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Online! | | ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND by David Wilkerson | | “We see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19). Only one sin kept Israel out of the Promised Land.
Canaan represents a place of rest, peace, fruitfulness, assurance, fullness, satisfaction, everything a true believer longs for. It is also a place where the Lord speaks clearly to His people, directing them, “This is the way, walk in it.” But Israel could not enter the Promised Land because of one sin.
That sin was not adultery (and Scripture calls these Israelites an adulterous generation). It wasn’t their rampant divorcing (Jesus said Moses granted divorces to that generation because they were so hardhearted). It wasn’t rage, jealousy, sloth or backbiting. It wasn’t even their secret idolatry.
The sin of unbelief prevented God’s people from entering Canaan. Therefore, Hebrews urges us today, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Hebrews 4:11).
I have known many Christians who decided to get serious about their walk with the Lord. They determined to become more studious in His Word, and they fasted and prayed with renewed conviction. They set their hearts to cling to God through every situation in life, and as I observed their lives, I thought, “Surely all their devotion will bring a glow of joy. They can’t help but reflect God’s peace and rest.”
But all too often, the opposite was true. Many never did enter into God’s promised rest. They were still unsure, restless, questioning God’s leading, worried about their future. Why? They had a habitual leaven of unbelief and all their devotion and activity had been rendered ineffective because of it.
The believing servant clings to God’s New Covenant promise: “I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). He also clings to this Word: “I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me. . . . I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble” (Jeremiah 30:21 and 31:9).
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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|  2016/4/8 7:06 | Profile | JFW
Member
Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 2009
Dothan, Alabama
| | Re: ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND by David Wilkerson | | Brother Greg,
This is such a good word, so full of the Lords faithfulness and mercy towards us:)
It would seem that the issue of unbelief still plagues many today who claim to belong to the faith....
I mean do we really believe,..
That you are seated in Christ at the right hand of the Father?
That by the blood of His son, He has cleansed you of all sin?
That He had purged your conscience of sin?
Set you free from the power of sin?
Filled you with His spirit so that you may walk in faith and live a holy life before man and God?
That you are born again of an incorruptible seed?
That it is He who worketh in and thru you?
That if we obey His command to seek ye first the Kingdom that all we need will be added?
That deadly snakes nor poisons if drank can harm you?
That if you lay hands on the sick they will recover?
That the gospel is the power of God unto salvation?
Do signs and wonders follow after you?
It seems all too often we make excuses for our unbelief and attempt to explain away the word spoken unto us by our Lord as we seek to be justified in our unbelief.... Rather than the evidences of our faith as described in the scriptures following us, what often follows us is the evidence of our unbelief,... namely the works of our flesh, envy- strife-confusion- contentions and the sort:(
Meanwhile the whole of creation groans and travails awaiting the manifestation of the sons and daughters (believers) of God!
May the Lord have mercy on our unbelief and stir His children from the comfort of their slumber, that we might awaken and walk in the light with Him so that the when an unbeliever sees or meets any one of us they have to declare, "there is a God and He is alive and is in that person, there is simply no other explanation"
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Fletcher
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| | 2016/4/8 10:11 | Profile | Pnutty
Member
Joined: 2016/3/14
Posts: 162
Branson, MO
| | Re: ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND by David Wilkerson | | Not sure how to make that quote button work...
"I have known many Christians who decided to get serious about their walk with the Lord. They determined to become more studious in His Word, and they fasted and prayed with renewed conviction. They set their hearts to cling to God through every situation in life, and as I observed their lives, I thought, “Surely all their devotion will bring a glow of joy. They can’t help but reflect God’s peace and rest.”
But all too often, the opposite was true. Many never did enter into God’s promised rest. They were still unsure, restless, questioning God’s leading, worried about their future. Why? They had a habitual leaven of unbelief and all their devotion and activity had been rendered ineffective because of it."
When I read this I had a different diagnosis of the problem. The decided and determined problem. When someone gives you a gift and you love them, you just want to spend more time with them. Youd love to spend ALL your time with them it makes you feel so good. Decided and determined is never a part of it!
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Linda
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| | 2016/4/8 10:39 | Profile |
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