LET YOUR FAITH BE BIGGER THAN YOUR FEARS!
I'll kick start this year by imploring us to always have a positive mindset; not in your own abilities but that of God towards everything this time. You have to be grounded and stand well in faith- Jesus Christ said we could have faith as small as mustard seed and marvels would happen as written in Luke 17:6. Yours can be bigger than that. It just simply means that you believe every bit of what was declared to you by God no matter how cloudy life seem to be, no matter how you're trying to figure out how those marvels would come to fruition and you can't..... all you need do is to just have faith and believe in God all through. It doesn't have to look possible humanly speaking because Faith itself is the 'substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen' (Hebrews 11:1).
Talking about FAITH, let us take a look at the Israelites on their way to the Promise land in Numbers chapter13. Here we see this beloved nation, this beloved people of God (just as you and I ☺), they've been promised Canaan land for their possession by God for as long as they could remember. Almost getting there, Moses(a God ordained leader) had to send some twelve people to go ahead and check how the land was..... practically to do an overview of the land and bring back good news that'll please everybody's ears. Ten of them came back with reports, at first they told the people how fertile and beautiful the land was but they went further by telling them how great and strong the men of that land were and that they won't be able to conquer them. This dwindled the high hopes the people had about the land at first, they started murmuring and giving all sorts of attitude towards their leader and God. However, the remaining two(Caleb and Joshua) came in and brought the good news they wanted to hear as read in the Scriptures; ' And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said let us go up at once, and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it' (Numbers 13:30). Well that should have brought about a little relief and rekindled their hope again but it would have been a great deal of relief if the number of 'positive report bearers' we're more than the negative. In spite of their small number these guys still persuaded the people persistently that they could go over there and win the land for themselves through God's help because He said it and His words will never fail.
I'll like to dwell more on verse 13 in sections that would make it a lot clearer to us how we can really exercise our faith and even enjoin others to do so. These guys (Caleb and Joshua ) came and 'stilled' the people. Am thinking here that they calmed the people down and affirmed God's promises again sharply to them in manners that would get them thinking "yh we can do it" and therefore set forth to go and achieve the goal. I can picture the kind of frustration and confusion that would be written all over the peoples faces when they got the bad news from the previous ten. They had started murmuring and committing blasphemy. They weren't holding on to God's promises for their nation. They listened to the voice of man over that of God. They couldn't sit themselves down and recount how God had helped them as far as their existence began.... how He parted the red sea, conquered Pharaoh and his cohorts, subdued lands for their sake. They forgot that the God of yesterday is also that of tomorrow and forever. He has never and will never change for anyone or anything. And He is not man that He would lie or make promises and fail. But these other two men actually held on to God's promises firmly, they never allowed the outward appearance of that land intimidate them. They weren't looking at man but seeing God's hands at work in giving them victory. They came to the people even though just two and stirred up the possibility of achievement in them.
Caleb also sought for the unity of faith and promptness among the people..... "Let us go up" he charged them. I see a man that had an insight into the future already, he had pictured how they would all dominate the Promise land after God would have granted them victory over the land. He must have remembered how God moved in their midst in times past. Therefore he was stirring them to man up for this great thing that is about to happen. And then, "at once" he said.... thus was to make them quickly tuck away their murmurings and crying and as soon as possible do what was needed to be done instead of brooding over the sad news they got earlier.
He also directed their minds to their abilities through God Almighty.... "For we are well able to overcome it" he stated. