For the past several weeks my study has taken me through some character studies as I look at what the Lord is asking of me in the way of prayer and intercession. My meanderings have pointed me in the direction of Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and Paul. It’s all just at the beginning. My challenge is to follow through. It’s a perpetual challenge for me.

Some initial thoughts.

The way to intercession and a life of intercession is through the fire. On “this side” of the cross, the “fire” is the work of the cross. A deep work of the cross. What I can observe is there is some sort of “wilderness” and “fire” experience in these examples.

What I want is the powerful encounter:

— Moses at the burning bush.
— Abraham receiving the vision of the covenant in Genesis 15.
— Elijah hearing the thin whisper.

What I rebel against is the “wilderness” they all experienced before the encounters. Part of the challenge is we don’t have all the stories of the wilderness. Not even Jesus. We know he was battling in the wilderness for 40 days but we only get the details of the temptations at the end of the wilderness.

We don’t know how long Paul was “set aside,” where he went, how long he was gone, or what happened while he was gone.

But we know that the wilderness brings a breaking. With the breaking, an encounter. The wilderness represents a time when deep things happen. They are experienced, not written about. Not often, anyway. They let the experience be written on their hearts.

I can’t “study” the wilderness. I have to live the wilderness.