What God Teaches in Wilderness, Part 2A

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
[Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV]

Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
[Song of Solomon 8:5a NKJ]

Note: Graham Cooke has said that what happens in spiritual “ebb” or seasons of “hiddenness” is just as important as what God does in the “flow” of His manifest Presence, evident blessings, answered prayer, etc. The following is Part 2A of a series that began on 11/12/10.

In Part 1 - Wilderness: What & Why, we saw that, as we follow the Lord through our wilderness experiences, we don't have to feel lost, afraid or alone. “Spiritual wilderness” is intended by God to be a place of purpose and preparation to walk in His promises for our lives. In the next three postings, we’ll look at the wilderness as a place of supernatural provision, a place of divine guidance, & a place of loving intimacy with God.

Part 2A - Supernatural Provision

As Bill Johnson points out in his excellent 2 CD-teaching "Recognizing His Voice" (available at iBethel/store, link below), the wilderness is not necessarily a place a scarcity. The children of Israel had food delivered daily from heaven. Water flowed from a rock. A cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night went with them through the desert and protected them from extreme temperatures… even their clothes and shoes did not wear out for 40 years! The wilderness can actually be a place of abundance, but our source of supply is not what we would normally or naturally expect. This teaches us to look to God as our Source and partner obediently with Him - which in turn prepares us for our promised land, where both natural and supernatural abilities work together in ways that continue to give Him glory.

A friend pointed out to me that, in Part 1 (11/12/10), I listed three “essential lessons learned in the wilderness” – humility, obedience, and conscious dependence on God – as if they were all one subject. I thought about this later, and realized that I considered these as related parts of the same basic lesson: in the wilderness, we are humbled by awareness of our needs and our own inability to meet them; and, as we turn to God for help, His provision often comes with specific instructions. In both Deuteronomy 8:3 (quoted above) and Exodus 16:4-5, God explicitly links His provision of manna (bread from heaven) with humility, dependence, and obedience to His Word:

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days." [Exodus 16:4-5 NIV, emphasis added]

(A side note on the teaching power of consequences: what we fail to learn through obedience, we have another opportunity to learn from the results of disobedience. For example, those who tried to keep the manna longer than God instructed found it full of maggots on the second day [Exodus 16:20]; those who went out looking for manna on the seventh day - the Sabbath - found none [Exodus 16:27]… of course! :) )

Pastor Bill points out that it was not God’s plan to sustain the Israelites with manna indefinitely; Exodus 16:35 & Joshua 5:10-12 tell us the manna stopped when they reached the border of Canaan, the day after they ate some produce from the Promised Land. At Gilgal, on the plains of Jericho, a new generation of Israelites was circumcised and God said, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." [Joshua 5:9 NIV] Supernatural provision in the wilderness was part of God’s training, so that His people would enter the Promised Land knowing their true Source of supply, humbly dependent on Him and obedient to His Voice. As they conquered the cities of Canaan one by one and began to occupy their Promised Land, God would reward and use their new lifestyle of obedience to display His glory to the people around them.

To preserve the lessons of God’s supernatural provision in the wilderness for generations to come, God commanded the Israelites to keep an omer (about 2 quarts) of manna in the Ark of the Covenant. Moses also warned God’s people in Deuteronomy Chapter 8 not to forget these lessons of humility, obedience, and conscious dependence on God, after they prospered in the Promised Land:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery…. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

[Deut. 8:10-14, 17-18 NIV]

Hopefully, we come out of the wilderness with the kind of freedom the apostle Paul describes – satisfied and sufficient in any situation, because we know our true Source of provision and strength:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

[Philippians 4:12-13 NIV]

Next week: "What God Teaches in Wilderness, Part 2B - Divine Guidance."

----------------------

Bill Johnson’s 2-CD teaching “Recognizing His Voice” is available at http://www.ibethel.org/store/p2990/RecognizingHisVoice/product_info.html

Fresh Bananas!

(I know, it's Thanksgiving - so you're expecting a posting about gratitude, right? And that's a wonderful subject - we all have so much to be thankful for, including the glorious realities discussed below...but I had something else on my heart this week. Well, at least, in honor of Thanksgiving, the analogy involves food :) LOL. Happy Thanksgiving!)

