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Thesis: Y
ou can apprehend the promises of God for your life if you rightly discern the will and voice of God and courageously silence the voices of doubt and inferiority.The best way to start rightly discerning the voice of God is by meditating in the Bible. In the Bible we get the heartbeat of God and he clearly lays out his promises for us.
It has often been said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
That saying has some truth in it so let’s identify our promised land and then see what facilitates us walking into the promises of God and what hinders us. We’ll be looking at some illustrations from the Old Testament to help us understand our approach to the better promises (Heb. 8:6) of the New Testament.
Old Testament
The Old Testament promised land was a “land flowing with milk and honey”.
zavat halav u'dvash, (flowing with milk and honey) as "milk flows from the goats' (udders), and honey flows from the dates and the figs (Ketubot 111b)."
This expression speaks of prosperity and provision. God would take care of his people and cause them to prosper.
The 10 Spies
Numbers 13:27-28, 33They gave Moses this account, "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are very powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
The truth, the good, the but.
Projecting our own opinions of ourselves onto what others think of us is VERY common. It will assist the enemy in causing us to not take our promised land.
The enemy within
The issue isn’t primarily what do you see, the glass half empty or the glass half full. Or, in this example, do you see the land that is plentiful or the giants. The issue is what did God say? Is the opinion and voice of the Lord “louder” than the opinion and voice of circumstance, “facts”, and opposition? Do you believe you’ve heard God to such a degree that you’re willing to stick your neck out to do things God’s way?
The truth, the good, the but.
Projecting our own opinions of ourselves onto what others think of us is VERY common. It will assist the enemy in causing us to not take our promised land.
The enemy within
The issue isn’t primarily what do you see, the glass half empty or the glass half full. Or, in this example, do you see the land that is plentiful or the giants. The issue is what did God say? Is the opinion and voice of the Lord “louder” than the opinion and voice of circumstance, “facts”, and opposition? Do you believe you’ve heard God to such a degree that you’re willing to stick your neck out to do things God’s way?
Feed the Spirit, starve the flesh
Galatians 5:16-1716 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
The People Fail the Test
Numbers 14:4
4 And they (the Israelite people) said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Numbers 14:4
4 And they (the Israelite people) said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Caleb passes the test
Numbers 14:24
24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Numbers 13:30
"Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'"
The Children will receive the Inheritance
Numbers 14:31
31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
Some people would make this story about positive thinking and believing in yourself. These thoughts have some merit relative to the story, however the primary issue is WHAT DID GOD SAY?
Numbers 14:24
24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Numbers 13:30
"Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'"
The Children will receive the Inheritance
Numbers 14:31
31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
Some people would make this story about positive thinking and believing in yourself. These thoughts have some merit relative to the story, however the primary issue is WHAT DID GOD SAY?
It’s About the Word of the Lord not Positive Thinking Only
Numbers 14:40, 45
40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!”
45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
You may believe in yourself until you’re blue in the face but if God stands apposed to the direction you are trying to go you won’t have success.
This is the foundational issue for you and I apprehending the promises of God. Are we willing to stick our necks out there when every fiber of our being may be drawing our attention to the “giants” in the situation?
New testament
Numbers 14:40, 45
40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised. Surely we have sinned!”
45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
You may believe in yourself until you’re blue in the face but if God stands apposed to the direction you are trying to go you won’t have success.
This is the foundational issue for you and I apprehending the promises of God. Are we willing to stick our necks out there when every fiber of our being may be drawing our attention to the “giants” in the situation?
New testament
Precious Promises
2 Peter 1:3-43 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Participating in the divine nature is my understanding of apprehending the New Testament promised land!
2 Peter 1:3-43 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Participating in the divine nature is my understanding of apprehending the New Testament promised land!
Worldly corruption fueled by evil desires is an enemy to participating in the divine nature.
Participating in the divine nature is simply put, acting like Jesus.
Romans 8:28-2928 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 4:13
Participating in the divine nature is simply put, acting like Jesus.
Romans 8:28-2928 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 4:13
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
1 John 4:17,18
17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:17,18
17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
What are Your Giants?
What is your Anak? Who are your Cananites? Who are your Amalakites?
What is your Anak? Who are your Cananites? Who are your Amalakites?
- Maybe an unfavorable medical diagnosis
- Maybe a hand to mouth lifestyle without any abundance or even lack
- Maybe it’s a family member who’s away from God
- Maybe it’s an overwhelming disposition of inferiority
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