Wednesday, June 1, 2011

From Egypt to Canaan (June 2011).

In scriptures, Egypt typifies the world system, while Canaan typifies the Kingdom of God. The devil is the supreme ruler in Egypt while God Almighty is the one in charge in Canaan. Many people live in Egypt, but God’s will is to relocate and reposition us in Canaan.

Egypt is a place of darkness and ignorance of God, Canaan is a place of revelation and light; Egypt is a place of confinement and limitation while Canaan is a place of no limits and release; In Egypt, people only hear of God’s promises, in Canaan divine promises are handled and entered into; Egypt is a place of tribute and servitude, Canaan is a place of dominion and mastery; In Egypt, there is humiliation and shame, whereas Canaan is the place of honor and respect; The occupants of Egypt don’t have a voice, their words don’t matter but Canaanites have a voice that is respected on earth and in Heaven; Egypt is a place of conflict, while Canaan is a place of peace and harmony; Egypt is a place of doom while Canaan is the place of boom. The list goes on.

Between Egypt and Canaan is the wilderness, which is a place of preparation and pruning for those who have decided to take the journey from Egypt to Canaan. The wilderness is a must pass through. It is never intended by God to be the final destination but a transitory place. The wilderness is characterized by loneliness, visionlessness, desperation, confusion and temptation. The unfortunate thing about the Israelites who left Egypt for Canaan is that none of them except two, Joshua and Caleb made it to Canaan. To enter into your Canaan in a timely manner, the following factors are imperative to note:

The God Factor: When the Israelites left Egypt for Canaan, God purposely led them through a longer route via the Red Sea and not through the shorter route via the land of the Philistines (Exodus 13:17-18). God led them through a route it will be impossible for them to return to Egypt. King David said his times are in God’s hands (Psalm 31:15). God is the Architect behind the scenes designing our lives. A thorough understanding of this fact should engender more trust, patience and obedience from us to Him.

The Attitude Factor: Your attitude is the behavior you exhibit in times of pressure. The Israelites on the way to Canaan experienced many anxious moments in the wilderness. Their constant behavior was to complain, murmur and lash out on their leader – Moses. They constantly doubted and disbelieved God despite so many awesome testimonies. And because of a bad attitude, they were disqualified from Canaan. Job exhibited a very good attitude when he praised God and refused to curse Him in a time of immense pressure (Job 1:20-22).

The Obedience Factor: A man of God once said: “Every act of obedience brings you closer to your Canaan and every act of disobedience takes you farther away” The truth many fail to realize is that God tests us. That next temptation to lie, cheat, compromise and sin could just be your promotion exam. We are only able to overcome the enemies in our Canaan when our obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10:6).

The Mindset Factor: A man of God said you cannot enter Canaan with the mentality of Egypt, neither can you become a king thinking like a peasant. The wrong mentality the Israelites had in the wilderness was their albatross. Joshua and Caleb were able to enter in because of a renewed mindset (Number 14:24). The journey from Egypt to Canaan is first and foremost an inward journey before it is outward. The word of God is the best mind detergent ever produced(Romans 12:2).

The Favor Factor: “For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them, but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance because You favored them” (Psalm 44:3). The Israelites in the quoted scripture enjoyed divine favor and entered their inheritance because they are God’s chosen people. Unmerited favor is exclusive preserve of God’s children while common grace is for His creation (Matthew 5:45). To enjoy divine, exclusive favor you must receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and actively cultivate a vibrant relationship with Him.

CONCLUSION: The Psalmist echoed the mind of God explicitly in Psalm 66:12, “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire and water, but thou brought us out into a wealthy place.” The will of God for His children is not to remain in Egypt, nor to die in the wilderness, but His will is that we inherit and enter Canaan. See you in Canaan in Jesus name. Have a blessed month.

Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
http://gboyegae.blogspot.com
www.rccgpittsburgh.net

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