Deuteronomy 1:42 And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.
The people of Israel had rebelled against God. They had refused to go when God had commanded them to go. When they found out how angry God was, they decided to go, but it was too late. God told them that if they went up, He would not go with them. They would fail.
How often do I rebel against God and do what I want? Sometimes like these people, I choose to obey God only when I feel forced to do so. By this time, I have lost the blessing He meant for me to have. We can miss great opportunities that God has for us. We lose them because we want to do our wishes on our time table.
What horrible words to hear, I will not be with you. I do not want to lead my church to that position. I do not want to see my ministry fail because of my stubbornness. I want God with me and blessing me. So that means I will listen and obey.