Who Can Enter The Promised Land?

In the past few weeks we have been studying the book of Joshua and learning about how God used him to lead the children of Israel into their promised land.

We have learned that as followers of Jesus Christ, our promised land is not on this earth, but it is the New Jerusalem which is coming down out of heaven from God.

Today’s scripture tells us those who will enter into the New Jerusalem:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 21:2, 27 (NKJV)

What is the Book of Life?

In the New Testament the Book of Life refers to God’s list of those destined for eternal life. Believers are written in the Book of Life from eternity:

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is

Revelation 17:8

Who can enter the New Jerusalem?

Only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life can enter the New Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that on the Day of Judgment everyone will stand before God, both great and small and the books will be opened. And another book will be opened, which is the Book of Life. Everyone who is not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12, 15).

How can we be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

We can only be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life when we have washed our robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb:

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”

And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb

Revelation 7:13-14

Why must we wear robes?

A robe is a long-fitting gown that is worn as a mark of dignity. A robe is worn by kings (Jonah 3:6), priests, and persons of rank: Mark 12:38; Mark 16:5; Luke 15:22; Luke 20:46; Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:9, 13, 14. As believers in Jesus the Bible tells us that we are kings and priests before God:

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen

Revelation 1:5-6

How do we wash our robes in the Blood of The Lamb?

Firstly in order to wash our robes in the Blood of the Lamb, we must believe that while we were yet sinners Jesus Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Before we accepted Jesus, our own righteous acts were like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). Once we accept Jesus we exchange these filthy rags for the robe of righteousness as we develop a right relationship with God and we become the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour it is His Blood that cleanses us from all sin:

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin

1 John 1:7

Secondly we must repent from our sins knowing that the Kingdom of God is at hand:

Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Matthew 3:2 (NLT)

Why white robes?

White represents purity. When we accept the death of Jesus on the Cross and repent of our sins and follow His way, it makes our garments white because our conscience is clear and our soul becomes pure:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool”

Isaiah 1:18

To enter the Promised Land, we must do the following:

1. We must exchange our filthy rags for the robe of righteousness. In other words, we must have a right relationship with God which is through Jesus Christ;
2. We must wash our robes in the Blood of Jesus by believing that Jesus came to die in our place and that Blood cleanses us from all our sin;
3. We must make Jesus the Lord in our lives. Believe alone is not enough, because even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19), we must completely surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and make Him Lord over our lives (Acts 16:31);
4. We must repent from our sins and turn to God because the Kingdom of God is near (Mark 1:15)

Prayer:

Dear Father, I come to You now in Jesus name. I want to make the New Jerusalem my eternal home. I repent of all of my sins and I know that You are faithful and just to forgive me of all my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Please help me to daily wash my robes and make them white in the Blood of The Lamb. Please write my name in the Book of Life and if there is anything in my life that will prevent me from inheriting eternal life please remove it with the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus name, amen.

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What does every new leader need to know?

What does a new leader who has been commissioned by God to become the leader of a new nation need to know after the death of its great leader?

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5 NKJV)

Joshua was commissioned by God to take over the leadership of Israel after the death of Moses, Israel’s first great leader. To understand the impact that Moses had made, please take a look at how the Bible describes him:

“Israel never had another prophet like Moses: The Lord knew Moses face to face. The Lord sent Moses to do powerful miracles in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh, all his officers, and all the people in Egypt saw those miracles. No other prophet ever did as many powerful and amazing things as Moses did for the Israelites to see. (Deuteronomy 34:10-12 ERV)

The Lord knew that Joshua had every reason to be intimidated by his new position as a leader following the death of Moses, therefore the Lord gave him an assurance which He is still giving leaders today who have assumed new positions of leadership, whether at Church, in business, in your career, or at home etc.

The Lord wants all new leaders to know the following:

1. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.

The Lord knew that men would try to rise up against Joshua as the new leader, to stop him from doing what God has called him to do, therefore He reassured him that no man will be able to stand against him.

Every new leader also needs to know that, when God calls you, there will be the naysayers also known as ‘Sanballat’ and ‘Tobiah’ (Nehemiah 2:19) – who will try to stop you, however just remember that the same God who has called and commissioned you will not allow any man to stop you from what He has called you to do:

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)

2. As God was with Moses, so He will be with you.

As we can see from the above scripture, Moses was so intimate with God that the Lord knew him face to face. The Lord used him to perform many powerful miracles in Egypt, and the Lord used him to deliver the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt. That same God also reassured Joshua that He will be with him just like He was with Moses. He did not want Joshua to be intimidated or to think that he had to do the same things that Moses did.

That same God is telling you and I that He will also be with us. Whether He has called you to lead in a ministry, at work, in your business, youth group, in your home etc. that same God who was with Moses is telling you that He will be with you.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

3. God will not leave you.

The Lord told Joshua that He will not leave him and He is assuring you of this same fact that He will not leave you. Even though God may not be physically here on earth for you to see Him, Jesus told us when He rose again that He was going to be with the Father, but He will not leave us comfortless. He said that He will send His Holy Spirit to be with us and to comfort us:

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16-18)

4. God will not forsake you.

God told Joshua that He will not forsake or fail him. To forsake or to fail is to neglect or let someone down. As human beings we sometimes let each other down when we are not able to do what the other person expect of us, however God told Joshua that unlike human beings who fail and forsake you, He will do what He promised He will do.

Likewise, God is telling each of us that He will not forsake or fail us. What He said He will do, He will do:

“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?” (Numbers 23:19)

So, what does every new leader need to know?

1. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.
2. As God was with Moses, so He will be with you.
3. God will not leave you.
4. God will not forsake you.

You can also listen to this message on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKaoYOpNkuw

Do you know God’s purpose for your life? If not, please download your free book: How to Discover Your Life’s Purpose Through Dreams

God bless,

Blessing