He Will Make A Way

Amen. Exodus 13, verse number 14. If you got it in your Bible, say, "I got it." If you got it because it's on the screen, say, "I got it." We're going to get it. Exodus 13:14, it says: "So it shall be, when the son ask you in time to come, saying, What is this? that you shall say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Jumping down to verse number 21, the word of God says that "the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: he did not away the pillar of cloud by day, or the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

Aren't you thankful that you serve a God who's with you at all times? Whether it be in the day or at night, whether it be a good day or you're finding yourself in the darkest of moments, he is promised that he will be right there with us. He doesn't leave us. He doesn't walk away from us. He doesn't make it to where we have to make it on our own. He's right there beside us. He's never going to forsake us. The Bible says — Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that "no temptation has overtaken you except such is common to men: but God is faithful" — I don't think it's by accident that they were singing about his great faithfulness, because God is faithful — "and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

With the Lord's help today, I want to preach on this title: He Will Make a Way. He will make a way. Why don't you look at your neighbor and say, "He's going to make a way"? Why don't you look at them and say, "He's going to see me through"? Amen. I believe he's going to do that, in Jesus' name.

A friend of mine, a few months ago, he sent me an article. And the article was about a man who had literally traveled the globe. His name is Tom Stucker, and Tom is pretty famous for an investment that he made in 1990. You see, Tom, he decided then that he was going to take up United Airlines on a deal that they were offering. And he, for $299,000, bought an unlimited pass to fly via United Airlines. But Tom, he was a good husband — he didn't forget about his wife. So he bought his wife a companion pass that cost him $2 10,000. And so for $500,000, Tom Stucker was able to fly anytime, anywhere on our globe, via United Airlines. He said of that investment that it was the best investment of his lifetime. Over the last 33 years, Tom has flown over 23 million miles. To put that into perspective, one flight to the moon is merely 953,000 miles. So in his lifetime he has taken over 23 trips in length, in theory, to the moon. It's absurd. And some of you right now, you're cringing right now, thinking about the idea of having to be in an airplane that much. In 2019 alone, Stucker, he would have traveled to the equivalent of six trips to the moon. In the article it also said that Tom had been to Australia over 300 times. It's pretty awesome. He said that that was just his favorite country, so why not? In fact, he went to Australia one time for just three hours, got off the plane, did something, got back on the plane, came back home. He has taken trips to other countries for lunch, because why not? I have to imagine, the fact that he had $500,000 to buy a lifetime amount of airlines — he was — Tom was probably doing pretty good. He's traveled over 100 different countries. And what's kind of unique about his story is, not only has he traveled to all these places, he's also racked up frequent flyer miles. He's learned to work that system. He's like United's worst nightmare. In fact, one day he decided to cash in a majority of his miles towards Walmart gift cards. And Tom, he spent over $50,000 in gift cards at Walmart in one day. Some of you — yeah, I heard a "watt?" right there. Some of you, that's a challenge. That sounds like a good personal challenge right now. "I'll take on that, Tom. I'll do that for you."

Over the years, he's traveling, he's racked up these miles, and he's cashed them in for points. One particular occasion, he had so many points that he actually got an offer to turn in 490,000 miles so that he could be on the sitcom called Seinfield, as an extra in a diner booth. It's just a lot of points he was racking up. Now, again, some of you, you hear these stats, you hear about the 23 million-plus miles, and it makes you wonder, how could anybody want to travel that much? But Tom, he said that if he has not been on an airplane within a week, he feels out of place. Feels weird. Feels like there's somewhere he needs to get to. He's missing something. Maybe has a little bit of that FOMO. He's been to all different types of cultures, all different types of societies. He's tried all kinds of different food, and he has met all different kinds of people. But ultimately, if Tom was here today, he would tell us that there is no destination without the journey. That there's no destination without the journey. You can fly for free. You can get upgraded for free. But if you're going to get from point A to point B, there's going to be required this little thing called travel, or the journey.

