The Anointing in the Wilderness

​In the Word, we see a pattern that defies human logic. Before there is a throne, there is a field. Before there is a victory, there is a wilderness.

​We all know the story of David, but we often skip the part that hurts: the rejection. David was “marked off” by his own. While his brothers were being measured for greatness by men, David was left in the field, forgotten by his mother and disregarded by those of his own blood.

​To my brothers and sisters who have felt that same sting, who have been pushed out of your own homes, I want you to know: The world didn’t reject you; it just didn’t recognize the anointing you carry.

​The Principle of Divine Election

​The first truth we must hold is that man’s rejection is often God’s protection. In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet was told not to look at the height or the outward appearance, for God looks at the heart. When your family “marked you off,” they were using human scales. But the principle of Divine Election means that God chooses the “foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Your isolation was actually a “setting apart.”

​The Stewardship of Suffering (The Lions and the Bears)

​The wilderness isn’t just a place of lack; it’s a place of combat. We are called to be stewards of our trials. For those of us who have walked this path, the “lions” we fought were the people who offered a roof but demanded our souls as rent.

• ​The Betrayal of the Familiar: We stayed with those we thought we could trust, only to find ourselves serving their houses, raising their children, and staying quiet to satisfy their needs. We learned that to survive, we had to be “as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.”
• ​The Endless Cycle: We were tossed into a system of revolving doors. We stood in group homes where the chaos was so loud we had to fight just to hear our own spirits.
• ​The Predatory Court: We found ourselves in the company of those far older than us. Even the “shepherds” appointed to watch over us, those in authority, often became the predators.

​Theologically, we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3-4). Every time you survived, you were killing a lion. You were building the confidence of a giant-slayer.

​The Sovereignty of the Will

​The system we faced is a Goliath, a structure of “Sauls” who hold the title of authority but have lost the spirit of protection. In the face of this, we exercise the principle of the Sovereignty of the Will. We are not victims of our past; we are architects of a new covenant of safety. Isaiah 58:12 makes a promise to us: “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach.”

​We are the Repairers. We are taking the years of forced silence and turning them into a Living Act of Will. We are standing up to say that the shepherds who “feed themselves” while the flock is scattered will no longer be allowed to overlook the innocent.

​The Final Call: From the Field to the Frontline

​The “wilderness” has done its work. The lions and bears have been defeated in the dark. Now, it is time to face the giant in the light.

​To my brothers and sisters in Christ: The cycle of wandering is over. We are the generation that refuses to stay quiet to satisfy the convenience of a broken system. We are returning to the gates of authority, not asking for permission to be heard, but speaking with the confidence of those who have already survived the worst and been refined for the best.

​The stone is in your hand. The giant is in your sight. The Will is in your heart.

​Reflection Questions for the Journey

1. ​The Rejection: David was left in the field while his brothers were presented for greatness. Have there been moments where you felt “marked off” by those meant to protect you? How did that isolation shape the “greatness” you now feel inside?
2. ​The Saul vs. The David: How can you maintain your confidence and integrity when the authorities around you are acting like predators rather than shepherds?
3. ​Repairing the Breach: If you were to design a “foundation” for the next generation, what is the first “gap” or “breach” you would close to ensure an innocent child feels safe?
4. ​Completing the Circle: David returned from the wilderness to lead the very people who once overlooked him. How will you use your “smooth stone” to protect the brothers and sisters coming up behind you?