David was in the wilderness and in the caves in order to bring him to the place of maturity. He needed the character of Christ in order to be able to rule the people wisely and with justice and righteousness. Those who follow in his footsteps as overcomers should not be surprised if they are also expelled from the Church or denomination for a time. This, too, should be viewed as a blessing from God and perhaps an indication of a higher calling.

However, not all who are kicked out of a Church are overcomers. Only those who learn the lessons of David are overcomers. Only those who come into a relationship with God that leads to the manifestation of the Sons of God are of the Davidic company.

David was not in the wilderness forever. At some point he had to return to be crowned king over Israel. He was in the wilderness for training only. His training was temporary. His real ministry was back in Israel. David’s inheritance, his ministry, his calling, was not in the caves of the wilderness, but in Israel. Likewise, Israel under Moses was not called into the wilderness to remain there forever. Their inheritance was Canaan, not the wilderness. The wilderness was only the training ground for the Promised Land.

The purpose of the wilderness is to return to minister. The wilderness is not an end in itself. It is not the goal, but the means to the goal. It is the place where God teaches the overcomers that He is sovereign, that He is their protection, their refuge and strength. It is the place where overcomers learn that their lives are in God’s hands and completely at His disposal. If He wills that they live, they live. If He wills that they die, they die. Overcomers lose their fear of death or circumstances, because they see God’s hand in all things. They know that nothing happens behind God’s back. Nothing happens except what God has directed or permitted. And above all, overcomers learn that all things work together for their good (Rom. 8:28). They have learned that to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21).

The wilderness puts you alone with God in the midst of hardship. The wilderness is where you learn that He provides for you in the midst of hardship, in impossible situations, so that He can show you that it IS possible, and it IS easy, once we have overcome ourselves and learned to rest in Him.