Kerry Shook - A New Way
Well, this weekend, we're concluding the series that I've been calling the "Wilderness Survival Guide," and we're gonna talk today about the harshest and most difficult wilderness you'll ever find yourself in, and that's the wilderness of a wasted life. Now, a lot of people don't know they're in the wilderness of a wasted life. That's because they're experiencing a lot of success, they're accumulating a lot of stuff, they're raking in a lot of accomplishments and achievements and awards and accolades. But they don't know it's just a mirage that doesn't matter. It's all a mirage that doesn't matter, 'cause they're not doing anything with their one and only life that's gonna last for eternity. They're doing a lot of things, but they're not doing anything that's eternal.
And so they don't even realize that they're in the wilderness of a wasted life, and they won't realize it many times until they come to the end of life, and it's too late, and then they'll realize it was all a mirage that didn't matter because they spent their life in a wilderness, and they wasted it. Then there are others who really get it, and they know they're in the wilderness of a wasted life. I mean, what's worse than being in the wilderness of a wasted life is not knowing you're in the wilderness of a wasted life, that you're blinded. But there are other people that aren't blinded. I mean, they know. They're more than aware of all their wrong turns that they've taken in life, all their missed opportunities that have led them to a desert of disappointment, and they know they're in the wilderness of a wasted life.
You see, if the enemy can't blind you to the fact that you're in the wilderness of a wasted life because of the reality of all your failures, then he'll give you the big lie, and that's this: you'll never get out of the wilderness of a wasted life. Your past failures disqualify you from God's purpose for your life, that all your failures will prevent any future success, that your past failures, mistakes, and wrong turns in life have caused you to miss God's plan, and now you're stuck in the wilderness of a wasted life, and you can't get out. Your past mistakes have sealed your future misery, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I want us to conclude the series with the same passage and promise of God that we started it with: Isaiah 43:18. Open your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 43. Would you stand in honor of God's Word, and I believe that God wants to speak this promise to someone today. In fact, we started this whole series with this promise, and God keeps bringing me back to this promise. I know that God has this: a personal and powerful word for you today through his Word. As I said, I can't change any life, but God's Word is powerful, and his promises are always true, and God says this to you today: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland".
You can be seated. I want you to focus in on what God says there in that phrase, "I am doing a new thing". God says, "I am doing something new. I am doing a new thing in you and through you. I am making a new way in the wilderness". And maybe you've started to believe the enemy's lie that your past failures are gonna keep you from God's purpose for your future. But God is saying to someone today that "I'll forgive your past, you forget your past, and you turn to me, and I will make a new way in the wilderness for you. I will turn that mountain of misery in your life into a mountain of miracles. I will turn that place of worry in your heart to a place of worship. I will take that place of pain and turn it into a place of purpose".
You see, so many times we face a no way, but God can make a new way. But it's always his way. You see, there was a time when Moses, one of the great heroes of the faith, felt like he was in the wilderness of a wasted life, and that he was stuck, and he believed the big lie, that his failures disqualified him for God's purpose in his future, that God can never use him again because of his past failures. You see, Moses was the great deliverer. He was born a Hebrew slave; but then through a miracle of God, he was raised in Pharaoh's palace. He became the prince of Egypt, second in line to be the Pharaoh. But he also knew that God had called him to deliver his people, the Israelites, out of slavery after 400 years. He knew he was called to do it. He also believed he was the best one to do it, because he was perfectly positioned. He had the power, he had the influence, he had the talent, he had the gifts to be able to do it.
Moses knew he was called to be the deliverer, but he tried to do it his way, and he ended up in the place of no way, and then God gave him a new way, but it was God's way. For you see, Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and he took matters into his own hands. He killed the Egyptian, buried him in the sand, and in that area, you know, in the Middle East there, in that area, that sand blows, and I'm sure that sand blew, and then all of a sudden there was a toe that showed up and someone said, "There's a toe in the sand," and then they dug a little bit, and there was a foot, and then they found this body, and then they began to ask questions, "Who killed this Egyptian slave master"? And then someone whispered, "It was the prince of Egypt. I saw it. It was amazing. It was unbelievable. I couldn't believe my eyes, that he was doing this".
