One Principle Of Operation

Possessing the Land

Journey Into The Promised Land

Exodus 33:1–11 (CSB)

THE TENT OUTSIDE THE CAMP

33 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go up from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your offspring. ²I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. ³Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.” ⁴When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didn’t put on their jewelry.

⁵For the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.” ⁶So the Israelites remained stripped of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

⁷Now Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, at a distance from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp. ⁸Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand up, each one at the door of his tent, and they would watch Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. ¹⁰As all the people saw the pillar of cloud remaining at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up, then bow in worship, each one at the door of his tent. ¹¹The Lord would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend, then Moses would return to the camp. His assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.

Moses was convinced that without God’s presence in his life, it was useless for him to attempt anything. When God called him to lead His people to the border of the promised land, Moses prayed…

“See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” And He said, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” And Moses said unto him, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” (Exodus 33:12-15)

Moses knew he must have the presence of God if he was to fulfill his destiny. Today, we have so many programs, so much technology, ritual, and form that we think we can do without the presence of God and substitute a form of godliness that denies the power of God! But we must have God’s presence! Why? So that the world, the ungodly, and every enemy of the Church will know that there is something different about us. This was the premise upon which Moses based his plea for God’s presence:

“For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.” And the Lord said unto Moses, “I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.” (Exodus 33:16-17)

Moses said, “I’m not going to take a single step unless I know that you are with me.” Moses knew what we must come to know. There was only one thing that set Israel apart. It wasn’t their army, their wealth, or their religious or educational systems. There was only one thing that set them apart and made them special…the presence of the living God.

Have you ever wondered what would happen to the Church if it was governed by the presence of God instead of a bunch of committee members sitting around in some religious institution or denomination making a bunch of rules?

Moses declared that Israel would be governed by one principle alone. They would operate on one principle alone…and that was the presence of God!

Make this declaration:

I will live my life and fulfill my ministry on one principle alone — the manifested presence of God.

*Adapted from MCWE email – Journey Into The Promised Land by Morris Cerullo

One Principle Of Operation – 12/03

Possessing the Land

Journey Into The Promised Land