Finally we want to look briefly at the life of John the Baptist to end this interesting discussion. The identity of John was reveled thus;

John 1: “19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias”

The above described for us the life and ministry identity of John the Baptist.

One thing very significant in this passage is that the first place to know who you are is to know who you are not. You don’t allow men to get you into a ministry or to be called into one by prophesying you into one.

Your real ministry should be known to you personally based on your relationship with God. If God is calling you, he shouldn’t be afraid to talk to you and so end up using men to tell you who you are. It doesn’t work that way. What anyone can do is to confirm what and who you are.

Typical example is the time when the brethren who were fasting and praying in fellowship said of Paul.

Acts 13:1-3,

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

Now this was not when Paul was called as an Apostle but rather he said of himself; Gal.1: 15,

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.”

He wasn’t an Apostle by the church laying hands and consecrating him as one, but he was one from the mother’s womb, and the church identified that and confirmed it. The church can’t make you one in any way.

So we see John was none of those people that were referred to but rather he said,

“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

Meaning ultimately we are all here to fulfill scripture. That’s why you must find your place in God’s agenda for humanity. What described John is from Isa. 40:3.

Now we are told in Luke 1:80, it is said of John,

“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”

Why did John go to the desert, wilderness? Remember his father was a priest, so he was born into a priestly family and he should be in the Temple officiating and eating the best of the lambs scarified.

But yet we are told he was in the desert eating locusts and honey.

What could have driven John into the wilderness? Was this an act of rebellion or just following some people who think the wilderness experience is what will promote them and give them power? etc.

Look at this; Luke 1:17,

“And he (John) shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

You see why he has to be in the desert? Because of the spirit he came with, the spirit and the power of Elijah.

Significant to note is that Elijah was not a city prophet. He spent most of his life in the wilderness while in ministry. So now you don’t expect John who came in his spirit to be in the Temple offering sacrifices.

Friends once I have stated that you don’t have to be in the wilderness for any reason but only as the Father reveals and sends you. If He sent you He will provide for you, not that you will satisfy Him and make good of the calling upon your life. It is not in the wilderness that ministries are birthed but such that are called of God even from their mother’s womb.

Again we see this in the life of Jeremiah. God told him when he was saying he was too young to carry on with a prophetic ministry; Jer. 1:5,

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremiah was called while in the mother’s womb like Paul. A true Fathering/Mentorship will reveal to you who you are and what your ministry is, not the desert or wilderness. Again I say “Stop Glorifying the Wilderness Experience ,” That is just religion. Be blessed.

The End