[bearbear]

Just had this revelation today:

According to the Greek, we have to believe "into" (eis) Jesus. Many of the Israelites went only as far as intellectual acknowledgment that Jehovah was God, but they failed to "believe" their way into the good land which was their promise. Similarly many Christians "believe" Jesus exists as the son of God, but have they "believed" their way into Christ? Galatians 5:24 says those who belong to Christ has crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. How many Christians are living in envy, strife, jealousy, selfish-ambition, bitterness and unforgiveness? If you take this verse in its literal meaning you can see why Jesus says few are saved, the road is narrow, and many try to get into the door to heaven but fail to.

We must have faith like Joshua did, by trusting in God to give us strength, enabling us to slay the giants of our flesh so we can obtain our promised inheritance in heaven. We also need to run away from anxiety and worry because that's the result of the same unbelief that led to the demise of the Israelites in the wilderness. We ultimately worship what we fear.

"Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience." - Hebrews 4:11

If we're struggling to make something happen in our Christian life we're doing it wrong. All the children of Israel had to do to make it into the good land and conquer it was to relax and know that Jehovah is God, then follow God who was pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, and believe that he would rescue them out of every horrible situation. They just had to live by faith based on God's perfect integrity since he had delivered them from every situation in the past. Instead they chose to live based on what their eyes saw, which included the 30 foot tall giants in Canaan.

"for we walk by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7

This is a wonderful picture God gave us how to live by faith as Christians. First we enter into God's rest by being still and knowing that he is God. Then we follow God by living and walking accord to the Spirit. Then when we encounter horrible situations, we believe that God will deliver us every time. We continue to do this until we enter the door of eternal life either through death or rapture by which we obtain our promised inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.

"Be still and know that I am God! I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted among the earth" - Psalms 46:10

"Now then there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" - Romans 8:1 (KJV)

"and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain." - 1 Corinthians 15:2