And word began to spread. It got back to Pharaoh, and then Moses, in fear, has to run for his life into the wilderness. You see, he was supposed to be the next Pharaoh, but he ends up in a wilderness wasteland tending sheep. The lowest job you could have in that day was being a lowly shepherd, and there he is, out in the wilderness of a wasted life tending the sheep, and Moses wandered in the wilderness of a wasted life for 40 years. And during those 40 years, he believed the big lie that he couldn't be used by God again, that his past epic failure had disqualified him completely from ever getting back into God's purpose. He believed a lot of other little lies that went along with that, that kept him stuck in the wilderness of a wasted life.
And you see, Moses, in that wilderness, was right next to a mountain. It was a huge mountain that was Mount Horeb, also called Mount Sinai, and I'm sure every day, as he would go around that mountain, and he would sometimes lead the sheep up parts of the mountain to get to some grazing places that no one else could reach; and as he was always around that mountain, I'm sure that he was always reminded of the mountain of failure, an avalanche of regret that he was buried under, as now he was a lowly shepherd, and he was at that mountain of misery, he was at that place of pain, he was at that place of no way. That's what he felt. He felt it deep inside his bones that God no longer could use him because of his past failures.
But I love how God meets him right in the wilderness of a wasted life, and God shows up on the mountain in the form of a burning bush, and it catches Moses's attention, and Moses comes over to see this burning bush that's not consumed by the fire, and God speaks through the burning bush, and I want you to see what God says to him in Exodus chapter 3, verse 9: "'Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.' But Moses protested to God, 'Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? And who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?' And God answered, 'I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.'" So God says to Moses, "Your past failures aren't gonna keep you from getting back into my great purpose for your life".
But Moses, he's been in the wilderness of a wasted life for so long that he didn't believe God. He starts making excuses and in verse 10: "But Moses pleaded with the Lord, 'O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you've spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.'" So Moses says, "God, I know this burning bush thing is really impressive. I mean, it's just amazing, really. You're doing an amazing thing here. I've never seen a bush burn but not be consumed, and this is really cool. You've got my attention, but you haven't changed me. That's a cool miracle, God, but what does it have to do with me because you can't use me. I've got a weakness".
Moses was believing the lie that my weakness keeps God from using me. But the truth is, it's my weakness that God uses the most. Moses was believing the lie that, "Hey, I can't speak very well," because most scholars think Moses s-s-stuttered, and so he had trouble speaking, and God's saying, "I want you to be my spokesman", and Moses is like, "What? I mean, just because you can make a bush burn doesn't mean that you can change my weakness. I've had this all my life, God. I mean, you've got the wrong guy. I can't be a spokesman," and by the way, God will always ask you to do things you can't do in your own strength so he gets all the credit. God will always ask you to do things that you don't have the power to do so that he can exhibit his power, then he gets all the credit. And God uses my weaknesses more than anything else. But he was believing the lie: "My weakness keeps God from using me".
Paul, who prayed for God to take away a struggle in his life, a weakness in his life, that he called his thorn in the flesh, and usually when Paul prayed, God would take things away right away, God would move and do miracles; but this time, he prayed three times, and God said this to him. Paul says, "Each time He said, 'No. But I am with you.'" That's the same thing he told Moses: "I am with you. Don't worry about it, I'm with you". Every time Moses made an excuse, "I'm with you". "'That is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.' Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ's power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities".
See, God loves to show his strength through our weaknesses. That way, people can look and say, "Hey, that's an ordinary person. That's an imperfect person, but wow, God's using them. What a powerful God". God loves to show his power through our weakness, so don't ever believe the lie that your struggle is keeping God from using you, because that's the very thing God wants to use, to show his power through you. Well, Moses, though, kept making excuses. In Exodus 3:11 it says: "But Moses protested to God, 'Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?'" So Moses's fears and insecurities are coming out here. Moses says, "Who am I? I'm just nobody. I'm imperfect, I'm a nobody. God, I don't understand. Who am I"?
