YOU HAVE CIRCLED THIS MOUNTAIN LONG ENOUGH
Deut. 2:1-7
Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.
2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. 4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. 5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. 6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’”
7 The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.
PROPHETIC MESSAGE--If you never listened before—listen now—THERE WILL BE A TEST
Israel was on their way to the Promised Land…
o 38 years into the journey—still wandering
o circling an area partly comprised of Edom
o Edom was given to Esau, brother of Jacob
o Rivals to enemies—Edom watched Israel wander for 38 years now
o Watched God provide for them all that time
o Wondered what God was going to do with them next
o Edom was the place they were jealous over
o Why can’t we be like them
o They have a land, we’re wandering
“Ye have circled this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”
I. We find here that, God allows us some training time in the wilderness.
a. Wilderness isn’t just for wandering
b. It’s for seeking God’s face
II. The inference here is also that God knows that our tendency is to fall or slip into a state of wandering (moving without vision, without passion and without purpose)
a. I have sought God for a vision for this church…mission…purpose…
b. Answer was “They’ve not finished what I gave them before.”
c. The task before you just as with Israel is OBEDIENCE unto HOLINESS
III. The very real danger we face as Christians is that of becoming religious, (routine) very often is substituted for relationship, and form is substituted for power.
2 Tim 3:5
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. FORM = formation, appearance - an image of, not the real thing, COUNTERFEIT…
IV. If you are moving forward, things have to be done differently—we can learn from the past but we cannot repeat the past – it’s failures or it successes. There are NEW BLESSINGS in store – why ask for the old ones back?
V. One of the worst things that can happen to a child of God is to fall into this lifestyle of making allowances for past mistakes & not asking forgiveness, for the wrong attitudes and appetites of our flesh, but continuing on just as though we have fully dealt with it.
a. Faking it, not making it
b. We have NOT dealt with what’s important to God, so we walk around the mountain
c. We are clinging to a past & forfeiting a future
d. The children of Israel made an eleven day journey last for 40 years, because they were more comfortable with the form than the power,
e. God wanted them to have HIS POWER to change the nations
f. They would rather go through the motions than to submit themselves to God.
g. How many of us today are just going through the motions?
i. Never really submitted to God
ii. Never made a real personal commitment
iii. Never acted on what we said we believe
iv. Faith without works is dead
1. You said you believe in God – so does the devil
2. You said you’re committed to Christ – but will not walk in His footsteps
3. You say you’re lead by the Spirit – but you follow the voice in your head not your heart
h. You’re going through the motions-wandering in the wilderness-wondering why you’re not blessed
Just before entering their promised land, God brought them to a place called Gilgal.
It was here that God would take away the reproach of Egypt from them – make them the head not the tail.
This place represented all of their wilderness wanderings,
o their endless circles, their ceaseless activity,
o their religious ceremonies devoid of God’s power. “CHURCHIANITY”
o the place of PREPARATION
Someone has come here today and God has said to your heart – enough is enough
• Your wandering – cycles of dependence, failure, addiction END TODAY
They were told in Josh.5:2 Make thee sharp knives and circumcise again the children of Isreal.
Gilgal is where God delivers us from carnal cycles, or excessive flesh-----
o But it’s only for a NEW GENERATION that will go into the promise (Josh. 5:2-9)
o (sharp knives) = there is no separation/sanctification without pain
o scalpel vs. butter knife = God’s word vs. human reason
o you have married your sin/intimate with sin/LOVED your sin
o CUT IT OFF
o Don’t hide your flesh from the word,
o Do not protect your flesh from the sword of the spirit, that which you spare from the sword will plague you all your life.
Then they tarried in the camps till they were whole – not out on their own
o Congregation of the righteous
o Fellowship of the saints
o Under the WORD of GOD
Many people know:
• Just enough word to make them argumentative, but not enough to make them change.
• Just enough to make them religious but not enough to make them Godly.
• Just enough to make them happy but not enough to make them Holy.
And so we and the church go thru Carnal cycles:
• continually moving but never growing,
• ever-learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.
