”They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”“
Mark 14:32-36 NLT
The place where Jesus prayed “not my will, but then be done” was a garden.
The place where the serpent approached, Eve, the place where sin entered the world was a garden.
The garden of Eden eventually led to the garden of Gethsemane
In the garden of Eden, there was an eternal separation conceived. There was sin. And then conceived, brings forth death.
The garden of eternal Fellowship was quickly transformed into a conception point of sin, and death.
Sin and death, separation, was never gods original plan
The serpent, which was Satan concealed, got Eve to question what God said.
Doubt.
Doubt in God’s voice.
Doubt in God‘s word.
For the first time in all of history, there was a warring of two voices.
Two agendas. Two plans. Two destinies.
When Jesus was born, he was sent by God to be the sinless, spotless sacrifice, to build a bridge and restore God’s relationship with fallen humanity.
Jesus was born to die.
Jesus was born to silence the second voice.
This time in the garden it was Gethsemane, and Jesus died to self.
Jesus surrendered his will to yield completely to the father. Isn’t it interesting that a place of fruitful life, a picture of bountiful, blessing, a garden… There was death.
Eden was originally life that brought death through sin. Gethsemane brought redemption from sin, through death to self.
(Say that again)
So what does this mean?
It means that things aren’t always as they seem.
We have all had an Eden experience. Being born into this fallen world automatically curses us with sin.
Our flesh, our selfish desires rule, and reign automatically. But my question tonight is have you had a Gethsemane encounter? Have you had such a relationship with the father that you have died to your self?
You can even be saved from the sin curse of Eden through the blood of Jesus on the cross… Without having a Gethsemane.
It is possible to have eternal security without possessing the fullness of the promise of God, it is possible to have eternal security through salvation without fully possessing the victory in your life.
You have automatically walked into one garden.
Will you willingly walk into the other?
Tonight we are here with you to watch and pray, just as Jesus requested of his disciples. As you press into intimacy and relationship with the father to sacrifice your will in exchange for his.
In fact -Tonight you may look like you are standing in the middle of a dead wilderness, not a fruitful garden.
But just as a garden has been a place of death, your wilderness is actually the stage for life and promise.
Moses had a wilderness season before he went into Egypt to set God’s people free.
If God has commissioned you to set the captives free.(and I believe he has commissioned all of us to do this…)
you will have a wilderness season.
This is not optional.
The Israelites, that Moses, let out, had an extended wilderness season, because they could not fully surrender themselves to the Lord. They could not take God at his word, they could not stop doubting his instruction.
A whole generation of “stiffnecked people “had to die rather than enter the promised land. If that does not tell you that God has a desired will and way for your life, and that he does not go for compromise I do not know what will.
”When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.“
Exodus 13:17-18 NLT
The Bible says that God took the people the long way, because he knew the short way was full of war and resistance that they were not ready for. If God is taking you by way of the wilderness trust and heed.
One of the things, the Lord specifically told me to tell you tonight is this —- While your wilderness is necessary. It can also be unnecessarily extended.
If you notice when you study about the promised land, and you read in exodus, you again, see that God could have taken the people a quicker way to the promised land, but it was an inhabited place. If you think the enemy is not inhabiting your promised land, and throwing a party, because you haven’t kicked him out of your promise land you are sadly mistaken.
But we cannot just wake up and begin fighting the enemy. We can say words all day long, but unless our words harness the power and authority of Jesus Christ through the blood of Jesus, and your consecrated life, through intimacy with Jesus, our words are empty and the enemy, knows that.
Not only does the enemy know that, but God knows that. He will not ask you to inhabit your promised land until he knows you are ready. Just like the children of Israel. He took them the long way and extended their stay in the wilderness until they would listen.
An entire generation of people had to die before God could allow his people to inhabit the promised land. He was not able to get Egypt out of his people, he was not able to have a consecrated people, unless an entire generation died. Unless there was death. Consecration always leads to death. Death to self.
If you find yourself in a wilderness tonight, I am here to tell you number one your wilderness is necessary. But number two do not prolong your wilderness because you refuse to have a Gethsemane encounter.
You must have a Gethsemane encounter. You must completely die to your own. Will your own desires, your own plans for your life and surrender them to Christ. Because number one you will never be satisfied until you do so. And number 2 You will never inhabit the promised land because you will be wandering around aimlessly in the wilderness, listening to two voices.
You must allow Christ to silence the second voice. Did you know that the word Gethsemane actually means olive press. Did you know that anointing oil comes from olives after they are heated up and pressed down. If you want the anointing to flow in your life, you must spend time in the refining fire. Spend enough time in the fire that you allow the impurities to burn off. That you allow the form of your life to be molded in such a way that it reflects Christ. If you want to know what your desires should look like, if you want to know what your life should look like, if you want to know what changes need to happen in your life to get you from where you are now to possessing the fullness of the promise and having a life of victory —-get in the fire.
Get in the fire by allowing yourself to be filled with the Holy Ghost be around people who are filled with the Holy Ghost and prey in the Holy Ghost. Read the word of God, spend time with people who are on fire. Allow yourself to go through the olive press by dying to your self so that you can understand the will of the father for your life.
We go through things and experience things that to us make no sense, but we do not have eternal perspective. The father has an eternal lens, our site is bound by parameters of time in a fleshly body that is constantly breaking down and wearing out.
Our soul is eternal. Though our body decays, and will eventually die our soul and our spirit will live on somewhere. It will either live in heaven, because you have eternal salvation, or you will live in hell because you have rejected truth, and refused to surrender your life to Christ.
Remember tonight that my message is two parts. Number one a call to the cross, a call to salvation.
The second part is a call to Gethsemane. A call to the olive press. A call to those in the wilderness to encourage them that it is necessary, but let us not extend it past its original intent.
Yes, there may be Giants in the land. The enemy may be occupying your promise, land and taunting you, while you stand in the wilderness. But your stance in the wilderness should be you fighting from a place of victory not a place of defeat. Because if you are still breathing in the wilderness, you are allowing Christ to purify you, and only the way that he can because he knows exactly what you need to be to walk into your land of promise.