Today’s Bible readings are Numbers 14:1-15:16, Mark 14:53-72, Psalm 53:1-6, & Proverbs 11:4
Numbers 14:1-4
Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried
all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest
against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the
wilderness!” they complained. 3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to
have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as
plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 Then
they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to
Egypt!”
This had to be a very sad day for
Moses. The next line in the bible tells us that Moses & Aaron fell face
down to the ground after hearing this report. They must have been very
disappointed. There was probably a fear that tried to get a hold of them, as
well. They may have wondered if the people were going to turn on them
physically. It was a very troubling time.
What was it that made these people so negative?
Why did they so easily forget the things that God had done for them in the past?
Why did they have so little faith after seeing so great miracles? I believe
that the answer is that they still had a slave mentality.
They had been in bondage so long that
they were totally beaten down inside. They I had what I call, the “I Can’t” attitude. They had been dominated by
the slave master so long & hard that they were broken in their own minds.
There had been many times back in Egypt when they tried to overcome things only
to be oppressed even more. They had been talked down to their whole lives. They
had been called worthless slaves as long as they could remember. These things
had become their reality. They had far more faith in their ability to fail than
in God’s ability to prosper them & give them victory.
This same attitude is seen in the lives
of many Christians. They have failed many times before. They have believed the
lie that they will never succeed. They have agreed with the enemy that they can’t
do certain things.
1. I can’t succeed.
2. I can’t stay sober.
3. I can’t have a healthy relationship.
4. I can’t be prosperous.
5. I can’t be used of God.
6. I don’t have anything to offer.
7. I can’t overcome.
All of these thoughts are LIES. They
are not true. They are the result of being of being in bondage. This is what
happens to slaves. The slave master beats them down with these crushing lies so
that he can control his subjects. The first thing that the slave master steals
for the slave is HOPE. Without hope the slave becomes easy to control. Without
hope, the slave master can keep his subjects from ever trying to escape the
bondage.
This attitude can follow us even after
we have been set free. Many people live life thinking like a slave even as free
people. This is what was happening to Israel. They were still weak, powerless,
slaves in their own minds. They thought they were mere grasshoppers. These people
were going to miss out on the greatest thing that they would have ever seen—God’s
great blessing & provision in the Promise Land.
Many people struggle with this same
kind of attitude. It keeps them from experiencing God’s best in their lives. I
want to share with you a few things that we can do to change our attitude into
a “I Can, in Christ” attitude.
1. Remember that God is in you.
When you gave you heart to Jesus Christ
something changed in you. Your old, powerless nature was changed into a new overcoming
nature. God’s Spirit came to make His home in you. God, by His Spirit that is
in you, will empower you to do all things.
Philippians 4:13
13 For I can
do everything through Christ,
who gives me strength.
2. Choose to agree with God’s Word.
Maybe you have been programmed to think as certain way based from
your life experiences. Well, it is time to be reprogrammed then. Start reading
God’s Word. Take special notice of all the things that God says about you now
that you are a new creation. Regardless of what you feel, CHOOSE TO AGREE WITH
GOD! Don’t call yourself the things that you use to call yourself. You have to
start calling yourself the things that God calls you.
1.
You are
strong in Him.
2.
You are
filled with power from on high.
3.
You are
victorious in all things.
4.
You have the
mind of Christ.
5.
You are an
overcomer.
6.
You have a purpose
& a future.
7.
Satan has no
hold on you.
This is your
new destiny. Start talking about it. Start thinking about it. Let it fill your
heart & mind instead of the garbage that has kept you in bondage.
3. Trust in God.
At the end
of the day it is God who has to make this all happen. He is the One who has
given us His Word & His promise. He is going to be the One who brings it to
pass. All the pressure is really on Him. That is so good to know because He is
more than able to make this a reality.
Believe God.
Live like the bible is true. Leave the rest in His hands.
No comments:
Post a Comment