DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR IN A DESERT?

[Trish1947]

Have you reached a point in your life that your spiritual growth seem dry, distant,and are we being honest about it with our fellow believers? I have noticed especially in the Chrismatic movement, we sometimes don't admit it even to our closest brothers and sisters in Chirst, because they don't want to appear not on top of it spirtually. It's almost forbidden to admit too. Not that we should be complainers, but what has been your experience with this?

I would like honesty on this thread, if you feel this way, please feel free to post your feelings. God knows them anyway, and I think he would want us to be honest about how we feel. Not just bouncing off each others posts.

 

[altya]

YES!!!!

 

[Big Mouth Nana]

What a good topic!!!! My answer is, YES!!!!!!!!!! It seems like God is nowhere to be found, I'm not getting anywhere, Spiritually, financially, mentally, physically, etc, etc. This being the way that I feel, I REFUSE to complain. I am not going to be one of the complaining "Spiritual" house of Israel wandering around in the desert. I don't possibly have 40 years, since I am almost 54, lol. That would make me 98, rofl. TRUST, TRUST, TRUST, that He is fixing to bring us out of this desert, and into total blessings!!!! Praise Him in the midst of this wilderness experiance, and we will come out alot sooner and stronger for the experiance. I heard a minister say one time, when you feel that God is the fartherst away, and heaven seems to be closed, is when God is really the closest...AMEN, I AGREE.

 

[Hobo No More]

I have had times when God feels really far away. But after it I am built up stronger as Christian. So as tough as it is, it is worth it.

1 Corinthians 16

13Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

Have you reached a point in your life that your spiritual growth seem dry, distant,and are we being honest about it with our fellow believers? I have noticed especially in the Chrismatic movement, we sometimes don't admit it even to our closest brothers and sisters in Chirst, because they don't want to appear not on top of it spirtually. It's almost forbidden to admit too. Not that we should be complainers, but what has been your experience with this?

I would like honesty on this thread, if you feel this way, please feel free to post your feelings. God knows them anyway, and I think he would want us to be honest about how we feel. Not just bouncing off each others posts.

Oh YEAH! Lots of times. The elders would tell me I was just going through a dry spell. I really hated the feeling of being seperated from God. Now, I think back and it came to me how I was trying to direct God During these dry spells I would pray and fast. One day as I prayed I began to groan in my Spirit and out of my mouth in English came forth " I have faith in you Jesus" this was said 3 times and then 'teach me not to boast!" I was floored. I began to recall how I acted like a spoiled child

 

[Trish1947]

When I first became a Chrismatic, and saw what the Lord wanted for us, I was really a rotten brat. I was so demanding of God, I want it, and I want it now.. I'd cry, bellow like a wounded deer at Him.. And for some reason in his Grace he'd answer me. But I think He had had enough of my attitude, and said to me, Trish, stop it!!! It's still by my grace!!. Well I've grown up alot since then, but these dry spells I dont like, and I dont think i'll ever get used to them. And they are comming faster than I can keep up. My heater man just left and told me it would cost me 900.00 bucks to fix it..haha, oh, well, I'm trusting God.. What else can we do?

 

[Col]

There is an early Steven Curtis Chapman song called "Don't Let The Fire Die", which speaks of encouraging someone to fan their flame of faith when they feel llike giving up. Part of the Chorus goes like this:

Don't let the fire die
The flame has been dimmed by the tears that you've cried
But I can still see the spark of His love in your eyes
So don't let the fire, please don't let the fire die

Now when I first heard this song I hadn't been a Christian for very long, and I used find it difficult to believe that I would ever feel like my "fire was dieing", so I thought it an odd subject for a Christian song. But as I have grown as a Christian over the years I found that this song has become more and more relevant, and I often think about it and play it. It has encouraged me and makes me realise that feeling burnt out, frustrated or unworthy is not that uncommon as we strive to live a Christ centred life. I think that these feelings are testament to the fact that it is indeed a "narrow road", and there are times when we cannot see anything up ahead. However it is at these times we must remember why we started travelling this road in the first place and that in itself is often enough to keep the fire burning and fan that flame.

