Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
4/13/2021
When times go dry in my Spirit Life. What do I do?
When times go dry in my Spirit Life. What do I do? Part I
When people say they are “spiritually dry,” they usually mean they feel distant from God or are struggling to grow spiritually. The burdens of life are heavy, we often see we are not really walking in unity with our spouse too. We are often too short-fused with the kids. We have ceased to see God working in our lives and we have fallen into the spirit of discouragement. They search for God “in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1) We know God. We are saved but we feel alone and cut off. Spiritual dryness can have a number of causes.
When we were first married, we couldn’t spend enough time with our significant other. On the phone, in person, it seemed we couldn’t be happy unless we were touching them. What happened. Familiarity? Our priorities of serving them went off to serve other endeavors. We still loved them but the flame had simmered. Our actions said we would rather watch a game or hang with the other friends.
It is the same with God. When we are first saved we live overwhelmed by his goodness, mercy, and forgiveness. We became overwhelmed at his love for us but slowly the world crept back in and our emotions and actions and speech all cooled towards God. What now?
1. Sometimes spiritual dryness is due to personal sin. Sin can cause us to feel distant from God because we are attempting to live for ourselves instead of living for God. Unconfessed sin can cause us to lose the joy associated with our salvation (see Psalm 51:12). We can remedy the time of dryness by confessing our sin to God (see 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 32). And we must take God at His Word: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). To be “double-minded” is to maintain a dual loyalty, such as trying to serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). Attempts to do so will dry us up spiritually.
2. Some people feel spiritually dry because of physical, mental, or emotional pain: I know several people who seem to struggle chronically with their health and it is often more difficult to focus on God or spiritual things. After Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, he ran a great distance because he feared Queen Jezebel would put him to death
(1 Kings 19:1–5). He was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, and he wanted to die. (there are some people I know who are close to this.) God gave Elijah substance and rest (verses 5–8) and then used that time of weakness to work in Elijah’s life in a new way. I pray you are listening. What is God saying? or What are you saying? What faithless and demoralizing words have you spoken to yourself? Or have you been able to be like Job and hold fast to your faith and not curse God? His faith and trust in God gave him the courage to stand when he physically could not stand all the while listening to the naysayers telling him to curse God and die. (His own wife) But He Would NOT!
We are called to seek God through His Word: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Read closer; God is thoroughly equipping you in the midst of your crucible. It is not for nothing! He promises, that he has a plan for you personally.
Can you trust him beyond what you can see?
and maybe what you think you can endure physically?
In God’s Word, we see the faithfulness, mercy, and love of God. It is God’s Word that sanctifies us (John 17:17).
Take authority using God's word.
TAKE IT! SPEAK IT!
STAND ON IT – USING THE FAITH OF GOD HIMSELF.
NOW WALK IN IT!
Will you not stop and pray with us and your family for one hour this week?
He listens and will respond!
There's Nothing That Our God Can't Do – Passion Lyric Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI8ji2EjGE4
Excerpts are taken from The Spirit-Filled Life: Discovering the Joy of Surrendering to the Holy Spirit by Charles Stanley
