“The backside of the desert…”

“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” Exodus 3:1

We don’t know if Moses had ever been in this place before, but probably not. The Bible just says that “Moses led his flock to the backside.” What a strange place to lead his flock, but something drew him there.

Everyone goes through the “backside of the desert” experience… Even famous people who are Christians. There comes a point in our life where we “reach a wall” and come face-to-face with God. This happened to the famous evangelist, Kathryn Kuhlman. She was just a shy, red-headed young woman, but God had given her a “supernatural gift” of divine healing. While she would speak to an audience of thousands, all at once, the Holy Spirit would move upon the congregation and people would become healed! Then, they would come forward and testify. She was famous for saying, “the Holy Spirit is my best friend.”

She fell in love with a man and wanted to get married, but the Lord said, “No.” She did it anyway, and the moment she said, “Yes,” she felt that she grieved the Holy Spirit. She went into a depression and could not minister. She found herself depressed, abandoned, and unloved… She said that she was at the end of her rope and found herself walking down an alley to a dead-end wall… She was at “the backside of the desert.” She tells the story of how she remembers that day, that hour when she faced the wall (the backside of the desert), and said, “Holy Spirit I have failed you. I am nothing, but if you can use my ‘nothing,’ I will give it all to you.”

That was the turning point in her life. She left her husband and went back to ministry; a more powerful ministry than ever before.

So today, if you feel you are on the “backside of the desert,” there’s a reason. God has a plan and purpose for your life. He had to bring you here, to show you the “burning bush,” and that He is still God! Today, open your heart and life and listen to the “Holy Spirit” in your desert place… He has great things in store for you. Sherry