201-Obeying God, Entering the Canaan of Your Life#
201-Obeying God, Entering the Canaan of Your Life
(JP Text Group - Chen Chen Compilation)
Scripture: Leviticus 20:22-27
22 “Therefore, you shall keep all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them, lest the land where I bring you to dwell vomit you out. 23 And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you, for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. 24 But I said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
25 Therefore you shall distinguish between clean animals and unclean, and between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. 26 And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” 27 “A man or a woman who is a medium or who has familiar spirits shall surely be put to death. They shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for preparing this opportunity for us to come before You once again. You will give us strength once more, and this week, through Your words, we will walk in the way You have separated us from the world. You also tell us not to follow the customs of the world because You have given us something better. You are our Lord, our God, who distinguishes us from the people of the world. Through today’s words, we are to enter the Canaan of our lives. We are not the group of people wandering back and forth in the wilderness; by the grace of Jesus Christ, we have already entered the land of abundance. We completely surrender this time to the Holy Spirit, help us open our eyes to see that the place we stand is a place of grace. Let us live with this grace, embodying the style of grace, in the name of the Lord Jesus we pray. Amen! Hallelujah!
The topic of sharing is: Obeying God, Entering the Canaan of Your Life
When it comes to the word "obey," many people are reluctant to hear it. What does "obey" represent? "Law," that's right. Many people immediately think of "law" when they mention doing something and listening to God. But what is the purpose of **"**obeying"? To help you live better. The one you obey is the most powerful in the world; He can do all things. Even if you know nothing and can do nothing, would you be willing to obey Him? Yes.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei said, "What virtue and ability do I have?" Did he not gain several great generals and a strategist? As a result, things were accomplished. Why did he consult Zhuge Liang in everything? Because he believed in him and trusted his strategies. If we do not recognize God's power and grace, we may feel unwilling to obey Him, thinking, "Why should I obey God? I am doing just fine!" Once you realize that this Lord is not just letting you live your current life but is offering you a better life, you will be willing to obey.
We will talk about a word that looks similar but is different. Many people have turned "obey" into "submit." What is the difference between obeying and submitting? Submitting means you must do it whether you like it or not; if you do not do it, there will be punishment. This is called "submission." In fact, it is not "obeying," but "submitting" that is being lived out, which leads to increasing frustration and discomfort. This is not the appearance of a Christian, brothers and sisters. Looking at the scripture we just read, God told the Israelites that when they enter the Canaan land, He gives them a set of principles to live victoriously.
So verse 22 says, "Therefore, you shall keep all My statutes and all My judgments."
What is the difference between statutes, judgments, and the Ten Commandments? Statutes and judgments are principles for living. If you look closely at Leviticus starting from chapter 11, it mainly records how the Israelites should live. Our Lord Jesus did not say, "Believe in Me, and I will take you to heaven." However, we live on earth and need a set of practical, accurate principles to follow. Therefore, we do not live in a hollow theory; it allows you to live out the style of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Amen!
God not only tells us to love Him and to love others, but He also tells us that we can live differently from the world. So starting from chapter 11, it records the basis for the life of the Israelites, including family life, interpersonal relationships, land distribution, and life safety, etc., all detailed. Think about it, why did God want to tell the Israelites these principles for living? Because they did not know how to live.
For 400 years in Egypt, what did the Israelites do? What was their life like? They lived under the whip every day, complaining every day, working like slaves for others. If this group of people is released and not taught how to live, it would be very dangerous. For example, if a person has been digging through a trash can for food since childhood, one day he is moved from the trash can to your home, he will look for food in your trash can because, in his mind, the trash can is where food is found.
For the Israelites, several generations had been slaves and did not know how to live. The past had formed a fixed mindset in them, complaining every day but could not complain loudly because loud complaints would lead to punishment. This cycle continued for generations. One day, Moses brought them out of Egypt, and God told them that they were to enter the land flowing with milk and honey. But once they got there, how would they live? They would either continue the old way of life or learn the ways of the Canaanites.
