WHEN THE GAP BECOMES A WILDERNESS (1)

Read: Numbers 14:26- 35

Meditation verse:

““They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character” (Psalm 105:18-19, NLT).

The dream that God has placed in your heart will require seasons of preparation and training. The greater the dream, the longer and more strenuous the training. The fact that God has revealed your dream to you is no guarantee that He will immediately unleash you to begin to live it out. There may be a gap period between when He reveals your dream to you and when He gives you the go ahead. The gap period is a time of preparation. Biblical characters like David, Joseph, Paul and even our Lord Jesus Christ did not start their ministries immediately. There was a gap between David’s call and his first work experience in the court. Joseph moved from his dream to the pit, from the pit to Potiphar’s house, from Potiphar’s house to prison, before he was exalted to the palace. Every step of the way, in character and competence, he was being prepared for his dream. Saul had a three-year gap before he began his ministry as Paul, the Apostle. Between ages 12 and 30, Jesus immersed himself in scripture, worked with his father, Joseph on his trade and looked after his mother, before He began His ministry at age 30.

Similarly, you may undergo a period of preparation before you launch your dream. Your gap period will require preparation in three main areas: Preparation of Character, Preparation of Competence and Preparation of Circumstances. Sometimes the gap period may linger until it eventually becomes a wilderness experience. The journey to the promised land was supposed to take a few days, but the Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place where water is scarce, where a traveller walks alone devoid of protection and where wild animals live. Such a traveller is bound to experience fear, doubt, and loneliness. The bible often depicts the experience of God’s blessings or presence with the ‘imagery of water’: streams and rivers “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…” (Ps 1: 1-3).  A wilderness experience is therefore a season where you experience bareness, distress, doubt, and alienation from God. In a spiritual wilderness, God feels far away, distant, absent, and unresponsive (D. W. Ekstrand). You hear nothing, see nothing, and know nothing. At such times, you feel your dream slipping away and fear it may never happen. What do you do if you find yourself in such a place?

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Oke Chinye

Have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart?

He says in Mathew 11:28, “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He longs to give you rest.

Would you like to do so now? Here’s a prayer you can say:

Dear Jesus, I believe that You died to save me from all my sins. Today, I invite you into my heart and I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive all my sins and help me to live my life for You.

If you prayed this prayer, send me an email at rockteachingministry@gmail.com. I would love to pray with you personally and send you a copy of my book; ‘Living the Life’ to encourage you as you begin your new life in Christ.

I look forward to hearing from you.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Oke Chinye.
Have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart?

He says in Mathew 11:28, “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He longs to give you rest."

Would you like to do so now? Here’s a prayer you can say:
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died to save me from all my sins. Today, I invite you into my heart and I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive all my sins and help me to live my life for You.

If you prayed this prayer, send me an email at rockteachingministry@gmail.com

I would love to pray with you personally and send you a copy of my book; ‘Living the Life’ to encourage you as you begin your new life in Christ.