A Wilderness Study: Excerpt

Following is an excerpt from my first book, "A Wilderness Study".  Enjoy
Genesis 28:16: And Jacob awaked  out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not

CHAPTER 1:  “What is a Wilderness Experience?”
A wilderness experience is one that you will often have to travel alone. One where the terrain, natural or spiritual; will demand all of what you have. Even if you started out on the journey running, by the time you are well into the wilderness, you will be drained, you will be tired, you will be weary, you will need to pull out strength from the inner recesses of your Spirit.

A fitting Scripture is 2Co 12:10  "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong".

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A wilderness experience will require you to pull out what you have in you. For in a wilderness there is no food, or water or sustenance coming from anywhere. All the elements are requiring of and taking from you, not giving to you. The heat of the wilderness will require you to be hydrated enough to endure the journey. The cold of the wilderness in the night will require you to have an inner fire (the Holy Ghost) that will keep you warm. The deadly animals that can cause your demise will require you to be on your guard, watching always, praying without ceasing. For losing focus could cost you your life. The dry arid terrain will require you to sustain yourself, for there is no food with which you can be sustained or replenished. So you will have to have enough bread (the Word) in you to keep you throughout the duration of the journey.

Everything you have in you will have to be used to sustain you, spiritually, physically and emotionally. For otherwise, you could lose hope and give up; allowing the elements or the creatures or the terrain to get the better of you. You could lose strength, becoming so weak that you cannot take another step or you could lose your spirit and give up on God. But the devil is a liar, for God is not unfaithful, he will not allow you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear. He will with the temptation, make a way of escape that you will be able to bear it.

1Co 10:13     There hath no temptation taken you but such  as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation  also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Just as God did for Hagar, he can create an oasis in the middle of the desert to re-hydrate your spirit. Like he did for David, he can lay you beside still waters and restore your soul. Just like he did for the children of Israel, he can prepare a smorgasbord (a dish of various food) for you in the middle of a wilderness without the aid of a chef. Just as he did for John the Baptist, he can keep you on what you have available to you and just like Jesus, when he takes you into the wilderness, it is by the Spirit, it is in his will, it is only for you to be tempted, but not defeated, for though he has led you to be tempted, he has made a way of escape . . . look for the escape that God has made for you, that is the God we serve. Whatever wilderness you may be facing, I have one word for you, ENDURE

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