Our Wilderness Walk

By Andrea Brouwer

After Jesus was baptized by John, He was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness, after fasting and praying
for 40 days, Satan tested him. When Satan came to attack Jesus, He was hungry and tired, but not without
knowledge and understanding of the Fathers purpose for Him.

As I look at what Jesus went through I can see the pattern of what God’s people also go through and I
now can see why the false church is in the condition they are in and believing what they believe.

From the time we were born again, we received the Holy Spirit. For the first part of our walk God put a
protection around us while we were learning the very basics, like a child learning new things gradually after
coming out of the mothers womb. At the proper time for each child God started to take away things they no
longer need, but equipping us with what is needed for our walk in the wilderness.

When we are lead into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, this is such a crucial point of our walk because
it is the time of obedience and hearing from God. It is at this very point that many do not obey when the Lord
is calling them out of where they are and begin their walk of faith.

Look at the 3 tests Jesus faced:

1. Test of the flesh
2. Understanding Gods power.
3. The world, being no part of it.

Look at the church and the areas of failure in it.

The flesh:- When we look at the church today it is more about being blessed than giving more about
themselves than evangelizing, money is the first priority and building larger churches, selling the Word of
God, fleecing the people, so the leadership can have bigger and better material things in their lives.

Gods power and understanding of that power:- What do we see today in the way that Gods power is
made a mockery of and abused. They lack humility, understanding, compassion and love. They put fear and
guilt on the people, lying and being deceitful, claiming they have the understanding because of their position
in the church and you can only learn from them, abusing Gods power.

The world:- Are they not part of the world in everything they do, in the church and in their personal
lives? Look at the church today it is full of pagan worship, man’s rules and regulations, having to look the
part to achieve anything and so on it goes they follow the patter of the world not Gods.

Why is this happening to God’s people? One can ask ‘did they ever get to the wilderness at all’? Some
no, others started and when tests came, they turned around and went back to the beginning staying there
never learning or understanding God at all Matthew 13:1-9.

Is it any wonder they have no understanding of the word, they have never been tested that is why they
believe the false doctrines being taught today. A relationship is a two-way thing but for these people God
does everything and they do nothing but receive, or so they think it is from God, but it is not. They have
believed the lie, doctrines of demons and are walking the wrong path.

Look at how Peter expressed tests and trials in 1 Peter 1:6-8 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for
a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being
much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and
glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet
believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Only through these tests can we really come to understand God, our faith grows in these times, we
understand the why’s, how’s and when’s of God.

After Jesus was tested by Satan, and passing those tests, He was then ministered to by angels and then
came out of the wilderness in the “Power of the Spirit” ready for His ministry. Noticed when Jesus came out
of the wilderness, He came out in the Power of the Spirit. It was in Gods appointed that Jesus was ready, and
so it is the case for His people today, in Gods time we will be ready. How many have run ahead of God not
being ready of the work He has prepared for His people, not understanding Gods purposes and plans and
eventually wearing themselves out and giving up.

Understanding the purpose of our wilderness walk with the Lord is so important, it is a time of growth, a
time of our faith being strengthened, and we will know when it is time to come out, we will hear that call for
we have learned obedience and humbleness from God and were born for such a time as this.