God’s Seven “I Wills” For His People
Exploring and Embracing Patterns of Christian Growth As Seen In the Book of Exodus
A popular commercial opens with a seven-year-old rebelliously staring at the plate of vegetables placed before him. His mother sternly says, “You cannot leave the table until you eat your vegetables.”
The closing scene has the same boy, now with a long white beard and wrinkled with age, wearing the same red and white striped t-shirt. His refusal to obey and grow kept him confined to the same location staring at the very thing that would have made him strong.
This humorous commercial is a concise summary of the book of Exodus, where God moved heaven and earth to demonstrate His goodness, yet the Hebrew ex-slaves refused to grow. A list of five sins that kept them from entering their Promised Land, and warnings to believers today, can be found in I Corinthians 10:1-10: lust, idolatry, sexual sin, criticizing leadership and complaining. They refused to spiritually grow!
Why Grow?
Growing spiritually is God’s way of leading you into your personal Promised Land. Every step towards doing things God’s way opens a door for you to experience His best. It will require you to trust Someone who you cannot see and you might need to step out of your comfort zone or reject your routine. Some Christians never grow beyond salvation, but believers are instructed to grow in grace, grow in knowledge, grow in the love walk, and grow in the Word. God still says, “Let My People Go,” but after you experience salvation, He is saying, “Let My People Grow.”
GOD’S SEVEN “I WILLS”
Growing in God is easy when you simply respond to what He has done on your behalf. Since the book of Exodus is a parallel to our Christian journey, let’s examine what He did for Israel and respond accordingly.
“I WILL bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Ex. 6:6
God saw you when were being mastered by sin. He heard your cries and responded to you long before the foundation of the world. The Lord’s ear is not deaf, nor His arm too short to reach you. When you call upon His name, He will always Respond.
“I WILL rescue you from their bondage.” Ex. 6:6
Let’s never weary of thanking God for reaching out to us through a friend, a sermon, or an unexpected circumstance. We applaud the many rescue missions of the Navy Seals, but Calvary was a rescue mission for your soul. Rescue.
“I WILL redeem you with an outstretched arm…” Ex. 6:7
Redemption honors the Blood of Jesus. It reminds you that your past is past, and inspires you to quit remembering what God has forgotten. Keep growing in redemptive truths of who Jesus is and what He did for you. Redeem.
“I WILL take you as My people…” Ex. 6:7
Meditate on this truth. Despite our wavering loyalty and divided hearts, God still receives us daily into His heart. As a father with open arms, He reaches out to You with unconditional love. You’ll never need to worry about being rejected again. Receive.
“I WILL be your God.” Ex. 6:8
What an invitation! “May I be your God?” says the Creator of the Universe. He
longs for a two-sided, vibrant, daily friendship with you. Grow towards a daily
dependency upon God, your Father, Counselor, and Friend. Relationship.
“I WILL bring you into the land…” Ex. 6:8
That land represented a 700-year promise made good. Did you know that whatever Satan has destroyed or withheld from you can be recovered by growing in the promises of God? Believers who continue to grow in the Word discover what God has promised them and have a bulldog faith to go after it. Recover.
“I WILL give it to you as a heritage.” Ex. 6:8
Heritage is something possessed as a result of one’s birth. It is not dependent upon your goodness, but the kindness of the one who bequeathed it to you. When you experienced your new birth, you inherited a realm in God referred to as your Promised Land. Enjoying your Promised Land means an abundant life filled with posterity and prosperity with a purpose. Rewards.
These seven words, extracted from God’s “I Wills” are the pattern for your spiritual growth: Respond, Rescue, Redeem, Receive, Relationship, Recover, and Rewards. Allow them to guide you daily, and you’ll enjoy your personal Promised Land.
Respond, Rescue, Redeem, Receive, Relationship, Recover, and Rewards.
Pastor Rachel Burchfield
