Understand and Remember

Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship
on Sunday 15th February 2009

Every time we gather together we are like the children of Israel gathered by the shores of the River Jordan. The Promised Land was before them. By night fall they would be in the land promised. Every time we gather it is an opportunity for you to possess what Jesus has promised. As they are gathered they hear words which will prepare them.

Lets join God’s people, beside the river Jordan and see what we can learn as a Fellowship in Dumfries who are about to take possession of what Jesus has promised. To the children of Israel, it was a Land of Promise; to us it is the receiving of a Kingdom, the very kingdom of God.

Having a promise is a great thing, but possessing that which is promised, is the fulfilment of all hope.

Listen, and hear Jesus. He is calling you to cross over into all the promises. I wonder if you will possess your promises today. I trust that as you listen you will mix faith with what you hear.

Remember that these words were spoken to God’s people before they took possession and were given in order that they might be prepared for what was to come. As we remember may we understand?

Let’s look at Deuteronomy 9:1-7

Hear, O, Israel! You are to pass over Jordan today, to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fenced up to heaven,
2 a people great and tall, the sons of the giants, whom you know and have heard it said, Who can stand before the sons of Anak!
3 Therefore, understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you. Like a consuming fire, He shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before your face. So you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.
4 Do not speak in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out from before you, saying: For my righteousness, the LORD has brought me in to possess this land. But for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
5 Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go to possess their land. But for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God drives them out from before you, so that He may perform the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
6 Therefore, understand that the LORD your God does not give you this good land, to possess it, for your righteousness. For you are a stiff-necked people.
7 Remember, and do not forget, how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you departed out of the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

Here we have God’s people gathered together before entering into the Promised Land. All that is left for them to do, is cross the Jordan River, and the Promised Land is there’s.

But why this delay, why this gathering?

Look at verse 1

Hear, O, Israel! You are to pass over Jordan today, to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fenced up to heaven,

• Go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you.
• Go in and possess great cities which are fenced up to heaven.

What a great call upon God’s people!
Hear, O, Israel! You are to pass over Jordan today, to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fenced up to heaven.

In normal circumstances, without the instruction of the living God, with out his call upon His people you would be no match for the people already in the land; these people are greater and mightier than you. You are to cast them out and take possession.

You are to go in and possess their cities, great cities

The land promised to you is occupied by people who are greater and mightier than you. It’s your land your, inheritance, your possession, but it is occupied!

Look at verse 2

2 a people great and tall, the sons of the giants, whom you know and have heard it said, who can stand before the sons of Anak!

• These people are great and tall, they are the sons of the giants!
• You know, and have heard it said
• Who can stand before the sons of Anak!

God’s people have heard of these sons of the giants, they have heard it said – Who can stand before the sons of Anak!

These Sons of Anak have a reputation, and Gods people are listening to what has been said about them.

Who are you listening to? In Jesus all Giants and all fenced cities are dealt with.

Hear, O, Israel, the call of your God to go forward in spite of the fact that there is in the land of your inheritance, great and tall sons of the giants!

How are we ever going to take possession of a Promised Land in the hands of Giants?

I wonder if this currant generation of God’s people are remembering the defeat of their Fathers. They two had the opportunity to possess the Promised Land, and were confronted by giants and walled cities?

Some things never change when it comes to taking possession of the promises!

The Israelites had a land of promise, but today the believer has a kingdom to receive.

The question is not do you have a promise, or what is the promise, but have you possessed what has been promised you.

There is only one way to deal with giants.

There is only one way to possess fenced cities.

It is Jesus who goes before you, having laid low all obstacles.

He has sent you the Holy Spirit who leads you right into the heart of your Promised Land.

Let’s look at verse 3

Therefore, understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you. Like a consuming fire, He shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before your face. So you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.

• Understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you.
• He is going up before us like a consuming fire!
• He shall destroy them
• He shall bring them down before your face
• You shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.

God’s people are told to understand it this day, before they cross over.

Today we have to understand that it is Jesus that goes before us, and brings you up to receive your kingdom.

God always has a reason behind what he does, and understanding what God the Father is doing and why He is doing something is a sure place of safety.

A son is always safest when he is doing his fathers will. It was so for Jesus and is so for us.

Let’s look at Verse 4

Do not speak in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out from before you, saying: For my righteousness, the LORD has brought me in to possess this land. But for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

• When the LORD your God has cast out the tall, giant, sons of Anak.
• Do not speak in your heart saying…
• For my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.
• The LORD drives out the tall giant sons of Anak before you because of the wickedness of these nations.

You are coming into the land flowing with milk and honey, and the tall giant sons of Anak are cast out because their iniquity in the land has come up to such a pitch they are no longer worthy to dwell in it.

Some of you who stand here today have not possessed the promises given to you, you have not pressed into the kingdom of God. You have done this because you have found it difficult to possess things which you have not laboured for.

You have the thinking of the world. I can only have what I deserve or have what I have worked for.

See, if you can glimpse what God did here in verse 5.

