Maintaining the status quo and not believing God to defeat “giants” in the land lead to dying in the wilderness without experiencing His mission in the world. God chooses a particular mission for every believer in the world. He desires every person walk in that mission. Fathers and leaders have responsibility to equip their physical and spiritual offspring so they can discover their mission in the world. Identifying the world’s lies and deceptions that compromise families is a vital first step. To experience God’s peace and well-being, spend sufficient time with God in vital spiritual disciplines. Numbers 25-30 provide a blueprint in believing God.
Motivation for Believing God
Israel indulged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and worshiped their gods including the Baal of Peor. The Lord told Moses to kill the leaders of the people in broad daylight to turn away God’s anger. Phinehas, son of Aaron, pierced an Israelite man and a Midianite woman through the body to stop the plague after 24,000 died while Moses and the congregation wept at the tent of meeting. The Lord told Moses that Phinehas’ zealousness for God’s honor turned away His wrath so He did not destroy Israel. He made God’s covenant of peace a lasting priesthood and atonement for the Israelites. The Lord said to kill the Midianites whose hostility and deception concerning Peor caused the plague (Num. 25:1-18). Zealousness for God’s glory motivates prayer to defeat the evil one’s lies and deceptions so you embrace the truth of God’s word.
Environment for Believing God
God spoke to Moses and Eleazar to take a census of those 20 years and older in Israel by their fathers’ households who could go out to war. The earth swallowed up Dathan and Abiram and devoured 250 men by fire who followed Korah when they rebelled against Moses and Aaron as a warning. The sons of families numbered according to the 12 tribes totaled 601,730. They divided the land as an inheritance in proportion to the number of names according to lot between the larger and smaller groups. Aaron’s sons died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Only Joshua and Caleb survived in the wilderness (Num. 26:1-65). Obedient families create the environment for children to implement God’s mission in the world.
Passion for Believing God
The daughters of Zelophehad stood before Moses, Eleazar and the leaders of Israel at the tent of meeting saying their father died for his own sin in the desert and was not among Korah’s followers who disobeyed the Lord. They asked why their father’s name was withdrawn because he had no son. After they asked for property among their father’s relatives, Moses brought the daughters’ case before God. The Lord told Moses that it was legal to give them property and turn their father’s inheritance over to them as his nearest relative (Num. 27:1-11). God exalts those who passionately seek Him in doing His mission.
Accountability for Believing God
The Lord said for Moses to go up the mountain and see the land He had given Israel since he would die like Aaron. The Lord reminded Moses that he rebelled against God by not treating Him holy before Israel at the waters of Meribah in of Kadesh. Moses asked the Lord to appoint a man to lead Israel so they would not be like sheep without a shepherd. God instructed Moses to lay his hand on Joshua, commission and put some of his authority on him so the congregation would obey him. Joshua would stand before Eleazar who asked for the judgment of Urim before the Lord. At his command they would go out and come in (Num. 27:12-23). God appoints leaders who prayerfully lead the flock so every sheep has a shepherd.
Means for Believing God
The Lord through Moses commanded Israel to present two one-year-old male lambs without defect as a continual burnt offering daily in the morning and at twilight along with a grain offering mixed with oil. At the beginning of each month, present burnt and grain offering mixed with oil to the Lord. Present one male goat for a sin offering to make atonement. On the 14th day of the first mouth they observed the Lord’s Passover with unleavened bread eaten for seven days beginning the following day. On the first and seventh day, they did not work (Num. 28:1-31). God requires daily spiritual disciplines of surrender, confess sins, read His word and prayer to live out His will.
Commitment for Believing God
In the seventh month of the first day, have a holy convocation to do no work. Offer burnt offerings as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, grain offering mixed with oil and a sin offering to make atonement as an offering by fire to the Lord. On tenth day of the seventh month, have a holy convocation to humble yourselves and not do any work. Present a continual burnt, grain and sin offering. On the 15th day of the seventh month, have a holy convocation to do no work. Observe a feast to the Lord for seven days and present a continual burnt offering, grain offering mixed with oil and sin offering. On the eighth day, have a solemn assembly to do no work. Present these offerings to the Lord at the appointed times in the tabernacle where God reveals His will besides the vow, freewill, burnt, grain and peace offerings. Moses spoke to Israel what the Lord commanded (Num. 29:1-40). Spend sufficient time with the Lord daily so you discern His will and become a pleasing aroma to Him and others.
Integrity for Believing God
Moses told the heads of Israel’s tribes to not break their word when they make a vow. A woman has a binding obligation when she makes a vow while living in her father’s house. The Lord releases her from a vow when her father or husband nullifies the vow. If a husband nullifies them later after hearing about them, he is responsible for her guilt (Num. 30:1-16). Fulfill promises you make to God and others.
Ask for the power of the Holy Spirit as you risk believing God using the following blueprint:
1. Motivation: Zealousness for God’s glory motivates prayer to defeat the evil one’s lies and deceptions so you embrace the truth of God’s word.
2. Environment: Obedient families create the environment for children to implement God’s mission in the world.
3. Passion: God exalts those who passionately seek Him in doing His mission.
4. Accountability: God appoints leaders who prayerfully lead the flock so every sheep has a shepherd.
5. Means: God requires daily spiritual disciplines of surrender, confess sins, read His word and prayer to live out His will.
6. Commitment: Spend sufficient time with the Lord daily so you discern His will and become a pleasing aroma to Him and others.
7. Integrity: Fulfill promises you make to God and others.
