Walking in Faith: Trusting God Through Life's Wilderness

Tonight’s session was all about learning how to walk in the Lord’s direction, especially when life feels wild or uncertain. We started by celebrating God’s goodness—thanking Him for waking us up, protecting us, and giving us another day to experience His love. Worship is our way of showing God that He is worthy, and it sets our hearts in the right place to hear from Him. We also had some fun with games and songs, reminding ourselves that following Jesus is a joyful adventure.

Our memory verse, Proverbs 3:5-6, teaches us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding. When we submit to Him, He promises to make our paths straight. This is the foundation for living a “wild life”—one where we are always walking in the Lord’s direction, even when we don’t know what’s ahead.

We looked back at how God led the Israelites with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, showing that God always provides guidance, even when we can’t see the way. Today, God leads us through His Holy Spirit, His Word, and the example of Jesus. We must pay attention to His voice and not be distracted by our own desires or the voices around us.

The main focus tonight was on the “I” in WILD: following God even in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place where we might feel alone, tested, or tempted—just like Jesus was in Luke 4:1-13. Jesus faced three big temptations from Satan: turning stones into bread, worshipping Satan for power, and testing God’s protection. Each time, Jesus responded with God’s Word and trusted His Father instead of giving in.

We learned that temptations come in many forms, even for kids—like wanting things right away, putting games or popularity before God, or testing God’s love by demanding proof. But just as Jesus relied on His Father for strength, we too can overcome temptation by spending time with God, reading His Word, and trusting Him to provide what we need at the right time.

As we continue this journey, remember: God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and He is always with us, guiding us through every wilderness. Let’s keep practicing how to walk in the Lord’s direction, trusting Him, and letting nothing come before our love for Him.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Trust God’s Timing and Provision Jesus showed us that true strength comes from trusting God to provide what we need, when we need it—not just what we want in the moment. When tempted to satisfy our own desires, especially in times of need or impatience, we are invited to wait on God’s perfect provision. This teaches us to value spiritual nourishment over temporary satisfaction, knowing that God’s timing is always best. [41:45]
• 2. Guard Your Worship—Don’t Give It Away Worship is more than singing; it’s about what we value most. When we put things like games, popularity, or possessions before God, we risk giving our worship to things that can never satisfy. God alone deserves our highest devotion, and we must be vigilant not to let anything—even good things—take His place in our hearts. [45:36]
• 3. Don’t Test God—Trust Him Instead Faith is not about making God prove Himself to us. Jesus refused to test God by demanding a miracle for the sake of proof, and we are called to do the same. Instead of setting conditions for God’s love or protection, we trust that He is always faithful, even when circumstances are hard or confusing. [52:56]
• 4. Temptation Is a Training Ground, Not a Defeat The wilderness is not just a place of struggle, but a place where God prepares us for greater things. Jesus’ time in the wilderness was necessary for Him to rely fully on His Father and be strengthened for His mission. Our own temptations and trials can become opportunities to grow closer to God and learn to depend on Him more deeply. [32:55]
• 5. The Word and Presence of God Are Our Greatest Weapons Jesus overcame every temptation by knowing and speaking God’s Word, and by spending time in His Father’s presence. We, too, are equipped to face life’s challenges when we fill our hearts with Scripture and make time to be with God. This is how we build spiritual strength to resist temptation and walk confidently in the Lord’s direction.
  
  ** [56:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:00] - Shoutouts and Getting Ready
• [03:30] - Praising God Together
• [06:35] - Why We Worship: God Is Worthy
• [09:00] - Game Time: Pick Up Blue
• [14:06] - Game Bloopers and Flexibility
• [15:12] - Worship Song: Give Me J-E-S-U-S
• [18:30] - Memory Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6
• [19:50] - Learning the Memory Verse with Gestures
• [23:28] - Memory Verse Song
• [26:37] - Recap: W in WILD—Watch Where You’re Going
• [29:39] - God’s Guidance: Cloud, Fire, and the Holy Spirit
• [32:55] - I in WILD: Following God in the Wilderness
• [41:45] - Temptation 1: Trusting God’s Provision
• [45:36] - Temptation 2: Guarding Your Worship
• [52:56] - Temptation 3: Don’t Test God
• [56:46] - Building Strength Through God’s Presence
• [59:41] - Closing Prayer and Next Steps

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Walking in the Lord’s Direction (WILD) – “I” in WILD: Following God in the Wilderness

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### Bible Reading

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
> Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Luke 4:1-13 (ESV)
> And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Proverbs 3:5-6, what are we supposed to do with our hearts and understanding? What does God promise if we do this?
2. In Luke 4:1-13, what were the three main temptations that Jesus faced in the wilderness? [32:55]
3. What did Jesus use each time to respond to Satan’s temptations? [56:46]
4. In the sermon, what are some examples given of things that can distract kids from spending time with God? [45:36]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God sometimes allows us to go through “wilderness” times where we feel alone, tested, or tempted? [32:55]
2. What does it mean to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” when you don’t know what’s going to happen next? How is this different from trusting in yourself? [19:50]
3. The sermon says that worship is more than singing—it’s about what we value most. How can someone tell what they are really worshipping in their life? [45:36]
4. Jesus didn’t try to prove God’s love by doing something risky or demanding a miracle. Why is it important not to “test” God, but to trust Him instead? [52:56]

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### Application Questions

1. Think about a time when you wanted something right away (like a snack before dinner or more screen time). How can you practice trusting God’s timing and provision instead of giving in to impatience? [41:45]
2. Are there any things in your life—like games, popularity, or stuff—that sometimes become more important to you than God? What is one step you can take this week to put God first? [45:36]
3. When you feel alone or like you’re in a “wilderness” (maybe at school, home, or with friends), what is one way you can remember that God is with you and wants to guide you? [32:55]
4. Have you ever found yourself asking God to “prove” His love or protection? What would it look like to trust Him even when you don’t get the answer you want? [52:56]
5. The sermon says that spending time with God and reading His Word gives us strength to face temptation. What is one specific way you can make time for God this week, even if you’re busy? [56:46]
6. Jesus used God’s Word to fight temptation. Is there a Bible verse you can memorize or say to yourself when you feel tempted or weak? [56:46]
7. The wilderness is described as a training ground, not just a place of struggle. Can you think of a hard time you went through that helped you grow stronger in your faith? How did God help you? [32:55]

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Closing Thought:
Let’s remember that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and He is always with us, guiding us through every wilderness. Let’s keep practicing how to walk in the Lord’s direction, trusting Him, and letting nothing come before our love for Him!