God’s people were coming into their promised land by God’s grace towards them. The people already in the land were operating in such wickedness that God said enough is enough. He hands it over to His own people not because they are worthy, but because he has made a previous promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

It is the same with you today. He is giving you what he has promised, simply because He has promised it. He is doing it because his character demands it. Jesus is the promise of the Father, and what He has promised in His son is coming to pass in you, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You are the inheritor of a kingdom. It is yours to receive.

Look at verse 5

Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go to possess their land. But for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God drives them out from before you, so that He may perform the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• Not for your righteousness
• Not for the uprightness of your heart
• Do you go in to possess their land
• But for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God drives them out before you
• And because he has sworn a promise to your fathers to do so.
• A promise to Abraham
• A promise to Isaac
• A promise to Jacob

It’s got nothing to do with you; it’s all got to do with The God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ keeping his promises which he has sworn.

Hallelujah! Our God keeps his promises and brings us into a Kingdom where all his promises are kept.

Just where you stand, add faith to what you are hearing, and step across into what God the Father has promised you in the kingdom of Jesus Christ His Son.

He brings us to receive his kingdom so that He may fulfil his promises in us.

The Father fulfils what is promised, the Son fulfils what is promised, and the Holy Spirit fulfils what is promised.

Our God is an awesome God.

Can you see that there are things that we must understand, with clarity, in our hearts, not the understanding of the mind, but of the heart, taught by the Holy Spirit, add faith to what you are hearing, and you will see it?

Look at verse 6

Therefore, understand that the LORD your God does not give you this good land, to possess it, for your righteousness. For you are a stiff-necked people.

• Understand that the LORD your God does not give you this good land, to possess it, for your righteousness

Nothing you have done, and nothing you will ever do will bring you receive the Kingdom. Not works of righteousness which we have done.

You see even if you do not understand or know your own condition, there is one who does know you. He knows you altogether,

Look what he says of your very nature?

• You are a stiff-necked people.

You are not getting into the land of promise because of your own righteousness!

You are not going to receive the Kingdom because of what you have done.

In your heart, born of Adam, you are stiff-necked!

And yet here is a miracle that a stiff-necked people are brought into His to the point where they are ready to receive a Kingdom, and it is in order to fulfil what he has sworn.

But this is not the whole story.

Look at verse 7

7 Remember, and do not forget, how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you departed out of the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

• Remember and do not forget
• How you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness
• From the day you departed out of the land of Egypt
• Until you came to this place
• You have been rebellious against the LORD

Look at that!

Until you came to this place

Where was this place?

It was on the border of the Promised Land!

Gods people were about to cross over and they had to understand the true reason why they were going in to possess the land, in order that when they crossed over, they would not walk in their own righteousness, but in the righteousness of God.

We today walk in the Righteousness of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

They were to remember and not forget how they provoked the LORD to wrath in the wilderness.

Do not forget where you have come from.

Understand with clarity

Remember with clarity

Let’s turn to Deut 4:7-12

De 4:7 For who is a great nation whose God is coming near to them, as Jehovah our God is, in all our calling on him?
8 And who is a great nation whose statutes and judgments are so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?
9 Only take heed to yourself and keep your soul carefully, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. But teach them to your sons, and your sons' sons.
10 Remember the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, Gather the people to Me, and I will make them hear My words so that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and they may teach their sons.
11 And you came near and stood under the mountain. And the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
12 And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of the words, but saw no likeness, only a voice.

Look at verse 10

10 Remember the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, Gather the people to Me, and I will make them hear My words so that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and they may teach their sons.

• Remember the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb
• When the LORD said
• Gather the people to Me
• I will make them hear My words
• So that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth.

God’s people are on the border of the Promised Land and are gathered together and God is asking them to remember an earlier occasion at Horeb when He made them hear his words, so that they may learn to fear Him all the days that they shall live upon the earth.

Looking back, remembering, understanding, all help us to go in to possess that which is before us, if we will add faith to what we hear.

Here is another day, at Horeb, where God’s people are gathered together to prepare them for what is to come, and that they may have clarity.

God’s people are on the border of the Promised Land and are gathered together and god is going to make them hear his words, so that they may learn to fear Him all the days that they shall live upon the earth.

Here in Glen Aros you stand as one called to inherit the promises. As you stand add your faith to what you are hearing. .

He has gathered us together that we might understand and remember before we receive this kingdom before us.

It was a special day when God was to speak to them out of the thick darkness. The people of the old covenant could not handle God speaking to them directly.

But It is much different for us.

Let’s look at Hebrews 12:18-29

Heb 12:18 For you have not come to the mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, nor to blackness and darkness and tempest,
19 and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words (which voice they who heard begged that the word should not be spoken to them any more,
20 for they could not endure the thing commanded, "And if so much as a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart,"
21 and so fearful was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake).
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape, those who refused him that spoke on earth, much more we shall not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven,
26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will not only shake the earth, but also the heavens."
27 And this word, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, so that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear,
29 for also, "Our God is a consuming fire."

Look at verse 28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear,

• Let us have grace
• By which we may serve God acceptably
• With reverence and godly fear.

They inherited a land.

We receive a kingdom!

Hallelujah!

Add faith to your promises and let us see them fulfilled among us.