The Promised Land
Numbers 13:33, “There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim ); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
When most people read about the report given by the spies they tend to sigh and say something like, “O ye of little faith”. But, I really don’t think the 10 spies who gave a bad report(Joshua and Caleb gave a good report) were all to blame. These spies did not have the promise from God that He would give them the land. It’s a pretty natural human reaction to look at what you first see with your eyes, and judge from that your ability or inability to succeed.
Remember the story of Elisha’s servat when they were surrounded by the Aramean armies(click to read). As human beings we have a tendency to look at what we can see, and judge our situation from that; but God wants us to look at situations with Spiritual eyes, and when we do then we can rightly assess what is possible. The words that Elisha spoke to his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
The words which were spoken by Elisha to his servant remind me of the words that were penned in the New Testament book of I John to encourage us. I John 4 says, “1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God : every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God ; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God ; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are from the world ; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God ; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
Sometimes, many times, when we first encounter a difficult situation we get overwhelmed and we think that there is nothing we can do to make it better, and we’re usually right. There is nothing that we can do to make our situation better, but there are many things that God can do!
Let me leave you with an illustration from my own life. In 1995 I was on a mission trip in San Antonio, Texas working at a public housing location. Every day my friends and I would go to the playground beside the location and play games with any of the kids that came out. Some people were playing basketball, others were throwing a frisbee; I sat in my wheelchair taking pictures. At first I admit I was feeling sorry for myself, but then one of the little boys asked if I would let him ride my wheelchair. I said sure, so the kid got in my chair and took of. In a few minutes there was a line of 10-15 kids waiting to ride in my wheelchair! I had felt so unimportant and useless on that playground, but I offered what I had to be used for His glory; and He took an insignificant, ordinary object and gave me a glimpse of paradise.
Today, you may think that what you have to offer is worthless. In your eyes it might seem as insignificant as my wheelchair did to me, but if you will only obey God He will bring you into the Promised Land, I promise. More importantly, HE PROMISED!
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Father, I thank You for promising to bring me into the Promised Land with You, and even though the journey may seem hard at times let me remember that You have guaranteed my safe arrival through Your Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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The image above can be found at:http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/nannalee/355060/
Yes, You Can Ministry 