Chapter Five

THE WILDERNESS AND THE PROMISED LAND

Egypt represents, in type, the spiritual place where all Christians were before they came to Christ, before their born again experience. True born again Christians, can not return to Egypt. God will not allow this. When Christians are born again, they will journey out of Egypt into the wilderness of testing, but they will never be permitted to return to Egypt, the place of forced slavery to the master of Sin. However, a Christian may die in the wilderness of testing. Die a physical death, in the wilderness, because of unbelief, a hard heart and or disobedience.

It is God’s will that you come out of the wilderness of testing and proceed or press toward the goal of maturity and perfection under His government to take the land of promise. Ruling and reigning in this life, serving Him in all things. Joint heirs with Jesus as you travel this earth. The goal is to be a manifest and fully mature Son of God with power and authority, carefully entrusted to you to do the work of His service in the earth, all to the Glory of God.

Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much

more they which receive abundance of grace and of

the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and

his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Christians can not reign in this life without “His righteousness”. His righteousness is; “God working in us, both to will and to do his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). If we attempt to control our lives (reign in life) without the manifest life and nature of Christ (His righteousness), we can do nothing.

John 15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,   the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.



“His righteousness”, is first ours by faith, and not by works of righteousness which we try to do. However, as we seek his rule and lay down our lives to Him daily, He will work His grace in our hearts and “His righteousness”, will ultimately be manifest in us in fact. This is a process, a journey; out of Egypt, through the wilderness of testing, and then we journey on toward the promise. The promise is perfection, Christ fully manifest in us, the hope of Glory.

Colossians 1:26-27 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages

and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

          To whom God would make known what is the riches

of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in

you, the hope of glory:

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were

already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for

which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high

calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Our “promised land”, is within us. There are Spiritual Jebusites, and Cannanites, etc., who have been controlling this territory. By choosing daily to come under God’s rule, He will tell you when and where to pick a fight with these spiritual enemies. His will is that He should then command every aspect of those battles. Christ, liberating us, day at a time, displacing the strongholds of dark motivations with His very nature. Then, progressively, as the daylight displaces the night, we will reign in life, where spiritual darkness once ruled. The results will be peace and joy and right relationship with God and man.

Romans|14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but

righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Journey on…narrow is the way.   Remember; the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed in you. The glory of His righteousness, manifest through you in the earth.

The suffering involves the daily dying to our fleshly nature and desires, which are the fortifications or strongholds of the enemy. The battle is within us, and the Kingdom is within us. Yet it is not our battle but His, it is not our strength but His, not our works of righteousness but Christ working in us. Ours is but to choose to die daily to self. The battle for dominion within us is the spiritual realm, which will ultimately manifest itself in the physical realm; righteousness or unrighteousness.

          Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting

them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much

tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 10:4 -5 For the weapons of our warfare are not

carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing

that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into

captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

As previously stated, seeing the government of God or the Kingdom of God is not the same as entering it. Moses saw the “promised land” from the other side of the river while on a mountain top, but because of unbelief and disobedience, did not enter in.    Because of his unbelief and disobedience he was not allowed to enter in to the land of promise and go on to participate in the manifestation of God’s glory through him, as was the case with Joshua and Caleb. However, after Moses died a natural death, we see him later with Elijah at the mount of transfiguration, in the spirit, conferring with Jesus about Jesus’ departure from earth.   Moses’ unbelief and disobedience did not change his faith in the promises of God. His unbelief and disobedience did not change his eternal destiny after his physical death. However, Moses’ unbelief and disobedience did effect his earthly ability to serve and glorify God in the earth, in his natural life.

Numbers 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel,

          therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I

            have given them.

            Deuteronomy 34:4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which

            I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will

            give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes,

              but thou shalt not go over thither.   (To see, but not to enter.)

Christians must understand, the Kingdom or Government of God or Kingdom of Heaven is not heaven. God’s Kingdom is a spiritual realm where God the Father has control or dominion. In heaven certainly, God the Father has absolute dominion. In earth, it is a process introduced again on the day of Pentecost, beginning in the hearts of Christians, and manifesting ultimately to the world. The final results of this process is not yet apparent, but by faith, we know the scriptures prophesy that “there will be no end to the increase of His Government” and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord”. Romans chapter 8: tells us in effect that all of creation is waiting for the Kingdom or Government of God to be fully perfected in his Saints.

So, we should expect to see God’s domain in the earth, which is within Christians, move from the hearts of yielded Christians to families, to neighborhoods, and to nations and to ultimately have the same effect in earth, as His dominion in Heaven. “His will be done, in earth, as it is in Heaven.” However, this is a process and it does not yet appear in earth, what it shall be when the goal is reached.

The Government of God, or Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is within you, the grace of God, working in you to affect this life for his service and glory.   Christ in us, kicking out our spiritual enemies, replacing those enemies with his own nature. Working in us in order that, from our heart will come forth, manifest good works.

His righteousness is to be manifest through us for the world to see and thereby that God might be glorified in us in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. “God working in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure.” (Philippians|2:13)

                  Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see

                  your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

                 2 Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his

                    saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our

       testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Jesus the pattern son, the first born of many brethren who glorified God as He manifested the nature and power of God through Him during His earthly ministry to the Jewish nation. Not speaking His own words or doing His own work, but being a servant, obedient, never with His own agenda, never self serving. God was at that time glorified in Christ Jesus.

God was to be glorified again. Only this time he would be glorified “in His saints”, in His spiritual Kingdom come in the earth. Christ in you, the church, the hope of Glory. This time He is to be glorified by His Church, in like manner as Jesus glorified Him.

                      John 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from

                           heaven, saying,¯ I have both glorified it, and will glorify itagain.



                     2 Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his

                     saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our

                     testimony among you was believed) in that day.

                     Wherefore also we pray always for you, that

                   our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the

                    good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:



                     2 Thessalonians 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be

                     glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and

              the Lord Jesus Christ.

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