Symbolism - The Wilderness | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus

The Wilderness | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus

ICEBREAKER:

How did you see God move this last week?

Summary:

The wilderness is more than a geographic place in Scripture; it is a spiritual season of testing, barrenness, isolation, and exile that God often uses to transform, prepare, and reorient His people. Through testing, loneliness, and loss, God can deepen faith, shape character, and prepare us for new assignments. The message encourages leaning into the wilderness, not escaping it, and encountering God in the still, whispering moments rather than in spectacular displays.

Key Points

  1. The wilderness is a spiritual setting, not just a location.

  2. Three broad realities describe wilderness seasons:

    • Testing: pressure points that reveal maturity, faith, and durability (James 1:2-4; Matthew 4; Exodus 13).

    • Barrenness: loss or stripping away that exposes dependence on God (Elijah, Elijah’s isolation; Elijah in First Kings 19; Moses’ exile).

    • Exile: being away from what is familiar, preparing for a future God-ordained assignment (Moses, Elijah, Moses tending sheep to leading Israel; exile as preparation).

  3. Outcomes of embracing the wilderness:

    • Transformation: trials refine us; perseverance produces maturity.

    • Encounter: barrenness can become an encounter with God (the whisper of God, not the fire or earthquake).

    • Exile leading to purpose: what seems like exile may be preparation for a new assignment or leadership role.

  4. Important contrasts:

    • Isolation vs. solitude: isolation can deepen despair, while solitude can foster prayer, listening, and encounter with God (Jesus in Luke 5:16; Luke 5:16, wilderness to pray).

    • Detachment vs. encounter: detaching from pain can numb, while leaning into God in wilderness leads to encounter and growth.

  5. The climactic practice: respond by leaning into God, seeking Him in prayer, and allowing the wilderness to refine and redirect rather than escape or numb out.

  6. Practical takeaway: when in barrenness, don’t abandon community or God; instead, pursue solitude with God (prayer, listening, stillness) and engage the transformation He intends.

    • Scripture References

    • Exodus 13:17-18; Exodus 3; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 5:16; James 1:2-4

    • 1 Kings 19 (Elijah’s wilderness isolation)

    • Moses’ exile and calling (Exodus 3; Exodus 2-4 context)

    • Psalm 46:10 (calm, stillness can be a place of hearing)

    • Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35 (Jesus’ wilderness-prayer pattern)

Conclusion:

In embracing the wilderness, we discover that seasons of dryness are not dead ends but divinely appointed pathways toward deeper faith, clearer purpose, and renewed intimacy with God. The trials, isolation, and stripped comforts refine our character, invite intimate dependence on the Lord, and prepare us for future callings that we could not yet discern. By leaning into prayer, listening for the still, quiet voice, and cultivating intentional solitude within community, we encounter God not in sensational signs, but in faithful presence. May we finish this season with greater trust, greater hope, and a readiness to step forward into the purposes God has prepared for us, confident that He meets us there. Amen.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How have you experienced a wilderness season in your life? What was most transformative about that time?

  2. In what ways can you lean into solitude with God rather than escape pain in your current season?

  3. In James 1:2-4, how does considering trials as opportunities for growth shape our response to hardship?

  4. In Exodus 13:17-18, God leads Israel into a longer route for development. How does that perspective challenge our desire for the shortest path?

Guided Prayer:

Lord, we come to You in our seasons of wilderness with hungry hearts and open ears, asking that we lean in rather than flee and receive the transformation You intend. Forgive us for numbness and busyness, and grant patience as trials shape our character toward maturity and hope. Help us seek Your presence in the stillness, hear Your whisper, and discern Your voice in dryness. Guide us to pursue solitude with prayer, silence, and Scripture, choosing steady faith over quick relief. May we steward the wilderness as preparation for future calls to lead and serve, walking forward in faithfulness. Thank You for Your abiding presence and the whispers that guide us, confident that You meet us there. Amen.

One Church