Wilderness, Pit, and the Tunnel

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The deeper you go, the more it will hurt.

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A progression of spiritual testing.

I once thought all these concepts were the same, but now I see differences.

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We need to know what we are experiencing, to know how to survive it.

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Wilderness

An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.

Jesus had this experience before ministry.

Matthew 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

After being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days and nights in the Judaean Desert.

Jesus having refused each temptation, Satan then departed and Jesus returned to Galilee to begin his ministry.

Paul spent 3 years in the desert at Sinai in Saudi Arabia (Gal. 1:17) before he started his ministry as well.

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Aspects of the desert / wilderness

It is a time of temptation, testing, fasting and prayer, and learning.

It is voluntarily entered into.

There is an entry point and exit point.

The only barrier is the ground under your feet.

Your arms and legs and head are free to move.

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You can see others and they can see you.

The desert has night (darkness) and day (light).

It has snakes and scorpions. Enemies and dangers.

Water can be found in certain spots if you look for it.

So there is choice available to you.

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You either pass or fail the testing.

If you fail, you will have to repeat the test.

If you pass, you are given a greater desert experience, and you start over.

Time of experience can be a month or a few years.

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The Pit

Joseph

Yahweh gave Joseph visions of his future where his family bowed down to him, and his earthly father showed him favor with a special gift, a coat of many colors.

His own brothers were jealous and hated him.

Gen 37:24

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—

24and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.

25And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.…

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Aspects of the Pit

Your enemies can put you there, so not voluntary.

You could possibly put yourself there with sin, mistakes, ignorance.

What you see as a vision, jealous enemies see as a threat.

There is no water for life, except what you have inside yourself.

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You are restricted with boundaries below your feet, and completely surrounded on all sides by boundaries.

Only your head is free to look up. Your deliverance comes from above.

You may be freed by more enemies who imprison you or enslave you.

Yahweh will have to free you from here.

You need to believe in the visions and dreams that Yahweh has given you for strength.

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The Tunnel

See also

Dreams-x-3-tunnel-vision-and-beach

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The closest I can find to this in the Bible is the tribulation, as described in chapter 6 of Revelation, and Daniel Chapter 12.

Throughout history, and modern times, I see the persecution and martyrdom of the saints.

And even in secular terms, child and human trafficking. These poor souls are actually STORED in tunnels, tortured, and sacrificed to Satan….murdered.

Other souls are kept in camps for live organ harvesting.

Milder, but still serious, examples are those that suffer from lifelong illness or disability, or many, many years, maybe decades, of illness or emotional trauma

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Aspects of the Tunnel

This is a more extreme experience which takes the most faith.

You cannot see this coming.

You are completely bordered, below, around and above you.

There seems to be no light at all to explain things, or show you the way out.

There is no escape.

No way out.

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Since you are “hidden” inside the tunnel, others can look at you but not really “see” your suffering.

They do not care. They look past you.

You feel detached from them.

Those that feel they are “high up in God,” or more spiritual than you, will look down on you. They are blessed, and you are cursed, because you did something wrong, while they only please God.

The suffering, pain, misery, rejection, lack of understanding or compassion from others is constant, unending.

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Your enemies fight you and win.

And you have done nothing wrong.

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Life and time is a blur.

This could last a lifetime, and you wish life was over.

You pray and nothing happens.

You cry and Yahweh does not seem to hear you, or it seems like He does not care.

Maybe He does not love you, like He does others who are “blessed” all the time?

You are stuck.

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You know what Yahweh’s Word says, but you just don’t “feel” it.

You cannot seem to hear from God like you used to.

You see others around you as happy and blessed.

You do not understand why this cannot be for you also.

You submit to your circumstances.

Somewhere in your spirit, you keep a little hope, and just wait.

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Yahweh controls how long you are in the tunnel.

You will be there until His purpose is completed in you.

So, you may die in the tunnel, and by then you will not care if you die.

Or, you may be released from it.

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If you are in a tunnel now, do not give up and keep the faith.

Submit to Yahweh, and pray daily that His sovereign will is done in you.

Learn patience.

Also repent daily.

Be humble and honest…..

Stay in the Word of God.

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At the end of your tunnel, there is a light.

You will either be in heaven,

or you will be delivered and free again, with a testimony to share.

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Remember this scripture, and stand fast in your faith:

Job 13:15 KJV — Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

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Rejoice! 

You have won your crown!

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