1110 – Take Hold of What Is Yours 抓住属于我们的应许

Joshua 14:9-13 (NKJV) So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.Are you aware that the Old Testament saints are cheering us on in our walk of faith with the Lord? As such, have you ever wondered whether you are taking hold of what belongs to you, like Caleb did? In this passage, he was making a recollection of what happened when he and the 11 spies were asked to scout the Promised Land. Caleb differed from his peers with regards to trusting God and taking Him for His Word. This is one of the reasons why he and Joshua were allowed to enter the Promised Land while the rest of the entire generation died in the wilderness.

A parallel exists between us and the Israelites in that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt while we were slaves to sin prior to receiving Christ into our hearts. The crossing of the Red Sea also likens to us entering into the baptism pool and emerging as new persons through our identification with Christ. Meanwhile, the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey is similar to the abundant life promised to us.

As Christians, we have to take hold of what belongs to us in the abundant life just like the Israelites needed to conquer the inhabitants of the land with the help of God in order to take hold of what rightfully belonged to them. The inhabitants of the land would be a thorn in their flesh and a brier in their eyes unless the Israelites were to completely eradicate them. Likewise, we won’t enjoy the abundant life unless we deal with our flesh and stand on the promises regarding what belong to us in the new life.

The Israelites obtained the promises given by God when they entered the Promised Land. Let us also press on to obtain the promises given to us in the abundant life!

Sermon Series: You Are in the Hall of Faith! (Part 4)

抓住属于我们的应许

约书亚记14:9-13 当日摩西起誓说：『你脚所踏之地定要归你和你的子孙永远为业，因为你专心跟从耶和华－我的　神。』自从耶和华对摩西说这话的时候，耶和华照他所应许的使我存活这四十五年；其间以色列人在旷野行走。看哪，现今我八十五岁了，我还是强壮，像摩西打发我去的那天一样；无论是争战，是出入，我的力量那时如何，现在还是如何。求你将耶和华那日应许我的这山地给我；那里有亚衲族人，并宽大坚固的城，你也曾听见了。或者耶和华照他所应许的与我同在，我就把他们赶出去。」于是约书亚为耶孚尼的儿子迦勒祝福，将希伯仑给他为业

你是否意识到, 在我们与主同行的道路上, 旧约里的圣徒们一直在为我们加油打气?那么，你可曾想过你是否抓住了属于自己的东西，如迦勒那样？在这段经文里, 他回顾了他和另外11个探子被派遣去窥探迦南地的经历. 迦勒在信靠神和相信祂的话语方面就与众不同. 这就是为什么唯有他和约书亚被允许进入应许之地，而其余整整一代人都死在荒野中的原因之一。

今时的我们与彼时的以色列百姓具有可比性: 以色列百姓在埃及为奴, 而我们在接受基督进入我们生命为主之前是罪的奴仆. 他们之过红海好比我们之进入洗礼池, 出水时，籍着在基督里的身份，我们成为新造的人. 同时, 那流奶与蜜的应许之地就好比应许给我们的丰盛生命.

作为基督徒, 我们务必紧紧抓住在丰盛生命中属于我们的应许, 就如同以色列百姓在耶和华的帮助下胜过那地的居民, 从而抓住那理应属于他们的. 除非以色列人把那片土地上的居民消灭尽净, 否则他们将成为以色列人的眼中钉，肉中刺. 同样, 我们务必胜过属血气的肉体, 在新生命中坚固信心, 否则我们就无法领受丰盛的新生命.

以色列人进入应许之地时, 领受了神的应许. 让我们也继续努力去领受在丰盛生命中赐予我们的应许.

讲章系列：你在信心的殿中！（第四部分）