Grace in the Wilderness

Grace, Glorious Grace, the most powerful commodity that ever given to a human! O let the Church be exceedingly thankful giving all Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ! Grace is: “Free and unmerited favor of God manifested in Salvation. It is the Salvation for sinners and Divinely giving favor and blessing.” This is such a small statement for the huge awesome power of God’s Unmerited Grace, given daily to every one who will believe in Him. The Wilderness is: “An uninhabited place of humanity, perhaps wild beasts; an empty pathless place; a bewildering situation to any who attempt to go there: Today’s Message is about the Wilderness experience that often occurs in the life of an individual. I’m sure it comes to all, but let us look at the Wilderness Experience that sometimes seeks to embrace the Christian.  Scripture reveals that Jesus was led of the Spirit into a Wilderness [Matt. 4:1] in Mark 1:12 we have a much stronger note, it says He was “driven” into the Wilderness. By this we learn, God had a plan for Jesus, a plan of preparation for His future. For in the Wilderness, it is a lonely place, perils of wild beasts, emptiness, and pathless-not knowing what is ahead. Jesus our greatest example has gone before us. Jesus experience in the wilderness lasted 40 days. Moses was led into the Wilderness and brought with him the Children of Israel. Their experience lasted 40 years! In Scripture there are many examples of “happenings” in the Wilderness. As I was in my devotions, I read in Jeremiah where God was dealing with the Israelites and the Prophet gave this startling comment: “The people which were left of the sword found Grace in the Wilderness!” And the Lord said unto them: “Yea, I have Loved thee with an Everlasting Love; Therefore with Lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Immediately my thoughts went to “our” Wilderness Experiences, when we feel alone, perhaps attacked by the enemy, and for a moment we feel empty, desolate and “pathless.” That does not understand the “trial of our Faith.” Our God gives us an awesome Grace in the midst of a Wilderness Experience and we ultimately are victorious in Him, coming forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. “Jesus came forth from His Wilderness experience in the power of the Spirit!” He is our strength and our Joy and we are empowered by His Spirit that lives in us. O Church receive the “rushing mighty wind of the Holy Ghost!” It will bring us triumphantly through the difficulties, the adverse circumstances, the loneliness, and the feeling of emptiness. God has a plan-a path for us as we come forth in the Anointed power of His Precious Holy Ghost!”