And he's believing the lie here that my fears determine my future. And many of you are believing that lie, that your fears determine your future. But God says: "Here's the truth". God says, "I determine your destiny". My God determines my destiny, not my fears, but my faith in God who determines my destiny; and in Exodus 3:14, "God replied to Moses: 'I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.'" Moses was asking, "Who am I? I'm just an ordinary guy, God. I mean, who am I to go before Pharaoh? He's really powerful. Who am I to lead thousands of people? Who am I? I'm just an ordinary guy". And God says, "Moses, you're focused on the wrong thing. You're focused on who you are. You need to focus on who I am. Don't focus on what you're not. Focus on who I am, because I am whatever you need".
You've got the wrong focus. And some of you today are focusing on who you are. "Yeah, I'm just ordinary. I'm imperfect. God, you can't do something extraordinary through me". No, God always uses ordinary people because that's all he's got. God always uses ordinary imperfect people because that's all he has to choose from. But God is an extraordinary God who can do extraordinary things through you, when you let him. But Moses said, "I'm ordinary," and God says, "It's okay, I'm not. I'm extraordinary". And so today, are you focused on what you're not, instead of who God is? Don't worry about what you don't have and focus on who he is. He is the great I AM, and he says, "I AM whatever you need". God said, "My name, Moses, is I AM". What a strange name. He says, "You can tell them that the Great I AM sent me. The Great I AM told me to do this. That's my name. Stop focusing on what you're not and focusing on who I AM, because I AM whatever you need".
He was saying, "Moses, I know you feel insecure. I know you're fearful, but just know I AM peace. Moses, I know you feel weak, and you feel like you have no power, you feel like you have no status, but I want you to know I AM strength, and I will be your strength. I AM whatever you need". And he says that to you today. I don't know what you need, but the Great I AM says, "I AM whatever you need. That's my name. I AM whatever you need. You feel fearful about the future? I AM your peace. You feel weak, like your problems have just buried you? I AM your power and your strength". What is it that you need today? God says, "I AM whatever you need". "Stop focusing on what you're not and focus on who I AM," God says. But then in Exodus 4:13, it says: "But Moses said, 'Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.'"
I mean, he just keeps making excuses, doesn't he? Moses was saying, "God, you've got the wrong guy. I tried this deliverer thing, and it didn't work out. Don't you remember that? I tried to do it, God. I mean, I was your guy, I thought. You told me I'd be the deliverer, and I went out, and I tried it, and I did everything I could do, and I just failed miserably, so you got the wrong guy. I've tried this before. Send someone else". And he's believing the biggest lie: "My failure is the final story". And Satan loves to tell us that lie, that my failures are the final story. But it's not true, because God's purpose is the final story. God says, "No, your failure is not the final story. My purpose is the final story. My purpose will prevail, and there's nothing that could stop my purpose if you'll turn to me".
In Proverbs 19:21, it says: "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it's the LORD'S purpose that prevails". God says, "Moses, your failure's not greater than my purpose. And if you will turn back to me, your story is not written yet. Give me the pen because I'm the author and finisher of your faith, and I will write the end of the story, and the book is not closed on your life until I close the book, and I want you to know I'll rewrite the story, I'll change the pain from your past into purpose". You see, we can't change the past; but God, if you give him the pen, will start writing the next chapter, and that past and the past pain and failure will fit in perfectly to his purpose. I don't know how he does it in his mercy and grace, but that's what he does. Your story is not written yet. It's not over. Maybe you feel like you're in the place of no way, but God's already making a new way.
If you'll give him a pen, he will write his purpose, and your pain will fit into that purpose in a beautiful way that we can never understand. Give the author and finisher of your faith the pen, and let him be the author of your story. But then he tells Moses, really, two things that he has to do to step out of the wilderness of a wasted life, a couple of things he has to do for that mountain of pain to turn into a mountain of purpose, and they're really simple, really simple to understand, they're really difficult to do, but it's the only way to move out of the wilderness of a wasted life. First, let go of all you have. I've gotta let go of all I have.