Then here is that great danger that faces anyone who continues in this condition:
(They will mistake activity for progress)
And convince themselves that because they are busy for the Lord, that they are growing in the Lord. (They deceive themselves)
• How many programs and events do we have vs. how many ministries?
“Ye have circled this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”
Circling the Mountain:
The mountain = those things or that thing in your life that you have never gotten victory over
Personally -- A habit, a critical spirit, unforgiveness, gossiping, cussing, losing your temper, overeating, prejudging people, lust, jealousy, self righteousness
Congregationally – Killing preachers and prophets
Being a stumbling block for others trying to answer God’s call
Chasing away new believers because they don’t fit your mold
Circling the mountain means that every time you experience similar conditions you respond a certain way, i.e. you react according to the flesh and not respond according to the spirit,
o Its a cycle, You react according to the flesh, then feel guilty, then repent and feel better until the next time you experience similar conditions.
Circling the mountain means: You never deal with the real issue.
o It means you skirt the issue, then to continue on religiously as though there is no problem.
There are many issues to deal with, and God will do that…—but one main ISSUE
God’s Promise
“Ye have circled this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”
NORTHWARD represents a DIRECTION…
Whatever DIRECTION God is taking you is toward His Promise…
But also the DIRECTION OF YOUR FEARS
ISRAEL WAS AFRAID TO ENTER GOD’S PROMISE…GIANTS
They listened to the wrong report—wrong voices
WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?
• We tend listen to those who don’t know God’s Word, who don’t study God’s Word, we follow those who seem similar to us
• They are like us so they must be for us…?
Not the reasoning of a sound, godly heart.
“Ye have circled this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”
How do we get past this life of circling the mountain, or this life of carnal cycles?
There is only one way, We must allow the sharp edge of the word of God to have it’s way in our lives and identify those attitudes and characteristics that are of the flesh, and cut it away = (crucify it)
This means that we surrender to the operation of the Holy Spirit as he addresses those secret places in our lives, and we submit to the Word of God as our deliverance and our healer.
Gal. 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Then we can move into our promise land and start enjoying our inheritance in Christ.
Don’t you know Sally, Joe, Barbara, William, that your PROMISE is waiting for you
o And those whom you fear are afraid of you
o They’ve seen how God can bless
o They’ve seen how faithful your God is
o It may not have been for us 40 YEARS – but a WANDERING church is a WANDERING church
Given your heart of giving, love for this community, familial knowledge of so many people—ours should be the Biggest, Boomingest church in the area
o But a few folk who won’t trust God, can mess up everyone’s blessing
o A few folk who fear success…turn on the rest who want to obey God
o Don’t be the one who stands in the way of the blessing for others
• Saints it’s Do or Die time
• TRUST GOD or DIE in your wilderness
• If you’re gonna fight—prepare to die
• If you be willing obedient – the GOOD of the land lies out before you—OBEY and LIVE
• BUT STOP running around in circles
• Honor the work that has bee done, honor the successes that have been won
a. BUT NOW GO GET YOUR OWN
CHURCH, I’ve heard your cry, Bishop has heard your cry…
• “We’re tired of getting new Pastors…”
But if YOU are dedicated to the work…CONSECRATED for the service…it doesn’t matter Who’s preaching (it could be Porky Pig)
This is a congregation with experienced believers who shouldn’t need to be TOLD what to do—only guided.
Some of you as individuals have been UNDER instruction long enough – God is calling you out, to be TEACHERS
Some of you as individuals have been UNDER construction long enough – God is calling you out, to be THE CHURCH
THAT IS THE HOPE
God has been preparing you – but today I declare THE STRUGGLE IS OVER
1. My wife prophesied that last week
a. You don’t have to whine & complain and struggle to move forward from here
b. God’s Got You
c. He is rescuing you from drowning – stop struggling
And so THIS is the Prophecy:
The PROMISE is NOW
This is not the generation that will inherit it
Only those who die NOW will inherit the promise—nothing to do with age
Only a new, circumcised generation of obedient, faithful, believing people will inherit God’s Promise
Not by Power, nor by Might, but by My Spirit saith the Lord.
STOP RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES
“Ye have circled this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”
