Numbers 13, 14
Why We Wander
Introduction
1. ‘You only get out of it what you put into it.’
2. We are married to Jesus Christ:
Promises are ours…blessings are ours…victory is ours…God has given
us so much. All you have to do is possess it. The average Christian never
gets beyond wandering in the wilderness. They are out of Egypt, but they
aren’t enjoying all that God has for them.
3. Numbers 13, 14 we see the same situation. They would wander 40 years
and never enter the Promise land. They heard about the land, but never
entered it!
Why do we wander? There are at least 3 reasons:
I. THEY WERE DEFEATED 13:26-33
The obstacles in their walk are bigger than their God.
What they said is true.
A. The Enemy Is Positioned
We choose to wander because the Enemy does dwell in the land!
*Real spiritual warfare greets you as soon as you step on the soil of the
Promised land.
*There is less warfare in the desert, but there is no victory.
B. The Enemy Is Protected
There are walled cities in the land.
*There are walls in our land: walls of resentment, rejection, bitterness,
jealousy, hatred, envy, greed, and pride.
*These must come down if we are to occupy the land.
*We can wander in the wilderness and never deal with these walls that
separate us.
*There are no walls in the wilderness!
C. The Enemy Is Powerful
There are giants in the land!
*There are giants in our land of temptation, testing, tribulation,
misunderstanding…
*God will slay them for us.
*It is only through these encounters that we really know who God is.
*God is bigger than any giant!
*Without ‘giants’ you will never know how BIG God really is.
Why do we wander?
II. THEY WERE DISHEARTED 14:1-10
A. The Expression of Despair 1-5
*They cry and complain.
*Complaining is ultimately against God.
*The majority could not see that their opportunity was God’s
opportunity.
*They were buried with no way out.
*We attack people and not the problem.
B. The Encouragement in Despair 6-10
1. God’s Perspective Is Explained
“The Lord delights in us” “The Lord is with us”
*God is bigger than any mountain.
*God is bigger than any wall.
*God is bigger than any giant!
2. God’s Perspective Is Excused 10
*The flesh can’t grasp the concepts of the Spirit.
*They don’t want to hear Grace stuff.
Why do we wander?
III. THEY WERE DISOBEDIENT 14:9, 11, 22, 27, 41, 42, 43
Hebrews 3:7-9 Today: Harden not…Hearken…They could not enter
in because of an evil heart of unbelief…
This is expressed in several ways:
A. 14:9 Only rebel not against God…
B. 14:11 How long will it be before they believe me?
C. 14:22 They have not hearkened to my voice…
D. 14:27 Who murmur against Me…
E. 14:41 Wherefore now do you transgress the commandment of God…
F 42, 43 The Lord is not among you…because you turned away from
the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.
Hebrews 4:1-11
You only get out of it what you put into it.
You can’t have your heart on earth and in heaven at the same time.
You can’t see in two directions at the same time.
You cannot serve two Masters at the same time.
LET GO OF ONE AND EMBRACE THE OTHER
One day it will be too late!!