A good friend of mine is a worship leader who often shares beautiful words of encouragement before, during or after a song. One Saturday morning at a church women's breakfast, she was talking about "sacrifice" - how difficult it can be to bring some of the things we're holding onto to the Lord and give them over to Him, letting go - and the following picture came to my mind:

I "saw" a little monkey on a dry sandy beach, trapped with his fist in a cage – I have no idea if anyone anywhere in the world actually traps monkeys this way, but I’ve heard this used as an illustration before: the slats in the cage are too thin for the monkey to withdraw his hand unless he lets go of the bait, so the monkey is captured because he holds on to the food - in this picture, it was half of a bruised - brown - mushy banana.

The rest of the picture: behind this monkey is a luxurious abundant jungle full of fresh ripe bananas - all you could ever possibly want, available in freedom! I can see that God created this little monkey to play and swing joyfully from tree to tree in that beautiful jungle, eating all he needs each day, as bunches of fresh bananas ripen on every tree.

The “price” of this freedom and bounty? Turn from that poor excuse for a meal that's really just bait in a trap – let go of that rotten little piece of brown banana that only looks good to a hungry, desperate monkey who can’t see what God really has for him, because he’s facing away from the beautiful jungle. He can’t see that it’s really a decoy, expertly placed by one who wants to steal his life, his freedom and his future. I want to cry out, “Turn around, you foolish little monkey!” What you think you want is not truly good! Turn around - see God's beautiful, abundantly good will for you and be free!

Then I thought – in light of what the worship leader had said – “Sacrifice? What sacrifice?” Is it really a “sacrifice” to give up that little piece of mushy brown banana in a cage, when there’s a whole jungle full of fresh food and freedom just over your shoulder?

A rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because he couldn’t let go of his possessions, so Peter asked Jesus about disciples who’d “left all” to follow Him:

“Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you, everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come."

[Luke 18:29-30 NLT, emphasis added]

"Yes," said Jesus, "and you won't regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children - whatever - will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!"

[Luke 18:29-30 MSG, emphasis added]

The real “sacrifice” happened at the Cross – now we “give up” life without God for the glorious riches of an eternal inheritance with Him. Like the widow described in Mark 12:41-44 & Luke 21:1-4, when we give Him all we have, it’s really just a “mite” – the value of about two pennies – compared to the treasures of our new life in Christ. And, as the scriptures above point out, the rewards and benefits of this exchange are not just for heaven!

Another friend recently mentioned “losing ourselves” in God, which reminded me of another statement Jesus made:

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.

[Matthew 16:25 NIV, emphasis added]

So we don’t really “lose” anything in Christ, do we? In Him, we find our true identity and abundant life.

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
[John 10:10 MSG]

Speaking of food, consider the young boy mentioned in John 6 - who gave up his lunch to feed 5,000 people (including himself) - compared to Esau, who sold his precious inheritance to satisfy a temporary appetite (Genesis 25:29-34; also Hebrews 12:14-16). Like that little boy’s lunch, we can be confident that those things we place into God's hands will come back to us in a much better way – and, like Abraham’s willingness to lay his son Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22), the things He really wants us to have will survive any “sacrifice.”

So… what is that rotten little banana in your hand? Let it go, and turn around to see the beautiful freshness God provides for you – a life of abundance and freedom in Him!

-------------------------------------------

“Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
[Matthew 3:2 NLT]

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”
[Luke 12:32 ESV]

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him!
[Psalms 34:8 NLT]

What God Teaches in Wilderness, Part 1

“Wilderness: What & Why?”

Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would really obey his commands. [Deuteronomy 8:2 NLT]

He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
[Deuteronomy 8:15-16 NIV]

Note: Graham Cooke has said that what happens in spiritual “ebb” or seasons of “hiddenness” is just as important as what God does in the “flow” of His manifest Presence, evident blessings, answered prayer, etc. This posting begins a series on “What God Teaches in the Wilderness.”

A "wilderness" is defined as a wild and desolate place, such as a desert or a forest - uncultivated by man, and inhabited only by untamed creatures. As such, we often think of the wilderness as a lonely, frightening or dangerous place; yet, if we picture some of the protected wilderness areas of North America, for example, we may also associate the word "wilderness" with a place of great beauty.

The Bible has a lot to say about wilderness experiences, so in the next few postings we’ll look at how spiritual wilderness, although it may seem terribly lonely or frightening at times, is designed to be a place of transformation and encounter with the beauty of God. If you find yourself in a "wilderness experience," take heart, you're in good company: Moses and the children of Israel, David, the apostle Paul, and Jesus Himself (to name only a few) - all spent time in desert places on their way to fulfilling God's promises for their lives.

