Moses is dead! The Lord buried Moses. If He had not, perhaps the Israelites would have attempted to revive him, or at least prop him up where they could see him. So it is true that we attempt to revive or prop up the past ways in which the Lord brought us spiritual victory. We prop them up and attempt to pray life and anointing into them. But when God moves ahead in our life the old manna no longer is anointed. God is gentle with us and He may allow us to linger a bit. But He moves ahead inexorably.

As soon as Moses dies the Lord speaks to Joshua. We may be frustrated in our attempts to make the old activities work. But if we will look to Jesus instead of to our circumstances we may find the Lord giving life and power to a new area of our personality and circumstances.

God always is pressing forward with His people. The Ark of the Covenant represents the Glory and Presence of God. The Ark was unique among the furnishings of the Tabernacle of the Congregation in that the staves (carrying poles) were not removed from the Ark when Israel made camp in the wilderness. The "Ark" always is forgetting what is behind and is moving toward the fullness of God's eternal purposes in Christ.

Whenever "Moses" dies, in our Christian experience, whenever God is ready to bring us from one level of glory to another, there may be a period of unsettledness. We may become frightened or frustrated and blame people—or even God—for our dismay. But if we will look to Jesus continually, and not fasten our eyes on the "waves," we will discover that God is bringing us into a greater area of fruitfulness and dominion.

"Pruning" is painful. It may be true that the major limitation on the level of spiritual growth to which we can attain is our willingness to be pruned. When we will not accept further pruning it no longer is possible for us to come into a place of increased fruitfulness.

Moving into the realm of death to self necessitates seasons of perplexity and pain. If we seek to know the power of Christ's resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, God will be faithful to hear the cry of our heart. If we would move upward to higher planes of glory, of fruitfulness, of dominion, we must be prepared to have "Moses die" and "Joshua take his place."

Great glories in God are not attained in the lowlands of unbelief, spiritual carelessness, and resistance to the dealing of the Spirit. He who would climb the rugged slopes of Mount Zion must give to the Lord the sternest obedience, the most diligent faithfulness and service of which he is capable. He who chooses to give his all to God will receive in return the "All" of God. But those who hold back "part of the price of the land" will receive from God according to the measure they have chosen.

To be continued.