What about your life after believing in Jesus? It is not just about believing in Jesus to enter heaven. What was your life like before knowing Jesus? Relying on yourself, on schemes, on means, having tried all these methods, one day you believe in Jesus, and the Bible tells you not to live like that. You might say, "How should I live?" He says, "I don't know." So, he returns to the old way of life. To prevent the Israelites from learning the local Canaanite lifestyle, God had already given them a complete set of living principles before they entered.
It says here, "Therefore, you shall keep all My statutes and all My judgments, lest the land where I bring you to dwell vomit you out."
Is it God who vomits them out? Why did God drive out the seven nations of Canaan? If you do not understand God's will and do not know what God's righteousness is, you might think God is cruel: to give His people a piece of land, He wiped out the original inhabitants. You might think God is very cruel. I want to ask you, why did God want to completely destroy the people of that land? Because they had become exceedingly corrupt.
If a person has a tumor, what would you do? Would you say, "This is still flesh," and feel sorry for it, saying, "Let it grow"? Wouldn't you cut it off without hesitation? For God, the whole earth is His, and when He sees a malignant tumor, He must cut it off. Therefore, the people of Canaan must be vomited out because they had become a malignant tumor.
As a righteous God, He must execute His authority. If God sees these evils and says, "It's okay, they just committed a little sin; what's the big deal?" then He is no longer our righteous God. God does not want His people to enter and become the second Canaanites. So God says, do not learn the lifestyle of the people of that place; they can be vomited out because of their corrupt lives, and you must live according to My way. Amen!
This requires obedience. Because before entering, God had already told you, I will give you a victorious way of living, a lifestyle that the Israelites may have never lived before. They might think, "There are so many rules! It looks complicated!" What about compensating one cow for five cows? It involves various aspects of life. God is training the Israelites to learn to obey in life.
23 "And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you, for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them."
God abhors the people of the seven nations of Canaan not because they are foreigners, but because of their corrupt customs, which is why God abhors them.
24 "But I said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’"
God wants to give this land to His people; God's righteousness is manifested here. God will not casually make it impossible for others to survive for the sake of His children because they have committed many evils. When God made a covenant with Abraham, the sins of the people in that land had not yet reached their fullness.
We do not know when sin will reach its fullness, but God certainly has a standard. Once the level of human sin reaches God's standard, God will stretch out His hand to destroy. Do you understand? This is our Lord. Even if you do not believe in Jesus, does Jesus not exist? He absolutely exists and will not spare you just because you do not believe in Him. But for His people? He will discipline and correct you with His words. Hallelujah! Why is that?
The second half of verse 24 says, "I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples."
What does it mean to be holy? Are you saints? The meaning of saints is not that your behavior is perfect or that you no longer sin, but that God has distinguished you from the people of the world. You are different from the world.
26 "And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine."
You shall be holy to Me, not that we strive to become holy, right? Do not be deceived by TV dramas; a dog cannot become a human no matter how hard it tries. No matter how hard it tries, a dog is still a dog, and a human is still a human unless its life undergoes a fundamental change. The old self is sinful; God has put it to death and placed His life within you, so your life is renewed, a reborn life. It is not about fixing or transforming your old self; that is not God's way.
God says you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine. Are we not different from the world? In what way are we different? Our identity is different. Although people are on earth, you are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. An American holds an American passport; when he is in this place, where is he from? America. What proves his identity? His passport. Although you are on this earth, this place is a "temporary residence"; your true home is in heaven. What is the proof? The Holy Spirit! It is this Holy Spirit that connects you with God, that establishes your relationship with God. You belong to Jehovah; you are a person of God. Amen! Because you are a person of God, God says there are some worldly matters you should not engage in; you are different from them.
Let us look at verse 27, "A man or a woman who is a medium or who has familiar spirits shall surely be put to death. They shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them."
I want to ask everyone a question: Why does God not allow His people to engage in mediums or witchcraft? This seems to be something God hates.
"You shall have no other gods before Me." The first commandment is like this. Why does God also tell them not to engage in mediums in the principles of living? The Qingming Festival is coming soon; how should we act? Why should we not engage with mediums? The people you choose to associate with determine what your life will become. A person who deals with ghosts every day would be strange if he does not attract ghosts; if you frequently visit graveyards, do you think you can remain normal? This is a very real issue; engaging with mediums means interacting with spirits, and some of their influences will affect you.
