Wilderness and Wandering

“The story of your life is the story of a long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it.” -John Eldridge

“‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I well pleased.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 3:17-4:1

“All the people born in the wilderness during the journey had not (been circumcised).” Joshua 6:5

I made it to the age of 37 before I understood the concept of spiritual wilderness. It’s a place where you didn’t want to go. It’s a place where it seems like Satan is closer to you than God. It’s a place where you never would have put yourself. It’s lonely and scary. And it tempts you who go back to the slavery you are trying to leave behind

But most significantly, the wilderness is a place where your true identity and purpose will be brutally attacked. To forget who you are in the wilderness will prove costly.

After Egypt, God led His people into the wilderness. It should have been a fairly short season. But it wasn’t. It was 40 years. Why? Faithless men.

Joshua had to circumcise every male that was born in the wilderness over those 40 years after they had entered into the promised land. Their dad’s had neglected to pass on the sign of the covenant to their sons for 40 years. Faithless fathers create kids that don’t know who they are.

This identity crisis kept Israel in the desert for 40 years. Jesus got out in 40 days. Why? He wouldn’t let Satan mess with who He was. He didn’t get all caught up in his head. He just spoke the truth to Himself, and to Lucifer.

You see…the sooner you can embrace the Truth about who you are, the sooner you can get out of the wilderness.