Perhaps the best biblical example of unfaithfulness is the people of Israel who were freed from Egyptian bondage and led by God to
the Promised Land. You know the story of how they saw firsthand the awesome demonstration of the power of God in Egypt. Then,
despite this, they constantly doubted God’s willingness and ability to deliver them from the various challenges in the wilderness. The
psalmist captures their sin in the 78th Psalm when he says, “…a generation that did not set its heart aright…” We, the Church of Jesus
Christ, must awaken to the reality that we too tend to fall into this same trap of doubt; doubt turns to fear, and that fear is sin against God.
The Church can learn much from the mistakes Israel made. We must not be stubborn and rebellious against God as they were, and we
must not allow our spirits to be unfaithful to God. In this study, our aim is to develop ourselves so this does not happen to us.
The plan of God was for the nation of Israel to spend two years in the wilderness. This was intended to be a training session on how to
be conquerors. This nation of slaves had to be transformed into a nation of warriors if they were to be able to conquer the Promised Land.
Training was the key concept for them. Training is also the key concept for us.
The Bible tells us in various places that we will face challenges in this life. What we do when these challenges come is now our focus.
We must be prepared for them. How does this preparation happen? Preparation happens on purpose, as you fill yourself with the good
Word of God until it literally changes the way you do life. When you find yourself in the den of lions, even though your natural man senses
danger, you rise up in faith and declare, “But I have a covenant with God!” When the doctor tells you that disease has taken over your
body, you rise up in faith and declare, “But I have a covenant with God!” Or when things look bleak and everything seems to have fallen
apart in your life, you rise up in faith and declare, “But I have a covenant with God!”
Those seven words: “But I have a covenant with God!” is a reminder of who you are and of what you have. You are a child of God! You
stand in covenant with Almighty God who created heaven and earth! And He has made awesome promises to you that pertain to every
situation you can possibly face, promises of triumph and conquest, regardless of how hopeless things look or feel. Train yourself with
those seven words. Say them often. Declare them every day until they become more real to you than anything else. In this way, you are
renewing your mind (Romans 12:1-2) to conform to the thoughts of God. His words will literally transform your thinking. This is why you will
not make the same mistake the nation of Israel made. You will stand strong even in the darkest hour. You will go through that adversity.
And you will come out on the other side triumphant and rejoicing in the goodness and the faithfulness of your heavenly Father.
So start right now, make your declaration: I HAVE A COVENANT WITH GOD!
Psalm 78
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our
fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise
and declare them to their children,
7 That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set
its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.