Warriors Are Built In The Wilderness

Anchor of the Week

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

This Week’s Message

We like to believe we have life figured out, don’t we? We plan, we prepare, and we build our safety nets—financial, emotional, and even spiritual ones at times. But what does it really mean to rely on God when those nets tear? When the bills pile up and there’s not enough coming in? When your business starts to crumble, when someone you love is sick and you can’t fix it, when your child is struggling and you don’t have the answers.

What does trust look like then?

That’s where the wilderness begins.
The wilderness doesn’t always look like a barren desert, though; most of the time, it’s the fear and anxiety of uncertainty. It’s the moments in life when every earthly solution fails, and we realize we’ve been leaning on things that we were never meant to rely on. God allows the wilderness not to punish us, but to remind us that He’s the only foundation that doesn’t crack, crumble, or fail.

That’s what makes the wilderness so powerful and so uncomfortable.
The wilderness is not just a desert but a season when God removes every illusion of control that we thought we had. It’s where He teaches us that self-reliance fails, but God-reliance never does.

Often, we think strength comes from independence, like “I can handle it,” “I’ll figure it out,” “I’ll make it work.” But the wilderness exposes that illusion. It reminds us that we were never designed to rely on our own power. In fact, the more we try to sustain ourselves, the more exhausted and spiritually empty we become.

When everything else is stripped away—when the paycheck dries up, when relationships crumble, when the future is foggy—what remains? 

Only God. And that’s the point.

When you’re in the wilderness, it’s hard to imagine that anything good could come from it. But that’s often where God begins His most significant work. When you’re right in the middle of loss, delay, or defeat, the wilderness breaks down your pride, but it also prepares the soil for something new to grow. It’s where blessings are born and breakthroughs begin to unfold.

If you’re walking through a dry season and longing to see God move, I invite you to take a few moments for this week’s meditation, Blessings & Breakthroughs. Let it remind you that even in the wilderness, God is already at work behind the scenes, transforming barrenness into beauty, pain into purpose, and uncertainty into divine transformation.

Bible Story: Moses – Strength Forged in the Wilderness

(Exodus 2–4, 14, and 33) Before Moses became a leader, he was a fugitive. He fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian and spent forty years in the wilderness tending sheep, a humbling assignment for a man once raised in a palace. He likely thought his life had lost meaning. But God was doing something so sacred in that solitude: Unbeknownst to Moses, God was breaking down his self-reliance and building holy dependence.

When God finally called Moses from the burning bush, Moses resisted. He doubted himself, stuttered, and made lots of excuses. Yet that very insecurity was the space where God’s strength would dwell. “Who am I that I should go?” Moses asked. And God replied, “I will be with you.”

Years later, when Moses led Israel through their own wilderness, he was able to look back and understand exactly what God had taught him. The people grumbled for food, and God sent manna. They thirsted, and He brought water from a rock. He was teaching them the same lesson Moses had learned long ago: man does not live on bread alone, but on the Word and presence of God.

Our modern-day wildernesses may look different; however, the grief, uncertainty, burnout, and heartbreak are much the same, so the message hasn’t changed. The wilderness is not God’s rejection; it’s His redirection. It’s the place where warriors are formed, not by might, but by their trust in God.

Reflections on Scripture: What the Wilderness Teaches Us

Habakkuk 3:17–18 (NIV)

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

When everything around you feels barren, God still remains your source of abundance. This verse captures what true faith looks like—praising Him not after the breakthrough, but before it. The wilderness is where worship becomes warfare; when you choose joy in desolation, you’re declaring that your hope isn’t tied to your circumstances but to God alone.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

In the wilderness, fear and loneliness whisper that you’ve been abandoned—but this promise crushes that lie. God doesn’t send you into hard seasons and stay behind; He goes before you, clearing paths you can’t yet see. Even when the journey feels directionless, His presence is already waiting at every next step. You’re not walking toward uncertainty—you’re walking with certainty Himself.

Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

This verse reminds us that the wilderness isn’t wasted—it’s where the new begins. God uses what feels like desolation to cultivate restoration. You might see dry ground, but He sees a place ready to bloom. The waiting, the wandering, the weariness—they’re not signs of His absence but proof of His preparation. He’s already carving rivers through your drought.

Anchored Reads Library

(Faith-building reads to strengthen your trust in uncertain seasons)

• The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions by Jeff Manion
  👉 Get it on Amazon

• A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards
  👉 Get it on Amazon

• The Awe of God: The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life by John Bevere
  👉 Get it on Amazon

• Anchored in Grace: A 30-Day Devotional by Amber Potter
  👉 Get it on Amazon

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for meeting me in the wilderness. When everything feels uncertain, remind me that You are my only certainty. Teach me to release my grip on what I cannot control and to rest in Your provision. Strengthen my faith, refine my heart, and make me a warrior who trusts You in every season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Closing

Wilderness builds warriors because it takes away everything we thought we needed, so we finally see the only thing we truly do: God. It’s the place where we stop pretending we have control and start experiencing real peace.

If you’re walking through your own wilderness, take heart. You’re not lost right now, you’re being led by God. And one day, when you step out of it, you’ll realize you were never wandering—you were being refined the entire time.

Thank you so much for being here. I’ll see you next Sunday, ~Amber

God Bless You 🙏🏻❤️

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. Each book here was chosen to deepen faith and help you grow stronger through your wilderness seasons.