Don’t Mess With Mesopotamia
Heb 11:15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would
have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better
country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the
Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
My theme this morning is: “Don’t Mess With Mesopotamia”
Mesopotamia is the place Abram left when God filled his heart with visions
of things beyond where he was. Do not miss the importance of that
statement. The only way a person can finally and fully be moved to leave
where he has settled is by seeing something far more glorious beyond
present position. Abram will never leave a city to find a city until his heart
is filled with the surpassing glory of the city beyond him.
Just as it was with Abram- every individual’s journey of faith begins with an
encounter with God, in which God speaks and the individual hears. Each of
us were at and in ‘a particular place’ when that encounter occurred. And by
‘a particular place’ I am not speaking primarily of geography; rather I am
referring to beliefs, values, opinions, life experience- structures of the soul
through which we viewed and interpreted life.
For instance, Abram was an idolater- living in a city of idolaters, within a
country of idolaters- and that country or region was Mesopotamia. Once he
heard the voice of the living God- the real God- the only true God, faith was
created in his heart in the form of conviction and assurance concerning
things that were not yet visible. What he heard and what he saw was so
irresistible, so convincing, so possessing that he turned his back on
Mesopotamia and never returned.
In this message I want to use the term ‘Mesopotamia’ metaphorically in
reference to that ‘particular place’ we were in when we heard the word of
the Spirit- and our own unique journey of faith began. Mesopotamia is that
place we left behind- that place we could not possibly continue to function in
because of a conviction or assurance of a far greater glory beyond present
position.
1
I think we have lived long enough to understand that it is one thing to begin
this journey of faith- it is another matter to persevere within this same
journey. The issue here is not eternal salvation nor eternal destiny. I am
talking about that perseverance of faith by which, through which and in
which the Kingdom of God is made manifest(visible) right here, right now in
the earth.
The evidence indicates that not all persevere in their faith- that in some
measure and to one degree or another there is a turning back to
Mesopotamia. These three verses I have referenced in Hebrews 11 give us
some real insight into the difference between persevering in faith and
‘Messing with Mesopotamia.’
All I can tell you right now- and I do so with prophetic urgency- there is a
mighty cry in and of the Spirit- ‘This is not the time to look back- not the
time to turn back-not the time to backup- this is not the time to ‘Mess with
Mesopotamia’- the place we left in the past because of the call to and of the
future. For the sake of the manifestation of the Kingdom of God within the
mandate, the vision, the call of ministry within this fellowship we must
persevere in this present phase of our faith journey.’
Consider the text:
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had
opportunity to return.
There are two critical words in this text; the first is ‘thinking’ and the second
is ‘opportunity’. There is a very vital relationship between these words.
Opportunity can be both negative and positive. In fact it carries a negative
connotation in this verse. The writer is telling us that for these pilgrims of
faith- the opportunity to turn back was always present. So the question is:
Why did they not go back?
Or to broaden that- How is it that some people just seem to go from one
negative opportunity to another- while others go from one positive
opportunity to another?
This is where we have to go to the other vital word in this text- the word
‘thinking’. I am not prepared to conclude that in some ultimate sense it is
our thinking that creates opportunity- but by all means our thinking
determines the opportunities we see and choose to walk in; our thinking
2
determines what we do with any and all opportunities- even to turning a
negative one into a positive one.
So again- the text is telling us that- first, the opportunity to return to
Mesopotamia was always present. Secondly it is telling us (and this is very
strong and incredibly exciting as to possibility and hope) they didn’t even so
much as see that opportunity to return- it wasn’t even a blip on the radar
screen of their consciousness. Thirdly the text tells us that it was the way in
which they thought that blinded them to any opportunity to “Mess with
Mesopotamia”.
That brings us to the final consideration of this message. What was it that
disciplined their thinking? What was it that kept them single-minded in
their focus? How did they maintain a process of thinking in which there was
no compromise- no mixture?
The answer is found in verse 16- Instead, they were longing…
Deeper than thought- and with a power greater than thought- a power to
discipline thought- to structure and focus thought was something called
‘longing.’
With this word we are in the presence of the deepest reality of human
consciousness- the place where conviction and assurance reside- where faith
dwells- the place of hearing the voice of God. And that is the challenge
before us this morning- to look deeply and honestly into our own hearts and
discern the core defining longing that lives there. For rest assured, that
longing, that passion, that love, that core value will progressively control
your thinking- which in turn will determine which opportunity we see- and
in seeing will choose.