You are not alone in feeling this way at times Trish, and we will never be alone because Jesus promised.
Matthew 28:20
........ And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Bless Ya
Col <><

 

[crystalpc]

In almost 44 years I certainly have. Going through the motions, and doing my own thing. Thank God though every time he has dealt with me lovingly and gently, showed me my own thing wasn't his best for me. Yep been there done that, but I called it wilderness, but it is the same thing.

 

[Andry]

Oh YEAH! Lots of times. The elders would tell me I was just going through a dry spell. I really hated the feeling of being seperated from God. Now, I think back and it came to me how I was trying to direct God During these dry spells I would pray and fast. One day as I prayed I began to groan in my Spirit and out of my mouth in English came forth " I have faith in you Jesus" this was said 3 times and then 'teach me not to boast!" I was floored. I began to recall how I acted like a spoiled child

This is indeed an interesting topic.

Question 1: Why would you fast during these dry spells? This is not meant to be a rhetorical or critical question. I'd really like to know, why would you pray and fast.

Question 2: How do you know when you are no longer 'in the desert'? What would be some of the indicators of this? In fact, if you are no longer in the desert, where are you at then?

 

[Follower of Christ too]

This is indeed an interesting topic.

Question 1: Why would you fast during these dry spells? This is not meant to be a rhetorical or critical question. I'd really like to know, why would you pray and fast.

Question 2: How do you know when you are no longer 'in the desert'? What would be some of the indicators of this? In fact, if you are no longer in the desert, where are you at then?

During the times when it felt like my prayers were hitting the ceiling. It was awful. The truth is I had no desire to eat or do anything else until I had heard from God. When you are used to feeling the spirit of God and then suddenly it seems like there is nothing there it is wierd. I know a lot of people have told me of thier experience similar to this and they responded differently. They told me they waited and the Lord answered. Being in the desert is figurative. Truth is in the desert or not God is right there on hand. A lesson learned for me when I feel like this it always passes and is temporary. I have learned to live by faith and not by feelings or things seen, because I am a child of God.

 

[Trish1947]

Question 2: How do you know when you are no longer 'in the desert'? What would be some of the indicators of this? In fact, if you are no longer in the desert, where are you at then?

Being in the desert is a combination of things and events that happen in your life, and your praying, and praying, confessing the word, you have situations that just seem overwhelming at times, alot of times financial, or just sad news one after another or you just feel like your understanding of his ways with you, arent compatable with others testamonies,and God seems like he's a million miles away, you feel like your just going through the motions of life, because in that back of your mind your thinking, God where are you, I need your help, I'm doing everything that you said, but I dont feel your Spirit, you wear yourself out with it.. Finally, I just say to myself, O.k. God I know that your there somewhere, and I HAVE said if you want to ignore me, that fine. LOL. While I'm waiting for the thunderbolt to hit me. (duck), but He knows my frame, haha. and sometimes they pass right a way, Then your back into fellowship again, things are fine, your full of the Spirit again, happy as a clam... for awhile, then it starts again. I guess you would call those deserts, an opportunity to trust, a little bit more, and sometimes you have to trust, for a longer length of time.

Because when it comes right down to it.. He's faithfulness is not based on my emotions, or how I feel at the time. And sometimes we try to put God on a timetable that fits us. And it's always in His timing, But one thing for sure, He's never too late.

 

[enoch son]

This is a doctrine from the pit. God would never send His Son to the desert! The childern of Israel stay in the desert because of disobedience. God does not send His priesthood into the desert, for they are His son. God will left His presence from you if you put down His son.( like the work of salvation He has done ). I'm in the desert, is a put down, I'm not saved, is a pit down, I do not feel you, is a put down. The list can go on and on. I have hear them all. And they are all lies! "GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THEN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD". Stop looking at satan when you qoute this vers. and take at look at your dead flesh. Is it not in the world? It is the walk of faith not sight. So arise sleeper and let Christ shine from you. "YOU HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST" so use IT. AMEN I love you all.

 

[kh77]

"In the desert", wilderness experience, trials, tribulations and the like..., whatever one may call it, all of us have gone through it...

