The first prophecy I ever received from the Lord mentioned that I would need to spend much time in the wilderness as part of my formation and preparation. I understood that the wilderness was not a geographic location but a spiritual experience, and that it should not be dreaded or resented. Furthermore, the Lord helped me to see that it was the place where messengers and ministries were formed. It would be the place where things would be subtracted from my life and replaced by other things. He promised me that He wouldn’t ask me to give up anything without His replacing it with something better.

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If you are not currently in the wilderness, this book may be of little value to you, but if you are, then this book will be like someone giving you a glass of cold water. I think you find in this Study Guide a fellow traveler, someone you can relate to, who has put into words what you are going through, and who can add biblical perspective to your experience. The goal is not to grit your teeth and endure the wilderness, but to come out the other side of it with a shining face and burning heart. While this season will not last, if you respond to it the right way, the fruit of it will last forever. So, try to get everything out of it that you can.