The Promised Land Wilderness.

I begin to think about the wilderness, And this is a little of what I thought: John the Baptist ministry begin and ended in the wilderness. Jesus went to John in the wilderness and was baptized in the River Jordan. It was in the wilderness when the spirit of God came upon Jesus after baptism.

It was in the wilderness for 40 days and nights fasting that catapulted Jesus’ ministry as He went into the temple and proclaimed,

Isaiah 61:1 NLT “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”

This was and is Jesus’ assignment. The Spirit anointed Jesus to Preach freedom. Preach good news to the poor. Jesus proclaimed, I’m here to comfort. I’m here for the bound. The oppressed. The broken hearted. Jesus-proclaimed: “Whatever holds you in prison, holds you back, I’m here. And that’s enough.”

Isaiah 35:3-4NLT “With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. 4 Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.””

I believe the dispensation we live in would be an envy to the prophets of old. PH

So the wilderness and the promise land are two very different places, a land of hardship, and a land of rest and blessings.

However. Say “however.” The wilderness is also part of the promised land. In the promised land is the wilderness of Judea… The wilderness of the Arabah…the wilderness of the Negev.

Here’s a powerful fact? The wilderness makes more than half of the promised land. Most of the promised land is the wilderness. So the wilderness is a key part of the promised land.

Isaiah 35:5-6NLT “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.”

In your life, you will have times of hardship, losses, challenges, tears, as well as times of waiting, or simply not being in the place you want to be.

These are your wildernesses. Remember this truth: In God, even the wilderness can be part of the promised land.

In other words, the wilderness is not outside the purposes of God nor outside his promises.

Isaiah 40:3-4NLT “Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the

wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.”

“Only God can turn your wilderness into a Promise Land!” PH

The wilderness is the place God brought you to. And God will use it to accomplish His purposes and to fulfill His promises in your life.

In God, In Jesus Christ, even the wilderness becomes a place of blessing. And if God is with you, then your journey is also part of your destination. And your life on earth is also part of heavens domain. And so even while you journey on earth, you can live a heavenly life.