As the Qingming Festival approaches, we inevitably face the question of whether to visit the graves of many deceased elders in our families. Should we go? Is it okay not to go? I will give you a very simple way: if you truly want to remember the elders, go now; do not wait for that day. There is no need to go on that specific day because that day is for engaging with spirits, so why go? Everyone is worshiping false gods. The devil actually works through some people and their beliefs.
If you do not believe at all, you can draw a clear line with him. You are a child of God, a person of God, with your own way of living, your own way of remembering the past and ancestors. There is no need to do this with the world. God finally says, do not let them engage with mediums or practice witchcraft because these things are of no benefit to God's people and will instead lead to loss.
Last week, we went to a place where an older sister was disturbed by ghosts for years because she engaged in grave visiting, causing her great suffering. If she had not participated in this, the devil would not have had the opportunity. Amen! Therefore, what the Bible says God does not allow us to do is certainly not beneficial to us. This is a principle everyone can remember, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, what God does not allow us to do is certainly of no benefit to us.
Even if you do not understand, do not do it. Amen! For example, the Bible mentions many unclean animals, such as badgers and peacocks, do not eat them; just do not eat them. Do not ask, "Why can't I eat them?" It is certainly because you cannot eat them. In 2002, some people ate recklessly, resulting in the SARS outbreak. Some people ate peacocks; how much meat does a peacock have? They rely on those feathers to attract people. They plucked the feathers and insisted on eating the meat, resulting in viruses in the meat. Therefore, what God does not allow us to do is certainly not beneficial to us. Conversely, when God tells us to do something, it is certainly beneficial to us and to others. Hallelujah!
Leviticus 18:3-4
3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, nor shall you do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. 4 You shall follow My rules and keep My statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God.
God has already separated His people as holy; how can one live such an obedient life? It is by God's power that you can live a victorious life. Of course, in the New Testament, there are also some principles guiding how we should live, but these are not laws that we follow to earn merit by our strength. Do not think that the New Testament also tells us not to do this or that; these are of no benefit to us. In the New Testament, we do not rely on what we do or do not do to determine God's favor.
Our relationship with God is because of the blood of Jesus; we have been completely reconciled to God. It is just that in life, we are willing to live according to God's way. What God asks us to do is certainly beneficial to us. Understanding that God is entirely good, with no evil in Him, makes us willing to obey Him, rather than submit. Amen! Therefore, in the New Testament, the focus is not on what we do, but on what Jesus has done for you. The teachings in the Bible tell us that it is the Holy Spirit who works in our lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 "He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it."
When you say, "Lord, I want to live according to Your way, but I do not know how to live a meaningful, victorious, and joyful life," God will personally help you. God does not send angels to teach you; Hebrews tells us He does not send angels to teach you but comes personally to guide you to live a victorious life. When we are willing to obey God's words, we will indeed enjoy this blessing, which we call inheriting the land and receiving blessings.
What does it mean to inherit blessings? It means that blessings are immense, suddenly pressing down, and you need to catch them; isn't it coming upon you? That is the meaning of inheriting. Many people only know there are blessings but do not see or touch them. God wants you to inherit blessings. How to inherit His blessings? By obeying Him, believing in Him, and acting according to His words, you will see these blessings come upon you.
Titus 3:6-8
6 Whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Paul gives Timothy some advice at the end, telling us that we are justified by God's grace and that it is by grace, through the hope of eternal life, that we become heirs of God. What is eternal life? It is a blessing of abundant life. Therefore, we hope that God has brought us into the land of Canaan, and we have become heirs of God, inheriting the inheritance. "This saying is trustworthy" means you must believe it. By believing, you will surely see it.
"I also want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people."
This statement in parentheses says to be careful to do good works; these are excellent and profitable for people. I am telling you this: you should not be among those wandering in the wilderness; you should be among those in the "Canaan land." You should not be a group of people still wandering around the edge of the wilderness, doing nothing; you should have already entered the Canaan land to inherit the land. Amen!