Today, in this place, I want to remind us all that, in order for us to get to where God wants us to be, it's going to require a journey. It's going to require some travel. It was a few weeks ago that my family of five, plus my in-laws, plus my brother- and sister-in-law — we went to Mickey's World in Orlando. And every time I'm there, I'm just so, so thankful I'm there. Okay, that's a lie. I need to be honest in church. Every time I'm there, I think I would probably rather be home right now. But my kids enjoyed it. But we went to Disney. We saw Mickey. We did all those great and wonderful things. But as we were leaving town to go towards Florida, I'll never forget — we in the car, and it was that "are we there yet?" moment. And I was kind of wondering, I was like, I wonder when they're going to get tired of driving. Let me tell you, we had not even left Rutherford County, had not even dipped our toes into Williamson County, before Knox is back there saying, "Are we there yet?" Hazel's like, "Are we close?" I'm like, "Why don't you'all just get settled in? It's going to be a long, long ride." But in order to get somewhere, it's going to require for you to take a journey.

I want to encourage somebody today, that yes, God has a plan and a purpose in mind for you. He has a destination that he wants you to go, and to participate in his plan, his perfect will for your life. But to get there, it's going to require a journey. It's going to require a trip. But he doesn't just asked for you to take it by yourself. The Lord says, "I'm going to make a way. I'm going to make the way for you. I will make the path clear for where you need to go." And I'm thankful that we serve a God who is intentional, and cares enough about us to make a way for us. There's a lot of things that I love about God. There's a lot of things that I could share to you today that I love about Jesus. But one of the things I love most about him is that he is there for me in each and every trip and journey that I've been on. Every time I have found myself in a wilderness place, or on a journey, and I find myself not really sure where I'm going or what's next — I'm thankful that I serve a God that's right there beside me. He never leaves me, and he never forsakes me. I'm thankful for the fact that I serve a God that, in my worst moments, in my wilderness moments, he's been faithful there, and he's been there right beside me, encouraging me, and giving me strength, and giving me joy. I'm thankful today that we serve a God that does not forsake us, but he is continually with us. And not only is he continually with us, but that along Ong the way — along this thing called life, this journey that we're on — he gives us the opportunity to build up some testimonies. He gives us some light. He gives us some evidences of his goodness, of his love, and of his grace. He has given me, time and time again, on this thing called life, testimonies and evidence of his goodness. There have been times where I know for a fact that, unless God was on the throne, this would not have happened. I'm thankful for the fact that I serve a God who has a plan for me to prosper, not a plan for me to fail. And he has a plan for my future, not just a plan for my past.

I want to challenge somebody today. Maybe it's been a while since you've considered it, but I want to challenge you today: God's got a specific plan for your life. He's got a specific purpose for your life. And I'll just come out and say, I'm tired of the devil getting so much credit for what goes on in our world. I'm tired of the devil getting so credit for what goes on in our life. I want to tell you this right now: his perfect will will come true. His perfect will will come to reality. We just need to trust him. We need to believe in him. We need to have confidence that we are on the path that he has called us to be on. And in times of following his will, and following the desire of God on our lives, there will be moments where we will find oursel in a wilderness. There will be times where we will find oursel in a barren place. But I want to promise you, and I want to assure you today, that despite maybe the wilderness experience, you don't have to stay there. You don't have to stay in the wilderness for long. You don't have to stay in the barren place. He's going to make a way. He's going to make a way of escape. He's going to make a way where there seems to be no way.

I'll tell you this right now: every single time I've been in a wilderness moment in my life, I had this thought: I'm not staying here. I'm not getting the T-shirt. I'm not getting a souvenir. This is not going to be something that labels me or defines me. Yes, right now seems barren. Yeah, right now seems dry. But I know he's making a way for me. I know he's making a way. I may not see it yet. I may not feel it yet. I may not have experiencing it. But I know, that I know, that I know, he's making a way for me. I want somebody to hear this today: he can bless you in the season of wilderness. His hand is not so weak, or his arm so short, that he can't bless you when you find yourself in a desert place. Now, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself here, but I will say this: I feel like, when we're in a desert place, when we're in the wilderness experience, that's when God likes to show off. He wants everybody to be in the know of how amazing he is, and how powerful of a God he really is. God can bless you, in spite of where you find yourself today. Maybe you walked in this place feeling it. You're struggling. You've been carrying some extra baggage, some extra weight lately. You've got some dilemas, some situations, that you can't quite figure out. I want to encourage you today: he can still bless you, and he can still reach you where you're at. He can make a way. He can make a way.

The prophet said in Isaiah 43:19, he said, "Behold, I will do a new thing" — now, somebody say "now." Some of y'all, you think you got to wait for a while. I want you to know, it can happen now. We serve a God who does works suddenly. He can suddenly, he can now, do something new in your life. It says, "Now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." I want you to know today, no matter where you find yourself, no matter what's been going on in your world lately, he knows where you're at, and he can make a way in the wilderness, and he can send a stream to the desert. You are not to be intimidated by the wilderness experience, because your God is not intimidated by it. He's not worried. He's not sure what's what's next. He's confident. He knows what's going on. Today, you may find yourself in a wilderness season, but I want you to be encouraged: God knows where you're at.

