Journey To The Promise Land (NIV)
Genesis 12:1-3
GE 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.GE 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.GE 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
God calls Abraham to leave his land. Not an easy task. Dangerous, Risky, Unknown Destination. But he obeys.
Where was God asking Abraham to go?-The Promise Land/ “Land of Milk and Honey”
God also calls us to begin a journey to our own “Promise Land” Abraham didn’t ask any questions of God, he just did it. We on the other hand will always have questions to God about his plan for our journey.
Questions we may ask about the journey.
1 Is the destination worth the journey?
2 Will there be trouble during my journey?
3 What am I to do when I get there?
4 How do I get there?
We will answer these later.
“Promise Land”-symbol of great prosperity and blessings in the Bible. A place with the promise of abundant life.
God says “I want to take from where you are to where you need to be, to where I want you, to where I need you.”
Thats what he was saying to Abraham and its the same thing he says to us today.
Fast forward a few generations after Israel is free from Egypt, they are wandering in the desert(Complaining, Disobedient, The generation that had been freed is now gone). Moses is dead and Joshua is in charge.
Joshua stands ready to enter the Promise Land and begin its conquest.
Joshua 1:2-9
2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. JOS 1:6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Picture Joshua standing on a hillside near the Jordan River- “How am I gonna do this?”
It had already been figured out by God how he was gonna do it! All Joshua had to do was keep his heart open to what Gods plan was.
Earlier we talked about about the Promise Land being a place with the promise of Abundant Life. Theres is a difference between Abundant life and Eternal life
Eternal Life-It is secure, when Jesus took on the job of your salvation he did not fail in this task. Nothing you do can erase the promise of it. The process of an abundant life has begun.
Abundant Life-predicated on your obedience to God’s plan. It is a constant challenge
Abraham obeyed God by his faith in God. We too can do great things by believing and obeying God by faith.
John 14:12
12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Questions to ask about the journey.
1 Is the destination worth the journey?
Yes!
1 Corinthians 2:9
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" --
2 Will there be trouble during my journey
Yes-
John 16:33
JN 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Whenever a person decided to follow Christ and not follow the world they will always have trouble because the world can’t understand the reason why. It will be a constant battle.
3 What am I to do when I get there?
You will face battles. That you can make and keep promises is the key to living in the Promise Land. When Israel moved into the promise land they had to continually fight to protect and reclaim the land.
Quality of your life depends on the quantity of covenants kept.
The purpose of a covenant is that you would rather be broken yourself then to break the covenant.
When you make a covenant you have God’s attention. He says “you make it and I’ll help you keep it” The word “covenant” is used a lot in the Bible. Is covenant something they did in the OT or is for me as well....? Yes!
How to make a covenant.
You must have a cause(Marriage, Ministry, Healing)
You must make a commitment
There will be conflict(War of spirit and flesh, family opposition)
God will give you confirmation
4 How do I get there?
Psalm 37:23,24
PS 37:23 If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm;
PS 37:24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand
James 1:5-8
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does..
If you make a covenant with God, stand on the promise that it will be rewarded.
He will help you see through to the end if you keep your end of the bargain. You may stumble or fall but God will never leave you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
What is the key to my covenant getting me to the promise land?
Isaiah 1:19
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
