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In Numbers 13 Israel is at the very doorstep of the Promised Land. They have come to Kadesh Barnea in the wilderness of Zin. God instructed Moses to send 12 spies into the land, one from each tribe. They were to see what the land was like, whether the people in it were strong or weak, and whether they were few or many. And they were also to bring samples of the fruit of the land.

When the twelve spies returned after 40 days, ten of them brought back a bad report. “The people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there… The land devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size; and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight.”

Two of them, Caleb and Joshua, brought back a favorable report and challenged the people to enter in and possess it for God would surely give it to them, for God was with them.

The people of Israel were at a spiritual crossroad. They must decide if they would believe God and enter the land of promise, or if they would succumb to fear and keep wandering in the wilderness.

There are valuable lessons in this story. Many will find themselves at a spiritual crossroads in life where they face a difficult decision, challenged by difficulties and faced with hardships no matter which direction they turn. Yet there is a way that brings the promises of God that requires faith greater than fear. In other words, faith will give you courage to move forward and receive the promises of God.

Paul wrote that what happened to Israel was an example for us that we should not follow after them in their disbelief because many of them were destroyed in the wilderness.

I. Pass Through the Wilderness

God never wanted Israel to stay in the wilderness. It was never meant to be their home. The point of bringing them out of Egypt was to bring them to the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The journey in the wilderness was never meant to be permanent, He was bringing them somewhere; to a place where they could have a homeland and build a legacy of trusting God.

God uses the wilderness to strengthen faith

There is a comparison between God delivering Israel from the slavery of Egypt and God delivering us from the world.

The promised land is not a picture of heaven, however. There are no Canaanites to be driven out of heaven, there are no giants there to be defeated. It’s a picture of spiritual maturity, of living in the promises of God and taking hold of them for spiritual victory.

The wilderness, then, is a picture of what? That depends. For that generation who came out of Egypt, it was a picture of spiritual immaturity, of not taking hold of God’s purpose and calling, of not having spiritual victory; of having fear rather than faith. That generation died in the wilderness.

For the generation who came after them, however, it was a picture of spiritual discipleship, of learning to grow in faith, of God preparing them for His promises.

Deuteronomy 8:2, “You shall remember all the ways which the Lord your God led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”

The promises of God are not always a gift you simply unwrap; sometimes they come from facing challenges head-on and trusting God to be with you through every trial and every trouble.

There are spiritual lessons from your time in the wilderness as well. In other words, there are many who have come to faith in Jesus Christ but have not learned to walk victoriously.

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