Wilderness moments.
Times when you question your faith.
Times when you doubt.
Times filled with hurt.
Times when you wander.
Times when you're tempted.
Difficult times.
Bleak times.
Make sure you hold tight to the 4 Essentials when the Spirit leads you into the wilderness and don't forget that in God's timing, angels will be sent to minister to you as well!
Live a poured out life for the Master,
I am linked up with:
Graceful Faith in the Everyday, The Better Mom, Time-Warp Wife, Growing Home, Women Living Well, Good Morning Girls, A Holy Experience
Times when you question your faith.
Times when you doubt.
Times filled with hurt.
Times when you wander.
Times when you're tempted.
Difficult times.
Bleak times.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
Take a close look at the above verse.
Who led Christ into the wilderness? Did you catch that it was the Spirit?
When I read that verse and saw who it was that was responsible for the difficult times that Jesus was about to endure, it gave me such great comfort to know that is was the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. The Son of the Most High God. The Messiah. The Savior of the world. His faith and allegiance to God was about to be tested.
Reading that verse helped me to know that my own wilderness moments were not only allowed by God but they were appointed by Him as well.
Here's what I have learned to take with me while in the wilderness:
The 4 Essentials
- A Guide- God's Holy Word to guide and direct you in your times of fear, doubt, hurting, temptation, and despair. Read His word. Grab hold of it. Hide it in your heart. Breathe it in, make it your life and let it define who you are!
The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11
- Shelter- God's love and protection to strengthen you from the harsh elements and ravenous attacks.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah Psalm 61:4
And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain. Isaiah 4:6
- Water- Living water that is. It is vital for you to cling to Jesus Christ during times of great weakness.
"But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14
- An Eternal Perspective- You will feel defeated and possibly lose your way if you're constantly looking at your temporal circumstances. This time here on earth is not forever.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
Do you happen to know what took place and what was said to Jesus right before He was led into the wilderness?
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
As the Father spoke those words, I personally believe that the Son of Man had a mountaintop experience as He heard them.
Ponder this thought: Mountaintop experiences are usually followed by times in the wilderness.
After Satan tempted Jesus this is what happened next...
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Matthew 4:11
Make sure you hold tight to the 4 Essentials when the Spirit leads you into the wilderness and don't forget that in God's timing, angels will be sent to minister to you as well!
Live a poured out life for the Master,
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I am linked up with:
Graceful Faith in the Everyday, The Better Mom, Time-Warp Wife, Growing Home, Women Living Well, Good Morning Girls, A Holy Experience
Great post - very encouraging!
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific post! Well written and developed, full of insights, and very helpful in perspective to me right now! Thank you for the effort you obviously put into it! God bless!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jolene, for the reminder of the Spirit's provision even in the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered that very important detail about who led Jesus into the wilderness -- it makes all the difference, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at Hear It, Use It this week!
Very insightful! Thanks for sharing since we all though a wilderness experience at some point. May God continue to bless you as you minister to others through your writing, and write for Him.
ReplyDeleteMy pastor just spoke about being led into the wilderness and how God uses those times. Thanks for this encouraging continuation of things God has been bringing to my attention. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteTonya,
ReplyDeleteYou are such a sweetheart and you brighten my day!
~jolene
It DOES make all the difference, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks Brooke!
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteSo glad it blessed you, Sylvia.
ReplyDelete~jolene
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo glad I read this!
Somehow I have always managed to overlook that part, that it was the Spirit who led Christ to the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, speaking to his brothers who had sold him off into slavery:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Ah, yes. Very often, we are not able to see the whole picture, but must trust, and remember to be equipped for the wilderness.