There are three vicious enemies that will fight fiercely and determinedly to prevent each believer from attaining the rest of God.

The claims of the world (the state of uncircumcision).

The sin that dwells in our flesh (the sin of Achan).

Our willingness to depend on our own judgment instead of the Lord (the error of Joshua).

The three enemies are attacking us constantly, searching for a weak spot in our armor. Only a determined, faithful, self-denying Christian will be able to defeat all three, with the help of Christ, and enter the spiritual and physical areas of the rest of God.

The claims of the world. The younger generation of Israelites, the generation preparing to enter the land of promise, had not been circumcised. This had to be corrected before the disgrace of the world could be removed from them and they could be considered as holy to the Lord.

The preaching of today has deteriorated to the point that the believers think the purpose of the Christian Gospel is to help them live a happy, self-fulfilled life in the present world. The concept of being a stranger and pilgrim on the earth has not been preached to them.

Go into any Christian church in America and listen to what is being preached. Do you hear the pastor or teacher warning the people that they must present their body a living sacrifice if they are to do the will of God? Do you hear the demands of discipleship? Do you hear that the believers are not to entangle themselves with the things of the present life but are to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ?

The odds are heavily against your hearing such preaching.

You will hear over and over that the believers will fly away at any moment so they cannot be harmed by Antichrist or the great tribulation. You will hear that God does not see the behavior of the believer but only the righteousness of Christ. You will hear that the believer has no need to fear the Judgment Seat of Christ because even if he has not served the Lord he will be saved as by fire. (Do the preachers and people have any idea of what it means to be "saved as by fire"? By fire?)

There may be some statements made about being crucified with Christ, or serving the Lord, but everyone understands that the pastor is not practicing such a world-rejecting gospel and does not really expect them to do so.

Rather, the pastor in his unfaithfulness wishes to make friends with the people. He is advising them to change what they think they owe the Lord so the demands are not as great.

Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. (Luke 16:7)

Perhaps after he dies the members of his congregation will receive him into the caves of darkness where they are dwelling.

To be continued.