Elder M. Edmunds
Co-Pastor of United Ordained Church
January 2003
The purpose of my thought and intention today is to convey the significance of the moment or occasion we as a people of God have embarked upon. It is an occasion of opportunity, a point of entering, a moment of possessing or a time of tacking hold of. Therefore, to seize this opportunity “It’s Time to Move forward” into the blessings of God that is set before us without reservation.
Now is the time we must move. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto (us).” The best that God is offering us is now made assessable by faith.
For that reason, as we examine our text before us, our concentration is not solely on the result of Israel’s unbelief and the consequence of not moving forward, but the timing or occasion that were presented divinely for them to move forward into the vision and awaited promise.
For we, the universal church is cognizant by the revelation of God’s wisdom what effect it has or the consequence it carries when we don’t take God by His word. Many of us now reside in the state of postponement of the promise or delay due to our disobedience. Therefore, allow this text to become a word of caution and an occasion to get yourself together so that you will be able to move into the blessings of God while this “great door and effectual is open.”
For God desires to take you places that “eyes have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Therefore, I pose this question to you do you love Him? Then how far are you willing to go with God when He orchestrates events and circumstances by altering the hearts of man for your enhancement, development, and mobility in the kingdom of His righteousness?
Are you going to allow fear and unbelief to keep you from seeing the incredible or receiving the impossible? Are you going to allow your inhibitions due to previous hang-ups keep you from stepping forward?
If not, then shake yourself off from the things that inhibit or obstruct your mobility and progression from entering in to the things God has prepared for you. For “It’s Time to Move Forward!” I’ve been here to long…I’ve been here to long between deficiency and destiny…
Getting to our text, the congregation of Israel is poised to enter the Promised Land. They were delivered from Egypt, rescued from oppression and domination of the enemy, just like many of us today, but yet have not entered into God’s best.
I wonder, how long is it going to take God to refine you, afflict you, and prepare you before you can be ushered by His spirit into your Promise Land? For the duration of time is determined by your submission and obedience to His purpose for you… therefore if been to long at that in-between stage, start yielding to the Potters touch. Can the Church say Amen?
Now God is about to offer Israel His best by the accessibility or openness of their faith. For God being omniscience (having infinite knowledge of all things, especially concerning man’s heart) knows that “If you can’t perceive it, you can’t conceive it. Furthermore, without conceiving you will never receive.” That perception I’m referring to is “Faith” for the believer.
Therefore, the Lord orders Moses to send out 12 spies so they may perceive and conceive with continual belief about what they about to receive. Did any body catch that?
Your faith can draw a picture of an idea of what God has in store for you in your mind, and than your spirit will conceive that thought, impregnate you with that vision, then through your continual belief, eventually you will receive that which you have first perceived.
Now the Lord order Moses to send out 12 spies, one from each of the tribes to explore the land of Canaan. The mission of the spies was clear: to determine the nature of the land itself to see if it was fruitful.
These chosen were sent out to survey the environment to see if it was conducive for their well-being that the Lord may fulfill His promise in them by making them “plenteous in goods, in the fruit of their body, and the fruit of their cattle, as well as their grounds” which He had assured.
“Fruitfulness is the mark that you have broken from that which once imprisoned or bond you.”
They were also given the instruction to ascertain the strengths and weakness of its inhabitants. Their route was north from Kadesh – Kadesh means holy and/or consecrated. The reason for the route Mosses suggested was probably his intentions to attack and penetrate Canaan from that direction, but his success was predicated upon their devotion or state predetermined by God.
The only way towards achieving your God given aspirations, realizing your dreams and visions is through holiness. Now don’t let the word scare you. Holiness is not a denomination it’s a consecration, a setting apart or separation to God. This separation is also called sanctification. Sanctification is thus the state predetermined by God, not man.
We as well are poised to enter the promise of our dreams and visions. On yesteryear, we went through the pain, the trial, and the affliction just to prepare us for this moment. Now it is time to survey the land to find a place more suitable to expose the treasure that God placed deep within you for His glorification.
The itinerary taken by the explorers begin in the Desert Zin. Zin was at the borders of Canaan and included Kadesh-barnea. Their journey extended as far north as Rehob. Don’t miss that. Rehob means open place.
