Why do we want change
Deut 8:1-20
1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. 4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee . (Heb 12:5-11) 6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. 11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. (KJV)
Why do we want change?
We have to have the right reason to change to get God involved!
· that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land
· Many want to stay in the desert the place of provision and not continue on into the promised land.
How many of you truly believe that if I follow God’s plan for my life, that my life will be better?
· So why do I need to change? Rom 12:2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. (TLB)
· So I can become all that God wants me to be.
God will lead us into situations where we have to Humble ourselves!
· 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to
hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Matt 4:1-10) *Jesus had to learn this one!
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
· Remembering all the way: Let all the things that you have gone through count for something, will you learn the lessons or will you instead die in the desert?
· Humbling yourself under his mighty hand. Do you want to change bad enough to let go of your life into the hands of God? Surrender?
· God will help us to desire to change. By exposing the hardness of our hearts
· Our reaction can be one of surrender or one of rebellion(Complaining, murmuring etc..)
· Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee . (Heb 12:5-11) Are we teachable?
*If we want God’s PURPOSES, then we have to go God’s WAY, and lastly we have to be led by GOD HIMSELF!*
Led by the spirit
· For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into...
· So you can be led by the spirit. Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
We say “Lord I will follow you as long as you go where I want to go”.
If we do not finally learn to follow the Lord we will never see the promised land!
Ps 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Gal 5:16-18
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
· Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God: This is a strong warning to those that have tasted of God’s goodness and have forgotten God and also to those that have not come in yet it is an explanation of maybe why you are still in the desert.
Change will not come by the increase of Natural Abilities, but by the increase of Supernatural Abilities! Not your Supernatural abilities, but God’s through you!