Spiritual Desolation: A Time for Judgment and A Time For Trial

” What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” Isaiah 5:20

” What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.” Isaiah 5:21

“Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Isaiah” 59:14

“Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.” Isaiah 59:15

Spiritual Desolation: A Time for Judgment

Truth stumbles and falls, truth-tellers are hated and attacked, and righteous justice cannot be found in a spiritually desolate land where depraved idolatrous people contemplate evil ‘self’ rather than the Lord.   As the will of the depraved is the most nihilistic thing of all, at the deepest level of meaning spiritual desolation is nihilism summarized in the words, “God is dead in the hearts of modern Westerners. They have ‘willed’ His death within their hearts”

Running through nihilism is Satan’s lie that with the death of Jesus Christ the depraved but powerful may dominate and brutalize the humble since it’s all a matter of demonic power. So for nihilists, since the God of Revelation does not exist and life has no higher, fixed meaning or purpose with neither an afterlife nor any accountability to their Maker for their actions here in this world, they no longer have reason and purpose for being good, thus are free to be evil. They are at liberty to call evil good; lie truth; pervert the meanings of words; invoke broken law and perverted justice to destroy freedom and the law abiding; steal elections; kill the unborn for any reason, dismember them and sell their baby parts; surgically transition children from one sex to another; imprison and torment political opponents; force their perverted appetites upon men, women, and children; slander and accuse the righteous man of evil; and deprive humanity of food and all that sustains life.

According to the Bible, spiritual desolation is God’s judgment rendered against an idolatrous, godless people  The book of Ezekiel is a history of the apostasy of God’s people resulting in spiritual desolation while Jeremiah speaks of desolation as the cup of God’s fury:

“For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Take the cup of wine of this fury at my hand: and thou shalt make all nations to drink thereof, unto which I shall send thee.” Jeremiah 25:15

Spiritual Desolation: A Time For Trial and Suffering

For God’s faithful children spiritual desolation is a time of trial when the Lord allows Satan to teach lies and inflate and inflame our spiritual dryness, sorrow and pain.  Though it is a time of great suffering, if responded to wisely, spiritual desolation is a trial that can be overcome and transformed into stronger, purer faith, virtue and victory. So rather than allowing ourselves to drown in Satan’s lies and wallow in our feelings of desolation, fear, and defeat, we must fortify ourselves with the eternally existing Truths of the Lord, for we cannot trust and love Him unless we know Him. Then with daily prayer and fellowship we can courageously resist and rebuke the lies and the ancient and modern world-system of satan through a bold counterattack:

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,: 2 Corinthians 10:5

Through a wise response to our suffering we can grow in spiritual strength and maturity:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1: 2-4   

By resisting we learn how to resist.  By suffering, we learn how to suffer patiently. Thus, by undergoing and persevering through the suffering of these trials we become able to bear our suffering and come to wisdom in the full stature of God. (Ephesians 4:13)

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability”. 2 Corinthians 8: 2-3

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls”. 1 Peter 1:6-9

The Lord always provides sufficient grace to withstand the trial of spiritual desolation, so we can know with certainty that we can resist and grow spiritually, being made more perfect and virtuous because our Heavenly Father graciously provides for us and Christ shares his victory with us:

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability”. Hebrews 12:2

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11

Let us pray:

Lord, though we are hard pressed on every side, in You we are not crushed; perplexed, or in despair for You have not abandoned your people. As we pass through rough waters you are with us; when we walk through the fire, we will not be burned; when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are there with us. You, O Lord our Heavenly Father, are our comfort, our refuge, our strength, and our ever present help in times of suffering. In the precious and holy name of the Crucified Risen Christ we pray. Amen

2023@LindaKimball