O God of the wilderness,
Why must the Spirit lead us there?
Why must the path to purpose be paved with hunger,
emptiness,
temptation?
But You, Jesus
You walked it first.
Driven, not by failure, but by the Spirit.
Led, not by sin, but by divine necessity.
You fasted, and You fought.
Not with fists, but with the Word.
Not by escape, but by endurance.
So, Lord, when I find myself in my own wilderness
when the silence screams, when the hunger gnaws,
when the enemy whispers twisted truths
remind me You have been here.
And You overcame.
You didn’t reach for bread without the Father’s voice.
You didn’t trade surrender for spectacle.
You didn’t bow to the easy path of power.
You stood in the fire and chose obedience.
You let the Word be Your food,
Your identity,
Your sword.
I am tempted too.
Not just in the wilderness, but in the waiting.
Tempted to prove myself.
Tempted to take control.
Tempted to build kingdoms without a cross.
But Lord help me remember
“Man shall not live by bread alone.”
I need more than provision.
I need Your presence.
After the battle, You came out preaching
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
God, let those words rise from my own ashes.
Let my pain prepare my voice.
Let my trials carve out authority.
Let my private wrestlings birth public faithfulness.
And then, You called them.
Ordinary men
casting nets, living quiet lives.
And You said, “Follow Me.”
Not to safety, but to purpose.
Not to comfort, but to the cross.
Jesus… call me again.
Interrupt me again.
I drop my nets.
I drop my plans.
I drop the small story I’ve been clinging to.
Make me a fisher of men.
Not for fame, but for Your name.
Not for numbers, but for souls.
Not for applause, but for eternity.
Because the Light has dawned.
The people in darkness have seen it.
And I will not turn back.
You are the Bread.
You are the Word.
You are the Light.
You are the Kingdom come near.
I choose You.
Even in the wilderness.
Even when the devil whispers.
Even when the way is narrow.
In the name of Jesus
the Temptation Conqueror, the Kingdom Preacher,
the Net Breaking, Soul Calling King,
Amen.