Understanding Our Call and Purpose Through a Wilderness Experience

Do you truly understand your call and purpose?  Maybe you’re a new to the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith and you have no idea where to go from here. Or maybe you’ve been in the Faith for a while but have failed to understand just what your call and or purpose is in the Body and the Kingdom of Yahovah. A wilderness experience just might be your key to understanding your call and purpose.

Stagnate and Unfulfilled

What is your purpose?

I am often dismayed by the sheer number of souls who transition over and into the True Faith that was once delivered, even after enduring much personal internal and external hardship; only to become stalled and to stagnate, never fulfilling their purpose in the Kingdom of Yahovah. Many soon after coming in to Hebrew Roots and the Messianic Faith, having at first entered with the greatest zeal and hopes and dreams to do great things for the Kingdom, soon find themselves mired in uncertainty and frustration. Their uncertainties and frustrations seem centered upon a lack of understanding. That lack of understanding is in realizing what their purpose is supposed to be in the Body of Messiah and the Kingdom of Yahovah.

Those who experience such feelings and perspective cite a desire to DO SOMETHING; to get out there and make a difference in their world. The only problem facing these sincere and very well-meaning brothers and sisters is that they just don’t know what it is they are supposed to do to make that difference happen.

It is a fair bet that most of us come into this Faith of ours with a deep-seeded desire to be relevant: relevant not just to our God, but also to our Faith Community and to those within our circle of influence (e.g., our family members, friends and co-workers).

A Wilderness Experience

Far too few of us recognize the value of embarking upon, what I choose to call, a “wilderness experience” before setting out to understand what our purpose and calling is to be. A wilderness experience in my mind is one in which we find solitude and separation from the world in which we physically live; and in that solitude and separation, connect with the Creator of the Universe and sit at the feet of our Master to learn. That hard and fast established connection with the Creator, in association with tutelage of the Faith from our Master Yeshua, serves to set our spiritual feet on the firmest of foundation and prepare us for that purpose and calling that many of us are so desperate to realize and embark upon.

Yeshua’s Wilderness Experience

Our Master went through an intense “wilderness experience” where He not only connected with Father in a way that we can only hope to begin to understand, but also certified Himself worthy of His calling to be our redeemer and to strip the title deed of this world from the clutches of our age-old enemy hasatan. Master came out of that wilderness experience fully prepared and purposed to do the will of His Father. (Reference: Matthew 4; Luke 4; Mark 1)

Our Sojourn in the Sinai Desert

Our forefathers went through a wilderness experience that proved trying and troublesome, not only to us as a nation of people called out to be a kingdom of priest to the world for the Creator of the Universe, but proved trying and troublesome for our Creator who determined to establish and work His plan of salvation and redemption through us as a chosen nation. We came out of that wilderness experience after a generational purge, fully schooled and purposed to take the land that Father had parceled out for us. Along the way, during that wilderness experience, we broke the covenant that Father had established with us and we also broke the heart of the Father. Yet Father was gracious and merciful to us and maintained us as a people who had been given His instructions for life. Fortunately for the world, He did not abandon His plan to redeem us from the penalty of eternal death and He stilled worked that plan of salvation out through our ragtag existence. (Reference: Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy; and Joshua)

Paul’s Wilderness Experience

The Pharisee Saul was called to a wilderness experience where he too sat at the feet of our Master Yeshua (spiritually speaking of course and based upon his statement to the Messianic Assembly of believers in Galatia—Galatians 1:15-17; Acts 9). It can only be presumed that Paul learned of the Kingdom of Yahovah and of the purpose Father had for him in the work of the Gospel during the time of his wilderness experience which seems to had lasted some 3-years in Arabia; this taking place before his return to Damascus and officially beginning his ministry. All indications are that Paul was Master’s true pick to replace Judas as His 12th disciple/apostle. Paul would likely have failed in his ministry if he had not undergone that time in Arabia.

A note of interest: some have suggested that Paul spent his wilderness experience, at least in part, at Mount Sinai, which more and more evidence seems to suggest is actually in Arabia. Also it should be mentioned that the Acts 9 account of Paul’s conversion leaves out any mention of Paul in sojourning in Arabia, suggesting instead that Paul, upon receiving his sight and eating some food after days of fasting, straight-way went out preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Gentiles. It’s likely that Luke intentionally left out mention of Paul’s time in Arabia for purposes of condensing the story and getting straight to the topic of Paul’s ministry beginnings.

A Sensible But Effective Wilderness Experience

None of this is to say that everyone who comes into the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith must undergo a so-called wilderness experience. Nevertheless, if we approach the Holy Scriptures from a perspective that it has the great potential of providing for us a road map for life, then the example set for us by our Master and the heavy hitters of our Faith, then may we may find our purpose and calling if we embark upon a wilderness experience.

