Little by Little

We’re going to get right down to the crux of this message as quickly as we possibly can. If you can hear this, it will help you in your walk with God. Many Christians are not getting anywhere with the Lord simply because they are not aware of this particular principle. It is important. We’ll start in Exodus 23. This is shortly after Israel came out of Egypt under Moses. They spent some time around Sinai and he is exhorting them before they go into the land of Canaan. God speaks through Moses and promises them protection. Let’s start with verse 20.

Exodus 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

This connects with John 14 where Jesus said, “I have prepared a place for you that where I am, there you may be also.” That is what God is saying here, “I have prepared a place for you and I am sending an angel to lead you there.” This is Old Testament terminology and expressions that say the same thing Jesus said. Jesus was the Angel; He was the messenger that was sent.

Exodus 23:22-23 But if thou shalt indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto your enemies, and an adversary unto your adversaries.
23 For My Angel shall go before you, and bring you in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

Now, it is important that we understand that all of these “ites” that he is talking about – Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, Jebusites and any other “ites” that he might mention later – all represent different aspects of our self-life that must be overcome. Moses leading the children of Israel in the land of Canaan is a mystery presenting the very thing that God is doing in this day as He is bringing us unto Himself.

Exodus 23:27 I will send My fear before you, and will destroy all the people ...

If you have endeavored to walk with God, by this time you ought to be aware that every time you try to take a step and move out in God there is something about your flesh nature that becomes an enemy. It is the hindrance that keeps us from walking with God more than anything else. We carry that enemy around with us because we are the Canaan, and the Lord coming forth in us will drive out all these Canaanites.

Verses 29 and 30 are a key point.

Exodus 23:29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year ...

In other words, driving out these Canaanites and all these inhabitants of the land will not necessarily be a quick work. God says, “I’m not going to do it in one year.” Why?

Exodus 23:29 ... lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

See that animalistic nature that we have. The land must not become desolate.

Exodus 23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before you, until you be increased, and inherit the land.

We remember when the Israelites came out of Egypt, they could have gone a certain way and arrived where they needed to go in eleven days but they would have met with such warfare until they would not have been able to handle it. So Moses took them a long route around in order to not expose the people to something that would destroy them.

It is little by little that we enter our inheritance. God is dealing with our flesh nature. He conquers and strengthens, conquers and strengthens. The Lord conquers an aspect of our flesh life and then strengthens us before He conquers another aspect. He does not drive them out in one year lest we become desolate and our flesh nature multiplies against us, but little by little He drives them out until we are increased and can inherit the Kingdom. It is little by little… .

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