THE DANGER OF QUITING BEFORE WE ARE THROUGH

 

Numbers 32:1-7; Joshua 1:10-15

In some way, at this time we stand in the same position as Israel in the 13 and 14 chapters of the book of Numbers.

As we, as ministers and preachers of the gospel, have been able to by the Holy Spirit have shown to you the fruit of the Promise Land which is available to us for an inheritance.

It is not possible for us to display the whole of the land. It is only possible for us to describe and to deliver to you samples of the bountiful supply that is available in the promise land.

But all that we have shared is only a kind of a first fruit, a fore-taste. The Land itself is still available to us.

But I must tell you this; you don’t have to enter in to the land. This is seen very clear from the scripture we have read. “Bring us not over Jordan,” (Num. 32:5), this is sufficient for us where we are. We have no desire to go any further. We are out of Egypt, Pharaoh and his army has been destroyed in the sea, “WHY NOT SETTLE HERE?” That was the request of the tribes of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

God's purpose for Israel was that they should as a whole, in entirety go over Jordan and possess the land. That was His covenant with Abraham, confirmed to Isaac and Jacob. The whole program of God for Israel lay inside of Canaan, on the other side of the Jordan River.

Canaan, represents the life of fullness in Christ, and the Jordan represents the Cross of Christ, distinct division between the old life, where self, the flesh, the world are still uncrucified and characterised by defeat; and the new life, where God Himself is supreme in the midst of His people, characterizing their life by victory and enrichment.

Such people with their self-centered life will not commit themselves beyond a certain point. "No," they say, "we will not go any further. How this talk deceives the people who use it. It really means, "We won't have the whole purpose of God, we won't go all the way." These are the lean souls, not growing fat with the good things of the Kingdom. There is no victory element in their life.

It is also possible for us to settle for less than the best that God has for us. “Bring us not over Jordan” the cattle was their main reason why they made their request to Moses, and cattle still hinders God’s people from pressing in to the fullness that he has for them.

The Rubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseth, only thought of themselves, they had all that they had looked for in coming out of Egypt. They had no concern for the fact that they could not receive the promises of God unless they crossed over the Jordan River and took the land that God had given them in Cannan. They failed to see that they had an inheritance in the new land. They failed to enter into the best that God had for them.

How can we know if we are settling for less than what God has for us? What are the characteristics of a life lived below the standard that God has for us?

IF I AM SATISFIED WITH KNOWING ABOUT GOD INSTEAD OF KNOWING GOD!

 

A. Would a man who is in love settle to know facts about his girl or a picture of her, when he could have her!

 

B. Eternal life is not just knowing about God, it is having God in your life.

C. It is a must that we have a real and personal encounter and experience with God.

 

IF WE ENJOY A SUBERFICIAL OR GENERAL EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

A. Having the Holy Spirit but not letting the Spirit have us.

 

B. If we are satisfied with revival or the moving of the Holy Spirit in someone else.

 

C. When our experiences in the Holy Spirit are not personal or direct, but shared from someone else’s ministry.

 

D. You don’t have to share in an others anointing! You can have your own.

 

WHEN I REMAIN WITH AN EVENT, WHEN GOD OFFERS AN EXPERIENCE!

 

A. Some are living with a date, when or where it happened instead of a continual experience.

 

B. Not just having the Spirit, but growing in the Spirit.

 

"Be sure your sin will find you out" - not "will be found out" - "will find you out." Your reservation of consecration will find you out in the circumstances in which you can only triumph when you have gone all the way with God. What will you do in the swellings of Jordan if you do not know the glories of His victory, the wonderful confidence of reigning in life in Him?

This compromise was the result of their insistence. God is very often forced to give us less than His best because we will not have His best. Israel again and again refused. God said, "I will give you My second best. You will lose." God said, "All right have what you want, but you are losing. The day will come when you will find that you made a great mistake, a terrible mistake, and lost infinitely more than you could have lost by taking all the risks involved by the full consecration." Some demand, some fear of loss, some sacrifice which seemed to be required of us. We say, "Bring us not over this Jordan. Let us stay here. Do not present that challenge. Do not trouble us with these things, let us stay here."

We find them everywhere. If that is your attitude let me tell you, there is more over that Jordan, at any cost, than eye hath ever seen or ear heard or that hath entered into the heart of man.