Edge of the wilderness

Sometimes when we are not hearing the Lord in our lives we begin to believe we are in a wilderness season. Wilderness seasons are often a time where the Lord is preparing us mentally and physically for new growth and breakthrough, but it is not always where we actually are. Sometimes the Lord is asking us to seek him with all our hearts and give Him our undivided attention before He is ready to speak and reveal what He has for us. John Bevere has a great teaching on wilderness seasons through MessengerX if you believe you are in one now and would like some encouragement in that area.

A consistent theme I have been seeing and hearing come from the Lord is to be still and press in to His presence. He is drawing us into him. Lana Vawser released a prophetic word through The Elijah List this morning titled "I Have Treasures in Stillness Awaiting You". In this she speaks of how the Lord revealed to her His heart to see His followers press in and dwell in his presence and NOT rush ahead.

There are so many scriptural references that confirm His heart for this in His children. Abraham and Sarah had to wait on the Lord for the child that was promised. When they lost faith and felt the Lord forgot about His promise they tried to make it happen according to their will and time. Abraham had a child with Sarah's maid. I imagine that by the time that happened they started to doubt and question what the Lord said and meant. Sound familiar? This is the same doubt that came from the serpent in the garden... "Did God really say...?" I could see Sarah and Abraham questioning if the Lord had meant He would make it happen or if they had understood wrong and maybe the Lord meant they were supposed to work out the details themselves. They took matters into their own hands and didn't wait on the Lord. The result was a child, but it was not the fullness of the blessing promised or what God had wanted for them. Sarah was jealous and hurting and Abraham was trying to hold on to God's promise. Because of his faith that one way or another what the Lord spoke would come to pass God still worked everything out according to His plan and blessed Sarah and Abraham with the child he told him they would have. When Moses was leading Israel out of Egypt they wondered through the wilderness for 40 years because they would not trust in the Lord and His goodness. They did not believe that His heart was for them. God needed them to see him in a right perspective to continue and grow as His chosen people and spread the truth of His glory throughout all nations. When the people doubted, after everything He had done for them, and they grew fearful and did not trust the Lord an entire generation did not get to see the promise land. These are real life examples for us that we need to take to heart and learn from. The only way to walk in the blessings the Lord has for us is to do it according to His plan and with a right perspective. The more you seek Him and sit in His presence and listen to what he reveals to you the easier it will be to live a blessed life. People will see the abundant favor the Father has lavished on you and your testimony will give Him the glory. It is a testimony to His goodness and love. It is what will draw more hearts to Christ. When you walk in love because you are loved others will seek that out and be drawn to the Father desiring goodness and love as well.

When the Lord is calling us to be still and draw into Him, to dwell in his presence, and we don't set ourselves apart and enter into that presence it can feel like we are in a desolate place. We don't feel Him or hear Him or see Him acting in our lives, but He has not forsaken us, He is just waiting for us to listen and obey. Filling our time with things in His name, going to meetings and gatherings are all empty if it is not with Him. John Bevere has another great course and book titled Good or God that discusses how easy it is to drift away from God through things that all seem good. In Matthew 7:21 the Lord says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Relationship is not about doing actions in our own strength or plan for our own glory any more than belief and acceptance of Lordship is found in simply reciting a confirmation prayer.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. " - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God's displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.] [Habakkuk 2:4] - John 3:36 AMPC

Relationship and Faith are found in the way we live and reflect what we believe in our every day actions. I see this so clearly in my children when they behave in a way that is not consistent with what I have taught them or reflective of what we believe as a family. I tell them, you did not learn that from me. This is not something a son of mine would do. - Not that I would disown my son over their actions, but only to say that behavior is not an accurate representation of who we are or what we believe. It is reflective of some outside influence from our family that is not consistent with their inner heart and self. It aligns them and reminds them of what we believe and how we should act. We all need this reminder from time to time. We all forget ourselves or lose our temper. God knows our hearts and knows our human condition. He sends us nudges to remind us who and whose we are.

I would like to encourage you to set aside 30 minutes to sit and press in to the Lord and just be in his presence with no distractions. No praise music, no to do list for the Lord, no prayer requests, not giving Him your vision of how things need to go... just sit and say Lord, I am here to be with you. I want to hear what you want to say to me and know you like you spoke with Moses. I want my inner and outward desires to be a true belief in you. Contend for that presence. Don't give up if after 5 minutes you don't hear from Him. Don't give up if after 10 minutes you haven't heard from Him. Make Him your heart's greatest desire and resolve to sit until you have heard from Him. Fight for the breakthrough presence as if you life depended on it and believe He has the ability to change your life.

Father I pray Colossians 1: 9-14 over the hearts of your believers:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, how has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Lord, fill your sons and daughters with the knowledge of your will and Holy Spirit give them wisdom and understanding and a heart to obey and seek you first in all things. Let their lives reflect you and let them be filled with love. Let them draw every lost person they encounter into your presence and draw every heart to you. Thank you for the abundant love and salvation you have given us in Christ Jesus. In Jesus' name. Amen.