In Hebrews 6:13-18, there is a very classic passage:
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
When God said this to Abraham, did Abraham have a son? If it were you, what would you think?
"Can I believe this? I do not have any; how can I have many descendants?" People always want to say, "Let's be realistic; at least give me one ticket." But God does not look at our immediate interests; He wants you not only to have one child but also to become a great nation through that child. The nations of the earth will be yours, and your spiritual kingdom will have even more descendants!
If Abraham saw this, he would say, "Lord, I believe You." What I ask for is to have dozens of children; that is my limit. But how much does God want to give you? Blessings that exceed your wildest dreams! That is why people cannot believe, you know?
God even swore because of this. Why did God swear to Abraham? God said, "I swear, I will surely bless you. I will multiply your descendants." Abraham thought, "They all swore." Because when there is a dispute between people, they swear by something greater than themselves, right? "I swear by the head of an ant!" That is useless.
People generally find something greater and unshakable to swear by. Since God could not find anything greater than Himself, He said, "I swear by Myself; what I say will surely come to pass." So today I want to tell you: God has brought you into the land of Canaan; He wants you to live a life flowing with milk and honey, a victorious life, an abundant life.
So after God swore, He said, "I cannot lie, so that we who have fled for refuge and hold fast to the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged."
This proves that at this time, the result has not yet been seen, but there is hope. What hope? The word of God. Just like the Israelites today, God tells them, "The land I will lead you into is a land flowing with milk and honey, so you should live like this." This proves they have not yet entered, but first, what must they prepare? Train you to live that way in the wilderness so that when you enter, you will not need further training. Do you understand?
What are we doing today? Training you to adapt to the future life in the kingdom of heaven; otherwise, one day when you enter, you will not be able to adapt.
You might say, "What should I do?"
God says, "Stop thinking about working here."
You say, "I do not feel secure sleeping."
This shows that you have not been trained. God wants you to learn to live by His words while you are on this earth, so that when you go to heaven, you will not have to spend years digging foundations to build a house. In heaven, we all live by the word; do you believe it? That's right! Our Lord is so powerful that He does not need to work through hands and feet; He works through words.
But do not rely solely on words; we need to work with our hands, feet, and mouths on earth. But first, we must be trained to understand the lifestyle of the kingdom of heaven. Amen! Before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, God wanted to train them first, learning to obey God and live according to God's words for a period, so that when they entered, it would be easy.
It is like soldiers in a military camp undergoing simulated training, simulating real combat. One day when they reach the battlefield, they are not afraid at all. And you are also like this, undergoing this training. Moreover, you are already people who have entered the land of Canaan. You should understand how to live this victorious life.
Why are some believers unable to enter the Canaan of life? Indeed, some people are still wandering in the wilderness; some Christians die without experiencing a single act of God's grace or miracle. Is it because God does not love them? No, then where is the problem? These Christians cannot achieve victory in their lives.
We all came out of Egypt by faith. The Israelites also came out of Egypt by faith. God personally brought them out; God did these things. After they came out of Egypt, God gave them some statutes and judgments to abandon the lifestyle they had in Egypt, which was lowly and not good at all. God wanted them to abandon the lustful things of the past and enter the land of Canaan to live according to God's way. Amen!
But the Israelites did not believe, so they wandered in the wilderness, going around in circles, asking, "How can we get in? They did not believe God could bring them in." Where was their problem? They were still relying on themselves. They thought that when they did some practical things, they could gain God's satisfaction. In other words, they felt they had to do something, which is why in Exodus 19, they said, "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do."
They always wanted to do something. In fact, God did not want them to do anything; He wanted them to abandon their original way of thinking. In other words, the Israelites in the wilderness did not understand God's grace; they merely mechanically obeyed God's words, which is very dangerous.
Many people treat the Bible as a set of scriptures, reciting it a hundred times a day without any effect. When something happens, they recite a passage, and it does not work. We do not overcome life by reciting scriptures; what do we rely on? The words inside that explain our God. You do not use this scripture to scare the devil; you use the "God who speaks this word" to overcome the devil and overcome life.
