The Wilderness State
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
Have you been there before?
Are you there now?
It is...
A place where doubts surface, and faith subsides;
A place where the love of God, and the love from God -
a love which had burned so bright and felt so warm in former days -
fades into the darkness;
A place where joy in the Holy Ghost is but a distant memory
and peace which once passed all understanding now feels like a dream;
A place where power over all sin has crumbled.
And one is just left.
Feeling alone.
This is the wilderness state.
But how did it come to this?
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
It may begin with the neglect of private prayer.
It won't hurt if I just miss one day will it?
But one day leads to another, and another.
Without prayer, our life in Christ will gradually die away.
It may begin with a sin - just a small one - innocuous surely?
Or it could be allowing pride or anger; desire or temptation to build within us.
Are we ignorant about the truth of God?
Have we just given up?
There needs no more than not to fight, and we are sure to be conquered.
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
But do we have to remain there?
NO WE DO NOT!
Arise, and shake yourself from the dust.
Find the medicine which will cure your illness,
Find the light that will guide you out of darkness.
For each the medicine will be different:
But for each illness there is a medicine.
Was it through a neglect of prayer?
Then start praying!
Was it through allowing pride or anger or desire to build up?
Then confess it all to God.
Being renewed in the image of God is a lifelong process,
Temptations will come.
But when they do pray - pour out your souls before God.
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
But do not stay there.
The Scripture nowhere says, that the absence of God best perfects his work in the heart.
God desires that you choose life.
God desires that you leave the wilderness state.
For it is when you leave the wilderness state that you can experience God's love, joy and peace.
There needs no more than not to fight, and we are sure to be conquered.
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
But do we have to remain there?
NO WE DO NOT!
Arise, and shake yourself from the dust.
Find the medicine which will cure your illness,
Find the light that will guide you out of darkness.
For each the medicine will be different:
But for each illness there is a medicine.
Was it through a neglect of prayer?
Then start praying!
Was it through allowing pride or anger or desire to build up?
Then confess it all to God.
Being renewed in the image of God is a lifelong process,
Temptations will come.
But when they do pray - pour out your souls before God.
It is easy to end up there - in the wilderness state.
But do not stay there.
The Scripture nowhere says, that the absence of God best perfects his work in the heart.
God desires that you choose life.
God desires that you leave the wilderness state.
For it is when you leave the wilderness state that you can experience God's love, joy and peace.
Awesome Mr Fletcher, well done ... enjoy reading your posts immensely. This is one to print off and continue reflecting on. Thank you. Maria Howard.
ReplyDeleteThank you Maria. I do think it is a challenging sermon which we should reflect on more. I'm not sure how many of us preachers and worship leaders would be brave enough to preach on the wilderness state today, yet feel it could be powerful to allow people to admit that they are there.
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