Danger of wilderness.

Rev. Peter Tuchyna

¶And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Numbers 21:4-9

Did it ever happen to you that someone told you, you are no good, low class, a looser, good for nothing?

Did you feel in the presence of some people out of place as they looked upon you as someone, who will never make it in life?

Did you experience low self esteem in your life when you started to believe what they were saying?

That’s how the chosen people of God (Israel) felt in Egypt, where they were enslaved.

If you think that to be exposed to such an extreme circumstance is demoralizing, let me remind you that all that it took to be delivered from such a miserable lifestyle was “to cry”.

It did not take a superman or superhuman abilities. It did not take a brilliant military skill and sophisticated weapons to defeat the enemy, who treated God’s people worse than their own dogs and horses.

All it took was to cry. Not to each other, but to cry “unto the Lord”. In the case of Israel, it took 430 years to make up their minds and to lift their voice unto the Lord. Anybody can cry. Small and great. Strong and weak. Men and women. Child and adult.

All it takes to be delivered from humiliating, degrading circumstances of life in misery is to call upon the name of Jesus and He “performs” the miracle of deliverance accompanied by signs, wonders and mighty hand of God, eliminating the power of slave masters.

The childhood or adulthood spent in slavery, the exposure to degrading, humiliating circumstances, every kind of addiction and the brainwash of evolution, humanism, false religions, “free” lifestyle, hindrances and deceit that you won’t make it, cannot stop God to deliver you into the promised land, when you want to be delivered.

There is a greater hindrance and obstacle than that, and it is ahead of you. It is called wilderness.

God wants you to realize today that between Egypt ( type of sin, slavery, humiliation, degradation), and the promised land of milk and honey is wilderness.

It took intervention and miracles of God to deliver Israel from Egypt, as it took a miracle of God in delivering you from the possession of the wicked one, who used many means to enslave you like pride, arrogance, self will, rebellion, sexual uncleanness, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, greed and so on.

By the power of the blood of Jesus your life was or may be spared. In order to enter into the promised land you need to go through wilderness.

Children of God are in the wilderness right now.

The Egypt can’t stop you. Slave masters can’t stop you, but the wilderness experience can stop you from entering the Promised Land.

Your past experience in unclean Egypt was washed by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary).

Discouragement

The wilderness experience caused some to complain, murmur, rebel, which resulted in lost joy and love for God and His servant.

They said that the young ones would not make it. Some are saying today that the young ones among us need more entertainment. God protected the young ones and they entered into the Promised Land but the old, who were hiding behind the young died in the wilderness.

The walk into the Promised Land is not linear straight. Sometimes it appears that there are some stops and turns and even U turns appearing to go backward.

You are never going backward, when you are in the will of God. Israel forced God to restrain their rage.

Do you know what the reason was that God sent them poisonous snakes? They complained about the manna, which represents the Word of God. They complained about the water, which represents the water baptism in Jesus name. They desired the bread of Egypt, which represents the carnal lifestyle, entertainment and human security.

Do you know why the poisonous snakes were sent? When Israel was bitten by them, all things they thought were reason for their unhappiness, became irrelevant.

Only one thing mattered now and it is to preserve life!

When Israel lost appreciation for God and for the deliverance from Egypt,

for the protection of God day and night, (cloud and pillar)

for daily provision (manna),

promised help to enter into the promised land,

they were in trouble. It started with complaints and it grew into rebellion and rejection of God and Moses.

Walk in the presence of God daily with thanksgiving. Be wise and understand the Word and the will of God.

The wilderness offered only two choices:

Walking with God in thanksgiving or

Fiery snakes.

I know what my choice is. What is yours? Do you encounter too many snakes and too many bites on your journey? Guess what is the reason for it?

Try to live the life of thanksgiving daily. You’ll be surprised.