Another beautiful morning! Numbers chapter 13.
I enjoyed reading this chapter. It definitely makes me think about my life. God tells Moses to send 12 leaders in the land of Canaan, the land that God IS giving to them!! God established right off the bat that this is the land that he is giving to them. They are not to go and explore it to see if they can take it because that's already been established. They are to go and to explore for strategic purposes and also to see how fruitful it is.
But they let Satan deceive them based upon their perception verses on what God Said. They said the people are too big and we can't beat them. Well God says it's already yours. I love Caleb's response. He is so excited that he basically interrupts the other leaders and says let's go take possession of the land now because we can “certainly do it!” The obstacles did not make the situation seem impossible to Caleb like it did to the other leaders. He knew what God Said, So he said let's go. He knew what needed to be done and he knew God wanted it done and he wanted to do it now. When God gives a certain direction to go, then we need to be obedient and go. There will ALWAYS BE OBSTACLES that put doubt in our hearts. Rather than see obstacles as reasons why we should quit and give up, we need to see them as opportunities to see the power of God overcome the obstacles, even if the obstacles make it look impossible. Let's be a Caleb and rise up with excitement versus fear or discouragement.
Where are you at today? What are you going through right now? What are your struggles? Where do you feel in your heart God wants you? Has he given you a vision of where you are to head?
Once you determine that, then identify what the obstacles are? What are the things that make your situation look impossible? Identify those not so that you can be scared by it but so that you can be better prepared in your heart to move forward in faith and power to overcome the obstacle. Realizing the power is from God!
Now, what is God's strategy to get you where you are at today to where he wants you to be. In other words what steps do you need to take to get to the next point? Now go!
And as you continue to move forward in victory from point A to point B and then on the point C, realize you will face yet other obstacles and don't forget to see them not as points of discouragement but as other opportunities to see God show his power.
Recap:
1. Where are you?
2. Where does God want to take you?
3. What are your obstacles
4. What is your strategy?
5. Now go!!!
6. New obstacles will come.
7. Don't get discouraged and give up but keep moving forward in faith!
Philippines 4:13….I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This is my favorite Bible verse. It supplies the power and determination to survive hard times.
I love that verse Janet. Thanks for sharing!
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God is calling us to trust Him! To believe in the plans He has laid out for us and to not be afraid. I hope to be like Caleb as my family and I make a cross country move and face many life changes. God has put it on our hearts to go, and we are obeying and praying!
In response to the other leaders, not thinking they could take what God had already set aside for His people, I think about Romans 8:31
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Joshua and Caleb trusted God. They saw the same things that the other 10 spies saw, but they didn’t let any obstacles distort their vision or lose their faith in what God said that He would give them. I was also thinking about in the New Testament one time whenever Jesus was walking on the water and Peter stepped out of the boat to join Him. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and started looking around at the waves, he began to sink and he cried out for Jesus to save him. That seems like it could be a picture of me sometimes. Jesus is the only One who can keep me from sinking, but when I get distracted by what might seem like giants in the land or other things of this world that take my focus off of Jesus, I may start to feel like a little grasshopper and begin to sink when leaning on my own understanding.
May our faith be bigger than our fear as we trust the Lord with all our heart. May we keep our eyes on Jesus and walk by faith, not by sight. Check out 2 Corinthians 5:6-9. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.