3Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. (KJV)
we find here that, God affords us some training time in the wilderness.
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)
The very real danger we face as Christians is that of becoming religious, (routine) very often is substituted for relationship, and form for power,
2 Tim 3:5
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. FORM 3445; formation, i.e. (by implication) appearance (semblance or [concretely] formula): (through the idea of adjustment of parts); shape; figuratively, nature:
One of the worst things that can happen to a child of God is to fall into this lifestyle of making allowances for the wrong attitudes and appetites of our flesh, but continuing on just as though we have fully dealt with it.
The children of Isreal made an eleven day journey in 40 years, because they were more comfortable with the form than the power, They would rather go through the motions than to submit themselves to God.
Just before entering their promised land, God brought them to a place called Gilgal=
(wheel, rolling) It was here that God would take away the reproach of Egypt from them
This place represented all of their wilderness wanderings, their endless circles, their ceaseless activity, their religious ceremonies void of God=s power.
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
(sharp knives) = don=t hide your flesh from the word, Do not protect your flesh from the sword of the spirit, that which you spare from the sword will plague you all your life.
They tarried in the camps till they were whole (This means the pure word of God will cut and at times hurt, but ultimately produce wholeness, (Only God can make us whole and he does it by delivering us from the flesh.
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.
Carnal cycles: continually moving but never growing,( everlearning 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)
Compassing the Mountain: ( The mountain = those things or that thing in your life that you have never gotten victory over, ( A habit, a critical spirit, unforgiveness, gossiping, cussing, losing your temper, overeating, prejudging people, lust, jealousy, self righteousness
Compassing the mountain means that everytime you experience similar conditions you respond a certain way, I.e. you react according to the flesh and not the spirit,
It=s a cycle, You react according to the flesh, then feel guilty, then repent and feel better until the next time you experience similar conditions.
Compassing the mountain means: You never deal with the real issue. (It means you skirt the issue, then to continue on religiously as though there is no problem.
It=s the cycle of responding by the flesh to pressures you experience.
Some will get depressed
Some will over eat,
Some will lose their temper
Some will lie
Some will hold a grudge
Some will sulk and pout, and draw into themselves
Some are moody and unpredictable
It=s what the bible refers to as being conformed to this world. I.e. responding to the pressures of this life from a fleshly standpoint and not according to the word of God.
In every situation you have a choice (respond according to the flesh or according to the Word of God,) If you respond according to the flesh, It=s one more time around the mountain.
You=ve compassed this mountain long enough.
How do we get passed 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.
Ga 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.
