The Promises of God: Oases in the Wilderness
“For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water” Isaiah 35: 6b, 7.
Isaiah 35 is a joyful prophecy of hope and restoration. It describes, among other things, a barren desert turning into a lush, blooming oasis, but faith is required. To read the chapter for context, click here.
How to Make the Wilderness an Oasis
The wilderness (literal and figerative) is a dead, dry, barren place that can’t sustain life without miraculous intervention. And yet, it becomes a place of “pools” and “springs of water” as we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7).
I believe water represents the Holy Spirit, and He comes in response to faith. Hebrews 3:12 says “take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God”.
If we fall away by unbelief, then it follows that we draw near by faith. James 4: 8 tells us to “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. . . “
Our wilderness becomes “a pool”, and our thirsty ground “springs of water” by faith. In other words, our wilderness, which is a situation that appears to contradict God’s word to us becomes the fulfillment of that promise.
The Promises of God Change Everything
Pools and springs represent the opposite of the dead, dry, barren wilderness. And as we walk by faith, not by sight, that’s what it becomes.
We don’t yet have the actual physical provision. But we have by faith the same peace, joy and quality of life as we will when the physical provision arrives.
Pools in the burning sand, and springs of water in the thirsty ground mean the wilderness is no longer a contradiction of God’s promise. In fact, it is the fulfillment of it.
If we live in the wilderness with the “assurance of things hoped for, [and] the conviction of things not seen” Hebrews 11: 1, and if our hearts are full of faith and hope because of God’s promise to us, we’re already living in the promise land.
Partaking of the Good Life Before It Arrives
We are already partaking of the good life and experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promise in our heart.
This is God’s will for His people. He wants us to live in the wilderness as though we’re already in the promise land. And then He give us the actual physical provision as well.
To read another post related to The Promises of God: Oases in the Wilderness, see God’s Glory: What Part Do We Play.