Each Christian must discern where they are spiritually. We can read the book of Exodus and the story of Moses with God's people which spiritually describes the whole plan of salvation. Are you still in spiritual Goshen? Are you in your spiritual wilderness? Are you in the spiritual promise land? Our salvation must come to its completion. Where are most of God's people today? It is God's desire that we all make it to our spiritual promise land. The promise land is where we flow with the Holy Spirit in milk and honey. It is a spiritual land of our inheritance. It is a place and time in which we will be experiencing millennium kingdom with greater miracles and works. It is a place and time in which we will no longer be striving to do God's work nor our personal work with our own strength. It is a place and time where we are in HIS Joy, Peace, Love, and Rest on a much greater level and reaching the fullness of God in us.
Goshen is the fertile land of Egypt. It is where Jacob and his family were sent during the Great Famine. God used Egypt to provide for HIS people. Spiritual Egypt represent the world we are living in. At that time, Egypt was a great power. It was affluent in wealth and possessed many resources. Even though the Western world may consider itself a Christian nation, it is still spiritual Egypt. Many Christians think they are influencing their politics, neighborhoods, culture, traditions, sports, and entertainment, but in reality, spiritual Egypt is controlling and influencing modern day Christians. We are the ones who are really luke warm and we are the ones slaves to the system of the world.
Whether we live in America or other countries, we may be in our spiritual Goshen. Many are striving in their own strength to make ends meet. They are striving in their own strength to find joy and peace within themselves and their families. Even for those in ministry, they are doing ministry through their own strength and thus many shut down or fail. If some are even allowed to continue, they are spiritually tired and their belief has become more of a formality. Many in Goshen are crying out to God for help. Although, many know the promises of God, such promises are not a reality in their lives for they are slaves to spiritual Egypt.
In Exodus, God's people were slaves to Egypt. They were slaves forced to make bricks to build Egypt great monuments. Today, many Christians are spiritual slaves to modern day spiritual Egypt. We, without realizing, are forced to work as the world. We are led to borrow as the world and become slaves to banks. We are then made slaves to entertainment, media, and politics. Most of our lives are spent hours either working or on entertainment which can be sports, Hollywood, or the news. Many Christians contribute to building great monuments of today's civilization. Working is not a bad thing. A little entertainment is not a bad thing but when we put work and entertainment over God, then we are nothing but slaves to this world.
Even as Christians, many realize they are not finding their Rest in God. When such people find God on a higher level, they come to realize, there will be a cost to truly following HIM. In fact, the Devil will leave you alone when you do not chase after God. When you are only but a Sunday Christian whose prayer life is only over your dinner meal, one who barely reads your bible, and your heart is for other things like entertainment, new, politics, etc, the devil leaves you alone to wither away. When you are deceived chasing after nonsense, the devil will leave you alone to face your own judgment. Many are withering away without even realizing it.
But once you are determine to know God more, the devil will increase your burdens. The devil will make your life more difficult. The question still remains, will you press hard to move forward to know God more or will you draw or shrink back and return to your old ways? You may have to choose between your career/business or God. You may have to choose between spending more time with God or the demands of your religious spouse and children. You may have to choose between your friends or God. You may have to choose between sitting on the couch or going to church.
Ex 5:19 The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.” 20 As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. 21 The foremen said to them, “May the Lord judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”
In the land of Goshen, many became angry with Moses. When they got angry with Moses, they were getting angry at God. But God did not judge or punished them. We can see many Christians who are sinning but who have not yet been judged or punished? Why? It is because many are still in spiritual Goshen. Spiritual Goshen represents baby Christians. Moreover, it is God's last option or choice to bring severe judgment. His nature is to give mercy and grace.
God did not punish HIS people while they were in Goshen as they had come against HIM as they had come against Moses. Just because God has not judged you or disciplined you does not mean HE will not if you continue in your sins. HE desires us to repent and follow HIM.
It is when God takes us into our spiritual wilderness to teach us obedience, this is the place where God will punish or judge HIS people. The spiritual wilderness is a much more difficult place than the burdens of the world. Many are having a hard time getting broke by the world because of their bad choices but getting broken by God is another matter.
I hope God leads you to a good mentor like Moses to help you through Goshen and the wilderness to take you into the spiritual promise land.
Glory to God
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
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