The story records how God supernaturally intervened, revealing that this was a test of Abraham's faith and obedience: "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Genesis 22:12). All of the promises of God rested in Isaac, yet Abraham was willing to sacrifice him. He knew that the One who gave the vision was greater than the vision itself and, if necessary, He could raise Isaac from the dead to make it come to pass. Abraham referred to this as an act of worship, saying "I and the lad will go yonder and worship." There, on the lonely desert mountain, Abraham rose to

a new level of worship. By his willingness to sacrifice his only son, he confirmed that God was more important to him than anything or anyone.

One of the first references to a profound spiritual experience in the wilderness is recorded in Genesis chapter 16. It happened to a young girl named Hagar who was a handmaiden to Sarai, Abram's wife. Because Abram and Sarai were unable to bear children, they decided for Abram to bear a child by Hagar. This was an acceptable custom of the day, but not acceptable to God.

When Hagar learned she was pregnant, the tension grew

between her and Sarai to the point that Hagar fled into the desert.

There, the Angel of the Lord found her alone and distraught. The Angel of the Lord told Hagar to return to her mistress and that her seed--the generations from her son--would be greatly multiplied.

This was fulfilled through Ishmael, the child she would later bear: So she called the name of the Lord Who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, Have I [not] even here [in the wilderness] looked upon Him Who sees me [and lived]?

Or have I here also seen [the future purposes or designs of] Him Who sees me? Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [A well to the Living one Who sees me]; it is between Kadesh and Bered.

(Genesis 16:13-14) AMP)

God is a God of purpose. He does nothing and allows nothing to happen in your life without divine purpose:

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall

disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? (Isaiah 14:26-27)

We are called according to God's purpose (Romans 8:28). Every purpose of God is directed towards fulfilling His will (Ephesians 1:11). Jesus was sent to earth for divine purpose: "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil"

(1 John 3:8).

In a trackless desert, there are no road signs. There are no

footprints to follow. There is only emptiness and silence. A harsh environment. But where you are right now is essential to where you are going.

The howling wind blows across the hot desert floor, so strongly at times that it can pit vehicle windshields and take the paint right off the body of a car. But do not let the blowing sand get in your eyes spiritually. Ask God to help you clearly see the reasons for your desert experience.

Because of disobedience, the nation of Israel was turned back from the border of their promised

land to wander in the desert for forty years.

The emphasis in this sad account is usually on those who missed their destiny and died in the wilderness--those who had murmured, complained, and rebelled against God. But someone else walked through the wilderness for those forty years, and that was the new generation that was being raised up by God. These young people were being prepared to fulfill destiny.

Join Paul as he teaches about this new generation.