If you treat the Bible merely as a mechanical set of rules, an insurmountable boundary to obey, you are truly under the law, which cannot bring you joy. The Israelites lived this way in the wilderness.
They were not obeying; they were submitting. Why? At first, they were unwilling; when they violated God's words, God would "bang" and punish them, causing the Israelites to "cry out." After a few days, they would start to stir again, and God would "bang" again, and finally, they would be obedient, saying, "This God cannot be offended! We must obey."
Many are unwilling to gather, and in the end, they have no choice; the pastor scares them, saying, "If you dare not come, just wait; something will happen in your family!" The believers are scared and come; this method is not called obedience but submission. There is a kind of authority that compels you to listen to him; this kind of submission can last for a while but will not produce significant results.
After the 911 incident, every church in America was filled with people, but six months later, it returned to how it was before. Because it was submission. The pastor said, "See, your life might be gone one day; do you know how powerful the devil is? Hurry and come to church to repent! Confess! How long has it been since you gathered? Are you still a Christian?" These people saw their conscience was uneasy and said, "Indeed, I haven't been for a long time; I should go." They did not truly understand God's grace; they merely submitted to God, saying, "You are too scary! I cannot play with you; I will temporarily listen to you, okay?" But when they saw that the situation was not as bad as the pastor said, they returned. The Israelites were just like this.
God's intention was originally to shift us from "doing something" to "looking to Him and relying on Him." The Israelites relied on themselves in the wilderness, but once they entered the land of Canaan, everything changed. Many things were no longer the same as before. Our victory does not come from our efforts or trying to win; it comes from understanding that Jesus has already won, and you use Jesus' authority and power to achieve victory.
Let us look at a passage, 1 John 4:16-17,
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world.
This passage tells us that you do not strive to love God; instead, let God love you. You do not strive to live for Christ; this is a slogan many churches shout, "You must strive to live for Christ!" How should we understand this phrase? You live in Christ, not striving to love God; you abide in God's love. Therefore, we do not enter into Christ by what we do; we enter into Christ by faith. Amen! Similarly, you do not think that God loves you because of what you do! Because you believe that God loves you, you can abide in God's love. Hallelujah!
Romans 4:13-14
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
You can enter the abundant land flowing with milk and honey not because of what you have done. Can you receive all of God's blessings? Can everyone? Every believer in Jesus can. Do not say, "He believes well, so God blesses him. He prays a lot, so God listens to his prayers." It is not like that! These are all actions! You enter into Christ by faith, abiding in God's love.
"The promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law." What is the characteristic of the law? It requires effort to please God through good behavior; if you cannot keep God's commandments, you fall under a curse. That is the law. But in God, He says, "By faith, you are Abraham's offspring, and you will inherit the world." Hallelujah! God's promises are numerous in the Bible; God allows you to inherit this promise, not based on what you have done but on your correct belief in Him. Believing that He loves you and is willing to give to you means you know you abide in Christ, and you know you abide in God's love.
The second generation of Israelites could enter the land of Canaan; was it because of their good behavior? "I will let Joshua lead you in; do you believe?" The Israelites said, "We believe!" and they entered, not for any other reason, not because "the second generation has learned their lesson, and their behavior is much better than their parents." There is no such promise. They were actually quite similar to the previous generation.
However, the second generation could enter the land of Canaan because they believed in what God said to Joshua. Therefore, the Book of Joshua is a very important book; the life of the Israelites in the wilderness is different from their life in the land of Canaan. Although they encountered battles, the battles in the land of Canaan were not won by the Israelites but by whom? (God's hand.)
In the wilderness, they also encountered enemies; Moses was on the mountain, raising his hands in prayer: "People, charge! I will pray for you from behind!" But the people in the land of Canaan stayed behind; God fought the battles personally. This is a very important matter. Which life do you want to live? The life of the people in the wilderness, or the life of those who have already entered the land of Canaan?
After entering the land of Canaan, everything was done by God personally. Joshua acted personally, and his wisdom was not something the people thought of themselves; it was directly told to Joshua by God, and Joshua just had to execute it. When conquering the city of Jericho, whose credit was it? God's credit. At that time, if you were Joshua, could you believe it? God said to you, "Do you think Jericho is difficult to conquer?" Joshua said, "Yes, we have gone around it; the walls have no gaps. We cannot get in; they have closed the gates."
