This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                       I Have Not Abandoned You

Child of Mine, do not think that I have abandoned you just because your
walk with Me is taking you through a stretch of desert. Do not be dismayed
by that. I want you to understand that there are times when I lead My own
into the desert, just like My Spirit led My Son into the desert after He
was baptized. When I take you to the desert, it doesn't mean I am angry
or displeased with you. Do you remember what I said when My Son Jesus
was baptized? I said that He was My beloved Son, and I said that I was
pleased with Him. Then I immediately led Him into the wilderness to fast
40 days and to be tempted.

There are times when you run away from Me and end up in a desert. There
are times when you choose to disobey Me or rebel against Me, and the
Heavens become like brass to you for a season. Disobedience or rebellion
may cast you into the desert for a season, but that is not what I am
talking about. I am talking about the times when you follow Me in trust
and obedience, and I deliberately lead you into the wilderness.

When I do that, it is not a punishment and it is not an indication of My
displeasure, and I have not withdrawn My presence from you. It may feel
like that to you, but your feelings can lie to you. You should know that
I won't leave you and I won't abandon you. Think back to when I led the
children of Israel in the wilderness. I was with them every step of the
way. I even gave them a tangible expression of My nearness--in the form
of the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. I was with them day and
night; I never left them. Dear Child, I won't leave you either.

It is true that you may face some difficulty and hardship in the desert.
This is not meant to torment you, but to make you stronger. The hardship
is not intended to be permanent, and it is not intended to overcome you.
Just the opposite! Many of My children gain their greatest victories in
the desert.

Do you remember the battle Moses faced when I made water flow from a rock
so that My people might drink? The Amalekites heard what I had done for
My own, so they came with soldiers to attack. I did not abandon My people
in their battle, and I will not abandon you in yours. I let them fight
this battle and I forth along side of them, and gave them a great
victory. I did so to show My people how they will prevail when they war
in My strength and My night. I let them taste of great victory; I did so
with the intent that it would encourage them to not fear the giants who
inhabited their promised land. Most of My people hardened their hearts
and did not learn the lesson the battle was designed to teach. But the
reason that I brought them into that battle was to teach them what My
victory was like. You cannot overcome your enemy if you do not enter
into the fight against him. I was teaching them that when the fight at
My command, I fight with them, and they will surely prevail over their
enemy. That is one of the reasons that I bring My own through the desert
at times, so that they can win those victories as they follow Me.

Child, you will have your battles in your wilderness times. I am not
bringing you into them so that you can be harassed or harmed by the
enemy of your soul. No, I am doing it so that you might learn to live
and walk in My victory for the rest of your life.  My plans for you
are good.

You may also face temptation in the desert, just as My Son was tempted
by the devil. You may feel weak and unable to resist, but do not fight
the temptation in your own strength. Learn to fight it in Mine, just as
Jesus did. I do not allow temptation to come against you so that you
might fall to it; but so that you might learn to overcome it. My desire
is that you taste great victory over the things your enemy tries to use
to lead you astray.

Yes, dear one, I make you stronger in the desert. The reason I take you
there is to prepare and equip you for great victory. I know that it is
harder for you to sense My nearness in those desert times. I know that
it is easy to get discouraged when I withdraw the sense of My presence.
But dear child, when you are in those desert times, I want you to remember
that I have not abandoned you. I am right beside you and I will never
leave you. I will fight along side of you when you face battles or
temptation. I will accomplish My good purposes in you and make you strong
in Me. Then I will lead you out of your desert and into your promised
land.