3. God Is Positioning You for Greater Power
The Holy Spirit Himself may drive you into the wilderness for a season. That’s what happened to Jesus. Matthew records, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1).
Satan offered Jesus three temptations that are common to man today. Jesus did not bite on the devil’s bait. He wielded the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to send the enemy packing. He resisted the devil’s temptation, and the devil fled. But look what happened next: “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region” (Luke 4:14).
Jesus was already baptized in the Holy Spirit, but he gained power through His wilderness experience. He went into the synagogue and essentially declared His public ministry. When He left there, the first thing He did was cast out a devil. The next thing was healing people, followed by preaching.
If you find yourself in a period of temptation, use the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to resist the devil, and know that God wants to take you to a higher place.
David spent much of his life in the wilderness, either tending sheep or running from Saul. David did what other wise men have done during wilderness times: He got closer to God. When you land in the wilderness, check your heart and take joy in fellowshipping with God like David did in Psalm 63 when he was in the wilderness of Judah: “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 there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (vv. 1-2). Amen.
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet. You can email Jennifer at [email protected] or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
