Into The Wilderness: Strengthened For The Journey Series

The wilderness is not just a place of testing; it’s also a place of provision. God doesn't leave us empty in our struggles; He strengthens us for the journey ahead.

Introduction:

We have already talked about how the wilderness is a place of testing, a place where God refines us, shapes us, and reveals what is in our hearts. But I want to take it a step further, because we need to understand that the wilderness is not just a place of testing … it's also a place of provision.

We often think of the wilderness as a place of lack, a place of suffering, or a place of wandering, but when we look at Scripture, we see over and over that it's also a place where God provides, strengthens, and prepares His people for what’s next.

Think about Jesus … He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days of testing, but when He came out, Luke 4:14 says He returned in the power of the Spirit.

You see the wilderness is never meant to break us…it’s meant to build us.

I. The Wilderness Can Make You Bitter or Better

Let’s start with the Israelites… They had just been delivered from Egypt; God had done miracle after miracle to set them free. But as soon as they hit a rough patch in the wilderness, what happened?

Exodus 16:2-3 (NIV) says

"In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’”

Instead of seeing the wilderness as a place where God was leading them to something better, they let it make them bitter.

• They forgot how bad Egypt really was… They forgot how they were slaves crying out for deliverance.

• They exaggerated the comforts of the past instead of trusting God for the future.

• They complained instead of seeking God in the struggle.

And that’s what the wilderness does…it reveals what’s inside of us.

In any kind of training that you do, the toughest drills and most intense days separate the ones who truly want it from the ones who don’t. Those who embrace the challenge grow stronger. Those who resist it either quit or struggle to make it through.

The same is true spiritually. When trials come … When life is hard, when you feel like you’re in a desert … do you let it make you bitter, or do you let it make you better?

II. God Provides Strength in the Wilderness

God doesn’t just test us in the wilderness … He provides for us.

Manna for Israel (Exodus 16:13-15) tells us

Even though the Israelites complained, God didn’t abandon them. He gave them exactly what they needed… manna from heaven.

It wasn’t what they expected, and it wasn’t what they asked for, but it was what they needed.

God doesn’t always provide in the way we want, but He always provides in the way we need.

Now let’s fast forward to Elijah we can find out about his provision in 1Kings 19:1-8...

After his showdown with the prophets of Baal, Elijah was exhausted, discouraged, and afraid. He ran into the wilderness and sat under a tree, saying, “Lord, just let me die.”

But what did God do? Instead of rebuking Elijah, He sent an angel with food and water and Elijah ate and drank … That meal gave him the strength for a 40-day journey... God met Elijah in the wilderness with provision.

The same is true for us. When we feel empty, when we feel weak, and when we feel discouraged, God has strength for us.

• It might come in the form of a Bible verse that speaks to your situation.

• It might come through a friend who encourages you at just the right time.

• It might come through unexpected provision when you need it most.

But know this...God is always there. He will never leave you without whatever it is you need to make it through the journey.

III. Strengthened for What’s Next

Friends, the wilderness is not the end of the story.

Look at Jesus. After 40 days of hunger, temptation, and isolation in the wilderness, what happened?

Luke 4:14 says, “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit.”

The wilderness wasn’t a setback; it was a setup for what came next.

God didn’t bring the Israelites into the wilderness to leave them there … He was leading them to the Promised Land.

God didn’t let Elijah stay under that tree … He gave him strength to go forward and complete his mission.