This places us squarely at the central issue in every journey of faith- the
issue of the heart. In fact I love the way the New English Bible states this:
“If their hearts had been in the country they had left- they would have found
opportunity to return.”
The scariest three words of scripture are the words Christ spoke when He
said- “Remember Lot’s wife.” She had escaped the place of judgement but
at some point in the journey she looked over her shoulder- and the
consequence of that backward look was that she never moved beyond that
step.
3
But the physical act of looking back was secondary to the real issue; it
merely revealed her heart. Her heart was still in Sodom- the place of the
old setting, the old position.
Her longing was with her heart back in what was- back in what used to be.
And here’s the scary part- despite the visit of angels to her home, despite the
miraculous signs performed by those angelic visitors, despite the unfolding
supernatural judgements of God exploding all around her- the power of that
core longing of the heart structured and controlled her thoughts- which in
turn caused her to make a choice regarding a very destructive opportunity.
Unlike Lot’s wife, Abraham never “Messed with Mesopotamia”. In fact
here is the instruction he left with his trusted servant concerning his son
Isaac.
“Make sure that you do not take my son back there” (Gen 24:6).
It is interesting that in Heb.11:22- By faith Joseph, when his end was near,
spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions
about his bones.- the word spoke is translated from the same Greek word
which is translated as ‘thinking’ in verse 15. There is no contradiction. Put
the four key words of these texts together- “thinking, opportunity, longing,
and spoke” and you have a wonderful picture of how this works.
Heart longing disciplines, structures and determines our thoughts. Our
thoughts discipline and determine what we speak. And in this mix of
longings, thoughts, and speaking we determine the opportunities we become
aware of- and finally make choices in the direction of those opportunitiesbe
they negative or positive.
Looking back-second guessing dulls the edge of forward progression and
compromises momentum. That loss of momentum leads to a situation of
stall. And after we have stalled so long we have complete stagnation- which
is really a state of death. At that point not only are we dead in the water, but
the water we are in is also dead.
have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better
country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the
Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
My theme this morning is: “Don’t Mess With Mesopotamia”
Mesopotamia is the place Abram left when God filled his heart with visions
of things beyond where he was. Do not miss the importance of that
statement. The only way a person can finally and fully be moved to leave
where he has settled is by seeing something far more glorious beyond
present position. Abram will never leave a city to find a city until his heart
is filled with the surpassing glory of the city beyond him.
Just as it was with Abram- every individual’s journey of faith begins with an
encounter with God, in which God speaks and the individual hears. Each of
us were at and in ‘a particular place’ when that encounter occurred. And by
‘a particular place’ I am not speaking primarily of geography; rather I am
referring to beliefs, values, opinions, life experience- structures of the soul
through which we viewed and interpreted life.
For instance, Abram was an idolater- living in a city of idolaters, within a
country of idolaters- and that country or region was Mesopotamia. Once he
heard the voice of the living God- the real God- the only true God, faith was
created in his heart in the form of conviction and assurance concerning
things that were not yet visible. What he heard and what he saw was so
irresistible, so convincing, so possessing that he turned his back on
Mesopotamia and never returned.
In this message I want to use the term ‘Mesopotamia’ metaphorically in
reference to that ‘particular place’ we were in when we heard the word of
the Spirit- and our own unique journey of faith began. Mesopotamia is that
place we left behind- that place we could not possibly continue to function in
because of a conviction or assurance of a far greater glory beyond present
position.
1
I think we have lived long enough to understand that it is one thing to begin
this journey of faith- it is another matter to persevere within this same
journey. The issue here is not eternal salvation nor eternal destiny. I am
talking about that perseverance of faith by which, through which and in
which the Kingdom of God is made manifest(visible) right here, right now in
the earth.
The evidence indicates that not all persevere in their faith- that in some
measure and to one degree or another there is a turning back to
Mesopotamia. These three verses I have referenced in Hebrews 11 give us
some real insight into the difference between persevering in faith and
‘Messing with Mesopotamia.’
