In one of the previous blogs we mentioned that in Gods Kingdom, there is public power, only after private preparation. Before the Spiritual Anointing starts to flow through your life, God must prepare you first. Ultimately, that comes down to the very basics of character, obedience and trust. The spiritual realm runs parallel to the natural. Whenever God does something, it happens in de spiritual realm first, before it becomes manifest in the natural. So, whatever you see happen in the natural, it happened in the spiritual realm first. That means He will prepare you spiritually, in private. There, in the secret place of your heart, He will lay the groundwork for what He wants to accomplish in and through your life. When you move along with Him in that process, it is inevitable that at some point, that will become visible in the natural. For the Anointing of God works from the inside out.

Why was the Anointing on Jesus? Because it was in Him first (Isaiah 61:1-3). That’s why you can never fake the Anointing. You can imitate the outward form, but you cannot replicate the flow. Because the flow of the Spirit is the result of what’s been cultivated in the secret place. Not on a platform, not in the spotlight, but in the stillness of surrender. It’s in that hidden place that your heart is refined, your motives are tested, and your character is forged. Fire does not fall on talent. Fire falls on sacrifice (Psalm 51:17). God is not moved by charisma. He is drawn to consecration.

In one of the previous blogs we mentioned Jesus as the ultimate example, when He was tested in the desert. In the book of Matthew we read:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:1

The first thing that jumps out is the phrase ‘by the Spirit’. God knew exactly what would happen when Jesus would go to the wilderness. He knew satan would come. He knew satan would tempt Jesus. And yet the Holy Spirit led Him into that wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. Never forget, it’s not God Who tempts us, but He can allow it to happen. When does He allow that? When you’re ready for it. Jesus was ready for it. He had spent the first 30 years of His life in private, in the Scriptures and in prayer. Then the moment came that the Anointing no longer was able to stay inside. It had to come out. And Anointing always attracts attention and opposition. That was the moment where His faith, obedience and character needed to be tested, just like it is with us.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:2-4

Take notice of the very first thing satan did. He said: “If You are the Son of God…” The enemy started by questing His identity. Just like with Eve, he tried to sow the seed of doubt into Jesus’ mind and heart, by basically asking ‘Do you really believe You are Who God says You are?’ In Gods Kingdom, identity is always connected with authority. That’s why he challenged Him to use His authority to command the stones to become bread, at the moment Jesus was feeling really hungry, after 40 days and 40 nights without food (sacrifice). So, he addressed His identity, His authority, His flesh, His obedience and His character, all at the same time. Yet the private preparation of Jesus was sufficient and He remained faithful and didn’t fall into the trap of the enemy. He always answered with the Word of His Father ‘It is written’.

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Matthew 4:5-7

At the moment satan noticed Jesus was using the Word of His Father, stating ‘It is written’, he immediately started to test His knowledge as well. The enemy took Jesus to the temple and challenged Him to throw Himself down, followed by words that were also written. This shows that enemy has an incredible huge knowledge of the Word of God as well, trying to bend it and use it for his own gain, once again in an attempt to sow doubt into the mind and heart of Jesus. Yet he forgot that the Word wasn’t only in Him, He is the Word. Thus, Jesus remained standing, by once again putting him in his place with ‘It is written again…’

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Matthew 4:8-10

At last his real motivation is revealed. The formerly anointed cherub, the former worship leader of Heaven, who was banned and cast down from Heaven, because he wanted to claim the worship for himself, in his pride, tried to make the Son of God worship him. Notice how at that moment, Jesus does use His authority for the first time by commanding him: “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Now that is power! That is Anointing!

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Matthew 4:11

It may look like satan gave up, not knowing what to do next, but in reality, he had no other choice then to leave. For the Anointed Lord of lords had commanded Him and he had no other option then to obey and leave. At that moment, true power was revealed and the Anointing came out. Afterwards, the angels came and ministered to Him.

This is what happens when preparation meets purpose. When private surrender meets public authority. When the Word inside of you becomes the sword that silences the accuser. Jesus didn't just survive the wilderness, He conquered it. He didn’t fight with emotion, or opinion, or even spiritual experience. He fought with what was written. Because what is written is unshakable. And that’s the same weapon you and I have today. The Anointing doesn’t exempt you from battles. It equips you for them. It doesn’t give you a free pass to skip the wilderness. It gives you the power to overcome it. And here's the key: The same Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness... led Him out. But when He came out, He came out in power.

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
Luke 4:14

That’s the difference. Not everyone who enters the wilderness comes out in power. Only those who yield, obey, and stand firm in who they are in Christ. So let this be your confidence: If God is preparing you in private, if you're feeling the press, the pruning, the fire... it's not punishment, it's positioning. He is forming Christ in you. He is shaping you into a vessel of weight, depth, and divine authority. And when the Anointing begins to flow, hell will remember your name, not because of who you are, but because of Who lives inside of you.

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27

Let this be your declaration today:

“I am being prepared in private, to walk in power in public. I do not fear the wilderness. I follow the Spirit. I live by the Word. I walk in the Anointing. I am who God says I am.”

Amen.