Matthew Study 4:1

"... Jesus was led up by the Spirit... into the wilderness... to be tempted by the devil..."

It's a curious thing that we rarely question the Spirit's leading when we are in green pastures surrounded by bubbling brooks. Yet, truth be known, the Spirit - being about the ultimate forging of the Father's character in us - leads his sheep equally into times of pasture, and times of wilderness.

As a knife finds it's sharpening potential under the spinning wheel of flint, so do we discover authentic Christlikeness within the flying sparks of the wilderness experience. Nothing comes without a struggle. And nothing fruitful comes without sacrifice and pain.

We often placate ourselves and others by dropping superficial comments such as , "O, I am in a spiritual desert now, praise God." Or, "I am ready for my personal wilderness that I may rise into my ministry." Yet, when one actually enters his or her wilderness, everything is stripped away. Happy bumper-sticker theology finds no place in the pained heart of the wilderness pilgrim.

We are are a strange mix of the divine and human, are we not - see-sawing up and down between the blue skies of "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased" and the hardened ground of "If you are the Son of God...". We are immersed in the God's love one minute and, the very next minute, find ourselves seriously entertaining the cancer of hell's adversary.

"Will I forever be so spiritually schizophrenic? What needs to happen so that my thoughts finally become his thoughts, so that, one day by his Grace, my worldview will become his Kingdomview? How in the world does that happen?"

It happens as we are led by the Spirit into our wilderness experience. It's something that we need not merely tolerate, but embrace as a Gift from God.

If you are in your wilderness experience you must know the following. First, your experience - beginning to end, its timing to its duration - has all been orchestrated by Divine Providence. The Spirit has led you here. So this is a good thing.

Secondly, you will be confronted and assaulted by the devil. He will do everything he can to talk you out of everything that God has brought you into. Don't forget your sacred history. The God who gifted you in the pasture is the God who is walking with you in the wilderness. His Word in you is a mighty weapon against the deceitfulness of your enemy. Remember, you don't have to believe everything you hear.

And, if you sense your grip loosening from the Sword, all is not lost; you will be pruned and circumcised, perhaps, (and it will pain you). But your Lord will never loosen his grip on you. The victory belongs to the Lord. He will fight for you.

After all, after all this, be encouraged in the Lord. He has plans for you. From his perspective this is your boot camp. Besides, even as we speak, his angels are rushing in to balm your wounds, bathe your weary soul, and set you firmly into you into the fulfillment of your Baptism Vows, the Spirit-filled ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.