Which Way Will You Choose?
ICS Daily Devotions
Numbers 14:2-3 (NKJV) And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
The occupation of the Promised Land was not an option, but it was the will of God for God’s covenant people to have a land of their own. It was part of the Abrahamic covenant plan. Therefore, it had to be fulfilled and executed by faith. All that the people needed to do was to go in and possess it. God would conquer it for them but it had to be taken by faith.
Fear immobilised the Israelites because it was built on the negative reports brought about by the 10 spies. Fear said that they were grasshoppers while the enemies were giants. Fear concentrated on what the enemies could do—what is factual without the God factor in it. Fear causes us to worry about things that might not even happen. Fear causes us to have panic attacks and torments us throughout the day. Fear is also an outward manifestation of an inward conviction of negativism and a possible bad outcome. Fear increases all the more when we speak about and discuss the problem till it becomes an even bigger challenge for us. It steals our peace and joy.
Did God know about the giants in the land? Of course! Would God have any difficulty defeating them? No! However, there had to be a willingness for the people to act on God’s promises because it is faith that pleases God. This is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. The “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews Chapter 11 speaks of those individuals who were called by God, and who acted in faith despite their seemingly impossible situations.
Deuteronomy 1:34-36 (NKJV) And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.’.
Whenever we are given a promise by God, there will always be some who see the possibilities by faith while others will choose to look at the obstacles in the natural. This generation of Israelites failed to enter the Promised Land because they were evil, rebellious, stubborn, complainers, and half-hearted in following God. God gave them a choice because God has created men to have freewill, so which way will you choose?
Sermon Series: Having a Different Spirit
