Power in the Wilderness

Summary

The way of wilderness presents serious temptations for God’s people and those who lead them.  The first temptation is to believe that, somehow, we arrive in wilderness by accident. We expect that way God leads us to be comfortable and devoid of suffering. As a result, we focus all our energies on being freed by God versus being changed by Him.  There are additional temptation for leaders who, under the pressure of wanting to help their people endure the wilderness experience, seek a way of escape in conflict with the way of God, namely, they force their own way or manipulate God’s.

But Christ is led into his own wilderness, by the Spirit, to face these same temptations.  Unlike the Israelites, and unlike Moses, Jesus shows us the way to combat fear, anger, and pride.  The temptations in the wilderness, whether physical, emotional, or material are real, but they are not the real enemy.  Wilderness is not the enemy, but the enemy is in the wilderness hoping to destroy our relationship with God by encouraging us to trust in our own power.

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