In Exodus 4:2 it says: "Then the LORD said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied. And the LORD said, 'Throw it on the ground.' And Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it". God asked Moses, "What is that you're holding on to"? And Moses says, "This? This is just an old stick. I found this about 40 years ago when I came into the wilderness. You know, God, I left everything back there in Pharaoh's palace. I had it made, God. Oh, the food was amazing. The clothes? I had all these designer clothes. I mean, I had them before they came out. It was amazing. Unbelievable. God, you wouldn't believe where I was living. I mean, it was the palace, and it was pretty awesome. But, you know, when I tried to be the deliverer for you, I lost everything. But I did find this stick when I got out here, and it really helps me, you know, I mean, I carved it. I've been working on this for a long time and, I mean, it's not much, this old stick"? And God says, "Well, if it's not much, then throw it down and give it over to me. Surrender it to me".
See, God was trying to get Moses to let go of all that he had, all of it, all the pride, his only possession, and let go of it all. And see, Moses used that staff to protect the sheep. The sheep, they were about all he had left. He used that staff to ward off wild animals who were trying to attack the sheep. He used that staff to lean against on those hot desert days. He used that staff to help guide the sheep to the best grazing area. He used that staff to help him climb up the mountain that he climbed on just about every day, and he'd grown attached to that, sort of like a security blanket, but God says, "What's that in your hand"? "Nothing". "Well, then, throw it down. I want you to give it all to me".
You see, when you're holding on to something, then your arms and your heart aren't open to receive what God has for you. And sometimes, I hold things too tightly, and God wants to give me something that's so much better than anything I could hold onto, and he wants to do something with what I'm holding on and change it and give it back to me, but I can't, because my heart and my hands are filled with the little bit that I have, and I can't receive all that God has. You've got to let go of all that you have so you can take hold of all that God has for you, and God has more than you do. But I want us to go back to the burning bush, because God met Moses in the wilderness of a wasted life, and remember God's promise at the end of that passage we read earlier.
Here he is, at the burning bush in the wilderness of a wasted life; and in Exodus 3:12, God says: "'I'll be with you,' God said. 'And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain.'" God said to Moses, "Moses, the mountain that you're at right now that's been a place of pain for you, I'm gonna turn it into a place of purpose. Same mountain but a new Moses. I'm gonna change everything. You're gonna come back to this same place, but everything's gonna be different. And then you're gonna smile, then you'll say, 'God, you're amazing, 'cause I remember when I was right here, and it was the wilderness of a wasted life, and I thought it was the place of no way, but you made a new way, and it was your way, and you changed this place of worry into a place of worship. You changed everything. You made a new way.'"
And God says, "Moses, I know you don't really believe me right now but that new way, it starts today. And I'm gonna bring you right back to the same place. This place of pain will no longer be a place of pain, it will be a place of purpose". And God says to someone today, "That place of pain in your life, I'm gonna change it to a place of purpose. That place of worry I'm gonna change to a place of worship. That mountain of misery, I'm gonna turn into a mountain of miracles. If you will look to me, I'll take you from no way to a new way, but it's gotta be my way. You've gotta let go of all you have so you can take hold of all that I have for you". In Exodus 19:12, it says: "Exactly three months after the Israelites had left Egypt, they reached the Desert of Sinai. When they left Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai and camped in the desert in front of the mountain".
So it was about 2 months after God met Moses at the burning bush that God empowered Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and out of slavery. And then it was 3 months after the Israelites left Egypt that they camped in front of the mountain. So it was 5 months since God told Moses from the burning bush in the wilderness of a wasted life, in the place of no way, "Moses, I'm gonna bring you right back to this place and remember, when you get back here, I want you to remember where you used to be. I want you to remember where you used to be, the place you used to be in until I changed everything. I want you to remember you were in a place of pain, but I turned that very place into a place of purpose. You were at a mountain of misery, but I turned it into a mountain of miracles 'cause I'm gonna give you the Ten Commandments right there. You were in a place of worry, but I turned it into a place of worship".
Can you imagine Moses 5 months after God meets him at the burning bush, and he comes back to the same place that he was that was all about pain, but now everything's changed. It's all about purpose. Can you imagine how that built his faith? Five months later. Here he is, 5 months later, but same place, different Moses, an all-new Moses. Why? Because he gave God all he had so he could take hold of all that God has, and God has more than we have.