Mule Ears in Big Bend Nat. Park
Mule ears formation at Big Bend National Park
    
Wilderness Experiences
    The wilderness is often dry, thorny, rugged, and barren. The wilderness may be extremely hot with the sun beating down upon your head or unusually cold with the wind whistling about your ears. It is a place of many hidden dangers of snakes, spiders, mountain lions, and even bears. It is a place where some visit but few make their home there.    

    What are wilderness experiences?  They are times when you may feel that everyone has deserted you or everyone is against you.  They are often times when you see no way out of a difficult situation.  They are times when you want to run and escape from the circumstances that you are facing. They may be times when you face extreme pain, either emotional pain or physical pain or both.  They are times when you are searching for answers and can't seem to find any.  Often they are times when God seems to have disappeared out of your life.
"Why are we in the wilderness?"

I. Sometimes we face wilderness experiences because of the actions of others.

Because Sarai could have not children at the time, Sarai sent Hagar, her handmaid, into her husband, Abram, for him to have relations with her that Abram might have an heir.  However, soon thereafter, Sarai became upset because what she had done and despised Hagar. "But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face"  (Genesis 16:6). Hagar had little choice in the matter being a slave in having a relation with Abram, but she fled out into the wilderness at Sari's rough treatment of her..  "And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur"  (Genesis 16:7).  The reality is that sometimes we are cast out into the wildness by others; however, God can find us in the wilderness and bless us there.  "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude"  (Genesis 16:9-10). Some years later with Isaac was born then was weaned, God told Abraham to cast out Hagar with her son Ishmael and they were driven out into the wilderness. However, God heard the starving cry of Ishmael and directed Hagar to a well of water that would save them.  God said to Hagar, "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer" (Genesis 21:18-20).  God knows where we are and will be with us even in the wilderness.

II. Sometimes we face wilderness experiences because of our own sin.

After Moses killed an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave, he fled into the wilderness and was there for forty years.  "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand"  (Exodus 2:12).  "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well"  (Exodus 2:15).  However, it was there that God spoke to him out of a burning bush.  "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed"  (Exodus 3:1-2).

All the spies that Moses sent into the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb brought back an evil report. Because the people believed the evil report, the Hebrew children wandered in the wilderness for forty years.  "And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature"  (Numbers 13:32).  "For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey"  (Joshua 5:6).  For some, the experience can be a deadly experience, but for others who survive, there is a land of milk and honey on the other side.  We should also note that God provided food and water for the people even in the wilderness and their clothes and shoes did not wear out.

III. Sometimes God disciplines us in the wilderness to bring us to honor and praise Him.

Nebuchadnezzar was driven into the wilderness for seven long years.  "That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will"  (Daniel 4:25). "The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"  (Daniel 4:33-35).  When he humbled himself to honor God in the wilderness, God restored and blessed him.  "At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me"  (Daniel 4:36).  Hosea writes, "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth"  (Hosea 6:1-3).
 
IV. Sometimes we enter into the wilderness to find safety.

"Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers"  (I Kings 19:2-4). Although Elijah wished in himself to die, God sent and angel to care for him and prepare him to meet with the Lord. It was in the wilderness that God gave Elijah his assignments to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria and to anoint Jehu king over Israel and to anoint Elisha to be a prophet to take his place one day.  "And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay"  (I Kings 19:15-17).
   
Even when the people sought to make Jesus king, he fled into the wilderness knowing that his having a physical kingdom was not of the Father.  "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone"  (John 6:15).

V. Sometimes we are sent by God into the wilderness to pray, worship, and serves Him.

"And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness"  (Exodus 5:1).  Sometimes it seems necessary to separate ourselves from the world and others that we may worship the Lord.  Jesus, himself often went out into the wilderness to pray. "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed"  (Mark 1:35).  "But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.  And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed"  (Luke 5:15-16).  "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God"  (Luke 6:12). "And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone"  (Matthew 14:23). Sometimes we need to get away from it all to be with the Lord.

VI. Sometimes God leads us into the wilderness to receive orders from Him.

Moses was called up into the mountain by God.  "And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them"  (Exodus 24:12).  It was there in the wildness of Sinai that he fasted and communed with God.  "And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments"  (Exodus 34:28).  It was in the wilderness that Moses received the commandments and the pattern for building the tabernacle.

VII Sometimes we are led by or driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to prepare us to face temptation.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.  "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil"  (Matthew 4:1).  What did he do prior to being tempted by the devil?  He fasted to draw near to the Father so that he would be spiritually strong to stand against the devil.  "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred"  (Matthew 4:2).  Mark is a bit more descriptive in his wording.  "And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness"  (Mark 1:12). Jesus was driven into the wilderness.  The Spirit may both lead and drive us into a wilderness experience.

VIII. Sometimes we are sent into the wildness to meet someone else.

Aaron was sent into the wilderness to meet Moses, his younger brother.  "And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him"  (Exodus 4:27).  They were to work together in ministry for many years with Moses being the leader and Aaron being the High Priest.

"And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him"  (Acts 8:26-31).  God sent Philip into the wilderness to explain the Scripture to the Ethiopian eunuch the he might believe in Jesus and be saved.
"What do we do when we find ourselves in a wilderness experience?"

1. We can murmur and complain as did the Hebrew children.
2. We can wish to die and ask God to take our lives as did Elijah.
3  We can humble ourselves and begin to praise God as did Nebuchadnezzar.
4. We look for someone to minister to as did Philip.
5. We can partner with a brother in ministry as did Aaron.
6. We can fast as Jesus did to draw near to the Father.
7. We can seek to meet with God and commune with Him as did Moses.
8. We can simply pray as Jesus did.

What meaning can we find about being in the wilderness?

    For whatever reason we find ourselves in the wilderness, we can find God's care for us if we will turn to Him. Furthermore, we can also find God, Himself, there in the wilderness if we seek Him.  The wilderness is also a place to find God's purpose in our lives.  Beyond this, if we are faithful, the promise land is set before us.
Purpose In Trials