Deuteronomy chapter 8. We're going to do a little bit of a midweek Bible study on a Sunday morning. This is going to help all those that maybe didn't make it to Wednesday night — easy for me to say — Wednesday night last week. But here we go. Deuteronomy chter 8, vers1 through1. It says: "every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe , that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember all the way these 40 years in the wilderness, to humble you" — that's gross. Going through the wilderness, to be humbled — "and to test you" — also kind of gross. It says that you're going to be in this wilderness experience so that the Lord will know what's in your heart — Yik — "whether you should keep his commandments, or not. So he humbled you" — not fun — "and he allowed you to hunger" — also not fun — "but because you hungered, he fed you with Mana" — he was your provider — "which you did not, know nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." That sounds like some New Testament scripture right there. Yes, anybody familiar with that portion of scripture in New Testament? It says in verse four your garments did not wear out on you" — they were there for 40 years; they didn't wear out. That's pretty impressive, good material — "nor did your feet swell" — or grow, some translations say — "these 40 years." That's kind of strange, but they didn't have to get new shoes. That's a good thing, if you're wandering in the wilderness. "you should know in your heart, that, as a man chastens his son, so the Lord will chasten you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him." Everybody say, "Fear him." "Fear." "Walk in his ways." Say, "Walk in his ways." He's going to correct you, so that you can follow his ways, and so that you can fear him — have a healthy fear of the Lord. Verse number seven: "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, of vines, and fig trees, of pomegranates; a land of oil , and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full" — everybody say "full." We serve a God who's going to make you full. He's not going to go halfway on the mill. You're going to walk away full — "then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which he has given you."

Now, I know, again, that's a lot of scripture that I just read to you. But what I want us to understand is that, when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt — the Exodus story — it is a miraculous story. It's an amazing story. It is a story that shows us of his goodness and his faithfulness. When the children of Israel were in captivity under the oppressing rule of the Egyptians, we read in Exodus 1 and in Exodus 2, that there was a pharo who knew not Joseph. And because of this, the demeanor, the leadership style in the land of Egypt changed, and thus the stance that they had towards the Israelites also changed. Any favoritism, or any blessing that would have been handed down from prior pharaohs — this Pharaoh decided that he was no longer interested in blessing the children of Israel. And instead of being a blessing, this Pharaoh and this Egypt has now turned into becoming task Masters. They're going to be task Masters. The children of God went from living maybe a decent life, into living a harsh one in Egypt. And the Bible says that the Egyptians began to oppress the Israelites even greater. It says that they began to treat them with a harshness that was increasing. Now, my Bible says this. It says that the Egyptian did this to the Israelites, not because they were mad at them, or not even because they had need of them. The Bible says that they begin to treat them harshly because they feared them. Because they feared them. The Egyptians feared them. I'm saying that over and over again, because I want you to realize today, that the princes of darkness, they fear the children of God. They fear the children of God. I want you to know right now, every devil in hell is terrified of an Apostolic, Holy Ghost-filled individual. Terrified of you, because they know the power that's within you. The Egyptians began to treat the Israelites harshly for fear of them. I wish that there would be an Apostolic that would understand that you have more power in your pinky toe than every devil in hell, it would start to operate that way, and begin to flow that way, and believe that. You know what, Pastor Taylor? You have authority in your house to pray for a daughter. You have authority — because you're a Holy Ghost, blood-bought individual, child of God. The Egyptians feared them. Every devil in hell fears a blood-bought individual.

The Bible goes on to say that they they begin to oppress them greater, and they begin to afflict them more. But what was crazy about the story is that it did not impact the Israelites the way the Egyptians thought it would. Instead of becoming weaker, the Israelites, they begin to multiply, and they begin to to prosper. The more the Egyptians would do against the Israelites, it seemed like somehow, some way, the Israelites were only growing stronger in numbers. They were being strengthened. They were being increased. They were multiplying. I'm sure Pharaoh is looking at the situation, saying, "Are we not working them hard enough? Well, what's going on here?" It doesn't make sense on paper. Hear this today: in God's economy, things don't have to make sense. I know I'm bothering some of y'all when I say that, but God doesn't work with the same logic that we work with. He doesn't work within the same realm of reason that you and I work within. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He operates on a different level. He sees things at a different level.

