Text: Num 20:1-13
Memory text:
“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
John 5:30 NKJV
Immature believers only understand God at the surface and have no deep understanding. They judge what is righteous by what has the greatest acceptance among people. You hear them say, “The voice of man is the voice of God”. Thus, because of their ignorance, they are easily deceived. Such were the Israelites at the time of Moses. “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” (Psal. 103:7 ).
Matured believers also goof when they become too familiar with God that they presume to know what God wants to do in every situation. They do not seek His will anymore but live in assumptions. It is possible, through many years of experience in the ministry, to so much understand the spiritual dynamics of achieving results that we make no attempt to find out His will, what God is saying or what He wants at a particular situation. We know what to do or say to get results. We know the method but ignore the Spirit. Nothing can be as dangerous as this.
The scripture says, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.” (Rev 2:29 NLT). Did you notice the tense used here? ‘… what He is saying..’. It is not what ‘He said’. It is in the present and not in the past. If God used one method to achieve His goal, it doesn’t mean that God must use the same method. Moses parted the Red Sea with his rod, but Jordan parted when the priests carrying the ark stepped at the brink of the water. It will be a deadly assumption to think that God will pull down another wall by walking around it and shouting like in Jericho!
According to our text, even though Moses sought for the will of God in the midst of the challenge, yet he went ahead to choose his own way instead of God’s will. Though, in his disobedience, he got abundant water from the rock, but God wasn’t pleased with him.
Friends, don’t ever assume you know the will of God until you have asked from Him. Don’t also be deceived by results, for results don’t mean divine approval. God is not seeking results but obedience and doing His will (1 Sam 15:22). He is not pleased with results that are done in disobedience or in self-will. Your results will only be commended by God to the extent by which they align with the will of God.
Prayer points
1. Father, help me to always seek to please You more than achieving results, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, please, deliver me from the temptation of judging spirituality with results rather than pleasing You, in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. My results or exploits will only be accepted to the extent of which they line up with God’s will.
2. I will always seek to know the will of God at all times and to follow it.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng