06/29/2022
When the Lord gives us something it always requires that we trust in Him before we can possess it. When He gave Canaan to the Israelites it was no different. The Lord told Moses to send out men to explore Canaan, the land that He had given them, but when they reported back they had a mixed report. The land was indeed bountiful, but it was well defended, and was also inhabited by giants. How many times has God told us to do something, go somewhere, or take possession of a gift He has extended us, but something intimidating stood in our way… we found that giants stood between us, and the promised blessing of the Lord? How did we react? Did our faith give us the strength to go forward, or did it fail us? Did we find ourselves turning back in fear? Is our trust in God strong enough to accept His blessings?
“This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!”
Numbers 13:27-28 NLT
When I was younger I found it necessary to take on new jobs that paid better, provided me with new skills, or in some other way allowed me to support my growing family, but each time that I prayed for the Lord to provide me with advancement, and He did, I had to face the doubt of the unknown that attacked me… I found myself facing new and bigger giants. Before I could step forward into the blessing I was being handed, I had to overcome the fear, and I did so by leaning on my faith. It is God’s desire to bless us, but it is also His desire that we grow in love, and faith, in Him. To do this we must face and overcome the reported giants that stand in our way, and quite often we need an intercessor; someone to encourage us like Caleb…
“But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!””
Numbers 13:30 NLT
The question becomes this; do we listen to God and the faithful, or do we allow those of little faith to keep us from the amazing blessings that are being extended to us? Do we step forward courageously with Caleb, or turn back with the crowd of naysayers?
“But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge.”
Numbers 13:31-32 NLT
When Satan speaks fear into our lives the first thing he tries to tell us is that God is not sending us into victory, or giving us something wonderful, but sending us into death, or failure. Satan uses our fear, and doubt, to rob us of God’s blessings. This is what was happening as the tribes of Israel looked at Canaan, and it occurs in our lives today. God has a gift for us, salvation, and a promised land that we call eternity, but we must first overcome the thought of giants by trusting completely in the Lord.
“Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!””
Numbers 14:9 NLT
In the end we see the truth. The real enemy was never the giants at all; the real enemy was our own lack of faith. It is this doubt in God that leads the mob of our disbelief against us, and which incites them to chant “Stone Him.!” against what faithfulness we have. But God’s Holy Spirit doesn’t give up easily, and reminds us of who God is…
“But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?”
Numbers 14:10-11 NLT
Today we find that God continues to offer us blessings and gifts. Today we are told to explore them, and today we will see both Honey, and giants. So who will be our greatest influence, will it be Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, or the crowd of doubt that Satan is stirring up? Will we step forward courageously in our faith, or refuse the blessings because of giants that can never stand against our God? Will we enter into Canaan as Caleb was allowed to do, or be sent back into the desert of our own disbelief?
When I was younger, and the new jobs or other opportunities were presented me, I first prayed and asked the Lord to guide me. I asked if this was truly His desire for me. Then, if the answer came “Yes.” I stepped forward in faith, leaving the fear behind. When we believe as Caleb believed it changes our lives, and it also blesses us; not just in the moment, but for all of eternity.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the many blessings that you provide for us, the faith we exhibit as we accept them, and the increase we receive as you advance us in our faithfulness. Thank you Lord for all the giants we face as we decide to accept what you promise, or offer us. Teach us Lord to lean on you for courage, and trust in you to deliver all the good things you extend to us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is stable in your character, and true to your Word. Praised be your name for men like Caleb who teach us to stand firm in your promises, and to accept without fear the many blessings you wish to bestow upon us. Merciful are you who has sent Jesus to redeem us, and your Holy Spirit to remind us of who you are. You are our God who defeats every enemy, even the giants within our minds, and the fear that Satan would have us become ensnared in. Powerful are you who can give us the world, and loving are you who has sent your Son Jesus to die for us. Your grace abounds, flourishes, and gives covers our every sin through Jesus. Help us to walk as Jesus walks, and to believe as Caleb believed. on our day of judgement, find us worthy, not for who we are as men, but as we are in Christ. Offer us eternity with you, and let us step past the giants that once sought to terrorize us, but who you have subdued. Bless us as you blessed Jesus, Caleb, and all the faithful men who you have called to serve you.
“But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.”
Numbers 14:24 NLT
Rich Forbes