Elder M. Edmunds
Co-Pastor of United Ordained Church
June 2002
This morning, I would like to concentrate on verse thirty-one of our text. For it is the foundation, in which I will elucidate and bring relevance by building from, to encourage our youth today, who are experiencing many uncertainties, pressures, and challenges in this chaotic matrix, which we call society.
For it says, “Your little ones, which ye said should be prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised – or rejected” (Num 14:31).
There are those in our day, like the historic Israelites, that have predicted that this generation (meaning our youth today) is a marked generation. The mark they are referring to is for failure and demise.
Their deduction is based on this generation’s response to the prevailing stimuli of peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, gangs, and promiscuity, which is diminishing their future or destiny.
However, I am convinced that God has chosen this generation, though they appear defiant, disinterested, and dysfunctional to be a delivering generation of earthmovers like Othniel and Ehud in the book of Judges that will fulfill God’s purpose and plan to deliver an oppressed people.
For this generation is a generation of warriors. Though now they appear to be warring against our perspective, our principles, and our positions of authority, God is about to change their nature and transform their character for His purpose all just because they posses a significant quality or ingredient, and that is of a warrior.
For the truth be told, we all experience many uncertainties and challenges on a constant basis; and those challenges or stimuli, as I prefer, has worn many of us down to the point were we lost our vigor to stand and fight for what is right.
Many of us have allowed our society and political influences to conform us to see things as gray; for anything goes. For what we stood for yesterday, we question today.
Now we live life as status quo; the existing state of unprogressive, ineffective affairs, which God is unpleased with. Our combativeness, our resilience, and our passion to press to receive the promise of God have diminished to complacency.
And complacency will cause stagnation or a mind regression. You begin to think you are unable to achieve your goals or materialize your dreams and vision due to circumstances of your past. This was the problem of Israel. They could not trust God. They only viewed themselves as grasshoppers…
Therefore, as our text states, God is about to enable a younger generation, which we have characterized as defiant, disinterested, and dysfunctional, to affect the environs and manifest God’s glory and purpose.
And because He looks beyond the outward appearance and views the heart, and sees this generation’s untapped source of excitement, zeal, and strength to war against any opposing threat, He is about to use them for a greater purpose to posses the land for the kingdom or rule of God.
Some may ask how, for they seem unlikely. However, let me remind you, God likes to take the unexpected things of this world to confound the wise: He likes to give the unexpected the power to do the extraordinary.
And in order to accomplish it, He manipulates their circumstances and paves a path leading to what He has purposed for them to do what others refused to do.
Let me explain by using my life as an example. I was born in an environment that taught the foundations of God’s truth. At an early age, I sensed the call of my purpose in life…
For this trait to war is significant for this epoch or era in which we live. For Paul said in Second Timothy the Third chapter, “In the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers,”(2Tim 3:2-3) and so forth.
We are living in those times now. It will take a strong people to effectively and wisely deal with personalities like that.
It is going to take a generation that has the spirit of a warrior. It is going to take a generation that has the spirit to walk by faith and not by what you see or hear. And I believe this is that generation.
Just ignore what you hear your critics are saying. Extricate, or pull yourself away from those dream killers, purpose abortionists, or as we call them today, haters.
For some of your classmates, for some of your so-called friends don’t want you to make it in this life. That’s why they are introducing you to drugs. That’s why they are provoking you to anger. That’s why they are enticing you to experience premature and premarital sex. They don’t want you to make it in the things of God and to experience your future He has for you.
For the Promised Land is your future, for it is filled with promise. For God is about to work on your character, change your circumstance around, and prepare you for what He has in store for you.
He desires this young generation to invade this world and its systems and turn them upside down – to redeem industries and transform enterprises with the perspective of eternity.
This is the generation of purpose! This is why the devil is wrestling against your purpose…this is why you are going through hell and high water being misunderstood, criticized, and labeled insignificant.
He does not want you to fulfill your purpose, realize your dream, or bring your vision to fruition.
But you must resist the temptation to give in. use your ability to fight against his ploys. And don’t let him dupe you in believing you are worthless, insignificant, or cursed to repeat your parents mistakes.
For you are God’s chosen ones, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a select generation of God that is uniquely gifted with strength. Therefore, God has determined to use you to manifest His glory and power, and bring you into the promise land, which is your dreams and visions of what you want to become.
And no weapon formed against you shall prosper; for God will see you through, and you will have the victory. Through circumstances and others trying to reduce you, you will have the victory.
