Old Character Must Die, for the New One is Ready to Enter
by Cun Lie Ng
In a little while we are going to enter the city of Jericho. The wall has been broken down and a new wall is being built. But I’m curious if the ‘future inhabitants’ are ready to enter the city or not.
Is there an old generation (old character) among us? If there is the old character who still likes to complain, gossips, the Lord says we’re not ready to enter yet. Perhaps we need to circle around the desert for one more generation (40 years). Not that our God is cruel, but the spirit of complaint and gossip is like a fire that is taking over the whole Promised Land. The green grass that the Lord has promised will be burnt because of this viral spirit. Only the ‘new generation’, who don’t dwell in complaints, are qualified to enter. Therefore, we need to make sure to kill the old character totally that the new character can quickly enter.
God’s purpose for bringing us into His promises is to enjoy them FULLY with a “grateful heart”. If we’re given a big mansion, what would we do next when we’re in it? Maintain it with a JOYFUL heart (maintain = responsibility) or complain some more because we’re responsible to maintain it? This is why God is preventing the old generation to come in. Because when these people sneak in, the spirit will then burn us from inside the house. Many people will be thrown outside because 1) they are burnt by the fire of complaint and gossip because they have weaker spirit, or 2) they are not burnt yet but they get out to avoid the fire. These are newcomers who see our beautiful house from the outside but it’s flaming inside.
The Lord also uses “fire” to purify what is inside His house (God’s temple = our body ~ 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Are we taking good care of the Lord’s house or are abandoning it? The genuineness of how we take care ourselves (God’ temple) will be seen when we pass His “fire”. No Exceptions, everything must pass the test of fire. No matter how ‘holy’ we are, we still need to go through the test of God’s fire.
There are 2 kinds of fire: God’s fire and foreign fire. An example of a foreign fire is in Leviticus 10: 1-7. Ironically, the people who bring that foreign fire are Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. They are the sons of a God’s anointed. This foreign fire was started by their superficial ministries. This kind of ministry is a foreign fire for God. And if anybody else is destroyed by the fire, the Lord does not allow the leaders to mourn for their deaths (spiritual death). The relatives may mourn but other leaders anointed by God may not (verse 6). Verse 7 says, “Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting or you will die, because the Lord's anointing oil is on you.” That is how God treats those superficial ministers.
The final question is: Are You on Fire in God or Are You Bringing Foreign Fire before Him?