One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you." Immediately the Holy Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness. He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. [Mark 1:9-13 NLT]

Some wilderness treks are self-initiated; others are led by God. Jesus was God's sinless and beloved Son, yet He was “compelled” (different translations say "led," "taken," "sent," "driven," or "made to go") by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. The children of Israel prolonged their desert journey through unbelief, rebellion and disobedience; but even sin doesn’t have to keep us wandering aimlessly forever - Psalm 139 tells us that God is with us everywhere. We may feel lost or "bewildered," but all we need to do is turn to Him ("repent") and He is there. [Isaiah 55:7]

As we look to God, spiritual wilderness – that place between promise and fulfillment, lacking familiar comforts or man-made props to lean on – can be a place of great purpose and preparation for our God-given destiny. It is usually a time of testing and transformation that leads us into the next phase of what God is calling us to do.

Essential Lessons Learned in the Wilderness
Moses’ instructions to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter their Promised Land [e.g., verses from Deuteronomy 8 above] describe humility, obedience, and conscious dependence on God (not on worldly strength or our own self-effort) as crucial to fulfilling their destiny as God’s people – essential lessons learned in the wilderness. To glorify God, we must first be convinced of our own inability to succeed apart from Him, and come into a place of “abiding” in His Presence (see John 15). True success is achieved as we fulfill what He created us to do (not just the status, safety, security, or achievements valued by the world). As we yield to God’s Spirit, His Love and power are displayed through our lives, revealing who He really is to the people around us.

It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. [2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT]

Another benefit of the wilderness is testing, which brings both purity and strength – like precious metals tested by fire.

Do you see what I've done? I've refined you, but not without fire. I've tested you like silver in the furnace of affliction. [Isaiah 48:10 MSG]

Progressive exposure to danger, wild beasts or military foes, develops our skills for lasting victory. God didn’t take the children of Israel into the Promised Land by the shortest route [Exodus 13:17-18], or drive out their enemies all at once. Each step of obedience in the face of conflict strengthens and prepares us for the next battle, establishing our ability to possess our promises long-term.

I [God] will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River. I will hand over to you the people who live in the land and you will drive them out before you. Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.

[Exodus 23:28-33 NIV]

.

Transformation of identity also takes place in the wilderness. Jesus’ identity was established first by the Father’s voice (“You are My beloved Son”), then through confrontation and challenges by the enemy (“If you are the Son of God…”). David learned confidence in God as a boy defending his father’s sheep, which became the courage to bring down Goliath and eventually defeat Israel’s enemies on the battlefield. In the wilderness, David became a man, then a warrior, and a king.

He trains my hands for war until my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

[Psalm 18:34 CJB]
Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle—

[Psalm 144:1]

Transformation of identity also requires the death of old patterns of thinking or behavior. Moses, raised as a prince in Egypt, spent 40 years tending sheep on the backside of the desert; after this season of humbling, he encountered the Lord and rose up to deliver Israel through God’s supernatural power. In the book of Exodus, we see a generation of Israelites who had been slaves in Egypt dying off to make room for a new generation of warriors who would take possession of the Promised Land. Caleb and Joshua, who obeyed the Lord fully, transitioned through the wilderness from captivity to freedom.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. [Romans 12:2 NKJ]

God builds things into us in the wilderness that help us to transition from the past into our future. Inner transformation brings us to the place where we are ready to make a difference on this earth - truly dependent on God, not on the world or even ourselves - ready to act and fulfill our calling.

As we encounter and follow the Lord through our wilderness experiences, we don't have to feel "lost," afraid or alone. In closing, I’ve quoted the full text of Isaiah 35 (below) – some beautiful promises regarding the wilderness! Next week we'll look at the beauty of the wilderness as a place of supernatural provision, a place of divine guidance, and a place of loving intimacy with the Lord.

Even the wilderness will rejoice in those days. The desert will blossom with flowers. 2 Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel's pastures and the plain of Sharon. There the LORD will display his glory, the splendor of our God. 3 With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. 4 Say to those who are afraid, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the desert. 7 The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived. 8 And a main road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-hearted people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God's ways; fools will never walk there. 9 Lions will not lurk along its course, and there will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will follow it. 10 Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return to Jerusalem, singing songs of everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be overcome with joy and gladness. [Isaiah 35:1-10]