Isaiah 51: 3b He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord
We cannot dictate when God puts us into a wilderness season but what we can dictate is how long we spend in the Wilderness season. Our obedience can allow us to move with the perfect timing of God whereas our disobedience can delay our process (Exodus 16:35).
God’s desire is not for us to live in the Wilderness. God intentionally made the Garden of Eden and put man there to dwell (Genesis 2:4) . Eden was meant to be man’s habitation on earth and man was simply suppose to extend an Eden-like atmosphere to the whole world (Gen 1:28). However, the fall of man gave birth to human imperfection which meant that God now needed a space called the wilderness to process us back to His original intent.
Wilderness Vs Eden
Let’s have a look at what the words Eden and Wilderness actually mean.
Eden (In the Hebrew, Aden):
Pleasure
Fruitfulness
A place of easy growing
Fertility
Wilderness (In the Hebrew, Midbar)
Pasture, uninhabited land
An uncultuvated, uninhabited, inhospitable region (hospital for animals)
A neglected or abandoned area
A position of disfavour
An area that is not used to growing crops and people don’t reside in it due to weather being too hot or too cold
Of course, we want to reside in Eden but in order to enter Eden, we must successfully handle the Wilderness. Meditating on the Wilderness, I began to think about what makes the Wilderness geographically different from an Eden. I believe as a response, God highlighted some key differences which relate to the practical actions we can take to successfully transition (in the Lord’s timing of course) out of the Wilderness into Eden.
In the Wilderness crops do not grow, therefore you must break up the fallow ground
“Break off all evil habits, clear your hearts of weeds, in order that they may be prepared for the seed of righteousness.”(Hosea 10:12)
“Break up your fallow ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts (Jeremiah 4:3).
Fallow ground is soil that was once tilled (the soil has been turned over and it
was previously broken up) but now the land lays dry and in waste. At this stage, the soil now begins to produce weeds and it’s no longer suitable for planting. Breaking up the fallow ground is the process of tilling the ground and removing weeds before sowing any seeds. This analogy is used to represent the process we must continuously perform in our own hearts. This natural phenomenon represents a spiritual reality; soil represents our hearts, seed represents the Word of God, fruits/plants/crops represent Godly thoughts and weeds represents ungodly thoughts.
Weed are thoughts and inclinations that do not represent the kingdom of God (Hosea 10:12; Jeremiah 4:3). Weeds stand against fruitfulness and cause any seed that you sow not to grow. They crush the word of God and do not allow the word to take root in you.
Large amounts of weed growth can signal that the condition of the soil is poor. This mirrors the spiritual connection between one’s thoughts and one’s heart (as a man thinketh so is he, Proverbs 23:7). This means that breaking up the fallow ground cannot simply include the removal of weeds (ungodly thoughts/inclinations) but it also includes the cleansing of the soil (the mind/heart that produces such thoughts). In the parable of the Sower, the seed that fell on good soil was the one described as being able to ‘produce crop’.
In the physical, there is a type of soil that is defined as “chalky soil”. This soil is considered the worst kind of soil for cultivation because it carries mineral deficiencies. Anything that grows from a soil that lacks minerals will by default lack strength and substance. Likewise in the spiritual, if your soul has a deficit of his Word, it will not produce Godly thoughts.
2. The Wilderness’ climate is not conducive for growth, therefore seek God to create the right atmosphere
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel
As you worship, the atmosphere of your current dwelling place will be inhabited by God and filled with the atmosphere of heaven.
This will bring the correct atmosphere for your seed to be nurtured. Fruitfulness cannot be found in a place that is too hot or too dry for habitation. There is an optimum temperature needed for life to grow. Worship regulates the PH level of the air (atmosphere) and your soil (heart) . When the Spirit of the Lord comes, He brings His wind (Acts 2:2), his climate and his elements. Worship causes these things to build up and then suddenly things will begin to change– like a burst of rain after many days of great heat. Before you know it, the atmosphere will become perfect not only God but for His Word and your growth.
3. The Wilderness lacks rain, therefore you must worship
Isaiah 58:11 (NIV): The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
As the ground becomes plowed with worship and seeking God, this will eventually lead to God “coming and showering his righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12). Christ will come and bring power (Acts 1:8), blessings (James 1:17), light (Gen 1:3) and rain(Hosea 10:12). This rain will cause grass, trees, plants, livestock, rivers and everything that Eden has, to come. Where there is a river, there is prosperity. Geographically, the richest cities are often those by a river (London is an example of that). This is because rivers allow for trade between nations and countries which is good for economy. Worship and trade with God your sorrow for His joy; Your heaviness for His praise.
All in all, if you are in a Wilderness or a transitional season – God doesn’t want you there forever. However, it is imperative that you submit to God and His ways in order for you to transition from the wilderness to Eden.
Love you millions,
Della