The Egyptians thought, "When we do this to the Israelites, it's going to make them weak." Instead, it made them stronger. That's why, a long time ago, I made up my own mind that I was going to be less concerned with what my enemy said about me, and what my enemy had planned for me, and I was going to be more concerned with what God said about me, and more concerned about what his agenda was for my life. I've learned this: circumstance, situations, even diagnosis, take a back seat to the glory and the power and the authority of our God. I may make somebody nervous by saying this, but I'm will say it anyways: I don't care what the devil's doing today. I don't care what the devil's doing today. I care about what Jesus is doing. I care about what his plan is, what his will is for us. Joseph — your brothers might have been it for evil. The Piper's wife, she might ADM it for evil. The cup bear, he may have forgotten, because he wanted to forget, for evil. But God's not intimidated by that. He can turn it around. He can make a way. He can make a way of escape for you and I. Your adversary, they may have thought it for evil, but your God can turn it around. Your adversary might think, because you're in a wilderness, you're going to be weak. But I want you to know, God can make a way out of that wilderness. He can cause streams to show up in your desert. Your God, he can make a way. He can make a way.

Some of you, you've been carrying weights for way too long. You've been carrying extra baggage for too long. You've been feeling the oppression of your enemy for way too long, that this world has put task management — and the enemy's plot has been heavy on you for long enough. Today, today you need to wake up to the reality, that he's still making a way. He's still making a way, folks. He's still making a way of escape. Well, just because you're going through it right now, just because you've been going through it, just because you don't have the answers, just because you don't know what's next, does not mean that you are trapped, or that you are cornered. He can make a way of escape. He can do it today. I know this is just a Sunday afternoon in October. I know that we're all busy. We have busy things going on in our life. But I felt convicted by the Holy Ghost, to encourage somebody today, that he still knows how to make a way. He still knows how to pick people up out of the myy clay. He still knows how to place people on the rock to stay. He knows how to bring people out of this world. He knows how to do it for you. He knows how to do it for me.

Truth is, today, we need to make sure that our minds are made up. We want things from above. We want things from God. We want heavenly blessings. Hear this today: some of you, you need to make up your mind. You need to settle it, that Egypt has nothing to offer you. You need to settle that. You need to settle that Egypt has nothing to offer for the people of God. Some of you, you need to stop taking the affliction from this world. It's been long enough. You've been taking it for too long. Some of you, you're building bricks, and making homes, and constructing walls for the enemy, and you've been doing it for too long. The Israelites, they had this up-and-down mentality. They get rescued out of Egypt, and then they decide maybe things were better in Egypt. "Maybe I should go back." They're going back and forth. Was it better in Egypt, or better in the wilderness? It's like some of y'all making lunch plans after church. I hear y'all's conversations. Is it Mexican? Is it Italian? Is it home? Do we have anything at home to eat? You end up getting a pizza, because, you know, that's the easy option. Israelites are going back and forth, back and forth, not knowing ultimately what they really want to do.

But I feel like the Lord has sent this preacher today, to challenge somebody: it's time to stop eating from the Egyptian slot bucket. You've been doing it too long. God didn't call you to live a life where, you know, your mind's gone half mad. God's not called you to a life where your body can't find strength. God's not called anybody's marriage in this place to be instable. He wants to bring stability to your marriage. He wants to bring peace to your home. It's time to give up the Egyptian lifestyle. It is time to stop saying that the Egyptians are blessing me. The Egyptians are not blessing you. You're building bricks for homes that you're never going to live in. I wish I could just stay there and preach that for while. You're building walls right now, because the Egyptians are telling you to. But what you're not realizing is that those walls are the things that are keeping people out, and actually keeping you in. You are doing it. Again, we give a lot of credit sometimes to the devil, but sometimes our worst enemy is ourselves. We're the ones that are actually building the walls, keeping us trapped in, keeping us from getting to where God wants us to be. I pray that some of us today would stop building walls that are being created for our own bondage. The devil — some of you, the devil doesn't have to beat up. You're beating yourself up. You're doing it, day in and day out. Your decisions are like the Israelites, building walls that are entrapping them. But today, I believe that God — despite our maybe worst effort sometimes — I believe that God wants to make a way. I believe, in this place today, with all my heart, God is looking to make a way for you. You may not deserve it. You probably haven't done enough good to earn it. But I want you to know, he will make a way for you.

