Those in the Wilderness
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain,” Isaiah 40:3-4.
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Matthew 3:1-7.
There are many of us who have chosen to leave the organized church system in order to find true worship among the waste places — along the by-ways, and away from the crowd.
Many have chosen this path for various reasons, and yet, God has led you through this journey, and you have found a deep and abiding relationship with the Father.
John the Baptist preached repentance to many during the time that Jesus walked the earth. He spoke to the Pharisees and Sadducees, telling them of their self-righteousness and pride in how they followed the law.
He found that he was much more comfortable in the surroundings of the wilderness amidst the trees and hills outside of Jerusalem. And yet, his focus was not upon himself, but on the one who was to come.
John was sickened by the trappings of the temple, and the glorified surroundings that directed man to an outward form of worship rather than finding a genuine, truer form.
Later on we find the words of Jesus echoed in this when He said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:24.
In order to find this type of worship, one must enter into a heart-felt and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The truth of worship is not found in a regimented display of standing up and sitting down, and taking up an offering plate during a service.
A genuine form of worship is not displayed when one dresses-up in their best suit and tie and polishes their shoes. Our jewelry and the outward adorning of hair doesn’t please the Father in the least. He looks at our hearts, and this is where our worship is to come from.
Certainly we need to find others that we can worship with and find fellowship with them in the body of Christ. This form of fellowship may or may not be in the ‘church building’ on the corner of the street.
It may well be in a home, or in the hills, or even through the internet. God is Spirit, and He is not confined to a certain building that houses an altar made of carved wooden statues, a red carpet, or stained-glass windows.
“But that night the Lord spoke his word to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Will you build a house for me to live in? From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until now I have not lived in a house. I have been moving around all this time with a tent as my home. As I have moved with the Israelites, I have never said to the tribes, whom I commanded to take care of my people Israel, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?”’ 2 Samuel 7:4-7.
Don’t be ashamed of the place you have found in the wilderness. Know that He is doing a deep work within you that will be everlasting, and that it will cause you to be sustained during the days ahead.
In order to be prepared for the days of darkness that are coming, and that have already started, one must be able to hear His voice clearly. The voices that cry out around us even in certain church settings may well be misleading.
The road is narrow that leads unto everlasting life and there are few that find it. Don’t settle for the road that may appear to be narrow just because it has the trappings of what may appear to be true.
Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson
Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?
Thanking God for using His prophet to confirm this “on time” word, my brother. Blessings!
Thank You so much for this word. I have been in the wilderness for ten years now.
I didn’t even know about the wilderness experience at first. No one ever taught me about. But gradually reading inspirational material, I learned that most people the Lord used in the Bible went though a wilderness experience.
I also learned how important Israel was to God and that they were Gods prophetic time clock. And finally, over the last few years,of reading sites like this, and other ministries like john Hagee, God has revealed to me, that we’re are in the end times.
I had no idea of any of this stuff. I believe the Lord took some of us out of the church,so that we could get these revelation.
Instead of going to church, I watched ministries on television. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to have the church experience, I was just to depressed to go.
I lacked the energy and desire to most things in life as well as going to church.during this difficult time in my life, just seem like another chore to me. I believed that I have learned what I needed to in the wilderness, and I pray that I’m coming out soon.
Though the road has been difficult with many days I wanted to take my own life,and sometimes my daughter, I and here to praise the Lord for this wilderness experience, because I wouldn’t have learned these thing anywhere else.
God is getting us prepared for the last harvest of souls.He is Lord of the Harvest.
Thank You almighty King!,,,,,,,,
Oh dear brother, we are SO one with you in the wilderness, where His Spirit and Voice has lead us to worship Him through perfect obedience to Him. Intimacy with Him with the quality of first-best-hot Love for Him. His Spirit has been free to accomplish “H I S!” ministry of Isaiah 61, Luke 4:18-19
If His Spirit leads , please do consider Canada, we would welcome you.
Father bless you and your family, in Jesus’ Name.
Amen. We have known this for over 30 years
True insight, dear brother Stephen. I always sensed there was something wrong when the call for money came when church was called to sing and praise in unity. So all had to grab their money pockets out and watched for that offering plate or basket to pass through the rows. The songs and unity were ruined. Strategies and psychology have arrived in churches…
I am glad you understand Isaiah’s, John’s and the Spirit’s last call for preparation.