Did God Really Say That???

Isaiah 1:19

¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
      You shall eat the good of the land;

We as Christians sometimes have a habit of allowing the experiences of others to invalidate God’s promises. God has a lot of promises in the bible that are conditional. If you do this then He promises to do that. What we often do is see a person that in our mind is doing their part in the promise but don’t seem to be experiencing the promised result. Why did this person struggle their whole lives if that promise means what it says? To that question I’d answer I don’t know but that’s not going to make me throw away the promise.

2 Corinthians 1:20

²⁰ For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

From these scriptures it seems that A. God cannot lie and B. He is faithful to bring to pass that which he promised. We don’t like things that cause self-reflection and/or can put a question mark over the heads of some that we considered perfection. But if God is real and his promises are real and we are Willing and Obedient then there is no reason we shouldn’t eat the Good of the Land. Here are a few things that can cause a person not to eat the good of the land. This will by no means be an exhaustive list.

Unbelief

1.       If you don’t believe that God’s promises are for you then you won’t experience everything he has for you.

Mark 6:4-6
⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

The power to heal was available but wasn’t received because of their unbelief.

Romans 3:3
For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?

Ingratitude and Pride

2.       Sometimes we just want things done our way. God has a way but we don’t want it that way. One thing I believe falls under this is when we chase after signs and wonders and only accept those as moves of God. One of the best quotes I heard on this was from Pastor Shawn Bumpers at Calvary Chapel Birmingham.

“When we only look for God in the impossible we miss Him in the possible.” Pastor Shawn Bumpers

This was an area that I was struggling in. God was blessing me left and right but since it wasn’t accompanied by trumpets, flashing lights and dancing angels I didn’t respect it as I should. Here is a scripture example of pride almost costing someone their healing.

2 Kings 5:10-14
¹⁰ And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” ¹¹ But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ ¹² Are not the Abanah^[a] and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³ And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

We see in this passage that Naaman already had a set way that he desired to receive his healing and when that set way wasn’t met he was angry and was willing to walk away. Thank God for a bold servant to speak some sense into him. Some of us don’t have that bold friend to break that prideful mindset so we don’t respect the simple things that God does for us every day.

Time

3.       Sometimes there are no problems or adjustments needed. In some cases it just takes time. There may be things that are being worked out that you aren’t aware of that just take you being patient. There are things in God’s timing that could be deferring your return. There could be some spiritual warfare going on that you just have to continue to stand and believe in those promises. Here are some examples of both from scripture. In example one David was anointed King by Samuel but there were a few boundaries in place. Boundary #1 Saul was still King over Israel. Boundary #2 the throne went to the King’s son so Jonathan was the next in line for the throne. There was a period of time where this promise didn’t look like it would come to pass. David lost everything and was sent into exile while Saul tried to kill him over and over. Eventually the promise was brought to pass and David became King.

1 Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

2 Samuel 2:4
⁴ Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

There was years of struggle and growth for David between his being anointed and him taking the throne. But God was working the whole time bringing it to pass.

Here is an example of Spiritual Warfare that is going on behind the scenes. In this instance Daniel had been praying for an interpretation for a dream and an angel appeared and told him that from the first day that he prayed God had heard and sent the angel to him but he was hindered by other spiritual forces.

Daniel 10:10-14
¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. 
¹² Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”

This delay had nothing to do with Daniel but he had to stay focused on what he was praying for.

Bottom line God is faithful to His promises. We don’t have to explain them away by saying they are only for Israel or other commonly used excuses.

"But in many respects, God's people fail to possess their possessions and enjoy those privileges and blessings to which the blood of Christ entitles them."

However distasteful to the flesh, whatever sneers it may produce from carnal professors, the Christian must rigidly and perpetually act by the rule that God has given him to walk by. In so doing, he will be immeasurably the gainer; for the path of obedience—is the path of prosperity! Conformity unto the revealed will of God may indeed entail trial; nevertheless, it will be richly compensated in this life, both in spiritual and temporal bounties.

Nor is there any justification to insist that such statements pertained only to the Mosaic economy. If we unhesitatingly apply to our own day that precious word in Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet—they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson—they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18), is it honest to refuse taking unto ourselves the very next verse, "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19)? The principles which regulate God's providential dealings with His people are in no way altered by any change made in the outward form of His kingdom upon earth.

A.W Pink – Enjoying God’s Best

http://www.gracegems.org/Pink/gods_best.htm

God is faithful to His promises. Don't let people guilt you into feeling like He isn't or that you're not worthy.

Claim them today and don’t let go.