The third thing we must avoid is unbelief. It will surely kill us. You remember how those who spied out the land of Canaan brought back an evil report. On one hand, they said the land was exceptionally good, but on the other hand, they said that it was impossible to enter. The people there were giants, they said, and the cities fortified and great. They asserted that Israel could never conquer the land, and if they tried, they would be utterly defeated and devoured.
Many, many times the enemy, the evil one, speaks the very same things within us. He says, “Don’t talk about the all-inclusive Christ. He is good and He is wonderful. But it is absolutely impossible for you to enter in.” I am afraid that even while you have been reading these chapters, he has been whispering these things in your ear. “Don’t ever think you can enter the good land; it is far beyond your ability. You will never make it.” The little devil hidden in many of us is just waiting for an opportunity to inject his deadly poison. Never believe him. “The people are giants,” he will tell you, “and the cities are fortified to heaven. You will be defeated, and you know it.” Hebrews 3 tells us that this is an evil heart of unbelief (v. 12). It is a heart occupied by the evil one, so it is called an evil heart. We must ask the Lord to deliver our heart from the evil one. We must pray, “Lord, I do want a good heart, a heart full of faith. I am not able to enter the land, but You are!” The One who is in us is greater than he that is in the world. I cannot make it, but Christ can make it, and He is in me. We must have faith in the power of His resurrection. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think and all that we dream or imagine. God will do it; God will make it. Let us follow the example of Joshua and Caleb. They had hearts full of faith. They could tell the people, “Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30).
Brothers and sisters, we must be very careful to avoid all unbelief. I am deeply concerned that after reading so much about the all-inclusive Christ, some of you will have an evil heart of unbelief. Perhaps it will not be manifested now, but you will later be tested. Perhaps while walking on the street one day, you will say to yourself, “What! Who can ever do that? Who can enjoy such an all-inclusive Christ? Not me! I’ll never be able!” This is an evil heart of unbelief. Call it by its true name. Be careful! Be watchful! Be prayerful against it!
Indeed, in your natural strength you will never be able to attain the good land. It is possible by resurrection power alone. Only the power that raised Christ from the dead and made Him the Head over all things can bring you in. But, praise Him, this power is in us! This power is continually being transmitted into us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Are we strong enough? Hallelujah, we are strong enough—not in ourselves, but in Him; not in the flesh, but in the Spirit! We will make it in the Spirit! Do you believe it, brothers and sisters? Hallelujah! We must take it! Never be discouraged—it is ours! Never think that you are too young. Yesterday you were too young, but not today. Believe with full assurance of faith! Christ is in you! You have been united with the almighty God! Day by day His Spirit transmits into you all that God is and all that God has. He will make it for you. As long as you maintain your fellowship with Him, you will be able to enter the land.
There will be some battles to be fought. But the battle is for the enemy; to you it will be a rest. The battle is a defeat to him but bread to you. Joshua and Caleb told the people, “Nor should you fear...for they are our bread” (14:9). The enemy will be our bread—we can go to eat them. If we do not engage in the battle, we will be hungry. Daily manna is not good enough; we must take and swallow up the enemy. The enemy will be our food, and to swallow him will be our satisfaction. Brothers and sisters, you and I must have living faith to go on, to take up the battle, and to swallow the enemy. The more you swallow, the more you will be satisfied. The defeated enemy is the best bread, the most tasteful bread. Let us cross the Jordan and take over Jericho. Let us devour the whole city as a tasteful dish. We will all be fully satisfied. Hallelujah! We need such a faith for such a battle.
But, remember, the enemy is subtle. He will use the most subtle means to hinder and oppose us. Against Israel he used Balaam, the Gentile prophet, to cause them to join the world and commit fornication. The world will always spoil the army of God. We must be prayerful. We must be watchful for any worldly connections. When the enemy can do nothing else to spoil us, he will come in a very subtle way to deceive us and cause us to forge a union with something worldly. These things may not seem worldly to us; they may seem quite legitimate and proper. We can only escape by being in continual fellowship with the Lord. If we are caught by any union with the world, whether it be the secular or the religious world, we will be rendered powerless. May the Lord grant us grace to take this as a warning.
Furthermore, let us be watchful never to murmur against the Lord as did the children of Israel. We must always sing His praise. No matter how arduous the way, no matter what hardship you meet, always give praise to the Lord. This is the way of victory.
Remember these matters: never offer strange fire, never rebel, abandon the evil heart of unbelief, be watchful for any union with worldly things, and never murmur against the Lord. If we do this, we will be ready to go on and take the land. We will be victorious!