God said, "Come here! I will tell you a method." Joshua went, "God, what method?" God said, "You take all the Israelites and march around the city once a day; on the seventh day, march around it seven times, and when you shout, the city will collapse." Can you believe it? When God's words come to you, how much can you believe?
If we say, "Lord, can You give me a different method? This method seems ineffective; it has never been done in military history; can this work?" But God is like this; the words of God in your hands indeed contain many things you cannot understand. You say, "What is this? I do not understand at all! It seems to have no effect!" But God says, "This is My method. What seems foolish to you, I will use this foolish method to defeat the wise."
Joshua obeyed God rather than submitted. God said so, and Joshua did so, resulting in witnessing miracles. Under the New Testament, you are also like this; you are already standing in the land of Canaan. When facing various problems, you only need to look at what God's words say and how you should act; the rest is up to God. Is it simple? Very simple. You say, "I do not understand." It is not about your understanding; there are many things you will not understand, but we must learn to be like Joshua: obey God and enter your Canaan. After entering, continue to obey, and you will see miracles. Hallelujah!
In the Book of Joshua, there are many such sentences; I specifically found some for you to read. For example, in Joshua 11:9, Joshua did as the Lord commanded him. This happens many times in the Book of Joshua.
Some things Joshua might not understand, but he did as the Lord commanded, resulting in witnessing miracles. Look at Moses' ministry; it is almost all like this: as the Lord said, he said; as the Lord commanded, he did, and there was not one that did not succeed. This is our method; the Bible you read may have many things you do not understand, but when you live according to God's way, victory will allow you to see it with your own eyes.
Let us read a passage, Joshua 1:5-8, and see what Joshua's secret to victory is. Since he is a person who entered the land of Canaan, let us see what makes him different from others. We also believe in Jesus and believe that Jesus is with us, that He can do all things and is willing to help us. Only when you believe this can the blessings of the Father allow you to inherit.
Joshua 1:5-8
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Although Joshua was a man under the law, we see that obedience brings blessings. We, under the New Testament, have greater grace. If you believe in Jesus Christ and obey His words, you will see the blessings of the land flowing with milk and honey upon you. Only when we have a correct understanding of God, knowing that He loves you, and are willing to abide in His love, will the fruit of obedience arise; otherwise, it will turn into submission.
Today, if we still use this "pressure" method, "Be careful! If you do not do this, God will do this and that to discipline you," it becomes very troublesome. I have heard some testimonies that make people uncomfortable. Many people today say, "Thank the Lord; God made me break my leg!" I think, what is there to thank? Why not try breaking another one? Such testimonies can be flaunted; what is there to flaunt? It is not God who made him break his leg.
What is God's purpose? To bring you into the land flowing with milk and honey, to enjoy His abundant blessings, to inherit the land. If God makes us break our legs, why should we believe in Him? It would be better not to believe; if you believe in the Lord and still break your leg, and you thank the Lord, how terrifying is this Lord? He made you break your leg, and you still have to thank Him. This is clearly not obedience but "submission."
Some time ago, I watched a TV drama where the emperor's decree arrived, and a spoiled prince was caught with evidence. All his positions were revoked, and he was told, "Bow and thank!" That person said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!" I do not believe he was genuinely happy or thankful. Is that not "submission"? Under authority, one must bow their head and submit. We do not hope that the God we believe in is like this; if so, you will suffer greatly.
You must believe that our Lord does not torment you; He truly wants you to enter the land flowing with milk and honey. You were in Egypt; He wants you to come out and enter the land flowing with milk and honey. Even if you are in the wilderness today, God says, "Do not wander in the wilderness; enter the land flowing with milk and honey." If you enter, He says, "You shall inherit this land and live according to My way."
At the end of Deuteronomy, Moses said, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you." This is Moses saying, "I set before you life and death, blessings and curses, but I hope you choose life." So Moses knew that God does not force us, but He hopes we choose life and live according to His way. Amen! Therefore, Joshua indeed had victory; he was willing to live according to God's way, but not mechanically. God said one thing, and he did it; he could think. Or if you do not understand, can you ask God? Yes, you can completely.
