Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 (KJV)

The Lord brougut this verse to my mind recently and impressed upon me that I should be confessing it daily: “Thank you Lord for making a way for us; a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” And then my wife confirmed it by bringing a prophecy to me she found on the Elijah List website, and it was entitled “Launched From the Wilderness.”

I believe the wilderness is a time and place for God to prepare us for the next thing He has for us. Jesus Himself was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to overcome the enemy with the Word of God and by relying on the Holy Spirit. And He came out of the desert victorious and empowered for ministry (Luke 4:1-22). He hadlearned how to use the Word to win, and God used the wilderness to launch Jesus into a miraculous, Holy Spirit-filled life and ministry.

The Greek word for wilderness is eremia, which means a remote, isolated location. As we are alone in the wilderness with God, we get to know Him, enjoy His presence, hear His voice, and receive His Word. He shows us the strategies of satan and how to overcome him every time. When we do, we become wiser, stronger, and more determined to follow God and do what He puts in our hearts. We end up better equipped, with a fresh anointing and vision to follow God’s direction. In short, the wilderness is where we can experience massive growth.

The wilderness prepares us to go where God wants us to go, to touch people, and to proclaim Jesus. When we leave the wilderness, we go in the power of the Holy Spirit, allowing God to flow through us to set the captives free and meet the needs of humanity.

My friend, the wilderness is never a wasted time if you submit to God and use the time to draw closer to Him. As you exit the desert, go forth in power and authority to accomplish all the Lord has for you!