Egypt — Egypt was forcing Israel into harsh labor. But the Lord, he raised up a boy by the name of Moses. And we know the story of Moses, how Moses would walk in with stutter and awe, and he would be led, and kept, and protected by God, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. And in this Exodus, we find something that's very interesting, and I think very important for us today. You see, the Israelites — the Exodus, excuse me, that they had — was not going to be without a wilderness. It was going to require a wilderness for them. Every journey that you're going to do for God, I promise you, it's going to come with a price. And typically, that price is going to be a wilderness experience. But you can't grow weary there. God was directing them. He was guiding them. He was leading their path. And I've read commentaries, and I've read the text in the Bible, where it talks about how God led them to the Red Sea. It wasn't the shortest route out of Egypt to the promised land. Think to yourself, like, "Well, God, what's going on here? What are you doing to me? Why are you taking me to the wilderness?" You see, God knew that there would be things in the wilderness that the Israelites would learn, that they would not be able to pick up without the wilderness experience. Some of you in this room, you're wondering why you're in a wilderness. And I want you to know, God has purpose there. There's a reason that you're finding yourself in a wilderness experience.

So the Israelites, they go to this Red Sea, and they get to this place of wilderness, and it's there that God teaches them how to basically be saints, or children of God. Nobody wants to go through the wilderness. I get that. And nobody's signing up — the the the the the cue the, the waiting list for the wilderness is a very short line. You can get on that ride pretty quick. Nobody's like, "Please sign me up for the wilderness. I've been longing for the days of the wilderness." But there are some things in the wilderness you just learn there, and you would not learn them otherwise. There are some elders in the room today — you've been through the wilderness. You've been through some things. You know that it took a wilderness experience for God to teach you some things about himself, and for God to teach you some things about you, and teach you how to trust him, and how to rely on him, and how to have confidence in him.

Problem is, is that we go through seasons of life in the wilderness, and we think ourselves, you know, "God, I'm doing it. I'm doing all the right things here. I'm doing all the things you've asked for me to do. God, I'm following you. I'm pursuing you. I'm living according to your word, and yet I'm still having all these struggles in my life. I'm paying my tith. I'm dressing — I'm living holy. I'm attending church faithfully. Yet I'm sick like everybody else. I'm depressed like everyone else. I'm disappointed like everyone else." I'm talking to real people today. You go through the wilderness, and you're like, "God, what's going on here? What are you trying to do here? Why are you trying to teach me here?" I remember this one time I was in a wilderness experience, and I said, "God, I'm tired of being here. Whatever the lesson is I need to learn, teach it now. Teach it now. I'm ready for another season. I'm ready for what's next. God, teach me whatever it is you want to teach me, right now." But there are some things, again — I keep saying this — but there are some things that you are only going to learn and understand by going through the wilderness. Is the wilderness fun? No. But this is what I know, is that if he brings you to the wilderness, he can also bring you through the wilderness. If he's brought you out of this world, and he's brought you into a wilderness season, the wilderness is not a place that you get to stay for long. You're not going to have to be there for a long time. It may hurt right now. It may be painful right now. You may be going through it right now. But if he's brought you to the wilderness, he can also bring you through the wilderness.

Israelites, they're in this wilderness experience, and they're getting frustrated. They're murmuring. They're complaining about their leadership. They're complaining about what God's done to them. They're hungry. They're hangry. That Snickers commercial talks about, "You're not you when you're hungry." Some of y'all in this room, you know what I'm talking about. Y'all starting to get hungry. I can see on some of y'all's faces right now, you're like, "When's that preacher going to be done? It's time to eat. I'm getting a little angry here." I wonder who it was, that first Israelite, that when they walked out and saw the Mana on the ground — I wonder who it was that took the first bite. You know, it's a few years ago, during Co, we got crazy and got a dog. Dog's name was Otis — is Otis. He's still alive, somehow. God is a miraculous . One thing I learned about Otis is that Otis would literally eat anything. It didn't matter what it was: sock, lunch, trash, dinner. I thought I had seen everything with him. One day he got really sick, wouldn't eat anymore. Like, what's going on here? You know what Otis had done? Because here's the deal: I had taught my kids, you can't leave anything on the ground. Anything. Shoe — no, he might eat a shoe. Sock — he's done that a few times. He's been on that rodeo. I can tell you that, if I saw anything on the ground, I would say, "Kids, pick it up now. Pick it up now. He's going to eat it." One day it was a balloon. Kids like, "He ain't going to eat a balloon." Yeah, he'll eat a balloon. But one day he got really sick. It's because he ate a Christmas ornament. That's when I was like, "Otis, we're done here, pal. You're getting shipped off to Mimi's house." I tell him, it's not like military school. You don't have to worry. Otis — he lives there now.

