Surviving And Thriving In The Wilderness

Title: Surviving and Thriving in the Wilderness

Theme:

Text: Exodus

Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

(Exodus 13:17-18)

"Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.

(Deuteronomy 8:1-5)

Coming through Egypt – a place of bondage. The Bible says that when were in sin we were slaves to sin.

The Ten Plagues – The Blood - Salvation

“When I see the blood I will pass over you”

We can stop right here and think about all the things that has been passed over in our life. The Lord protected us, kept the enemy from us.

Getting through the Red Sea – Deliverance from your enemy, liberation

Here we are introduced to The cloud by day and fire by night.

It what held back the enemy as Israel went by the Red Sea. It was what will hold back the enemy in your life. The fire of the Holy Spirit burning. Not giving any place to the devil.

The Next part of the Journey is the Wilderness.

Reasons for the Wilderness

1. Sin

2. Lessons to learn

3. Remove obstacles, defeat the enemies.

Wandering in the Wilderness – Process Sanctification

We are wounded because we have been sinned against.

A. Discontentment

Mamer – Exodus 15

A memory and longing for the past.

Grumbling

Complaining about the present

1 Corinthians 10:10 Nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.

Bitterness “a root” – this sets in

Later on after God’s provision of Mannah they wanted more they wanted meat. Exodus 16, Numbers 11

There are a few times that Israel is caught complaining. It seems to be that every time they faced a challenge they complained.

Here with bitter water

New Testament on Bitterness

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Acts 8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Ephesians 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

B. Rebellion

These seem like easy commands to follow. God said it so we do it. We may even say, “If God spoke to me the way He speaks to Israel, I would . . .” Yet remember God was speaking through Moses the leader.

Today we have a hard time following the lead of our spiritual leader.

Psalms 1 “getting council from the world”.

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalms 1:1-6)

I have had people come to me and say, “Pastor, I feel the Lord leading me to . . .” This is before asking their pastor for advice or joining in prayer. They already have their mind made up.