It may be from the devil, self inflicted due to disobedience or maybe even be from God...

Apostle Paul puts in so "humanly" (2 Cor 2:8-10)
"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us"

Even Jesus, the Son of God, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Lk 4:1-2
1Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2being tempted for forty days by the devil.

Personally, the most comforting thing when going through the desert, is Romans 8:28, ALL things work together for good... and I suppose that includes those things caused by our disobedience, the devil or whatever the cause is, known or unknown...

 

[Trish1947]

This is a doctrine from the pit. God would never send His Son to the desert! The childern of Israel stay in the desert because of disobedience

Enoch Son, I'm not sure that I understand your post. Maybe the truth of it that it's not a desert, although thats certainly how it feels.

"But the trial of your faith, worketh patience." So therefore there has to be those times for your faith to be tested. And maybe what most of us lack is patience.

It's easy to trust God when things are right, and you have fellowship, no troubles, everything is golden in your walk. Thats easy to do.

It's when all those things are not so, when your commanded to have faith anyway.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

Enoch Son, I'm not sure that I understand your post. Maybe the truth of it that it's not a desert, although thats certainly how it feels.

"But the trial of your faith, worketh patience." So therefore there has to be those times for your faith to be tested. And maybe what most of us lack is patience.

It's easy to trust God when things are right, and you have fellowship, no troubles, everything is golden in your walk. Thats easy to do.

It's when all those things are not so, when your commanded to have faith anyway.

I was going to respond to this but you have done it so well!

 

[enoch son]

the quote in the above text kh77 where on Paul flesh by men not God. Note paul did not blame God for man's acts or did he put down the Son. Nothing in the book say's that God will remove his presence from you or that that is even possible. So when a 1 Peter 1-4 (the whole chapter is great) comes on you. I say to you, that the firer is our God and by His grace he is refinning to a purer state of gold or silver. For you to cry out I'm in the derest and not rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Is putting down His Son! We serve at His good pleasurer.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

the quote in the above text kh77 where on Paul flesh by men not God. Note paul did not blame God for man's acts or did he put down the Son. Nothing in the book say's that God will remove his presence from you or that that is even possible. So when a 1 Peter 1-4 (the whole chapter is great) comes on you. I say to you, that the firer is our God and by His grace he is refinning to a purer state of gold or silver. For you to cry out I'm in the derest and not rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Is putting down His Son! We serve at His good pleasurer.

We always rejoice and praise God. not one person has said any different. Maybe you are not understanding this thread.Sometimes we all walk by faith. what I said was during these times I stay in prayer til the answer comes

 

[Trish1947]

For you to cry out I'm in the derest and not rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Is putting down His Son! We serve at His good pleasurer.

Come on now Enoch Son, Of course if you want to go down that route, then was Jesus sweating great drops of Blood, and crying out to God, "save me from this hour", nevertheless, Not my will but thine.. was not his flesh in great distress what He was about to go through, Or was he just railing against His God?? He knows that we are still people that have flesh to deal with. His was an extreme example to use of course. None of us has been asked to die yet. He became familier with our infirmities by taking on flesh and tasting what it was like to be in the flesh for every man.. I fight for my faith.. and if I see that it dont line up with Gods Word, you can bet, I will cry out to my God. It's the spiritual warfare that we wage, and If I need help from God. I'm going to say it.

 

[enoch son]

All I'm saying is this derest thing is not of the New Test. . It's the pit. It is works. But if you pray to remove it, it is then a work. How does one pray away the grace of God? Are earthly duties are to send the aroma of priases up to Him. Everything else is a act of grace from God. You do not have the right to intercede on your behalf or anyone behalf if the Lord does not tell you to pick up the petition. You have the right to lay it down, not to pick it up. And when He tells you to pick one up YOU WILL SEE THE GLORY OF GOD. I say to my brother and sister dance throw the firier of refinning. Look not upon the thing that is being burned off for it is dead anyway.

 

[Trish1947]

ENOCH SON...

ALL I CAN SAY TO THAT LAST POST IS, YIKES!!!