A Camp is a place with temporary accommodation of huts, tents, or other structures; usually used by travelers. It’s not meant for permanent stay.

Deuteronomy 1:7-8, Exodus 19:1, Numbers 10:11-12

The Israelites were being called to move forward after they stayed at Kadesh Bernea (at the base of mountain Sinai), for so long (almost one year). They were to advance to the hill country into the promised land on their way from slavery in Egypt.

They were being called, like us today, to leave a zone of comfort/compromise/complacency.

God STIRS their comfort by commanding Moses to tell them to move forward. They were told to BREAK the CAMP and MOVE ON into the land the LORD swore to their ancestors, i.e. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to all their descendants.

They were fearing/despairing to move forward because the promised land they were to enter (Canaan) had skilled and feared warriors; thus they had to risk their lives. Many times we despair the same way, we want to move forward but the enemy makes us to fear. Fear makes us to miss on our promises!

Numbers 13:26 shows us that the hill country/Canaan/the land of the promise had powerful people in fortified cities, but. Joshua and Caleb had spoken by faith that it was possible to capture the city; while others saw themselves as grasshoppers!

Exodus 23:20-30 – God has promised that as we break our camps of comfort/complacency & compromise, and move forward HE shall be ahead of us. No need to fear.

Thought: We have held onto our seats, comfort zones, positions, sin, grumblings, circumstances, fear, laziness, routines, attitude, worry, idolatry, hatred, lies, drunkenness, pornography, fornication, curses, lateness to Church, prayerlessness, disobedience, debts etc. We have become comfortable where we are, but now God is commanding us to STEP OUT, to BREAK THE CAMP and MOVE ON to growth, maturity and in to the future.

Acts 13:36 – David accomplished God’s purpose for his life in his generation. We should aim for the same.

The kingdom of God is about Moving Forward/Scattering/Spreading/Growth/Increase. Acts 8:4 records that, those apostles who had been SCATTERED during the persecutions preached the gospel wherever they went.

Throughout history, God scattered those who refused to move forward. In Genesis 11:1-9 – The purpose of those who were building the tower of Babel was to build a city with a tower touching the heavens, make a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered. They were self-centred, but God confused their languages and scattered them.

Analogy: If you consider a stagnant river, you will realise that it breeds death, mosquitoes and diseases; no fish or life. Likewise, an non moving/unchanging and stagnant life breeds complains, compromise and ungratefulness.

God told Abraham in Genesis 13:14-17 to go out and look, and as far as his eyes would see, so would the LORD bless him. BREAK your camp today, MOVE OUT and as far as you can SEE/GO so will God’s blessings.

Remember that the people of the Hill Country, where the Israelites were supposed to go – the Amorites……etc. were thorns in their flesh and stumbling blocks to their inheritance. Stumbling blocks could be past achievements, friends etc. who make us not to move forward in to growth.

Acts 3 records the story of a man who was begging at the beautiful gate near the temple for 40 years.  A Camp of begging, despair, rejection. He preferred to stay at the gate, rather than get into the temple and worship. But after his camp of begging/lameness and mind-set was broken (through healing), he went Walking, Jumping and Praising God.

Mark 10:46-52 – Bartimaeus threw his clock on ran to Jesus for healing. He broke his begging camp and Jesus made him whole.

Today, you can make a choice to break the camp, old pattern of thinking, unbelief, fear and discouragements and advance forward.

How long will you stay there? A camp is not meant for permanent residence, though the Israelites wanted to stay there.

In the name of Jesus, every camp should and can be broken!

Blessings.

Chaplain Stephen.