A New Season - "Coming Out of Our Comfort Zone"

This message is not about a New Year’s resolution.  It’s about being ready to go into something new at anytime. The Lord is ready to advance us to our promise land that he has promised us.  We all want something new or better to happen, not only in our lives, but in someone else’s life as well, right.  New beginnings (new season or new directions we are going in) are all about the Lord positioning us to enter into his promised land. Sometimes, entering into a new season can take us out of our comfort zone.  This seems to be a problem when it’s time for our new season to begin. We end up facing obstacles (problems) along the way.  Let’s look at a couple of journeys of coming out of a comfort zone to be able to enter the new season which lead to a promised land.  One Journey will be Moses getting the people out of Egypt. The second journey is that of  Joshua and Caleb when they were told to go see or spy out the land. 
We all remember Moses and the burning bush.  Do you remember what God promised his people?  Take a look at Exodus 3:8 “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites”.  Can you see this is going to be a new season not only for Moses but also for the Hebrew slaves that were in bondage to the Pharaoh?
What was the Hebrew’s new season? Trusting a man who lived under the Pharaoh and getting them out of the land of Egypt.  Many of us would have to ask, is this a trick, what is Moses up to.  
What was Moses new season?  To help lead the Hebrew people into their new season, a life without bondage and to a land promised to them by God that was full of blessings.  This could only be accomplished by Moses coming out of his comfort zone. Look at Exodus 3:11 “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  
Can you see it “Who am I”.  Moses had to face the Pharaoh again even knowing he had killed an Egyptian soldier. He also had to gain trust among the Hebrews.  They knew that Moses had lived with the Pharaoh. 
Let’s look at Moses’ uncomfortable situations of his new season.  Exodus 3:14 “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”  Could you imagine telling someone at that time “I AM” told you this and expect them to believe you? The Lord comforts Moses with proof that the people shall believe. Exodus 4:1-4 “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:” Does this sound like something we would do to ask for some kind of proof?  Do you think this comforted Moses?  Not fully.  Remember how Moses was uncomfortable about his stuttering speech?  Exodus 4:10 “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue”.  To me that would be very uncomfortable.  You know Moses had to be thinking I can’t even talk right, who would believe me or even have any confidence in me.  This sounds like us to me.  We have a tendency to see more negative than positive at times.  Think about the ten plagues that had to happen before they could even leave.  We can only imagine the frustrations upon the people.  One minute they are thinking we are getting out of here and then bam, now we’re not.  This had to be very uncomfortable for Moses.  We do the same thing when entering into our new season; we get uncomfortable. Now, let’s go back to Ex 3:8, I want to point out something before we go into Joshua and Caleb’s journey.  Exodus 3:8 “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites”.   Do you see what I have underlined?  What does this means?  This means we are going to a new location and going to have to face new people, places, or things.  This means that for some people, it is going to take them out of their comfort zone.  Why?  Some people just don’t simply like changes.  Joshua and Caleb’s journey is about being part of the twelve spies  sent to spy out the promise land.  We will see how ten of them become uncomfortable because they took their minds off the promise and saw the giants instead of the grapes. Remember, Moses gave the people instructions on what to look for in Numbers 13:17-20 “And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;  And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes”.  These instructions point out that there could possibly be some uncomfortable situations ahead. Look at the word like strong or weak, fat or lean, therein or not, and live in tents or strong built places.  The truth is we are to see the good of the land and not be dismayed over the uncomfortable areas. I want to point out Numbers 13:25 “And they returned from searching of the land after forty days”.  Why is this so important?  They didn’t just drive through the main drag of town and make a decision.  They had time to evaluate everything that was in the land.  This reminds me when my wife first saw me - she got up and headed off to bed.  The Lord told her don’t judge that book by its cover.  My wife judged me by the clothes I was wearing and wasn’t going to give me the time or day to even to get to know me.  But, I somehow knew instantly she would be my wife. This means two things to me. 1) When we don’t open the bible, we can’t see the real promise when it is in front of us?  2) Opening the bible gives us the clues we need to know to overcome those areas that are out of our comfort zone. Open up the bible and begin to see the blessings unfold before your eyes.  Those 10 other spies caused a lot of problems.  Why?  They couldn’t see the truth and trust the one who was leading them through their new season.
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​The point is that the Lord is saying we will face giants, which is what we called trials and tribulations.  But, we can also see grapes.

In closing, Jesus wants us to understand today that no matter what appears to take us out of our comfort zone, we can enter into a new season focused and receive your blessings from your new season.  Be like Joshua and Caleb and those who believed in God.  Believe in Jesus.  Take a look at Joshua 3:9-10 “And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.  And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.” You see our broken comfort zone brings the testimony of just how awesome and powerful our God is. ​

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