2023 New Year’ Message: "Preparing For The Journey Ahead”

2023 New Year’ Message: “Preparing For the Journey Ahead”

Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:8-17

“Therefore, be careful to obey every command I am giving you today, so you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are about to enter. 9 If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey! 10 For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain— 12 a land that the Lord your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year! 13 “If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, 14 then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. 15 He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat. 16 “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. 17 If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.”

Introduction: The Book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ 5-part sermon presentation of God’s history with Israel as they prepare for the next move of God. Moses prepares them for the new level of their future. Unbelief caused their forefathers to die in the wilderness, never seeing God’s best, and never experiencing the future God had for them. How sad it is to have God as their father, Moses as their leader, the promises of God is their hearts and the Promised Land as a gift to die with their dreams unfulfilled.

Chapter 1-3 Moses urges the present generation of God’s people to forward in faith and dare to possess the land because this new land and new day was their heritage from God. God’s gift to them. God has kept them alive for this moment! It was in His plan, in His will and because of His good pleasure, you are here!

Chapter 4-6 Moses reminds them of all the things their great God has done for them. Moses list the victories God has given them, the provisions God has given them for every challenge and the ways God has lead them.

Chapter 7-10 Moses reaffirms God’s love towards them and charges the people to love God with all their heart, mind, and soul, then cautions them to hold on to God. Prosperity and plenty can sometimes create a feeling of self-sufficiency or self-reliance. Moses knew that they would need God even more in the future.

Here Chapter 11, the new generation is on the verge of doing something their parents failed to do. Moses helps this new generation to be mentally, physically, and spiritually prepared for the task ahead. “For the land where you are going is not like the land from which you have come.” No one can predict the events of the coming days, yet many are predicting a new day, a different day and we must prepare for a new normal. They are moving to the next level, and we are moving into the next year. What will tomorrow bring? What will the new level require? What will the new year require?

1.The next level will require warfare, determined warfare. “Therefore, be careful to obey every command I am giving you today, so you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are about to enter. 9 If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey!”

We must be strong, keep going and possess the Land. Going to a new level, a new year or a new normal will not be a cake walk! Yarash in the Gk. Means to take possession, drive the enemy without fail. You cannot have a bright future without a fight. Learn new skill, sharpen your weapons and look for opportunity. Sometimes opportunities knock, but at other times they must be found, yet many opportunities must be created.