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May 25, 2022 18:30pm

Victory is Ahead

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When competing in a race, you know the finish line is your goal. Even though it’s nowhere in sight, you are ready! This is what you’ve dreamed of and trained for. Anticipation surges through you as you wait for the gun to go off.

Bang!

Bodies begin to move and the crowd starts moving, several move past you on your left, and then a few more on your right, but nothing will distract you, you know what’s ahead. Leaving the past behind, you start the journey, one foot in front of the other. A few miles down the road, you find a water station and stop for a quick drink! Soothing to your parched throat, you feel refreshed and ready to continue. Another few miles and your energy level is dropping. Your muscles are getting tired. But there’s a little stand up ahead with some honey sticks. You grab one from a lady holding it out to you and you squeeze every last drop out of it with your teeth. Just what you needed to continue.

Several more miles and you start thinking, “how far have I been? What mile am I on? Am I there yet?”

The fatigue starts setting in and you feel thoughts of doubt and fear.

“Why did I do this? Why did I let them talk me into it? I could just stop now and turn around. Yes, I could just turn around and go back to my car and drive home. I’d be a failure, though. Does that matter? Who cares if I quit?”

But what about all you’ve been through to get to this spot in the race? How can you turn back?

Two people are up ahead. They’re shouting words of encouragement at you. “You can do it! Come on! Not much further! You’re doing such a great job!”

You stop. Panic fills you. “Why did I think I could do this? I have to turn around!”

The two encouragers look puzzled. “No! You’ve come too far! The finish line is just up that hill! You have to keep going! There’s water and fruit and all kinds of foods and prizes up ahead! You have to keep moving!”

But the fear is so overwhelming that you dismiss their pleas and tell them you must just go back to your car.

Can you imagine doing that? It seems ridiculous, right? This is exactly what the Israelites were doing. They had set out on the journey to the Promised Land, letting God be their guide, trusting in Him to provide along the way. They had come so far! And then when they send men to spy out the land, many of them come back with a horrible story of giants and how they will never survive. They begin to cry out to Moses in despair!

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.” (Numbers 14:1-4)

Return to Egypt?! Where they were slaves! Why on earth would they want to do that? They have been rescued! The joy and beauty of a land of their own lay ahead, the finish line is in sight, and they want to turn around now?

Moses and Aaron begin to pray and Caleb and Joshua try to encourage them to continue.

“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” (Numbers 14:6-9)

We can do this! Don’t turn around now! Don’t turn your back on God! He’s brought you this far!

Their desperate pleas fell on deaf ears.

The people became angry and wanted to stone them. They wanted to do what they wanted. It was their life. They could live it however they wanted!

Have you turned your back on God? Have you gone back to a life He pulled you out of? What are you trying to get back to? What’s so great about that horrible past that makes you want to give up the joy of what’s ahead?

Sin is a powerful tool Satan uses to lure us away from God. Listen to your encouragers. If someone is asking you to church, go. If someone is asking you to a bible study or online prayer group, join. If someone wants to chat soon, call them. God has placed these people in your life to encourage you back to Him. Don’t ignore it. Don’t wait until tomorrow. You need Jesus. You need His love and His promises for a better future!

If you’ve already made that decision to go back to the old, the most beautiful thing is that it’s never too late to turn around. It takes one step. And there’s Jesus. Waiting. Ready to forgive. Ready to give you everything He promised if you would just trust and follow Him.

Will you? No matter what this world says, don’t be a part of the crowd. You are on your own journey, your own race. You will cross that finish line and it will be your victory alone! Make today count. Don’t give up. There is victory ahead!