Believing God in the Wilderness

Numbers... In the Wilderness

As Leviticus stresses worship and spiritual position, the theme of Numbers is a walk of spiritual progress. This book is full of modern application for believers. It would certainly be nice if, once we got saved, we reached spiritual maturity but it just doesn't happen that way. The best part is the journey with the Lord. It's the relationship we have invested along the way. We learn. We grow. We take two steps forward and five back. Other times we take two or three forward and stay there for awhile. As we read about the Israelites and how they griped and complained and whined to God, we are often quick to judge but upon closer reflection we see that we are not so different. We resemble the pattern of complaining, backsliding and utter disbelief. Sometimes we get it right, but all too often we get it wayyyy wrong.

The good news is that we do not need to repeat the wanderings of Israel in our spiritual journey. God has made full provision for spiritual success through faith.

I want to skip ahead in this lesson to the point where God sends the 12 men to survey the land. This was their Promised Land. God had already given it to them. All they were going to have to do was claim it and believe God for the rest. After all that they had seen God do for them they still didn't trust Him. Yet am I all that different?

As I was reading this passage this week I was reminded of something that happened to me a few years ago. Without going into all the gory details, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God called me specifically to do something. I felt it in my soul, it was confirmed by a few of my spiritual mentors and God really laid the path clear before me. I took a step of faith and quickly obstacles arose. Satan knew exactly where to get me and instead of trusting God, I crumbled. I didn't believe God. I didn't believe that He could overcome and I didn't trust that He would fight my battle. I tucked tail and ran and that disobedience began a cycle of disobedience that I have never seen before in my life and pray that I never see it again. I'm not saying that one instance of disobedience automatically brings a series of them but for me it was a very slippery slope.

As a follower of the God of the universe and the Creator of all things, I still did not trust Him when things looked insurmountable. I was afraid of losing temporal things instead of storing up things that have eternal value. I like to think that I have learned that lesson. In this world we will be asked to trust God for big things. We will be asked to choose Him over things we hold dear. We must always remember to trust Him. He will never leave us or forsake us. Just as the twelve went to spy out the land and ten of them were scared silly! Caleb and Joshua didn't look at what they might lose. They looked only at what they had to gain! They believed God was true to His word and that He was big enough to do what He said He could do. I understand the ten. I know how easy it is to look around and see everything you have to lose in order to enter the Promised Land. Our Promised Land is waiting for us. There will be giants. There will be hills and valleys. We will have to leave some things behind. But I can promise you this... IT IS WORTH IT!! I do not want to spend 40 years wandering in a desert because I didn't trust God. After my disobedience to God I experienced a desert. I know how dry I felt. I knew the Lord was there but I couldn't feel Him as tenderly as I did before. He was there but seemed so far away.

Above all else, God wants us to believe Him. It's not about following rules and walking the straight and narrow. It's about believing God. I did a study from Beth Moore called "Believing God" several years ago. The five statement pledge of faith has stuck with me and it makes more sense to me now than ever before.

1. God is who He says He is.

2. God can do what He says He can do.

3. I am who God says I am.

4. God's Word is alive and active and living in me.

5. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

They all seem so simple and so, well... "Duh". But it really all boils down to the 5 things. I want to trust Him. I believe that my God is huge and can do all things. He is all powerful. All loving. All everything. I believe it. I really do. But now, I want to live like I believe it. I want my steps to be steps toward faith. Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." I want to please God. I want to earnestly seek Him and the reward is that when I seek Him, I will find Him. And He is enough. God is more than enough for me. Though the mountains shall fall and the sky may crumble... God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He will never leave.

 I know in my heart that God wanted me to share this with you. He began burning the words into my heart awhile back. I want to close this with one question. What is God asking you to believe Him for? Believe Him. When everyone else has walked away, God will still be there. And He is enough. More than enough.

"The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." Exodus 14:14 NLT