FEAR GOD, NOT GIANTS

July 22, 2013

FEAR GOD, NOT GIANTS

Numbers 13:25-33

Matt Reding

Central Truth

God calls us to walk in faith with Him. That means we are called to focus on His power and promises and not on the obstacles we see in front of us.

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it [the Promised Land], for we will surely overcome it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us." (Numbers 13:30-31)

Report of the Spies

25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

We've all heard them before, those voices of opposition. The ones that point out why we can't or shouldn't move forward to follow God and move into the Promised Land He has set before us. In this passage, the Israelites heard those same voices (10 of them to be exact) that said God's Promised Land was an impossible dream -- a land swarming with giants.

I have faced numerous giants in my life, including the loss of family members, uncertainty in my career, and health issues to name a few. During every one of those times, I have been tempted to listen to the giants of opposition. In my pride and flesh, I often focus either on my own perceived abilities or the size and power of those giants rather than the infinite power, wisdom, and sovereignty of God.

The great giant slayers of the Bible had one thing in common: they trusted in God's power and ability to deliver them. All of man's efforts to succeed apart from God are truly hopeless. However, God can overcome obstacles greater than we can imagine. He is so great that He can even use failure and defeat to bring glory to Himself and draw us closer to Him (see Romans 8:28).

Here are some verses to encourage you as you face difficult times:

• "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9b)

• "The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise Him . . . .The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name." (Exodus 15:2-3)

• "Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God." (Psalm 20:7)

• "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

Regardless of what you are facing today, I pray that you put your full trust in God and walk with Him knowing that He is capable of helping you through it. Bring on the giants.

1. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus, the only One who can save you from sin and hell and give you the strength to face anything life throws at you?

2. What are some of the giants (challenges, struggles, fears) you are facing in your life today?

3. What steps can you take today to boldly move forward and face those giants?

4. How are you seeking God's help and the help of other believers in Christ to overcome those challenges?

5. On whom do you most often rely in times of trouble: God, yourself, friends and family, the world?