SurvivorMan
Pt. 1
No one likes to talk about the dry times. At least that is true most of the time. Les Stroud who stars in SurvivorMan not only talks about it he films it and profits from dry times. We prefer that everyone would believe that we are always living the good life. That everything is perfect. That we are always blessed, always shouting and always on cloud nine. We have bought the concept of fake it until you make it. Keep the smile on your face even though you are dry. Never let them see you sweat! We have heard that God doesn’t intend for us live in survival mode and that He has significance for us. And so we don’t talk much about how to survive. However, if we would be totally honest this morning the truth is that many of us are living smack dab right in the middle of dry times. We are just trying to make it, to get by by the hair of our chinny chin chin.
Either Job didn’t get the Christian Etiquette Handbook that teaches us to fake it or perhaps he was the predecessor of SurvivorMan because he was brutally honest about dry times and his spiritual condition. Hear the sound of the desert in his declaration.
Job 23:1-3; 8-9; 17
1Job replied:
2“I’m not letting up—I’m standing my ground.
My complaint is legitimate.
God has no right to treat me like this—
it isn’t fair!
3If I knew where on earth to find him,
I’d go straight to him.
8“I travel East looking for him—I find no one;
then West, but not a trace;
9I go North, but he’s hidden his tracks;
then South, but not even a glimpse.
17I’m completely in the dark,
I can’t see my hand in front of my face.
Have you ever felt this way? God is missing in action. You can’t find him anywhere. You feel like you have been forgotten at best and forsaken at worst. Completely dark and hopeless. No trace of God just when you needed Him. Instead you are dry, lonely, empty and don’t know where to go. That is the wilderness. That is the dry times in a nutshell. You do what you have always done. You go through the motions. But no life. No breath. Just dry, hot, nothing.
That is why this time together as we talk about survival and wilderness is absolutely crucial. We must learn how to survive and not only survive, but come out the other side stronger.
You already know that the wilderness is dry, barren, uncharted, unpredictable, uncomfortable, uncontrollable, but it can also be beautiful, fruitful, ordered, and ordained. The wilderness can be profitable if embraced. Destructive if escaped from too early.
We must understand something before we start this study. The wilderness experience is not only completely normal, but also completely and absolutely necessary, and it should absolutely be expected. The Children of Israel act surprised that they wind up in the desert after they escape from Egypt. However, the reality is they just had a hearing problem. They should have known from the beginning they would end up in the desert. Because in Exodus 7:16 Moses, speaking for God, says very clearly to Pharaoh, “Let my people go so that they may serve me in the wilderness.
There are 3 great wilderness stories in the Bible. These 3 wilderness stories will serve as the backdrop to our journey over the next few weeks. These stories teach us some powerful survival lessons. However, before we can get to those lessons we must first ask ourselves why do we end up in the desert and in the dry times? Before we learn the lessons that we must learn while we are there we must first understand why we are there. These 3 wilderness stories reveal the answer to that question.
a. Moses – His wilderness story teaches us that we can end up in dry times because of our own mistakes/choices. He killed an Egyptian and has to flee and he ends up on the back side of the desert watching his father-in-laws herds.
b. David – His wilderness story teach us that we end up trying to survive the dry times because of someone else’s mistake. David is minding his own business when all of a sudden a mad man king tries to kill him and so he has to run to the wilderness. I know none of you have ever been done wrong or have ever been hurt. But I just want to tell you that sometimes you can end up in a dry place spiritually because of someone else.
c. Jesus – This is my least favorite wilderness story because when you read Matthew 4:1 you discover that Jesus finds himself in a dry place because the Spirit sent him there. In other words, God on purpose, intentionally sent him into a dry time. So you may be dry this morning because God intentionally sent you into a dry season so that you can learn something.
So if we can end up in the dry times because of our fault, someone else’s fault, or because God purposely sends us there it sounds like to me we had better be prepared for those times because we will end up there at some point in our life.
So, let’s learn some survival lessons this morning.
Survival Lesson # 1 – The Wilderness is not a location it is a condition.
When we say the word "wilderness" in our mind’s eye we often picture a remote, isolated, desert location. However, I have learned that you can find yourself in a wilderness in a crowd, surrounded by the comforts of home because wilderness is not a location it is a condition. SurvivorMan goes to remote locations to find dry times. You can find dry times right in your living room or sitting on the same seat week after week in Passion Church.
The reason this is important for us to understand is that if we believe that our dry times are linked to our location we will constantly be changing locations. Yet we will find out that once we get to the new place we are still just as dry as we were in the old place. How many of you have known people who have quit one church start attending another only to discover that the same issues they had with the first church miraculously reappear at the second church? The inability to learn this lesson has led to a special kind of Christian called church hoppers. They keep changing churches trying to find life and yet they can’t seem to get away from themselves. Their location changes, but their life doesn’t.
Or maybe we can go into our daily life and say the same thing about a job or relationships. We hit a dry spot in a job/relationship decide to look for greener pastures only to find out that once we are there the dry time has followed us. Why? Because your dryness usually has nothing to do with where you are and has everything to do with who you are.
You can run from one place to another all you want. You can refuse to put roots down all you want. But you will soon find out that the dryness you are feeling will follow you wherever you go because the dryness is in you, not around you.
Survival Lesson # 2 – Wilderness is common to everyone.