The Bible also says, "If you are not convinced, bring your reasons, and I will debate with you." I am also willing to do this; although I do not know much, I am willing to say, "If you are not convinced by God's words, you can bring them out, and I will debate with you." But let us discuss based on the Bible; do not debate outside the Bible; that is meaningless. God is such a God; He knows our weaknesses and our unwillingness. God says, "It is okay; if you have any unwillingness in your heart, speak it out, and I will comfort you."
God does not want us to become robots; He hopes we genuinely realize: He is willing to do good to us. Although we do not understand, it must be good for us, so we are willing to listen to Your words. Amen! Unbelievers can also make correct choices at specific moments based on their conscience. For example, the Bible says, "You shall not steal." Can unbelievers do this? Yes! They also say, "I know stealing is wrong," so they can do it. But remember, even if they do it, it does not mean they are obeying God.
Understanding that God wants you to live a life different from the world is to let you be more blessed. When you inherit the world, you will willingly obey God and make the right choice, saying, "I disdain to steal." Amen! Because they rely on their conscience, if their conscience is extinguished, their nature will be revealed. But we are different; we have the Holy Spirit within us, willingly and gladly obeying God's words to live.
Therefore, our obedience to God is absolutely not a hollow, mechanical, lifeless submission because God's life is within you. You are living in Christ; you are a person who abides in God's love. Obedience is merely the fruit produced under God's grace. The New Testament contains many principles for living, but these are not laws. Although there are requirements, they are not laws. He merely hopes you live this way, allowing you to live a victorious life and inherit the blessings flowing with milk and honey. Amen! If you are willing to live according to God's way, you will surely inherit this blessing, seeing this blessing come upon you. Hallelujah! And all of this relies on faith, believing in what Jesus has done for you. Thank and praise the Lord!
Finally, let us look at a passage, 1 John 5:20-21,
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Under the New Testament, it again mentions, "Keep yourselves from idols." At first, does it not sound like content from the Old Testament? The Old Testament tells you to stay away from idols, witchcraft, and mediums. Under the New Testament, it also tells us, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." But there is a power you can access; what power? It is that "we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true." Today, God lets you keep yourselves and stay away from idols because they are false; you have already dwelled in the true, which is in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
In other words, while the world is still worshiping idols and living by their means because they do not recognize the true, they do not know what life in the land flowing with milk and honey is like, nor do they know what heaven is like. But you already know; you are already in that truth, already recognizing the true, and abiding in the truth, which is in Jesus Christ. Therefore, when you recognize the true, you will throw away the false. You will gladly and willingly obey God's words, and by obeying God, you will enter your Canaan and inherit your inheritance. Hallelujah!
When you understand the blessings of Jesus Christ, you will not live in the lies of the devil. When we recognize the power of Jesus Christ and are willing to live according to His words, living according to God's words, we will surely inherit the blessings flowing with milk and honey. Hallelujah! Thank and praise the Lord!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us such words. "Obeying" is not "submitting"; it is not that, Lord, we do not understand, and You do not let us understand. You will give us the opportunity to understand Your love and Your blessings. You do not want us to live more and more painfully until we have nothing; You want us to enter the land of Canaan, the blessings flowing with milk and honey that You have given us. You want us to live a life different from the world, but not worse than the world, but better than the world.
You let us enjoy Your abundant provision on this earth. Because in the land of Canaan, You have prepared everything; simply believe in You, believe that You are a good God, and from our hearts, willingly obey You. You will lead me into goodness; You will lead me into abundance. You have already won, and I can win through You. You are the wise Lord; I can have Your wisdom.
Heavenly Father, please grant me wisdom to live according to Your words, a life completely different from the world, which You desire us to live. Help us renew our thoughts and intentions, giving me a heart willing to seek Your words, willing to live and serve according to Your words. I am a person who inherits the world, like Abraham, receiving Your blessings and bringing Your blessings to those around me. Thank You and praise You; all glory belongs to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!