(Num 13:31 NIV) But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up!” Yesterday we began to look at the situation the Israelites went through when the Lord was attempting to give them the Promised Land (Canaan). I say again, He Lord was giving it to them, but a faith-failure caused millions to miss out on the Promise. Let me tell you what happened.
Moses did as the Lord asked and picked out one leader from each Tribe. The 12 leaders were supposed to perform a reconnaissance mission and come back with evidence that the land was fertile and blessed. I am sure all the people got excited at the recon mission began. These were people who were born slaves. Slavery was all they knew until their supernatural release. I can only imagine what was going through their minds while the recon team was on their 40-day mission. I am sure many of them imagined what it was going to be like when they took possession of promise. Well, the day finally came. The recon team came back, the people gathered to hear what they had to say, and this is what they reported: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.” The team brought back a cluster or grapes so big that it was a ‘two-man-lift.’ That should have been evidence enough to get the people excited about possessing the promise. However, this is where the recon team’s faith ended. The team did not have full confidence in the promise (Word) the Lord had spoken to give them the land. They went on to say, “But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large.” Caleb believed God. He silenced the people and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” However, the doubting spies countered Caleb and said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are… they are of great size… we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (see Num 13:26-33).
Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies who believed they could do it and the 10 other were in unbelief. What happened next was terrible. The crowd (over a million strong) believed the 10 doubting spies and said, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt” (14:4). Moses was frustrated, Joshua and Caleb were irritated, and God asked, “How long will it before they believe me?” God wanted His people to walk into Canaan and possess the land. Canaan was God’s best for them. But taking possession of God’s blessing requires our participation and courage. Canaan was as good as theirs, but it was inhabited. A little opposition caused millions of people to die in the wilderness without ever possessing the promise.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. For God to operate in your life He requires your co-operation. God will not force you to be blessed.
2. The presence of opposition does not automatically indicate that you are outside of the will of God.
3. Believing God and standing in faith will often put you in the minority. Many Christians today are so accustomed to participating in “religious activity” without any true manifestation of God that they criticize those who have the audacity to literally believe God and stand on His Word.
4. Fear will make you think crazy thoughts. The 10 spies who allowed fear to flood their hearts developed a grasshopper mentality.
Closing Confession: Father, the nation of Israel was in the right place, at the right time, for the right thing to happen for them, but they missed out because of unbelief. My Promised Land may not be called Canaan. My opposition may not be giants. My evidence may not be grapes. But I too have great and precious promises that I am standing on. I too understand that You will provide me evidence along the way that will encourage me to continue to press. And I too understand that I will face opposition. So instead of being like the 10 spies who were in unbelief, I shall be like Joshua and Caleb. I say, “I am well able to possess the promise.” I step out in faith and I receive what is already mine. I possess it in my heart well before it shall be manifested in my hands and I hold on – without ever relaxing my faith – until it manifests in the natural! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
