Another priority for physical survival in the desert is building a fire. The fire’s heat can dry wet clothes and keep the body warm in cold conditions. It can also purify water by boiling it. Experts say that fire even has the psychological effect of boosting morale during a survival situation. Its warmth and light give comfort and restore confidence. This helps the stranded person calm down and think more logically.
We need these advantages of fire for our spiritual lives also. Wilderness seasons make us vulnerable to negative attitudes. Sorrow can soak us like a cold rain. Anger can sneak in and contaminate the thoughts we drink. And the desert’s big danger, disillusionment, can blind us to the hope of the Lord’s faithfulness that leads us out to the Promised Land. But God’s fire consumes these dangers. It dries out sorrow, boils away the impurity of anger, and emits a glow in the desert night that restores faith. Divine fire brings revival in the wilderness.
But what does it look like practically? What is God’s “fire” for a personal desert? The story of Israel’s time in the wilderness again provides the answer.
As we saw last time, Israel’s desert period was God’s appointed time to establish His presence with His people. “So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:33-34). That’s the moment when God took up residence among His people. But that was just the beginning. God was establishing even more for His people during their formative time in the wilderness.
Once He established His presence among them, God had to institute a way for His people to approach Him. In other words, He had to teach them how to worship Him. And what was at the centre of the worship He gave them? Fire. “Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces” (Lev. 9:23-24).
What, therefore, is our “fire” during a personal wilderness? It is passionate, sacrificial worship. Trials or dry spells are not the times to allow the flames of devotion to cool down. Those are the very times to burn the brightest. Whole-hearted, sacrificial worship is what keeps our gaze fixed on the beauty and truth of Jesus Christ during difficult times. It keeps our hearts ablaze with love and adoration. That is the fire that keeps sorrow, anger, and disillusionment out of our hearts. What coldness or impurity can withstand the flames of divine love? What demonic predator dares come near a saint torching the night with an inferno of worship? Fiery devotion terrorizes our enemies and acts as a defence against desert dangers. Most of all, though, it pleases God.
It’s important to remember, however, that Israel did not start its own fire. The Lord did. Those stranded in a physical wilderness without matches or a lighter must start their own fire with the raw materials nature provides them. That can be a challenge for those without experience in survival techniques. But this is one challenge that does not carry over to the spiritual wilderness. We never have to worry about lighting our own fire. Just as fire came out from the Lord’s presence for Israel’s altar, so does He ignite the flames in our hearts. Father God already gave us the Holy Spirit when we were born again. The Lord Jesus then baptizes us in the Holy Spirit by grace. The spirit of worship comes from God as a gift. We don’t have to look to our surrounding circumstances for inspiration. We can look to the Lord and rediscover the great fire that burns within.
Yet it is our job to keep that fire burning. God starts it, but commands us to maintain it. “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out” (Lev. 6:13). We must partner with the Lord as stewards of worship in the desert. Paul tells us, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1). Later he adds, “Boil in the Spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). God gave us the Spirit, but we are responsible to stoke His flames by worshipping in Him during hard times.
Thus Paul exhorts believers to activate the Spirit’s existing flame: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:18-20).
Worship touches God’s depths when it burns from our depths. The Lord did not wait to establish Israel’s worship until they settled in Canaan. He set them on fire in the desert, before the Promised Land. He could not afford for them to learn to worship only after gaining public success and identity. He had to teach them to worship in order to forge their identity. Otherwise their worship would be “strange fire,” a self-serving religious facade without presence or substance – without God Himself.
Israel’s character had to be tempered by fire while suffering in Sinai’s badlands. They couldn’t light themselves on fire once they arrived. They had to emerge from the wilderness already ablaze with God. For this reason the Lord appeared privately to Moses in a burning desert bush. He was symbolizing His people’s essential identity. Israel was a bush in the desert flaming with God. God took that bush as it burned with His glory, and planted it in the Promised Land.
It is the same for us. God brings us into the wilderness to set us on fire. Then He can bring people into their destiny that have learned to worship – truly worship – Him with loyal, fervent hearts. We cannot become pure sacrifices of love if we learn to worship only under the most ideal conditions, during exciting services, to the coolest music, and with the best musicians. We must learn to worship in the wilderness. If we won’t burn for God in the desert, then we won’t burn for Him at all. Conversely, if we will worship in the obscurity of the wilderness, then God can use us in public. For then our flames consist of white-hot glory, rather than carnal passion. This is how God creates true worshippers. So don’t waste your wilderness. Make it a temple of glory.