I wonder who was that first Israelite that looked at that mana, and said, "That looks like some good eating right there. That looks like some good —" I bet you it was somebody's kid. Some of y'all's kids — y'all know your kid would have been the first kid to be like, "I'm eating that Mana right there. That looks good." I don't know why right now you're in a wilderness. Hear me saying of God, I don't know why you're finding yourself in this desert season. But when I read the Exodus story, I realize that God is a good God, and that despite the maybe the mentality, or the rationale, that got you into the wilderness experience, I know that God will still provide for you. He's still going to provide. The the Mana was a miracle from God. It was a provision of God, in spite of the people's waywardness, and despite of the mess that they had got themselves in. God was faithful. And he said, "I'm going to provide, even maybe when you don't deserve it."

Now, some of you in this room, you're in a wilderness experience, and it has nothing to do with what you've done. You weren't the one that messed up. You weren't the one that did something wrong. You've been living right. Yet you find yourself — and some of you sweet people, you'll come into pastoral offices, and you'll say, "Why in the world am I here?" And I wish so badly I could tell you, "This is why. I know why you're here. God has shown me. He's given me a vision of you in this wilderness, and this is what —" It doesn't — all, I wish it did work that way. It would help everybody out. We'd all be — half your people, probably. But I know this: wildernesses are a part of the experience. And if he brings you to a wilderness, he can bring you out of a wilderness.

Wilderness teaches us things. I promise I'm trying to get to a close here. John the Baptist had to go through a wilderness. You think John wanted to go through the wilderness? You think John wanted to come out wearing camel's fur, and eating Locust, and having honey on his lips? You think he wanted that lifestyle? You think he's like, "Man, I can't wait for the — the wilderness is going to be great. I can't wait to look like a caveman coming out of this place"? I don't think that's John. But the wilderness benefited John. It showed John how to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. It's John the Baptist. He learned things in his wilderness experience. He learned things there. He learned that the wilderness was a place where he could humble himself, and learn how to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He got there — you know, in the Bible, the Bible says that John the Baptist was the greatest born among men. He was the greatest Bor of woman. He was the greatest. People in the Bible believe that John the Baptist, camur and all, was potentially the Messiah. That maybe he was Elijah, or a prophet. They would ask him, "Are you Elijah? Are you a —" And he would say, "No, I'm not those things. I'm just the forerunner of Christ." I wonder sometimes, how did John get to that place where he could deny himself? And I start reading his wilderness experience, I'm thinking, that's what he learned there. He learned who he was. He learned who he was in the wilderness experience. And so when he came out, and people were saying all these things about him, saying, "John the Baptist, he's a powerful preacher. He's a great man of God. He's a prophet. He's Elijah. He may be the Messiah" — John the Baptist said, "No, that's not me. I'm just the voice crying in the wilderness, pointing you all towards Jesus Christ. And I've learned, in the wilderness, that I've got to decrease, so that he can increase."

Again, I know nobody here today, you're like me — "Please let it be me that goes to the wilderness next." But I promise you, in the wilderness, if you allow God to do the work that he wants to do in your life, you're going to come out being able to be humbled, and be able to submit yourself to God's authority, and to his Spirit, and to his leading. And you will be able to decrease yourself, so that he can in turn be increased. When you find yourself in the wilderness, Jesus is going to make a way out.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to men: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able; but with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." What's the way of escape? Well, in the Old Testament, it was the cloud and it was the fire. It was the presence of God. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that there's a paradigm shift, that we no longer have to worry about the cloud or the fire, but instead Jesus said to them, "I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. And no one comes to the Father except through me." If you today want to get out of your wilderness experience, you need to fix your eyes on Jesus. You need to make sure that he is the focal point of your attention. Because he is the way. He is the truth. He is the life. It's Jesus. It's Jesus.

