STUDIES//WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE


Wilderness Experience
Mark 1:9-13 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: {opened: or, cloven, or, rent} 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12 And immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. The Wilderness is by God's design I. Purposes of the Wilderness A. Give us power (leading us into prayer and fasting) Luke 4:1-14 v1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, v14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. B. to learn obedience Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. C. to refine & purify 1. * part of the wilderness may be the place where we stumble 2. Daniel 11:35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, and to purify them, and to make them white, until the time of the end: because it is yet for the time appointed. 3. God's greatest biggest plan for us is to build the character of Jesus in our lives. (not to make us some evangelistic superstar or to give us great spiritual gifts to impress others) 4. Share Rick Joyner's vision D. to make us thirsty (thirsty is good) Matt 5:6 "the thirsty will be filled." Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; E. to get us alone to speak to us Hosea 2:14-17 14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me My Husband (Ishi); and shalt call me no more My Master (Baali). 17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. 1. v14 speak comfort to her in Hebrew is speak to her heart (the place to hear God's voice) 2. v15 valley of Achor is place of trouble (teaching us to sing and rejoice and trust regardless) 3. v16 God becomes husband, not just master 4. v17 God removes the desire and even memory of the idols of our hearts II. What do we do while in the wilderness? It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there! Hosea 2:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will answer, saith the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth; 22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. A. We have to sow to the heavens, because that's what God will answer. Learning new levels of prayer, worship, and intercession. B. God's answer: 1. Corn (grain) (harvest, blessing, increase, prosperity) 2. new wine (Holy Spirit and refreshing) 3. oil (anointing, strength, and God's ability) III. End of the wilderness season RAIN Hosea 6: 3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD: his going forth is established as the morning; and he shall come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. How does the rain come? A. We know the signs of its coming--we see storm clouds, and lighting, hear the thunder rumbling, and smell the sweet aroma B. It refreshes, takes out the sting of the hot day C. It waters the earth with necessary moisture to produce fruit. D. It settles the dust (which clouds our vision by stinging our eyes) thereby causing confusion E. It interrupts your life (what you're doing and have planned) ARE YOU READY?--we need the rain Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. The RAIN is about to suddenly come.

Mark 1:9-13
9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: {opened: or, cloven, or, rent}
11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
12 And immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness.
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

** The Wilderness is by God's design**

I. Purposes of the Wilderness

A. Give us power (leading us into prayer and fasting) Luke 4:1-14

v1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

v14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

B. to learn obedience
Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept
thy word.

C. to refine & purify

1. * part of the wilderness may be the place where we stumble

2. Daniel 11:35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, and to purify them, and to make them white, until the time of the end: because it is yet for the time appointed.

3. God's greatest biggest plan for us is to build the character of Jesus in our lives. (not to make us some evangelistic superstar or to give us great spiritual gifts to impress others)

4. Share Rick Joyner's vision

D. to make us thirsty (thirsty is good) Matt 5:6 "the thirsty will be filled."

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

E. to get us alone to speak to us

Hosea 2:14-17
14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me My Husband (Ishi); and shalt call me no more My Master (Baali).

17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

1. v14 speak comfort to her in Hebrew is speak to her heart
(the place to hear God's voice)

2. v15 valley of Achor is place of trouble
(teaching us to sing and rejoice and trust regardless)

3. v16 God becomes husband, not just master

4. v17 God removes the desire and even memory of the idols
of our hearts

II. What do we do while in the wilderness?

It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!

Hosea 2:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will answer, saith the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth;
22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.

A. We have to sow to the heavens, because that's what God will answer. Learning new levels of prayer, worship, and intercession.

B. God's answer:

1. Corn (grain) (harvest, blessing, increase, prosperity)

2. new wine (Holy Spirit and refreshing)

3. oil (anointing, strength, and God's ability)

III. End of the wilderness season RAIN

Hosea 6: 3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD: his going forth is established as the morning; and he shall come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.

How does the rain come?

A. We know the signs of its coming--we see storm clouds, and lighting,
hear the thunder rumbling, and smell the sweet aroma

B. It refreshes, takes out the sting of the hot day

C. It waters the earth with necessary moisture to produce fruit.

D. It settles the dust (which clouds our vision by stinging our eyes)
thereby causing confusion

E. It interrupts your life (what you're doing and have planned)

ARE YOU READY?--we need the rain

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

The RAIN is about to suddenly come.