If you’ve lost the sense of His fire amid the harsh conditions of your personal desert, then turn to God again. You possess God’s flame burning inside you. Fellowship with the Spirit within, and find again His zeal to glorify Jesus and adore the Father. Open your heart in spite of your circumstances and natural feelings, and allow adoration to flow out of your mouth. Remember His amazing grace, His steadfast love, and His gift of Jesus Christ to you. Give thanks with passion. Worship with affection. Not because you feel like it, but because the Lord is worthy – especially in the desert. When you put yourself on the altar like this, God’s flames will consume you as a living sacrifice. And the resulting fire will protect your heart, nurture your soul, and illumine your night. Engulf your wilderness in a blaze of worship!
Whether you’re facing a wilderness or have in the past. Order today Daniel Kolenda’s ‘Wilderness Survival Guide’ Combo Pack - as a spiritual “Survival Guide” for the desert — the supreme source of wisdom both for enduring the wilderness, as well as navigating safely through it to God’s promised destination.
Click the link above to order the combo pack!
TIP #4: BUILD A FIRE
Daniel Kolenda
INTRODUCTION - THE PATHWAY OF ADVERSITY
Daniel Kolenda
"If you're going through hell, keep going!" So said Winston Churchill during one of the worst crises in world history. And these words of wisdom still apply to anyone passing through a trial today. Adversity does not have to become our destination. It can be a pathway to something greater. Maybe you are passing through a difficult season in your life. Perhaps you feel spiritually dry and alone. You might feel as though your prayers are not being heard and you wonder if God even knows where you are. You are not alone. Millions of believers have passed through these troubled waters and experienced the same emotions. King David sang about the "deep sunless valley of the shadow of death." John of the Cross wrote of the "dark night of the soul." Even Jesus went through times of suffering when He had to offer "prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death" (Heb. 5:7). People often refer to such seasons as, The Wilderness. The wilderness is a hard place. But it's as crucial for our lives as it is painful. While a desert season feels terribly wrong, and loneliness and despair may seem to reign, God is with you and He desires to use the wilderness for your eternal good. To reap its benefits, however, you must understand its nature and purpose. That's the reason I wrote the Surviving Your Wilderness book and have created this special, email series. It looks to the Bible as a spiritual "Survival Guide" for the desert – the supreme source of wisdom both for enduring the wilderness, as well as navigating safely through it to God's promised destination. But first things first. If you have not been born again into the family of God, then the wisdom that follows cannot apply to you. Before a person receives the mercy of God through faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is lost in a perpetual wilderness that stretches beyond this world and into the next. And there's no way out – except one: repent and believe the Gospel. Entering God's Kingdom by making Jesus your Lord and Saviour makes you a child of the most loving, powerful, and wonderful Father. He knows how to guide and take care of you as you traverse life's journey, even when it leads you into a wilderness. His wisdom for the wilderness is what I want to explore in this timely, email study. To do that I will adopt six tips survival experts give for those stranded in the wilderness. As you will see, the secrets for surviving a physical wilderness bear striking parallel to those for surviving a spiritual one. Survival Tip #1 - Don't Panic Survival Tip #2 - Assess Your Situation Survival Tip #3 - Find Shelter Survival Tip #4 - Build a Fire Survival Tip #5 - Drink Water Survival Tip #6 - Find Nourishment Now read Survival TIP #1 - DON'T PANIC Whether you're facing a wilderness or have in the past. Order today Daniel Kolenda's 'Wilderness Survival Guide' Combo Pack - as a spiritual "Survival Guide" for the desert — the supreme source of wisdom both for enduring the wilderness, as well as navigating safely through it to God's promised destination. Click the link above to buy the combo pack!
SURVIVAL TIP #1 - DON’T PANIC
Daniel Kolenda
Surviving a physical wilderness takes more than the skills to build a shelter, start a fire, and purify water. It requires a certain psychology, a mindset, a will to live that overcomes the fear and stress associated with crisis. In fact, some people who possessed the skill still died when stranded in a physical wilderness because they lacked the will. And others who lacked the skill but had the will, found a way to survive. Upon entering a spiritual wilderness, our tendency is often to let our imagination run wild. "Will I ever make it out?" "Why is this happening to me?" "I don't feel ready for this." "Does God not realise what I'm going through?" "Is He angry with me?" "Is He judging me?" "Is He even real?" Though it's natural to ask questions like these, obsessing over them depletes our resolve to believe God. And since these questions relate to the very nature of God, their responses must be biblically sound. That's why our study begins here. In the wilderness, perspective is everything. So if you find yourself in a wilderness: don't panic. Take a deep breath. Take a moment to remind yourself who God is, who you are in Christ, and what the Bible says about His faithfulness during troubled times. Fear makes you susceptible to lies from the enemy. He will lie about God's faithfulness and love for you. He'll even lie about God's existence, or about how valuable you are to Him. Such lies are meant to sap you of spiritual stamina. But that's just when the "will to live" must rise the will to live in the Spirit while you pass through desert regions. For God's children in the wilderness, the "will to live" does not merely refer to a desire to survive. It refers rather to an earnest determination to believe God. During spiritual drought, you must determine sometimes against all circumstances, emotions, and even the advice of friends that God is real. He is good. He is faithful, and you will make it through to the other side with Him. Don't let the enemy or circumstances define who God is for you. Refuse to allow yourself to believe anything but God's Word. Resolve as David did during a spiritual desert: "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!" (Ps 57:7). One of the most important things you can understand is that even when it seems like everything around you is spinning out of control, if you are a child of God, there is nothing that touches your life that is not ultimately under God's supervision. Everything in your life is somehow "Father filtered." He loves you dearly and deeply. He is watching over you, and won't allow anything to separate you from Him. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38). Allow God's invincible love to cast out all of your fear. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5) Now read TIP #2: ASSESS YOUR SITUATION - Part 1 (The Resource of God's Word) Whether you're facing a wilderness or have in the past. Order today Daniel Kolenda's 'Wilderness Survival Guide' Combo Pack - as a spiritual "Survival Guide" for the desert — the supreme source of wisdom both for enduring the wilderness, as well as navigating safely through it to God's promised destination. Click the link above to buy the pack!
