WHY YOU NEED THE WILDERNESS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH #1498/ WITH DR GEORGE WATKINS

WHY YOU NEED THE WILDERNESS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH?

While teaching on the subject of patience, I have often said that I have ripped James 1:2-3 out of my Bible because I don't like problems and Temptations.
However, supernaturally, it seems my Bible grows that page again, and there it is, right in front of me. James declares that I should count it all joy when I enter into various trials.
Now, why would that be? Why should I have joy during a wilderness experience?
According to scripture, most of the lessons learned and the divine revelation that is received come in those times of challenging trials.
Take, for instance, the children of Israel as they left Egypt. They had the promise of a Canaan land waiting for them—a place where they could be the masters of their destiny.
A direct march from Egypt to Canaan was 11 to 13 days. But God leads them on a two-year journey. They learned to trust him to supply their every need in those two years. Everything from the water out of the rock to the bird flocks coming by and the manna in the yard out front.
At that time, they also learned to be a fighting army so that when the enemy would come, they could win the battle.
At that time, they formed their leading elders, and God gave them the Tabernacle pattern, which became where God dwelled on earth.
That tabernacle became the place that David worshiped, and his son Solomon built the temple. That became the center of their spiritual life.
This all happened in the wilderness. A hard Place where they drew their pleasures from the Lord himself because there were no external pleasures.
It's no wonder James 1:2-3 tells us to count it all joy when we are in these situations because we learn our biggest lessons and grow our biggest faith muscles there.