling into despair. But, I take courage and today will bring new mercies, tomorrow will be better. I keep striving, keep trying, because I just know that Jesus loves me, because he lives--lives in my heart. |
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| November 19, 2008 |
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| Starr: I know what you mean. Don't give up, you will reap if you faint not! Your breakthrough is coming. I can already tell just by your writings since you started many months ago that you are already breaking forth like a windpress. It is getting better and you are too. Your season will come...yes you will look back and be grateful. |
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| November 19, 2008 |
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| Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement, my friend. |
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| November 19, 2008 |
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| you are welcome :) and thanks for encouraging me. By the way it is a winepress not a windpress LOL |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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the desert was a place of spiritual testing, a time for preparation for ministry.
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| November 20, 2008 |
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that is EXACTLY where we were!
But He brought us manna
He sustained us with life giving waters
He brought us through
WOOOOHOOOOO!! |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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| Great one!!! |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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| I've been in the desert (Mojave Desert to be exact), BUT not only a physical desert, a spiritual one as well! (2003 when we lived in CA) It became apparent AFTERWARDS that God had a tremendous purpose for sending us there. Great blog as usual Todd! |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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Jacob: Thanks and God bless you!
Bubbles: But He sustained us and brought us through! What a faithful God we serve. WhoooooooooooHooooooooooo
Doyle: thanks for reading I hope you were blessed!
Mike: Thanks Mike, so you know first hand how rugged and unforgiving the desert can be. But there is always a purpose! Amen! |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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| Awesome blog Brother Todd as always....As I was reading it my mind began to drift back to all the times that God had me in a dry desert place, and it seemed like all hope was gone....but just as you have rightly said...it's in these times that God prepares us for bigger and better things...In the desert we learn to TRUST God and see first hand how He provides for us. God proved Himself to ME in my desert situations and because of that, it has molded me into the person that I am today...I don't doubt Him for nothing...He has proven to me that He is FAITHFUL...and that He is a HEALER....and also a PROVIDER, and just like Jesus when He came out of the desert...His wilderness experience...He began to began to preach the gospel message of the *The Kingdom*....Heal the sick...and cast out demons....Even so....That's what we ALL are suppose to do after leaving the desert.....being about our Fathers Business...because the time is short. |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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| Marjay: Well said and Amen! The desert is tough, but we come out of it stronger and better! I could not agree more to be about the Father's business as time is short! |
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| November 20, 2008 |
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| Excellent comment Dan just excellent! Many want to run from the pain, and the training, but it is good for us and needful too! To know Him in His power and the fellowship of His suffering. Again, great comment! |
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| November 21, 2008 |
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God bless you Todd for writing this, you don't know how much I needed this as me and my husband are going through a time of testing in the wilderness but I hold fast and cling to my Savior knowing he is preparing me and my husband for the future and all he has in store for us in serving Him. We are gonna breakthrough and be unleashed. Please pray for us! |
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| November 21, 2008 |
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| Bless you Jan and you and I know that the testing is severe but we will come through it victorious and stronger than ever! Of course you have my prayers and I am blessed to know you have been ecourgaged. My mother's favorit verse was I Cor 15:58...Therefore my bretheren stand fast unmovable always abouding in the work of the Lord for you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." What you are going through and what you are fighting for is not in vain! Hang in there! |
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| November 21, 2008 |
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| Thank you Todd and Amen Bro.! |
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| November 24, 2008 |
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| this lesson and the lesson of the valley reminds me of a song i love singing...it is called the Sweet Desert Rose.............and there is so much truth to your teaching....thank you |
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