Certainly I do not mean to imply that one actually picks up, leave family and job and home, and go out to some remote part of the world to hang out and connect with the Father and learn from the feet of Master Yahoshua. Certainly, there have been some in history who have been called to do just this very thing. Yet what I would suggest is more of a time away from the cares of this life: away from smartphones; computers even; televisions; children if we have them and we can get away from them for a time; away from ringing door bells and responsibilities and chores—and simply immerse ourselves in the Word of God; pray; fast; meditate and seek Father’s face. For one, at any given time, to actually hear the often “still-small voice” of the Creator, we have to find a quiet place where our soul, heart and mind may connect with Father through the agency of the Holy Spirit (aka, the Ruach HaKodesh).

Study Scripture

Focus exclusively on the Creator during your wilderness.

I would suggest a bifurcated approach to scripture study that includes Torah and the Gospels—the biblical foundations of our Faith. Several good translations of the Bible are a necessity, especially if you are new to this Faith (e.g., the KJV, NAS, ESV and the CJB to name just a few). A defined course of study that is put out by a specific teacher or organization is not necessary. Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you. Read each book through in its entirety, not just select verses, preferably in one setting, but if time restricts, read as much of the book in the alloted time and then pick up where you left us when you resume. Take notes as needed and as prompted by the Spirit to do so. Highlight key passages in the course of your journey through each book. From time to time during your journey, review those key passages. Don’t be afraid to tap commentary on difficult passages, but do not rest your final determination and understanding of difficult passages upon the work of any one man or organization. Allow the Holy Spirit to confirm the teaching in your heart and spirit. Most bible resources today appeal to a fundamental Christian and orthodox Jewish mindset that often runs contrary to the tenets of Hebrew Roots and the Messianic Faith. So be ever on-guard for the agenda of the writers.

Pray with Conviction and Unshakable Faith

Pray, pray and pray. Throughout your wilderness experience, don’t forget to pray. Pray when you feel like praying. When you don’t feel like praying, push through that veil and pray anyway. Be specific and intentional in your prayers. Pray with complete conviction, faith believing that you are getting through to the Creator of the Universe and that He will perform the good work in you and affirm your calling and purpose in Yeshua our Messiah.

Meditate

Meditate. Take time away from the reading and study during your wilderness experience and consider walking and talking to Father; converse with Him from your heart as you would your best and dearest friend. Don’t hesitate to pour your heart out to Him and beseech Him to reveal Himself to you in a powerful and profound way.

Fast

Consider fasting for a day or two, but do so as you are led by the Holy Spirit to do so. Far too many of us go through the motions of fasting without ever involving Father in the act and in our purpose. Fasting must never be a “going through the motions” or some exercise of self-righteousness that we have launched into in a vain attempt to earn our salvation. If He’s not in the center of our fast, then the effort is doom to be nothing more than a day of going without food and hydration. Recall that our Master fasted in His wilderness experience some 40-days. This is a feat that should inspire us, not to imitate (for doing so could be permanently injurious to one’s health), but to realize the power and relevance of the fast as it relates to our wilderness experience. As our bodies grow weak from lack of food and hydration over the course of our fast, our faith and our spirits are strengthened and we can better hear the “still-small voice” of our Creator.

Keep a Journal and Make Lots of Notes

As you are inspired and grow as a result of your wilderness experience, write down your thoughts in a journal of some sort. Share your thoughts and learning with others on your select social media platforms. That which you may learn and gain from your wilderness experience may be of invaluable help to someone seeking Truth and understanding and who may be going through a rough-go at it in their walk with Messiah. Not to mention that we are called to a kingdom of priests and one cannot fulfill this calling unless they share and do.

Praise the Father

Give glory to the Father through song and music and spontaneous sacrifices of praise. Seek of the Father a greater unction of His Holy Spirit; that He may fill you to overflowing and instill in you the gift of speaking in tongues, according to His purpose and glory. I have found that nothing helps push through the veil of troubles and difficulties than defaulting form time to time in speaking to and praising Father in tongues of praise and intercession. At times when I have no words to say to Him, I simply pray and praise Him in tongues. There is a cleansing and purity of purpose in such an endeavor that far too many in our Faith Community have shied away from for various and sundry reasons.

Put Father First and Foremost in One’s Wilderness Experience

In all, put Father first and foremost in your thoughts, feelings and purpose and you will ultimately realize your call and purpose as you emerge forth from your wilderness experience.

Do not give in to the enemy’s ploys to railroad the success of your wilderness experience. He will, as he attempted to do to our Master in the wilderness, enter your mind and play upon your fears and weaknesses.

Keep your mind set on Him at all times during your wilderness experience and you will emerge victorious.

Faithfully, Your’s  in Yeshua Messiah