I used to love posting Christian quotes. I would read something that sounded good, and I shared it. But what I didn’t realize, is that the majority of quotes out there aren’t really Biblical.
Most quotes are written as a way of trying to explain the difficulties that we face as Christians. They’re often based on emotion, or in reaction to an experience.
Here’s one that I used to like: “You can’t see the promised land without the wilderness.”
Do we understand why the Israelite’s had to wander in the desert for 40 years, a journey that should have taken 11 days?
“Not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times, not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.” – Numbers 14:22-23
God hadn’t sent the Holy Spirit yet. Jesus hadn’t been sacrificed once and for all yet. The Israelite’s disobeyed God, the built idols, they doubted God’s power, and they lacked faith. In fact, God purposely led them a longer way to start off the journey. Why? Because He knew they didn’t believe that He would deliver them.
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” – Exodus 13:17
We’ll never know what would have happened if the Israelite’s actually trusted God and obeyed Him.
Where is the instance in the Scripture where a child of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, walking in faith, who lives in accordance with the Word of God, and obeys His commands, is left trudging through some never-ending wilderness? (And no, I don’t mean being persecuted for their faith).
Why are we constantly embracing the hard, difficult journey? We get more excited about fighting through a period in the wilderness than we do actually living in the promised land.
When you become a child of God, you have to change your address. You don’t live in the valley anymore. You might be passing through but you can’t stay there. It’s not where you belong. God wants to set you on the mountaintop. He wants to take you from glory to glory, and from strength to strength and from everlasting to everlasting.
“Put God to the test and see how kind he is. See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him. If you belong to the Lord, reverence him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who obey the Lord will never lack any good thing.” – Psalm 34:8-10
Psalm 23 says, “when I walk through the valley.” Paul praised his way out of prison. Daniel was in the lions den one night, and he was never harmed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fiery furnace the same day they were put in, with not a hair on their heads burned.
Never forget: because of the power of God through His spirit in us, we have dominion over the attack of the enemy.
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” – Romans 16:20
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” – Luke 10:19
We have no problem accepting the things that the Devil uses to destroy us. We own sickness, depression, anxiety, fear, and discouragement. But when God has good gifts for us, we say, “no I don’t believe in that. God doesn’t want to prosper us, that’s heresy. God doesn’t want to heal us, that’s not for today.” We’re even reluctant to embrace the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” – Matthew 7:11.
When the Spirit moves, we immediately assume it can’t be of God. But when the Devil buries us with trials, we wrap our arms around them. We would rather believe that God would send struggle to teach us a lesson, than believe He wants to deliver us from the grip of the enemy.
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Why? Because our faith is so easily shaken. We see too much pain and struggle around us, and not enough miracles.
We don’t see miracles because we don’t have the faith to believe it’s possible. We operate with a weak, watered down version of faith, so much so that when anyone rises up with an increased level of faith to claim God’s promises, we label them a false teacher.
Never forget: Our circumstances will not change the promises of God.
When Peter stepped out onto the water, he stepped out with a heart full of faith. But as soon as he began to look around, and saw the wind and the waves, his faith crumbled.
“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:29-31
The Bible teaches that doubt is like being double-minded, which in the Greek translation means to “waver, to be uncertain or half-hearted”.
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” – James 1:6-8
Faith always looks beyond the natural, because faith operates in the supernatural. Our minds can never comprehend it. If we try to define faith with our human brains, we’ll never figure it out. When we try to use intellect to explain the spiritual, we’ll end up pushing the Spirit out because it doesn’t make sense.
What happened when the disciples were in a boat facing the storm? Did Jesus tell them, “well this is good for you, it’s going to help build your faith. Can’t have a testimony without a test.”
No! He rebuked the storm and commanded it to be still.
“He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” – Matthew 8:26.
One of the most misquoted verses in the Bible is Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” But keep reading.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” – Exodus 14:15-16
We need to shed this mindset of hanging out in the desert, and thinking that its God’s will for us to be there. No, we need to get moving, activate our faith, and believe that God will always deliver us. And even beyond that, understand our inheritance as a child of God, that the devil can’t touch us.
“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.”– Psalm 91:9-10
Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee a perfect life. There is an enemy of our souls looking to take us down. There is a promise of persecution that will test our faith. But that can’t be our focus. We can’t live waiting around for trouble to befall us.
“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world.” – I John 5:4
We are victorious. Through Christ Jesus and the power of the Spirit, we are strong in might. We don’t need to be rescued, because we were already bought with a price.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” – Ephesians 6:10-11
