Dark Night of the Soul

There are a number of brethren currently going through what has been called by some, "The Dark Night of the Soul."  I wanted to share some words of encouragement from the saints for those going through such trials.

"For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat." Job 33:14-20

"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22

Remember, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!

A Message by Minister David Wilkerson

A friend of mine was at his wit’s end, despairing, wondering if God had forgotten him in his personal nightmare. He became so desperate one morning recently that he cried out to God, “Unless you send somebody to give me a word of hope, I cannot make it through the day. I simply cannot go on one more day.”

A few hours later, at the point of giving up on life, he went to his mailbox and found a printed message a friend had mailed a few days before. It was a message I released in 1992 entitled, “The Making of a Man of God.” It spoke hope and restoration to his sick soul, and he marveled at the timing of the Holy Ghost. God was right on time, with a word of hope especially for him.

Today I am led by God’s Spirit to send out just a few words of encouragement to certain few who will be receiving their own word of hope, at just the right time. See if one of the following mini-messages is meant for you:

1. To someone going through a dark night of the soul, feeling God has failed you: voices have confused you. Your Christian friends have deserted you. You feel too defeated to pray. You feel betrayed and even forsaken by God. Your sense of abandonment is frightening. There is a deep sorrow in you. A thought has lingered in your mind that you may have offended God. You have lost all sense of God’s love for you. Here is what God has to say to you:
   
   “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee” (Isaiah 49:15).
   


2. To someone in a marriage crisis: you have been deeply hurt. You want your marriage to be healed and restored, but it looks hopeless. You are miserable. You have prayed diligently. You do not want to disobey the Lord, but you see no hope of restoration. I say to you: do not give up on your marriage, no matter how bad things appear.
   
   “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25). “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead also, and restore comforts unto him and his mourners” (Isaiah 57:18).


3. To somebody who is grieving: something happened to bring down on you a grief, a sadness, a heaviness you can’t shake. You love the Lord, but this deep grief is there night and day. You get up with it, you carry it all day, you can’t shake it at night. Yet, the Lord knows what you are suffering. Here is his word of hope for you:
   
   “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight” (Psalm 119:75-77).

A Word from the Lord by Sis. Bonita Petroff

Garden of Gethsemane

As in the processes of dying and birthing, a paradigm shift is occurring, from that which was, to that which must be. It begins in your own garden of Gethsemane. Here is where great darkness falls upon the soul and spirit and the travailing begins. The flesh cries out, not desiring to suffer and die.

This is the point where many give up; they will only go so far, for as the rich man who could not part with his riches, so there are things that many of My people refuse to surrender. Therefore, in love and mercy, I send forth chastisement, to see if they will endure correction. Yet again, I shall purge My people and prune away many branches, to see if fruit will come forth in a new season.

This is where everything and everyone will seem to be against you; and things only seem to get worse – and darker; like a horrible pit full of miry (swampy) clay. This is where you will either cry out to Me, or turn away. Press in, endure, keep in the race, cling to Me, for I AM with you.

Immovable Faith

You will feel shaken, horribly shaken, but fear not. Have I not said that all that can be shaken will be shaken? Yes, you have heard this and you have read it in My word.

This is a good work, if you understand the purpose. The dross must be shaken loose, so it will surface, for dross is skimmed as it surfaces. Your faith must be immovable. Labor and travail, for it shall not be in vain. Let your labor be done in fear and trembling. Trust Me.

Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. [Pro 25:4]

And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. [Heb 12:27]

To those whose house is built upon the rock, though the winds blow and the house is shaken, it shall not fall. Remain steadfast and unmovable in faith. Lo, I am doing a good work.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. [1Cor 15:58]

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [Phil 2:28]

Who has not gone through these dark times? All My people have gone through great darkness; yet in great travailing, weeping and praying, they persevere and go through. In the shaking, your eyes shall be opened and you shall see all that is not of Me. Will you trust Me through it all?

All that is not of Me shall surface and nothing shall remain secret. Let it go in repentance and believe in Me. Submit yourself to Me, resist the enemy who seeks to keep you in bondage and he must flee. I have chosen this furnace of affliction for you, yet it is for good, as you cling to Me and follow the leading of My holy Spirit in you. Submit My child to the work I AM doing and fear not.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. [Eccl 12:14]

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. [Mk 4:22]

Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. [Is 48:10]

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [Jam 4:7]

Cry out to Me and I hear you. My hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is My ear heavy that it cannot hear. [Is 59:1]

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him:[…] [Job 13:15]

Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. [Is 50:10]

Forgiveness is Crucial

Let no bitterness, no strife, no hatred, no anger, no jealousy, no envying, let nothing that is not of Me be found in you. Let forgiveness pour out from your heart, for it shall be a healing balm to you. Think upon Saul and David. Even when David knew he was anointed to be king and Saul sought to kill David, did My servant David rise up in pride? Did he kill Saul when he had the chance?