God has created an open place for you to walk in. He said, “I open up doors that no man can shut…” Tell the person next to you, “God has created an opening for you to walk in.”
After their survey, the 12 selected passed through Hebron and near Hebron was the Valley of Eshcol (meaning “cluster”) were they cut a great cluster of grapes so heavy that two men had to carry it suspended from a pole between them. They also took samples of pomegranates and figs and at last, after 40 days of searching out the land, returned to Kadesh.
The congregation must have anxiously awaited their report. Would this land be as God had promised, a land flowing with milk and honey, a fertile, productive land? Let us look together at some things about this important event.
First, notice “Their Opportunity:”
They brought back word to Moses, and to the rest of the congregation.
Was this land fertile? Was it productive? Was it flowing with milk and honey the way God had said? The answer is yes. As evidence, they showed them the great cluster of grapes, the pomegranates and figs taken from the Valley of Eshcol.
The congregation of Israel now had the opportunity that they had all waited for, to occupy the land that had been promised to their forefathers. The opportunity that had been delayed because of their bondage in Egypt - now is before them. This was their day! This was their time! It was theirs for God had promised it to them. All they had to do was enter the land, and occupy it.
God had promised them victory! What could possibly hinder them from taking advantage of such an awesome opportunity? Could anything stand in their way of receiving the promises of God?
Now lets examine “Their Outlook:”
After all this time, years in the waiting, the exodus from Egypt, the thirst, and the hunger, moreover the wandering, it seems nothing is going to stop them now right…Wrong!
Their outlook was small. We are too small they cried! We cannot do it!
The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
Where did they get the idea that they were like grasshoppers? You think you can’t do something, then you can’t. You think you’re not talented enough, then you’re not. You think you are never going to get out of the bind that you are in then you are not.
“Many times, we underachieve because we underestimate what God has placed within us.”
Thirdly, lets examine “Their Opposition:”
The people who dwell there are strong they whimpered, for they are giants in statute!
“Any attempt at doing the will of God, of moving forward by faith is always going to be met by opposition.”
There are giants today that would prevent people from coming to Jesus, from moving forward to fulfill their destiny and realize their dreams and aspirations.
Moreover, there are giants today that attempt to prevent us from walking by faith, and doing the will of God. However, 1 John 4:4 declares if I may paraphrase, “ You belong to God, my beloved children, and are able to overcome those giants: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is opposing you.”
Now there was one giant they did not put into the equation, themselves. Because their lack of capacity which caused them constellation, they regarded themselves as small. However, if you properly assess the situation, they became a giant to them selves. They opposed their own awaited vision by the fear of erroneous perception or external unexpectedness.
What am I getting at – I’ve come to realize through various eye opening experiences that the biggest giant in my life is me. It is not my superiors, or those that don’t agree with my opinion, outlook, or assessment, or my vision. I’ve found out in most cases I was problem to myself.
The biggest giant in the path of those standing on the border of Canaan was not the children of Anak, but it was that own person staring back at them from a mirror.
Fearing the unexpected is of the flesh, fearing new experiences is of the flesh, fearing to move forward and allowing God to expand himself through you to bless those around you and to manifest His glory within this earth is of the flesh.
Furthermore, since flesh and blood hath not revealed your destiny or God’s plan and vision unto thee, only God my Father shall make it happen for you. Put that flesh under subjection and move forward.
If you would just believe and move forward to the things of God, “He would supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Fear and unbelief robs us of the joy of being obedient and moving forward to “faith-to-faith, and glory-to-glory.”
The opportunities that God gives us are great and the God who affords us those opportunities is more than able to give us the victory!
God is an all-powerful God: if God leads us, if he wills us to do something, then there is nothing that can hinder it from happening but our own selves. There are not enough demons in hell to keep us from accomplishing God’s will for our live if we are faithful to him. Let us therefore move forward.
On the onset of entering in, on a day of a new beginning, great are our opportunities. You posses the victory that is in Christ Jesus. For I call to reality God’s council in your life. I call to reality your dreams and visions. I call to reality the manifestation of His blessings in your life today.
“It’s Time to Move Forward!”