I am convinced that the way of the wilderness is common to all on the journey to spiritual maturity. In fact, I don’t believe you can reach spiritual maturity without spending some extended time in the crucible of the wilderness. Paul affirms this in Romans 5:3 4 when he said, "No only so, but we also rejoice in sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." James echoes this same truth in Chapter 1:2 4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
I believe that it is inevitable and designed by God that at some point in your journey you will have a wilderness experience that you will not only have to endure, but embrace and learn from. Some of us think that we are somehow immune to this part of the spiritual journey.
The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter who or what you are, you will have to endure some dry times! Along with that let me tell you that:
Position or Prominence won’t keep you out.
If you go back to the three great wilderness stories you find this out.
Moses was considered to be the son of Pharaoh. He had received the best education. He resided in the palace.
David is a national hero. He is a giant killer. They have giant killer trading cards with his picture on them. He is the king’s son-in-law. He is the only one who can bring comfort to a maddened king.
Jesus is the very Son of God in flesh. The divine incarnate.
All three regardless of their position or prominence still end up in the wilderness. You may have position. You may be the most spiritual and gifted person you know and you will still wind up in the wilderness/dry times. You may have been the most likely to succeed and you may be the crème of the crop, the future of the kingdom or the business may rest on you, but the reality is that at some point regardless of your position or prominence you will eventually walk into the wilderness. A title won’t keep you out, a powerful position won’t excuse you from the wilderness, a known name, a mind blowing talent, and traffic stopping abilities won’t stop the wilderness from taking place.
Position won’t make you immune to the wilderness. In fact, what we will soon discover is that those things only make it more certain that you will go into a dry time. Wilderness is common to all of us.
That should be good news to you this morning! That means that if you are dry you aren’t a freak. If you are dry this morning the earth hasn’t stopped and life as you know it isn’t over. It is common to us all. It is part of a normal spiritual journey.
It is a planned stop on the trip! It isn’t the last stop, but it is a stop. Which brings me to third and final lesson this morning.
Survival Lesson # 3 – If you remain in the wilderness you will die.
I need to tell you that there will be times that you don’t feel like you can find God. It seems that He is MIA. That is because whether we like it or not our life is based on seasons. Just as much as there is a spring season when everything is great, everything is perfect, just like you planned it, just like you dreamed it there is always a winter. The season will change. There will come a day when it will get cold and dry and apparently dead. There is no way to avoid it to dodge it or to get so spiritual that dry times aren’t something you will deal with. You may glow in the dark you are so holy, but you will at times still feel dry.
Dry seasons are inevitable and a permanent part of life and our spiritual journey. David apparently understood seasons. Psalms 23 – verse 2 – He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. But that is only part of life’s journey.
Verse 4-5, 4Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:.
He is still with us. But we still have the valley moments and the enemies are still alive and well.
We must also learn that dry times are but for a season and when the season changes we must either move or we die.
I make this declaration to you because I need some of you to understand that the wilderness is meant to be one stop, one season. It is not meant to be the place in which you take up permanent residence! If you have ever watched this show – SurvivorMan – you know the premise. He only has 7 days to get out. If you stay there you are exposed and you will die. Wilderness is meant to be a season not a permanent habitation. Some of you have been dry too long.
Some of you moved into the dry season and built a house there. You have convinced yourself that you are going to live the rest of your life in this place. You are convinced that you will just have to endure your sickness, your habit, your condition, your pain, your heartache, this dry time for the rest of your life. So I just need to get used to it and accept the fact that it will never change. You have bought the lie that you will never feel or find God again!
SEASONS CHANGE! Don’t settle into a dry time permanently. The thing that should be constantly in your mind is this too shall pass! That is why David could say “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Don’t buy the lie that you will always be dry. If you buy that lie you will die dry. Good news is that if you are dry right now a different season must be around the corner if you don’t bog down in this season.
Dry times are normal. Dry lives are not!
I have met way too many people who learn to live with dryness. I don’t want you to do that. You may be dry right now, but you don’t have to stay there the rest of your life. Let hope rise up in you for a brighter, better, more exciting day. We will talk about this more later, but you have to do something to get out of the wilderness. Don’t stay there and die!
Jesus knew that dry times are but for a season. He also knows that there comes a time when we need help in the dry time. Let me show you this morning what Jesus can do. I can’t get you out of the wilderness. In fact, I don’t want to because if you leave too early you won’t learn the lessons. However, Jesus can help. He may not take you out of the wilderness. In fact, He may be the one who sent you there, but He can change how you view the wilderness.
Look at this in Matthew 14:13-21. The Bible says that, “he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart: and when the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert, and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. 16But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. 17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18And he said, Bring them hither to me. 19And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 20And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
We have become so distracted by the miracle of the loaves and fishes that we have missed what is perhaps a greater miracle. Jesus turned a desert into a lush dining hall. But notice he didn’t take them out of the wilderness. No he met them there and he produced grass in the middle of the dessert. I am saying to you that he still has that same power today. He can meet you right in the middle of your desert, right in the middle of your dry time and let you sit down in comfort so that you can continue your journey in the desert refreshed and renewed. He can refresh you in the wilderness. Yes it is hot. Yes it is dry. No you don’t have to die in the wilderness. Meet Jesus there and continue the journey. It is a season.
CLOSE: I will tell you this morning. If you don’t know Jesus as your personal savior and Lord the dry season will never end. It is crucial for you to make a decision for Him so that He can help you in the dry time.
Prayer for those who feel dry. Maybe you feel like Job. I can’t find God. I am in the dark. He has hidden his tracks. You need to be refreshed this morning. You will most likely still have to continue the journey through the dry time, but you can be refreshed and renewed this morning.