You know, in a wilderness experience, that's when you're going to have to rely on Jesus. I've come to this understanding: there are things about God that you only learn in a wilderness experience. You're only going to learn about him when you're there in the wilderness. You're going to learn that he's a good God. You're going to learn that he's a provider. You're going to learn that he's more than able. You're going to learn those things in the wilderness experience. But in a wilderness experience, what's it also going to do is, it's also going to make you learn how to be spiritual again. Some of us, we've gotten to a place in our life where we don't necessarily feel like we even need God. But in a wilderness, in a barren place, in the dryness of a desert — it's there that you learn how to call out the name of the Lord again. It's in a wilderness where you learn again to humble yourself, and to realize, without God, you're nothing. It's in a wilderness where you learn how to pray again. It's in a wilderness where you learn how to read your Bible again. It's in a wilderness where you begin to learn how to worship again, and be okay with being separate from this world again. It's in a wilderness that you learn how to fast again.

I challenge us today: when's the last time you went on a fast? When's the last time you fasted, without Pastor having to call a fast? When's the last time that you said, "I have been taking in too much of this world. I've been eating from the slot bucket from Egypt for too long. I need to push away some things"? I was talking to Bishop before service today. Five tools of spiritual growth: prayer, reading your Bible, worshiping, separation — what's the last one? Fasting. I told Bishop, I said, "Bishop, for so long in my life, that fifth tool for spiritual growth, fasting — it felt optional. It felt occasional. It felt like something I could do or not do. Yeah, I'm going to pray. Yeah, I'm going to read my Bible. Yeah, I'm going to worship. Yeah, I'll be separate from this world. But fasting — I need a Daniel's fast called by Pastor to be a part of that." I told Bishop, my world changed when I learned that a fast is not an occasional tool to get out, but it's a daily tool to utilize, when I learn to fast. Some of you are like, "You're too big. You ain't fasting every day." I'm not talking just about food. I'm talking about entertainment. I'm talking about music. I'm talking about how you spend your time. I'm talking about maybe not going to the golf course today, because you haven't got into the word of God lately. Is this okay? When you want to get out of your wilderness experience, you're going to have to learn to fast again. You're going to have to learn how to get your mindset right about this term called fasting. And again, I knew, whenever I was — because I'm typing up these notes, and I start writing the word "fast" a lot — I know I'm going to lose some of y'all. I didn't expect for us to be shouting, running laps right now. "Woo, we're talking about fasting. We need to fast more." But I'm going tell you this: maybe you're still in a wilderness because you haven't learned how to fast yet. Maybe you're still eating the Egyptian slot bucket, thinking this is good enough. I want you to hear this today: that's not what God has purposed for you to be. You're not just an employee in Egypt. God has called you to greater purposes for his kingdom. And you may have to learn to get your way out of the wilderness by going through a fast.

Musicians can come today. I don't know where each of you are. I don't know where you're at. I don't know what you have been going through lately. I don't know what your wilderness season looks like. I don't know what barren place you have found yourself in. I don't know what's been keeping you down lately. I know this is going to sound weird. This is countercultural to what this world teaches. I felt a strong word from the Lord this morning, when I was praying, that God was direct ing us to be more aggressive when it comes to fasting. I don't say this today because I'm excited about it. When Pastor told me they talk about wilderness and fasting, I was like, "God, are you insane? Sounds like a deadly duo. I don't think this is going to go over well." Some of you in this room, you're like, "Why in the world would I fast? I'm already fatigued. I'm already exhausted. This world has already been doing it to me." The Lord spoke to me this morning. He said, "Wes, it's when you're weak, that's actually the perfect time too fast. That's when you actually need to be closest to me. When you fast, your fasting submits your flesh to God. You're no longer subservient to the things of this world. You're no longer serving Egypt. You're serving God, submitting yourself to his will and his Spirit." Jesus himself taught us that, in order to get out of the wilderness, you're going to have to fast. You know, Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness. I always find the time where Jesus fasts to be very interesting. You know, Jesus had not started his ministry yet. He had not begun to do great and mighty works. He had not performed his first miracle, when he went out into the wilderness. He goes out in the wilderness. He gets called to a fast. And I'm sure Jesus his flesh was not very excited about doing a 40-day fast. If God called you today to do a 48 fast, I'm probably be some crying, some nashing of teeth in the house. But Jesus went out there, and he was obedient. Submitted himself. Submitted his flesh to God. Fasted for the 40 days. And don't you know it — right before the fast was over, right before Jesus went out and began to perform miracles, the devil showed up, and does just what the devil always does: tries to get a person off course, off purpose. Gives Jesus three opportunities to basically become subservient to him, and to lessen his God-given purpose. Before Jesus ever stepped out and did anything powerful, there was a wilderness experience. There was a "get the behind me, Satan" experience. And it was after the fast, and it was after the wilderness, that Jesus was able to come out and do mighty works.