TIP #2: ASSESS YOUR SITUATION - Part 1 (The Resource of God's Word)
Daniel Kolenda
Those stranded in the wilderness must constantly evaluate their situation. They need to take stock of their resources and understand their surroundings. That way they can move forward with a level head and a good idea of what's necessary to get through. What are your Resources? If we were lost in the wilderness, our odds of survival would drastically improve if we possessed a few basic supplies like food, water, a knife, or matches. Never are these provisions more important than when our survival is at stake. This is also true for the spiritual wilderness. The resources God has given us for spiritual life are always precious, but in the wilderness we must rediscover them and cling to them like never before. These resources are the Word of God, the fellowship of saints, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God God's Word is an oasis of truth in any spiritual desert. No matter how barren the season, it is an ever-present source of renewal and strength. It does not depend on outward circumstances to be effective. Christ's Word "dwells among you richly" (Col 3:16) because "the word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart" (Rom 10:8). When outward conditions contradict the truth, the truth must determine our inward condition. "You desire truth in the innermost being" (Ps 51:6). This allows us to live and speak from our heart - the hidden chamber that stores God's Word - and not from our circumstances. "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Ps 119:11). This is especially important when the enemy takes advantage of our wilderness by flooding us with lies and temptations. Our only weapon against him is the truth of God's Word. That is our wisdom for the wilderness. Jesus exemplified this in His own wilderness when He responded to the devil's temptations by quoting Scripture (Matt 4:1-11). He reached into His internal arsenal, found just the right texts, and fired truth back at his enemy. God's written Word has incredible power when we believe. It is our greatest resource during dry seasons. Not only does it protect us from lies, but God's Word also reminds us of His purpose for the wilderness itself. The wilderness can knock us off kilter and make us feel like something is terribly wrong. But the truth of God's Word provides wisdom to put everything in perspective. The two disciples walking the road to Emmaus were suffering the pain of a sudden spiritual desert. They were totally disoriented, darkened with the despondence of dashed hopes and a chilling sense of prevailing evil. Their hero had died. Jesus of Nazareth, the mighty prophet whom they thought would redeem Israel, seemed to perish in shame like a false Messiah. Religious leaders mocked and murdered Him. Now their aspirations of freedom and glory lay buried with Him. How could this have happened? How could such hope be turned so suddenly into a wasteland? Jesus comes along incognito. He walks beside them and interviews them. He learns what they are discussing and why they are so sad. Then He completely transforms their perspective by explaining the Scriptures to them (Luke 24:27). "Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" (Luke 24:26). Notice that Jesus does not first reveal Himself to them in person, showing them that He is alive and well and walking right next to them. Rather, His identity remains hidden while He explains from the written Word that their circumstances are not dismal after all. They are necessary to God's plan of salvation. Jesus does not change their circumstances; He changes their perspective through the wisdom of the Scriptures. Now they will understand, not just that Jesus came back from the dead, but that the whole "tragedy" was actually God's plan from the beginning. There was no other way to forgive their sins and exalt the King. Truth from the Scriptures transformed their viewpoint, not their situation. That is the power of God's Word. It is a most wonderful treasure when you find yourself in the desert. As you assess your resources, rediscover the Word - because in the wilderness, perspective is everything. Now read TIP#2 - ASSESS YOUR SITUATION - Part 2 (The Fellowship of the Saints) Whether you're facing a wilderness or have in the past. Order today Daniel Kolenda's 'Wilderness Survival Guide' Combo Pack - as a spiritual "Survival Guide" for the desert — the supreme source of wisdom both for enduring the wilderness, as well as navigating safely through it to God's promised destination. Click the link above to buy the pack!