This is the passage where Moses sends out the 12 spies to go into the promised land and report back to him what they saw.
As the passage and the sermon unfolded I distinctly heard God say something to me. He said “you know, I never asked those spies for their opinion as to their ability to take the land”

I stepped back a moment and began to look again at the passage and saw what God was trying to tell me.

In verse 2 God said “send men to spy out the land of Canaan which I am giving to the children of Israel”
As far as God was concerned He did not need to get the spies view on their ability to take the land because He already said they would. If God said it then it was going to happen.

When Moses sent them out he asked for a simple report on what the land was like and if the people were strong or weak.

However when they came back 10 of the spies reported to Moses with a negative report about the strength of the people of the land. Their opinion was that they could not possibly defeat them (see verse 28-29 and 32-33)

We know that Joshua and Caleb came back with a different view so they eventually 40 years later did cross over into the promised land. The other spies really had no idea how strong the people were. In fact, we find the truth when Joshua sends spies into the land again and Rahab tells them that they have been in fear and trembling ever since they crossed the Red Sea ( Joshua 2:9-11) knowing God had given them the land.

This whole experience set my spirit thinking on this theme. In reality the children of Israel had seen God do all these wonderful things but still they did not believe what He said. Their thinking and their mindset was still in Egypt. They thought it was all down to them and their opinion of themselves was pretty low (they saw themselves like grasshoppers-their words not the enemy’s) God could not lead them in at that point because they would never stick to what He would say of how they should do it and He would have lost them all.

I realised that this is still so often the core of our problems. God has promised so much. His Word tells us repeatedly what He will do for us and through us. How much He loves us and has great things planned for us. Yet despite all this our own fear and opinion about ourselves gets in the way.

In short we simply do not take His Word at face value and just believe it and act on it as the truth. If we did I am certain we would be in a different place.

We have to change our thinking so it is transformed to God’s way of thinking.
The Word of God speaks about what is already ours not of the circumstances that will get in the way or our feelings about it.

The spies interpreted what God said to their own thinking and failed to see what God was doing. This was a test of trust in God and His Word no matter what the circumstances seemed to be like. How often do we do the same and think our circumstances mean God couldn’t possibly come through in our situation.

However when it comes to His Word God never asks us for our opinion He just asks us to believe regardless of what may be churning round inside us. His Word is always greater. His Word is always the answer.

So as we come to the end of this year and prepare our hearts for the next one let us dig deeper and start to change our mindset. Great things are in store for us. Go back to some of the scriptures that you have been hoping to become a reality in your life. Read them again with a new heart. Increase your faith and believe His promise consistently even in the gap between promise and completion.

Remind yourself that it is possible. Joshua and Caleb had to keep the promise of God’s Word strong in their heart for 40 years with every opportunity to feel it would never happen.
In that time their thinking did not waver. God had said it so it was going to happen. They would take the land and nothing would persuade them otherwise

Develop a strong mind by faith and allow God’s Word to fill it so you know that you know it is going to happen.

Have a great Christmas