Perhaps you are reading this, and the Spirit of God is graciously revealing to you that there are areas of your life where you are in disobedience, sin or rebellion. Perhaps you are not walking with God the way you know you should be. Even though you are attending church, there are things you are not doing that God told you to do. Perhaps you have not laid aside certain sins and practices, and you are allowing them to keep you away from God’s best. God can bring you out of that if you are willing and obedient. He will cause you to eat of the good of the land.
You need to come out of Egypt. You can’t get into the good land if you’re still in bondage. Your freedom begins with salvation and deliverance. Just as the Israelites went into the wilderness, you will be led there as well—for a short period of time—as God purges you, delivers you and sets you free.
The wilderness place is only temporary. It is never the will of God for His people to stay in the wilderness. It is the will of God for you to come out of sin, out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, the waters of baptism. Even in their exodus story we see types and shadows of baptism of water and of the Holy Spirit.
God will bring you to the mountain and give you His word. Of course, when you go into the land, some clearing of the land needs to take place. That is still deliverance or spiritual warfare as you are driving out the evil spirits. His Spirit will guide you through this, but again, only if you are willing and obedient.
Now I want you to take inventory of your life. If you find yourself angry, bitter, fretful, not trusting in God, proud, unteachable or doing things your own way, then you will not inherit the land. But if you repent, God will exalt you in due season and bring you into the land that flows with milk and honey.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there any pride in my life?
- Do I get angry when I get corrected?
- Is there an area in my life where I am not obeying God?
- Do I talk about my supervisors or church leadership?
- Do I hate my bosses or the leaders in my church?
- Do I criticize authority in various areas of my life?
- Do I always have a problem with leadership?
- Do I run from church to church?
- Am I double-minded?
- Do I operate in rejection and rebellion?
These are things that can prevent you from entering into the fullness of God’s promises. Isaiah 1:19-20 says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.” Life, ministry, family, finances, health—you cannot enter into the promises of God in any of these areas without being meek and humble. It will not happen, because God resists the proud.
It’s OK to take inventory of your life. We all have to do it from time to time. It is important to realize that not everybody is wrong about us. We may call them haters, but not everybody is lying. Some criticisms are valid. I include myself in this. Not every criticism is given out of hatred or jealousy.
Consider the words of those who are closest to you and love you, those who tell you the truth. Do you have trouble receiving what they say as well? There are things we can’t see about ourselves that others can. So while you want to be careful who you listen to, remember that not everything is sent from the enemy to make you feel guilty or accused.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, but it is the grace and mercy and love of God that chastens us, and sometimes that chastening comes by way of those who love us enough to tell us the truth. Let the Spirit of God lead you into all truth, which sets you free, taking these matters before the Lord and not being so quick to deny what is being said. {eoa}
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This article is adapted from The Good Land: Grow and Flourish in God’s Presence by John Eckhardt. Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries, located in Chicago. Gifted with a strong apostolic call, he has ministered throughout the United States and overseas in more than 80 nations. He is a sought-after international conference speaker, produces a weekly television program called Perfecting the Saints and has authored more than 20 books, including Prayers That Rout Demons and Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare Manual.
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