No, he cut a piece of Saul’s robe one time, to let Saul know that he had the opportunity to kill him, but did not. He submitted himself to Saul, who was still king and trusted Me to work things out.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. (submission) [1Sam 24:8]

Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave: and some bade (told) me kill thee: but my eye spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. [1Sam 24:10]

And he (Saul) said to David, You are more righteous than I: for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil.  And you have shown this day how that you have dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into your hand, you killed me not. [1Sam 24: 17,18]

Though he spoke fair words and understood the mercy David showed him, Saul did not genuinely repent. Therefore, I say unto you, do not be as Saul. Genuinely repent and believe, forgive and die to self; then shall you be raised up and become the new man. I shall have a holy people, without spot or blemish. Yea and if you fall, I say rise up, rise up again, and cry out to Me.

For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. [Pro24: 16]

Do Not Fear the Darkness

When the darkness comes upon you, as you go through the dark season, I shall shine My light upon your heart and reveal the secret things that you have not known are there. Fear not; neither be dismayed or confounded. Be strong and of good courage. I work in the darkness; I work in ways you cannot see.

Your emotional condition is not necessarily your heart condition. Allow this piercing of the heart, for out of the wound shall pour forth all that festers and infects you. Surrender it into My hands with genuine repentance, believe and I shall heal you; you shall have a new heart. I shall shine My light into the darkness, and shall shine light upon your heart. Then shall you see clearly; then shall you know my glory in the face of My Son.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [1Cor 4:6]

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. [Is 60:2]

My people must go through these dark times. Many have despaired, been troubled, perplexed, cast down and cried out to Me. Those whom I have raised up mightily went through the darkness that came upon them. They cried out to Me, yet felt so helpless, alone and abandoned, not understanding the times of My silence. If you fall, rise back up again. Repent and believe and let your faith hold fast to Me.

Think upon My friend Abraham, after I told him about the son that he would have, and that he would be the father of many nations. What happened?

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. [Gen 15:12]

Did Moses fear the darkness or did he know that even in the darkness, he would find Me?

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. [Ex 20:21]

And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.  These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. [Deu 4:11 – Deu 5:22]

Think upon the apple of My eye, David. Did he not travail in times of the darkness that came upon his soul? Did he not feel so alone?

O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless (Psalm 88:14,15)

Then said Solomon, The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness. [2Chron 6: 1]

He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and He has set darkness in my paths. [Job 19:8]

You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Lover and friend have you put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.  [Ps 88:6, 18]

Two godly men who feared and obeyed God wrote about their dark time - their dark night of the soul. Oswald Chambers wrote a poem called, ‘Dark Night of the Soul’, in his book, ‘Abandoned by God’.

Cut it off. My heart is bleeding,
And my spirit’s wrung in pain,
Yet I hear my Jesus pleading,
Cut it off or all is vain.

So I’ve stopped my ears in terror
Lest self-pity make me quail,
Lest at last I take the error
And God’s purpose thwart and fail.

I am bowed to death in sadness,
For the pain is all too great,
But the dear Lord must find pleasure
In the way He maketh straight.

In the late 1600s, François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, often called Francois Fenelon was a French Catholic archbishop, theologian, poet and writer. He wrote: His [God’s] transformation is done on the cross in darkness, poverty and death.

Think upon Elijah, Job, Moses and Paul. Have you felt as they did? Have you wanted Me to take you away from the earth? Have you despaired desperately? Yes, you have. Lo, I AM with you.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. [1Kin19: 4]

What happened? A paradigm shift… An angel came, touched him and Elijah went on his journey with new strength (new hope) after eating ‘meat’ that I sent.

And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. [1Kin 19: 7, 8]

Moses, who was faithful and meek, despaired over the constant complaining and bitterness of the people. Now the Israelites were not satisfied with manna anymore; they wanted meat. It seemed more than Moses could bear because the people never seemed satisfied and were angry with him. He wanted to die.

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if you deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. [Num11: 14,15]

What happened? A paradigm shift… I commanded Moses to gather seventy men of the elders of Israel, and I put the spirit that had been upon Moses upon them, so that Moses should not bear the burden of the people alone, and the seventy prophesied throughout the camp. Then I answered his prayer and sent meat to the people, but the lust of their flesh did anger me. [Num 11:25, 31- 33]

Even the apostles despaired at times and desired to leave this life.

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: [2Cor 1:8]

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; [2Cor4: 8,9]

Yet again, a paradigm shift took place, as once again My people were strengthened…

But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2Cor 15: 57]

So shall it be with My people who persevere, who go through the dark seasons, who cry out in repentance, if there be need in any area for repentance. Yea, cry out to Me and I shall strengthen you as you go through purging and purification.

for His glory
A B Chenoa

The Making of a Man of God

by Min. David Wilkerson