Refusing God

““Then we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrifying wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us. And we came to Kadesh-barnea.

And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’

Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe.

And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out. And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.’

“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’

Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the Lord your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭1:19-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Israelites knew the promise that God made them concerning the promise land. Yet, they initially refused to go in and take hold of what God had promised them. Despite seeing the fruit of the land and seeing its abundance, they made a choice not to move forward into the blessings of God.

Instead, they made excuses and then grumbled in the wilderness for forty years. They were never to walk in what He had provided for them. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, it was their children who took the territory that God had promised to them.

How many times do we refuse God’s promises? Some we know the sweet fruit His promises produce. Others promises we can not begin to fathom the blessing that He will bring if we will obey Him. We are unwilling to take the step of faith into what He has promised us. We hold back, and then complain when we don’t get the result that we want doing things our way. We grumble as we walk around the same mountain over and over again.

Yes, often times our failure to step out paves the way for others to step into the promise. What are we denying ourselves because we refuse God. Imagine the starting point we would give those who come beside us and behind us, if we would just stop refusing God but instead boldly step out in faith.

So here are a few promises of God that we can stand on and step out in in our walk with Him.

When we feel alone, weak, helpless or defeated: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:28-31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When we lack peace: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you don’t know what to do or need direction: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 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 ‭1:5-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Psalm‬ ‭37:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm‬ ‭37:23-24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11-14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When we need healing: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah‬ ‭53:4-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm‬ ‭103:2-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When your overwhelmed: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When your facing trials: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah‬ ‭43:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54:10‬ ‭ESV‬

“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”” Isaiah‬ ‭54:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you need forgiveness: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John‬ ‭8:36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When you’re in need: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm‬ ‭37:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark‬ ‭11:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There are promises found in the Word to meet most of our needs. If we know the Word we can stand on Word, obey God’s leading, and walk in His promises. When we don’t know or don’t obey, we are refusing God. Lord give us faith to take bold steps into your promises!!!