Separation and Isolation: a Revelation

I believe there are times in our lives when God removes
us from the routine of life, and separates us from others,
so that he can spend some time with us. Without God “taking
this time” with us, we would drift through our lives
preoccupied and distracted by life, never pursuing the
destiny and purpose He created us for. Because these places
of separation are often uncomfortable, we resist them and
conclude that God must be punishing us, when in reality He
is preparing us through separation.

It is in these dry places, where no one else can help us
(including ourselves), that we discover that God is our source,
our healer and protector. We discover that our true source is not our
jobs, families, education or money – but God alone! This
level of revelation cannot be gained unless we have spent
some quality time with God. Oftentimes, if we don’t
voluntarily “make this time” for God, He will involuntarily
“take this time” for Himself.

Separation Is Often an Indication of Designation
If it seems like everyone and everything that you’ve always
looked to for support is gone–it is not a coincidence but rather
divine providence. It may be an indication that God is readying
you for a transition in your life. Ask Abraham, the one whom
God separated from his family to give him and his descendants
a “Promised Land”. Ask Joseph, the one who was forcibly removed
from his father’s house (of which he was the least of 12
brothers) so that he could become the second most powerful
man in the world. Ask Moses, the one whom God separated from
Egypt and prepared in the desert for 40 years to deliver His
people from slavery.

Ask David, the youngest son of Jesse,
the one whom King Saul removed from his father’s house and
placed in the palace where he could observe firsthand what
it meant to be king. Finally, ask the apostle Paul, the one
whom God separated from the Pharisaical order so that he could
become a leader and pillar in the Kingdom of God. Separation
is indication of God’s designation of those He is calling.

Separation Is a Sign of Preparation
God is preparing and positioning you to discover something
about Himself that He cannot reveal to you while you are
surrounded by others. He needs to separate you from the people
and things that you have placed in positions that belong to Him.
They would only distract you from hearing and seeing the things
He wants to show you. During this time of separation and
seclusion, we also discover things about ourselves that we
otherwise would have never known.

There is no one to impress or save face with when we are alone.
God has the ability to show us who we really are so that He can
begin the process of molding us into who He’s called us to be.
God will remove our support and separate us from the things that
we’ve become familiar with in order that He might reveal to us
something much greater–Himself.

In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, we read that God purposefully lead His
people into the wilderness for the purpose of proving Himself
to them. God used this place of isolation to develop their
confidence in Him as their God. They did not labor for their
living, they simply believed God and received their living.
There was no Wal-Mart in the wilderness, therefore they had
to trust God for their food, clothing and care. God proved
to them that He was their one and only “true Source”. They
would have never received this revelation, without this time
of separation and sanctification with God.

The Difference Between Being Lost and Being Led

“Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went
out into the wilderness.” Exodus 15:22

Many people who find themselves stuck in difficult situations
often feel as if they’ve become lost. Somehow, they’ve
arrived in a wilderness where everything has dried up and
nothing seems to be growing. Many of them have lived in this
wilderness for so long that they have given up on things
changing and concluded that this must be all God has in store
for them.

On numerous occasions, they have attempted to
change their situation, but all of their efforts have failed.
If this sounds like you, you may not be lost at all! You may
be squarely within the Will of God. All dry places in life
are not the result of being lost. Sometimes God leads us
into dry places and uses them as a place of preparation.

In Exodus 3:8, when God met Moses at the burning bush, He told
him that He was going to deliver His people from bondage and
into a land flowing with “milk and honey”. Yet, we know when
God delivered His people from bondage, He led them directly
into a “wilderness” where they spent 40 years.

We know that their wilderness experience had a purpose because the Bible tells us that there was a shorter route available that they
could have taken and avoided the wilderness altogether. Exodus
13:17 says, “God did not lead them by the way of the land of
the Philistines, even though it was near “ (underline mine).
Whenever God leads you somewhere He has a predetermined
purpose for you, even if the route is a longer than what you
expected. The longer the preparation, the greater the
promotion.

If takes much longer to get a PhD than it does
a GED. I am not putting down those who have a GED. Praise
God for it. For some, it took just as much determination to
get their GED than it did for some to get their PhD. However, we
are speaking of principles.

Oftentimes, your wilderness is the doorway to your promise.
At the initiation of Jesus’ public ministry He was not led
into the temple, but into the wilderness. Jesus had to be
first prepared in their wilderness before He could preach his
first sermon.

If you are in a wilderness right now, remember what you
learned while there because it will be necessary to sustain
you in your Promised Land. Don’t faint or lose heart. You
may be at the door of your promise and purpose. I know it has
been a long journey, but it will be worth your while. I know
others may have arrived sooner at their place of destiny, and
you are still making your way toward your destiny.

What God wants to do in your life, requires preparation, therefore
He had to take you the long way. There are no short cuts in the
Kingdom of God – only God’s way. I know, all the while you’ve
thought that somehow you where lost. You may not have been
lost at all. You just may have been led!

By Dr. J.C. Matthews, Senior Pastor of Dunamis Life Ministries and Chancellor of The International Kingdom Institute.