Purpose of the Wilderness

Whether you believe it or not, there is a purpose of the Wilderness.
In the Old Testament, many of us have heard preachers and teachers
of the Word of God mention that this 40 year ordeal of wandering in
the wilderness could have been just a few week journey, but they
never go into detail of the specific purpose of the Wilderness.

If we look at the scriptures in Deuteronomy 8:2, "And thou shalt
remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these
forty years in the wilderness, to "humble thee", and to "prove thee",
to "know what was in thine heart", whether thou wouldest keep his
commandments, or not."

3 major things were mentioned:

a.. to humble thee
b.. to prove thee
c.. to know what was in thine heart
So as we examine the scriptures, the specific purpose of the wilder-
ness was a mere 'proving ground'. In the wilderness, one is supposed
to die to the flesh (your ideas, your ways) and hearken to the Word of GOD.

Because the Children of Israel did not do these specific "3" things
(they murmured and complained and never changed ) they died in
the wilderness. They were SAVED from the hands of Pharoah and
the Egyptians, but they still died without obtaining the promised
land that was given to them by God. Only Caleb and Joshua along
with the next generation were ever able to crossover and possess
the land .....are you getting this? You can be SAVED, but not have
what is promised!!

God is saying: you will die in the wilderness if you do not allow God
to humble you, prove you and reveal to you the issues that are in
your heart. The Lord is saying that you think that you are ready for
the masses and packed out stadiums and churches, but really you are not.

This 'proving ground' is where we must stay until we get right with
God and then He allows us to truly possess the Promised Land.

If we fast forward and look at the life of Jesus, we see that after He
was baptized in the river Jordan, the Spirit of God came upon Him.
Immediately the Spirit of God drove him in the wilderness to be
tempted, tested and tried ( i.e. the proving ground ).

Saints of God, do you see the pattern??? Jesus was in the wilder-
ness just like the children of Israel, but instead of 40 years, it was
only 40 days! Glory to God!

When Jesus was in the wilderness, He passed every test!

a.. He did not exalt himself because He was the Son of God.
b.. He did not misuse the Power of God that was within Him and
remained humble.
c.. He was not going to worship another God and sell out for
worldly possessions!

After GOD examined his heart and he passed the tests, the
scriptures tell us that Jesus came out of the wilderness (i.e. the
proving ground ) in the POWER of the SPIRIT and began to possess
the Land. Wherever he went there were signs, wonders and miracles
and there was victory!!

I must be blunt and to the point today Child of God, please stop
acting like the children of Israel in the wilderness, it will only cause
death! You will die in the wilderness. Although God will take care
of you to some degree, it is second best! I am tired of second best,
aren't you??

I really do want to reach the masses! I really do want to flow in the
Holy Ghost! I want to be just like Jesus and come out of the wilder-
ness in the Power of the Spirit and then be able to say WATCH
OUT DEVIL, I am COMING IN THE NAME of THE LORD!!

Here is the reason you are in the wilderness:

a.. Some of you are so lifted up in pride, that is the exact reason
why you are in the wilderness.
b.. Some of you are failing every single trial and test, so that is
why you are in the wilderness, you cannot get past the proving process.
c.. Some of you when you open your mouth, you can clearly see
why you are in the wilderness because, "out of the abundance of
your heart, the mouth speaketh".

Dont ever think that the people that are being used mightily of God
in our day and time have not paid a dear price for it!!

People that are reaching out and making a difference (I am not
talking about people that are in emotionalism or people that have
learned to work a crowd) that are getting BIBLE RESULTS.... they
have paid a great price to go all the way with God. Are you willing
to pay that price? Are you willing to give it all up like the disciples?
If not, you cannot be Jesus' disciple. Search the scriptures....this
type of believer does not need advertisement.... GOD is their advertisement!

In conclusion, God wants you to come out of the wilderness. God
wants you to eat the good of the land. God wants us to be just like
Jesus! If we are just like Jesus, churches will not be empty, if we
are just like Jesus, people would have faith in God. If we are just
like Jesus, we will be able to do the greater works that he talked
about and will not waste time talking of what God used to do, but
we will begin to talk about what he is doing right now! Glory to God!!

Please do not die in the wilderness.... you have been there too long.

Blessings,

Glen Riddick.

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