Wilderness Ways

This was the name of the sermon by Simon Ponsonby, on March 220th. I wrote down a lot of notes, that I wanted to share so that I remember. Simon is from England, he's a teaching vicar somewhere in Oxford. He was a special speaker at the Columbus Vineyard that weekend. Here is what I got out of one of his talks.



Just a side note:

Up until this point, I personally was fighting, kicking and screaming, going into the desert. I was mad and angry and didn't want to go through it since it was going to be painful. After I heard this sermon, I was convinced God had a purpose for our family to be in the United States for six months and not in Costa Rica. I miss Costa Rica terribly, but God has chosen Plain City, Ohio to be the place where He's anointing us and giving us more of His power to continue the work He has given us. That night, I surrendered and gave Him the control.

Luke 3:21-22; 4:1-2






1. Those Spirit-led will be led to the desert.


-He's making me the person I was made to be.


-I must go through the desert to be a benefit to others.


-Jesus did everything right, nothing wrong; meaning we don't go throught the desert because we've done something wrong.


-He takes us to the desert, breaks us, then makes us.


-Generally, the desert is not a place but an experience.


-God does it because He sees what I can be like.


-The desert is like a bootcamp.


-After Jesus returned from the desert, he returned in the POWER of the Spirit.


-Think of a naked tree where eventually the leaves will come out.


2. The wilderness is a place of separation, a place of being cut off, that which is familiar and comfortable, from us.


-God allows:


1. Failure


2. Suffering


3. Humiliation


4. Bereavement


5. Doubt


6. Estrangement


3. The wilderness is a place of splended isolation.


-We come out of the desert leaning on our beloved. (I love that! This is my goal!)


4. The wilderness is a place of dislocation.


-A visit to the desert is letting go of everything that once occupied us.


5. The desert is a place of benediction, where the angels attended Jesus.


6. The desert is not the end, it's just a passing through. But we come out with the power of the Spirit.


7. The wilderness is a place of revelation.


-God moves the clutter, so we can see ourselves and so that we can see God.


-He shows us what we are like and what He is like, so that He can replace us with himself.


8.. The wilderness is a place of consecration.


-How am I going to live? Am I going to use His power given to me? What will I do with the anointing? Will I satisfy myself or will I live for His glory?


-Depending on our response will depend how long it will take!


9. The wilderness is a place of preparation.


-"If you're going through hell, don't stop!"


-He's getting me ready, just like He did with Jesus before Jesus' started his ministry. God did this with Moses, David, John the Baptist and many others.)