Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

1:13). Scripture indicates that after John’s birth, he grew strong and was “in the deserts till the time of his manifestation to Israel” (v. 80). When time came for John to minister, the people came to him in the desert instead of him going into the synagogues. The most important item in the deserts of Israel is water, and the Jordan River was the sanctuary of John! Your wilderness zone is the place God hides you from public view while you prepare for His purposes; it’s the place where you write your words in private, practice singing in front of a mirror, or preach to the animals in the house. Does this sound odd? When I was eighteen years old, I found a beautiful mountain behind a church campground in Roanoke, Virginia. I recall laying twelve stones in the form of an altar and painting the names of God on the surface. It became my private prayer mountain, and only three people knew it was there. I would pray, preach, and imagine the trees were people. No one was watching except the Lord and perhaps a few angels that were smiling at the zeal of this young boy! You may feel you are being hidden for a season, but then the time comes the Lord will bring you out of the hiding place to the place He desires for you The warfare zone The warfare zone will be experienced by every believer. At times the war is a battle over doing the will of God. Many times we become frustrated because we cannot