admin
Sermon for covenant people going to Canaan.
On the occasion of 2nd sunday of our covenant month February 2018.
PREFACE:
Our contemporary Canaan could be a search for solution in this temporary world, but the ultimate Canaan is heaven.
All over the world people seek deliverance from one problem or another. When this happens people can seek advice from friends, or from family doctor in case of ill health or could run to the Lord.
Those who run to God are surely in the last bus stop for any type of problem which requires solution. They must understand that:
- God is ably unlimited
- The individual must obey God
- God hates sin and sin can deny a person the needed deliverance
- The individual needs faith not doubt
- The individual must pray and follow prayer rules ; and
- The individual must learn to search the scriptures as the final authority in establishing a relationship with God.
We shall take the following lead verses for today : Ps. 130 : verses 1 – 2:
“Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications”. (Psalm 130 : 1 – 2).
Surely this cry is from someone in need of God’s salvation from a distressing situation.
ISRAEL CRIED IN EGYPT.
Israel in Egypt were like people in the depths. They were harrassed by Pharoah and God sent Moses. But they needed courage to get out of the hooks of the Egyptian bondage.They had missed relationship with God for 400 years. Even Moses their leader did not know the God of Abraham, until God Himself told him.
All believers at one time or the other are in need of deliverance from the depths , call that problems. Some who need God do not know Him deeply.
A journey to the land of Promise can be very scarring. A land of promise is likely a land of unknown terrain, there may be mountains and rivers to cross, wild animals to contest with in the jungle and strange people, who may be in the land. No wonder the psalmist must have cried : “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications”. (Psalm 130 : 1 – 2).
The children of Israel began to sing discordant tones as they approached the promised land. The business they had which was much urgent was to pray for deliverance and focus on the Lord.
The way to win and be delivered is to hear God’s voice and keep the Lord’s commandments. That was all that Israel needed as it had come from the mouth of the Lord:
“Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever”. (Deuteronomy 4:40).
A man crying for deliverance does not need more than this.
*********************************
IN EVERY GOOD THING ON EARTH, ISSUES THAT CALL, FOR DELIVERANCE MAY SURFACE.
People getting nearer to the land of promise might want to survey the land.
Your own or my own land of promise, may not be Canaan, even though in allegorical terms it is also Canaan, as also Egypt could be a land of bondage for all descriptions. Moses had sent out one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel including Joshua and Caleb to survey the promised land. They were asked to report thus :
“And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes” (Numbers 13 : 20).
The survey was made and the report was credidle concerning the land, but the people lacked the courage to,take the land.
“And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it”. (Numbers 13 : 27).
There were great people in the land, the Amalekites, the Philistines and the Anaks ( giants) and the hearts of some melted at the sight of these people. Caleb was determined that they can take the land (Num. 13:31), “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we”. (Numbers 13: 31).
What did they see:
“And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight”. (Numbers 13:33).
One fact is to cry for deliverance and another important issue is to have the courage to face issues that come in the wake of deliverance.
DELIVERANCE MUST GO WITH COURAGE.
“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings”. (Isaiah 3:10)
lsrael left Egypt for the land of promise. But they they did not entirely trust the voice of the man that led them. They saw themselves as grasshoppers in the sight of those in the land who they must conquer.
The prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 130: 1-2 is appropriate when facing challenges. We must pray to be delivered but not to imagine the challenges and contradict the design of the deliverer. They needed obedience to be delivered. Righteousness exalteth a people. Courage with trust in God is good courage.
CAN ONE TAKE THE GOOD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE LION WITHOUT HURT? OR CAN ONE HARVEST HONEY WITHOUT THE STING?
A man looking for deliverance may not be facing a simple test, It must be something not too simple to handle.
Biblical examples of courage in hard times
1) Israel against the tribe of Benjamin:
“And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. (Judges 20 :22). Israel had lost 22000 people in the first day battle against Benhamin, but they encouraged themselves to come next day at,the same place where they had lost such number, it takes real courage.
2) Israel against the Amalekites:
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God”. (1 Samuel 30:6).
A man seeking God’s hand under a challenge must do what David did here.
The Amalekites had burned Ziglag when David was away and taken the women and their daughters and sons captive including two wives of David. On return the people were angry with David and would have stoned him. David encouraged himself and enquired of the Lord if he should pursue them. He got God’s clearance, pursued them , smote them and recovered everything they had taken away.
(3) Strange wives amongst returning exiles needed great courage to be separated. It is not simple joke for a man to be delivered from a strange woman.
While in exile the children of Judah and Benjamin had taken strange wives against the law of God. This was brought to their attention to separate from those wives including the children. They accepted to obey the Lord.
The priest , Ezra spoke to them saying:
“Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. (Ezra 10 :4).
Any man seeking to be delivered must be positive and do something in line with what is on the ground.
WHEN DELIVERANCE MAY BE DENIED.
Except for unrighteousness the Lord will always deliver His people. When people act against God’s will He will, withdraw from them His deliverance.
Note the following:
2:12 “But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not
.2:13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
2:14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
2:15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
2:16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD”. (Amos 2 : 12-16.).
It is obvious that failure to receive the deliverance of the Lord is consequentially determined by sin. You can note the above.
Note that God was determined to deliver Israel, out of the Egyptian bondage, but because they disobeyed Him, all that left Egypt, about 6 million peope all died in the wilderness, except Caleb and Joshua. Only those born in the wilderness reached Canaan.
While we pray for deliverance, we must note that salvation belongeth to the Lord. The Prophet Jonah noting this had this to say : “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD”. (Jonah 2:9).
If you come to God to be delivered, you must note that it is like the last chance. Hold God firm, because to miss His hand is like to sink. He will not let you go if you hold Him.
We must also note what is spoken by prophet Isaiah:
“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings”. (Isaiah 3 : 10).
You will be delivered not minding your condition, come back to God, if you had strayed, talk to Him as a child speaks to the father and it will be well. Papa God thank you. Amen.
February 2018 sermons at Miracle Valley.