Now, I know this sounds strange, and I've slowed down here. But I felt so strongly in the Holy Ghost this morning, when I was praying, that God is so ready to bless you with kingdom purpose. He's so ready to do the things that he has promised long ago to do in your life. And you find yourself in a wilderness. You find yourself so far from what it is you feel like God's called you to do. And I felt so strongly that God was saying to me, "Wes, if they will fast — if they will fast — if they will submit their flesh to me, and get attached to my Spirit, that will be the catalyst that gets them out of the wilderness." Now, I want to go on record right now, and say, we don't fast so that we can put God's arm behind him, and force him to do what we want him to do. That's not the point of this. That's not the point, if you're hearing that. That's not the point. My point is this: is that God has kingdom purpose for you. And if you can submit your flesh to his authority, and to his Spirit, and to his leading, he's going to get you out of the wilderness, and you're going to start being able to see yourself perform what God has called you to do.

Jesus, right before he begins to do the miraculous, begins to do kingdom work, has to get through the wilderness experience. And I felt so strongly to tell somebody, you're in a wilderness, and the devil's come, just like he did to Jesus, and he's saying, "You just curse God and die. Give up your dreams. Give up your — you're never going to amount to anything." But I want you to hear this preacher today: if you can trust God now, and allow him to make a way out of the wilderness, make a way out of where you're at, make that way of escape, you're going to step into something that's powerful. You're going to step into something that's amazing. Of course, right now you're in a wilderness. Of course, right now the devil's trying to stop you, because he knows. He knows what you're about to do for the kingdom of God. Praise God. I feel so strong that God sent me to tell you, you are one step away. You are one fast away. You are one praise away, from getting out of that wilderness. And the devil, he's going to assault you with everything he's got to keep you where you're at. But if you will trust God, and get out, and step out, and say, "I'm going to do what God has called me," he's going to make a way, and you're going to start doing some powerful things for the kingdom of God. You're not called to Egypt. You're not called to this world. You're called to lay up treasures — store them up somewhere beyond the blue. That's what we're called to do, right? It's what we're called to do.

Let's stand to our feet today. Today, the devil, he wants you to stop. Today, of course, the devil, he wants you to give in. He wants you to forfeit what God has promised you. He wants you to forfeit what his purpose for you to be. He wants you to sell short to the perfect will of God in your life. Of course he wants you to do that. But I want somebody to hear me right now: the devil is a liar. The devil is a liar. Some of you, he said, "You're going to be in the wilderness. It's unescapable. You'll be there forever." I rebuke that lie in Jesus' name. God will make a way. God will make a way. God will make way. You may not see it yet, but he's making a way for you. The wilderness is not a forever home. The wilderness is a season. And he's calling you out. He's calling you out. He's saying, it's time to start walking in my God-given purpose for your life. He's making a way. Thank you, Lord. He's making a way today.

This altar call — I usually invite, when I preach, I call everybody to come forward. But today, I felt to do things different. I'm not trying to embarrass anybody today. But in a second, I want to — I might have everybody close their eyes, and we're going to pray. And I want those that can admit, and have the courage to say, "I'm in a wilderness right now" — I'm going to ask that you would come first. I'm going ask that you would come forth first, and then the rest of the church can gather behind you. But if you find yourself today in a wilderness, I want you to take that first step today out of the wilderness. I want you to take that first step out of the desert place that you found yourself , the barren place. Some of you already comeing. That's okay. That's okay. Right now, I want us all to pray right now, church. I want us to pray right now.

God, Lord, I believe that right now, you want to do a work in this place. God, I believe that right now, Lord Jesus, you are calling out to dry bones, and you're calling them to life again. I believe that in this place right now, Jesus, you're calling folks out of the wilderness. You're telling people, "You've been in Egypt too long. You've been in the wilderness too long. You've been serving the wrong god for too long. It's time to make things right. It's time to start submitting yourself to God's will, into God's Spirit, into his leading." I believe that right now, God, you're beginning to do that work in this place. Come on, church, right now. The altar is open. It's time to pray, church. It's time to find a place to pray. It's time, together, to trust God that he's going to make a way out of the wilderness. Trust him today. Trust him today. He's a faithful God.