Numbers 14:7-8(NKJV) 7and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’
Yesterday we contrasted Joshua and Caleb’s vision with the vision the first generation of Israelites freed from bondage had for their lives. The Israelites vision was for survival. Any time their survival was threatened they wanted to go back to Egypt. They believed that there they would survive even if they were in bondage.
Of course this was not true. Many died in Egypt. They died from starvation, overwork and at the simple whim of their Egyptian masters. It was a terrible life, but in their minds it represented survival. That was the extent of their vision, of their life expectation, and that is what they looked back to in times of pressure.
It amazes me how little the tactics of the devil have changed. Many of us do the same thing the Israelites did. We allow the devil to deceive us into thinking that survival is enough. We look back and think, “I had it better before.”, when in truth we did not. However if we never develop a vision and a hope beyond survival, all the devil has to do is threaten that survival and we will back away from faith. We will lose hope and give up the fight.
For us it is not Egypt we go back to. It is dependency on the flesh, our natural abilities and resources. There is more for you and I, but we need a vision for more than survival. That’s what set Joshua and Caleb apart from the rest of Israel.
What did Joshua and Caleb see that enabled them to be different? In the above verse they tell us. God promised a wonderful land. They had believed that promise all along, but when they went in to spy it out they found out it was exactly what God said it was. It was a land that flowed with blessing. It promised a life far better than just survival. It was worth the risk to obtain it particularly since they knew that God was on their side.
Many of us have tasted what God has promised in His word. We have found that the land of promises God has given us is all that he said it would be. To live in that place we have to take the “risk” of trusting God. The bible if full of promises, but one I want to look at for a moment is John 10:10.
John 10:10(NKJV) 10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
In this chapter Jesus tells us that the one who came before him was a thief. When man fell in the Garden of Eden Satan stole control over man away from God. He became the spiritual lord of mankind and his kingdom was one of death and darkness. Jesus came to reverse the curse of Satanic rule.
As a thief, Satan came to steal, kill and destroy mankind. Steal what? Not our stuff. He comes to steal our future and our destiny. He grinds man down until he finally dies. Even physical death is not enough. Satan came to destroy man utterly leaving him eternally separated from his true Father and God.
Jesus went to the cross and defeated the devil for a much different purpose. He came that we might have life and life more abundant. What a contrast. What does “abundant” life mean? Strong’s concordance says that it is life superior in quality and more abundant in quantity. Superior to what? Everything else! More than what? More than anything life without Jesus can offer. Life that lasts forever! Eternal life.
This is our promised land. Or we might say it is our land of promises. Jesus came so that we could have access to it. Moses set Israel free from Egypt so they could access their promised land. In that promised land they would find great blessing. They would also find their true destiny. They would have to fight for it, but Joshua and Caleb understood it was worth it.
We have to fight the fight of faith for our promised land. There will be giants and “walled cities” that will oppose us. However it is worth the fight. It is worth risking mere survival. And I cry with Joshua and Caleb, “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us.”
Brothers and sisters the Lord does delight in us. He sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus won the most difficult battle. We simply must believe his word and be willing to obey. When we do we will find a land that flows with promises. We will find a land of healing and prosperity. We will find a land full of emotional stability and true joy. We will find a land where our families can grow strong and healthy. We will find a land where our marriages can be heaven on earth instead of hell on earth.
We will also find our destiny. God has a purpose for his body. God intends to bring many to himself in these last days and you and I are the vehicle he will use. There is a world to change. There are friends and neighbors who have no access to this abundant life Jesus died to give all mankind. It is our destiny to lead them into the land of promises. If we don’t’ who will.
What is the cost to us? We must die to selfishness. We must learn to trust God in reality not just in theory. That means we will face things that are difficult. Things that our natural abilities cannot overcome. That’s OK. We can and will prevail for God is on our side. Hear the words of the great apostle Paul.
Romans 8:31-32(NKJV) 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
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