When God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, He not only brought them out of a geographic location, but out of a lifestyle. What should have been a short journey from Egypt to Canaan was extended to forty years because of unbelief, murmuring, and disobedience. An entire generation had to pass away before the new generation could go in and possess the land. Their disobedience and longing for the old ways prolonged their stay in the wilderness. They were delivered from the land of Egypt, but Egypt was still in them.
God told them the land they were going to possess was not like Egypt where the land was flat and fertile, requiring irrigation.
For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst the seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: but the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year (Deuteronomy 11:10-11).
Water was transported from the Nile to the fields by treadmills, simple mechanical devices operated by the Israeli slaves. They walked the treadmills, causing the gears to turn and the water to flow. The land was irrigated by their labor and hard work.
It is never the will of God for anyone to live in the wilderness. Many miracles took place there, because God was revealing His goodness. He wanted the children of Israel to prosper and be blessed, and He was preparing them for the land they were about to enter. They had to learn to depend on God and God alone. He was training them in the wilderness to think differently. A new location doesn’t mean things will be better if you maintain the same thoughts and mindset.
The same is true today. People think that if they could just change some circumstance in their lives, everything would be wonderful. Single people think being married would solve everything. Married people think being single is the answer. Some think that a different job would fix things, while others think they just need to move to a new town. Everyone is looking to change his or her circumstances, thinking that will solve the problem. But the truth is, no matter where you go, nothing is going to change until there is a change on the inside of you!
That is what God was trying to do with the children of Israel. He had already changed their outside circumstances by bringing them out of Egyptian bondage. But unless he could change their thinking, they would be the same people, just in a different place. God wanted the Israelites to recognize that they were not just coming to a new land; they were coming to a new life-style. Walking the treadmills was self-effort, but in this new land, they would have to depend on the rain of heaven. God wanted His people to quit looking to their own efforts for provision and to look to Him. They had to look up. They had to get their eyes on God and off their circumstances.
The new land was mountainous and irrigation by treadmill was not an option for them. They would have to depend on God to bring the rain from heaven to water the earth. Without rain, there would be no harvest. The children of Israel either believed God and were obedient, or the rain stopped. There was no “Plan B.”
Christians today need to recognize this, too. There is no “Plan B” with God! God doesn’t offer options. He never told His children to believe Him, but then if that doesn’t’ work, just go back and do the best you can. No! God calls us out, and separates us to something new. We are called to leave the old way and live the new way, the way of obedience to the Word of God and a lifestyle of faith.
This is why it is so important to renew our minds to the Word of God. The anointing comes and operates in our lives when we act on decisions based on the Word of God. The heart is where you believe, but decisions come from the mind. It takes a heart filled with faith AND a renewed mind to obey God.
To love God and have the mind of Christ—that is when you begin to step into the fullness of the blessing and the lifestyle of faith becomes a reality to you.
P.S. I just returned from a month-long trip to Brazil, and it was awesome! As we travelled from city to city, we had some glorious services. I want to thank you for your part in sending me. Your prayers and support have made a significant impact in that nation, and abundant fruit abounds to your account! The people there have taken the Word of God, renewed their minds to it and developed a lifestyle of faith taking them further than they ever imagined!