The Cure – THANKFULNESS
4 Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, 5 and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!
Numbers 21:4-9 (NLT)
How death enters in –
- Impatient
- Murmur/Question
- Slander/Accusation
- Falsehood/lies
- Resentment/Lack of appreciation
God’s desire to bring blessing/enemy desires to bring a curse
OPEN DOORS TO THE ENEMY:
- Occult (Deut, 27:15)
- Disrespect for parents (Deut. 27:16)
- Injustice toward weak & helpless (Deut. 27:18-19)
- Sexual sin (Deut. 27:20-23)
- Anti-semitism (Genesis 12:3)
- Fatherlessness (Malachi 4:6)
- Accursed objects (Deut. 7:26)
- Stealing & perjury (Zechariah 5:4)
- Lack of faithfulness in giving (Malachi 3:8-10)
- Offense (Matthew 18:34)
- Murmuring (Numbers 21:4-6)
Murmuring is to the devil what worship is to God!
Replace complaining with thanksgiving.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.The will of God is IN EVERYTHING to thank God. Not FOR everything – IN everything.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:4-5 (NLT)
