The Old Testament Book of Numbers Chapters 13 recounts a part of the Nation of Israel’s
history that clearly demonstrates how we do harm to ourselves when we choose negative
thoughts over faith and belief in the sure promises of our GOD and Father.
As early as Genesis 12, before Israel was even a Nation, God promised that He would give to the
descendants of Abraham, the tribes of Israel, all the lands of Canaan, The
Promised Land – At that time, the area was
inhabited by Canaanites. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give
this land to your descendants.” Genesis
12: 4-7
Some 400 years later, following a miraculous rescue from
slavery in Egypt, GOD tells Moses, Israel’s leader that the time to possess the
Promised Land had come and instructed him to initiate take-over by sending scouts
in to survey the region. The Lord now
said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am
giving to the Israelites.” Numbers 13:1-2.
Moses complied and sent twelve hand-picked tribal leaders to Canaan to take
stock.
Forty days later the men returned with a majority report (10)
that was so negative that the people were terrified. Two scouts, Joshua and
Caleb tried, along with Moses, to assure them that GOD would be faithful to His
promise and His WORD, but the people refused to listen and demanded that Moses
return them to their life of slavery in Egypt.
GOD’s words to Moses
were indisputable, “I am giving the land to the Israelites” – but the Israelites chose to listen to negative thinking and
denied themselves the opportunity to enjoy the prosperity that GOD told them
was theirs for the taking.
GOD was so offended by their lack of faith that He kept the
entire generation, everyone over 20 years of age, from entering Canaan and
consigned them to wander for forty years in the desert until they all died –
one year for each day the scouts spent surveying the land.
However, for their
faith and belief in GOD’s WORD, GOD kept Caleb and Joshua alive those forty years
so they would receive GOD’s Promise.
How different would the outcome have been for the Nation of
Israel if instead of listening to the negative thoughts of the ten elders…
- “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”…
- “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there.
- All the people we saw were huge.” Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
….they had instead responded positively to the faith and confidence of Joshua
and 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!”
If our thoughts too tend to focus only on what discourages
us, is pessimistic, and generates feelings of inadequacy we will never be able
to fulfill GOD’s calling on our lives, nor access His promises. This type of
behavior shows a lack of confidence in our Father; that we do not know
His character so we do not trust His providence. This makes for a joyless
Christian life of spiritual poverty.
As a child of GOD we should want to please GOD by
living the abundant life CHRIST purchased for us. To do this we must change negative
thoughts to positive ones. How? We must re-learn how we think by actually thinking
about what we’re thinking about and not allow our minds to roam freely out of
our control.
At first this is going to be difficult as this pattern of
behavior is often a life-long habit. But GOD has provided us with Spiritual
Armor to fight for our minds so we can be strong
in the Lord and in his mighty power, instead of lacking confidence and
faith. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
A good place to start would be with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God.
To be continued…
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy and Sovereign LORD, we thank you that
YOUR goodness, loving kindness and mercy never runs out on us. We thank you for
the great cloud of Biblical witnesses that YOU provide to show us how we ought
to live and to please YOU. Thank YOU for YOUR WORD that is forever fixed in the
Heavens; that is alive even today and active; that penetrates into our minds to
judge our thoughts and the attitudes of our hearts to transform us by renewing
our minds and teaching us that we serve a GOD WHO is trustworthy, and to WHOM belong
all honor, dominion and power forever and ever. We pray and ask all things in
the matchless Name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen!
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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