Have you ever seen those movies where people are lost and they are wandering through a wooded area that is thick with trees and brush and they have their hands out in front of them trying to push their way through to see their way out of it? And it’s so dark that they can’t even see the sunlight through the tops of the trees. They are wandering in the wilderness. The wilderness I want you to focus on today is the wilderness of life. That wilderness of life could be made up of many different things. It could be the wilderness of sadness. The wilderness of disappointment. The wilderness of heartache. The wilderness of sorrow. The wilderness of bitterness. The wilderness of jealousy. The wilderness of loss. The wilderness of worry. The wilderness of financial debt. The wilderness of doubt. The wilderness of fear. The wilderness of loneliness. A wilderness of trials and tribulations. Whatever your wilderness is that you are wandering in today, my question to you is this…did you forget about God? What wilderness are you wandering in today?
One of the most prominent stories about wandering in the wilderness that we know about is the story of the Children of Israel. The Bible tells us that the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for many years and in Exodus 3:7-8 it tells us that God had indeed seen their suffering and He was going to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and take them to the promise land. It was the land of milk and honey. During that time Pharoah continued to bring trouble down on the Israelites. In Exodus 6:1-6 we see that Moses goes before the Lord on behalf of the Israelites. And God reaffirms his commitment to bring them out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and free them from being slaves. We also know that there were many plagues to occur before the Israelites were freed from the Egyptians. But amidst it all God was still with them even before Moses led them to the Red Sea. But what I found interesting as I was reading this passage was that I realized that the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness way before they reached the land of milk and honey that God had promised them. They had begun to allow the wilderness of doubt and fear to succumb to them. Where was their faith? What happens to your faith when you are wandering in the wilderness? Why do you allow the wilderness of worry to seep in? Why have you allowed the wilderness of doubt to seep in? You have prayed and asked God for help but because it is not happening in your time and the deadline is fast approaching you begin to stress and have doubt and fear.
Let me show you in the Word where this happened to the Israelites. In Exodus 14:10-12 it says 10“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11They said to Moses, Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, leave us alone, let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
How many of us have been at that point where we are ready to just accept whatever fate we feel has been planned for us because we feel it is easier than going thru the process God has laid out for us. We feel it is too hard, it is too painful for us to go through. We just can’t do it. Some may even blame God or the person that was put in place to help us. Asking why did you bring me to this if I’m still going to have what we feel is the same outcome? I could have stayed where I was. You see the Israelites were wandering way before they reached the Promise Land. Because they would rather feel the wrath of Pharaoh than to go through the process that God had planned for their lives to free them. Did they forget it was God providing them manna in the wilderness? Where is your faith today? God reacts in His time not ours. You must have faith and believe in God and take Him at His Word. You have to step out on faith. Trust God. I’m here to tell you that God is still in control even in the midst of your wilderness. You just need to trust him. What wilderness are you wandering in today? Where is your faith?
My next point is this. Who do you want to be wandering in the wilderness with Pharoah or God? Some of us got us a posse that we hang around with and it’s the wrong one. Your posse needs to be the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. You are surrounded by the wrong people. For some of you, that’s your wilderness right there. The Bible tells us in the book of Numbers Chapter 13 that God had Moses to send twelve spies to search the land and bring back a report. They were gone for forty days. They found that the land was beautiful and fruitful and they also found that the people were big and powerful giants. Now two of the twelve spies felt that they should go and take the land. They had faith that they could conquer the land and win. But the other ten had doubt they did not believe. They felt that the people there were stronger and bigger than them and that there was no way they could conquer the land. They forgot who was with them. They forgot it was God who had given them the assignment. Just like the Israelites listening to the ten spies, we go ask one of our girlfriends or we feel like we must ask one of our boys instead of talking to God about our situation. They tell you man you better not do that. Or girl uh huh I wouldn’t do that. How many times have you let the opinion of others, or the advice of others dictate your outcome or your way of thinking instead of listening to God? People and circumstances can have you wandering in the wilderness. Have you forgotten who holds your hand? Have you forgotten who your Father is? Have you forgotten what the Word says in Psalms 121: 1-2 1“I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? 2My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.” He is your Father in heaven. He holds everything you need in the palm of His hand all you must do is trust and believe. Ask Him and you shall receive. Stop wandering in the wilderness. Stop wandering in the wilderness of fear and doubt and unbelief. At the first sign of trouble, we are ready to run for the hills. We are ready to listen to anyone ready to give advice even if they don’t even know what they are talking about. Let me tell you something else, Newsflash… everyone is not your friend. Everyone is not cheering you on. Everyone does not want you to succeed. Sometimes your wilderness is the friends you keep. God is trying to get you out of the wilderness today. Stop wandering in the wilderness.
My last and final point is one in which you must be truly accountable for your own actions. Are you wandering in the wilderness by choices you have made? It’s time to examine your life. Some of you may have been wandering in the wilderness for a long time. Your faith has wavered. You have made some wrong choices and decisions. You have made some wrong turns. Your pride has also gotten in the way. And for some of us, pride can truly be a downfall if we don’t swallow it and allow God to take control. You are listening to everyone but God. You have forgotten who is in control. You have forgotten who holds your hand, who protects you, who loves you. You have forgotten who can make the impossible possible. You are wandering in the wilderness. The wilderness of financial debt. The wilderness of marital struggles. Maybe, it is a wilderness of wrong choices that you have made that God is trying to guide you through but you’re not listening. Some of you are wandering right now. You are feeling the darkness overtaking you. You are succumbing to your wilderness. Allow God to help you. Stop wandering in the wilderness.
Whoever you are stop wandering in the wilderness. Stop worrying about your situation. Stop worrying about your marriage. Stop worrying about your husband. Stop worrying about your wife. Stop worrying about your child. Stop worrying about your bills. Stop worrying about your job. Stop worrying about your business. Stop worrying about your mortgage. Whatever your wilderness is right now, you can speak to your wilderness. Pick up your bible and speak the Word over your situation right now. Jesus spoke to that fig tree, did He not? Yes, He did. You have the same authority, speak to your wilderness. Speak to your situation. Speak to your mountain. Mark 11:22-23 says 22“Have faith in God, Jesus answered. 23Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, Go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Psalm 121:1-2 says 1I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? 2My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT GOD. YOU CAN’T GIVE UP NOW. YOU’VE COME TOO FAR. The Children of Israel began to give up. Their faith wavered. Don’t be like the Children of Israel. Don’t give up on God. Stop wandering in the Wilderness. Stop wandering in the wilderness of loneliness. Stop wandering in the wilderness of doubt. Stop wandering in the wilderness of self-pity. Stop wandering in the wilderness of grief. Stop wandering in the wilderness of “I’m just not good enough”. Stop wandering in the wilderness of marital struggles. Stop wandering in the wilderness of low self-esteem. Stop wandering in the wilderness of financial struggles. Stop wandering in the wilderness of what am I going to do now God. Stop wandering in the wilderness and remember who holds your hand. And when you must go through STOP taking everybody with you. Take God with you. Take God at His Word and USE YOUR WEAPON. Speak the Word over your situation and keep the Faith. Stop wandering in the wilderness and trust God.
