Have you ever recounted your journey with Yahweh? If you are like most, I would say you might be tempted to recall the doubts and mistakes you had along the way. This week in Numbers chapter thirty-three, we can read the recordings of Israel’s trek across the wilderness as they fled the land of bondage known as Egypt.
I believe these notes were written as a reminder to Israel to move out of their struggles and to start stepping out in faith. Likewise, they are also written to us. For as we have chosen to flee from our old man of sin to seek a new life in Messiah, we recognize that we too have struggled. Why is this? Why do we struggle with faith while living in the Kingdom purpose?
I have concluded that many who decide to follow Yahweh and to seek Yeshua, do so believing that all their problems will be solved. They take on a belief system that if they just keep His commands, they will reap huge rewards and all will go smoothly. I call this the “Santa Claus Syndrome.” As the old Christmas song goes, “he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake.”
In short, if you want a gift this year, make sure you haven’t been naughty. But Yahweh is deeper than this. His Kingdom Purpose does not always revolve around splendid earthly gifts but is more intentional. His purpose seeks to redeem, renew, and restore your spiritual life for eternity.
Being in ministry for a long time, I have found that most people who leave the gospel message, do so because Yahweh didn’t turn out to be who they wanted Him to be. They were hurt because God didn’t answer their prayers when looking for a job or when a loved one passed due to illness, or because they lost their cat. They complain that He didn’t provide when they felt He should have. Kind of like the complaints we heard from Israel when they left the chains of slavery.
The apostle Paul reminds us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood,” therefore, must agree that we are in a two-front spiritual battle. The evil one lures you to his way of thinking with earthly gifts to satisfy your flesh. While The Holy One wants you to learn to walk in faith, so your spirit man learns about Kingdom strength.
It’s obvious in today’s age that we have become a self-absorbed society. Many times, it’s all about “me” and what “I want.” But Yeshua has told us to pick up His cross and follow Him. Are we strong enough to do so? Are we willing to follow His steps? Are we able to repent and ask to be restored? If He is our Creator, I think He knows where we should be or what we should do. Have you asked Him lately?
I love the Hebrew language in that it is the tongue of doing. From the beginning of The Word, we hear terms like build, move out, guard, protect, flourish, listen, destroy, love, sacrifice, and pray. But in today’s church, we hear words of inclusiveness that do not seek repentance. This approach generates a confusing sort of laziness in the areas of right and wrong; causing us to be lukewarm followers of the gospel. I’m tired of this. Yeshua’s words were distinct; spread the gospel of repentance and forgiveness, conquer the lies of satan, and grow the body of the saints.
I want to finish this week by asking you to carefully read the passages below. Take heed of your present life and ask if your doubts, unbelief, or even anger toward God have been centered around your inability to fully accept His sovereignty.
Taken from James 4:
“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is the source, not your pleasures that wage war on your body’s parts?
You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures.
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, “He jealously desires the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”?
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or judges his brother or sister, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you, judging your neighbor?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:1-17
In closing, I am going to paraphrase a text from Numbers so that it will apply to me more closely. In doing so, I would like to challenge you to do the same. Just remember that when you apply this text, Yeshua has conquered all sin on the cross. Therefore, if you desire to have your sin driven out, let Him fight for you so that the enemy can no longer lie to you. “The battle belongs to the Lord.”
Why was Israel told to drive out the followers of Satan? From my perspective, they were told to keep the Santa Claus god trampled underfoot, for Satan is a liar and deceiver who seeks to devour.
Here is my paraphrase to help remind me to worship the Living God and not my personal desires:
“Rollyn, if you do not drive out the sin of the land (worshipping satan’s world of false rewards) from you, then it will come about that those sins (worshipping a false belief system) you let remain will be like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides, and they will trouble you (causing quarrel and conflict) in the land in which you live. And just as I plan to do to those who do evil, (left in confusion and death) I will do to you.’”
Numbers 33:55-56
Brothers and sisters, it’s time to take Yahweh seriously!
Be blessed,
Rollyn