All I can tell you right now- and I do so with prophetic urgency- there is a
mighty cry in and of the Spirit- ‘This is not the time to look back- not the
time to turn back-not the time to backup- this is not the time to ‘Mess with
Mesopotamia’- the place we left in the past because of the call to and of the
future. For the sake of the manifestation of the Kingdom of God within the
mandate, the vision, the call of ministry within this fellowship we must
persevere in this present phase of our faith journey.’
Consider the text:
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had
opportunity to return.
There are two critical words in this text; the first is ‘thinking’ and the second
is ‘opportunity’. There is a very vital relationship between these words.
Opportunity can be both negative and positive. In fact it carries a negative
connotation in this verse. The writer is telling us that for these pilgrims of
faith- the opportunity to turn back was always present. So the question is:
Why did they not go back?
Or to broaden that- How is it that some people just seem to go from one
negative opportunity to another- while others go from one positive
opportunity to another?
This is where we have to go to the other vital word in this text- the word
‘thinking’. I am not prepared to conclude that in some ultimate sense it is
our thinking that creates opportunity- but by all means our thinking
determines the opportunities we see and choose to walk in; our thinking
2
determines what we do with any and all opportunities- even to turning a
negative one into a positive one.
So again- the text is telling us that- first, the opportunity to return to
Mesopotamia was always present. Secondly it is telling us (and this is very
strong and incredibly exciting as to possibility and hope) they didn’t even so
much as see that opportunity to return- it wasn’t even a blip on the radar
screen of their consciousness. Thirdly the text tells us that it was the way in
which they thought that blinded them to any opportunity to “Mess with
Mesopotamia”.
That brings us to the final consideration of this message. What was it that
disciplined their thinking? What was it that kept them single-minded in
their focus? How did they maintain a process of thinking in which there was
no compromise- no mixture?
The answer is found in verse 16- Instead, they were longing…
Deeper than thought- and with a power greater than thought- a power to
discipline thought- to structure and focus thought was something called
‘longing.’
With this word we are in the presence of the deepest reality of human
consciousness- the place where conviction and assurance reside- where faith
dwells- the place of hearing the voice of God. And that is the challenge
before us this morning- to look deeply and honestly into our own hearts and
discern the core defining longing that lives there. For rest assured, that
longing, that passion, that love, that core value will progressively control
your thinking- which in turn will determine which opportunity we see- and
in seeing will choose.
This places us squarely at the central issue in every journey of faith- the
issue of the heart. In fact I love the way the New English Bible states this:
“If their hearts had been in the country they had left- they would have found
opportunity to return.”
The scariest three words of scripture are the words Christ spoke when He
said- “Remember Lot’s wife.” She had escaped the place of judgement but
at some point in the journey she looked over her shoulder- and the
consequence of that backward look was that she never moved beyond that
step.
3
But the physical act of looking back was secondary to the real issue; it
merely revealed her heart. Her heart was still in Sodom- the place of the
old setting, the old position.
Her longing was with her heart back in what was- back in what used to be.
And here’s the scary part- despite the visit of angels to her home, despite the
miraculous signs performed by those angelic visitors, despite the unfolding
supernatural judgements of God exploding all around her- the power of that
core longing of the heart structured and controlled her thoughts- which in
turn caused her to make a choice regarding a very destructive opportunity.
Unlike Lot’s wife, Abraham never “Messed with Mesopotamia”. In fact
here is the instruction he left with his trusted servant concerning his son
Isaac.
“Make sure that you do not take my son back there” (Gen 24:6).
It is interesting that in Heb.11:22- By faith Joseph, when his end was near,
spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions
about his bones.- the word spoke is translated from the same Greek word
which is translated as ‘thinking’ in verse 15. There is no contradiction. Put
the four key words of these texts together- “thinking, opportunity, longing,
and spoke” and you have a wonderful picture of how this works.
Heart longing disciplines, structures and determines our thoughts. Our
thoughts discipline and determine what we speak. And in this mix of
longings, thoughts, and speaking we determine the opportunities we become
aware of- and finally make choices in the direction of those opportunitiesbe
they negative or positive.
Looking back-second guessing dulls the edge of forward progression and
compromises momentum. That loss of momentum leads to a situation of
stall. And after we have stalled so long we have complete stagnation- which
is really a state of death. At that point not only are we dead in the water, but
the water we are in is also dead.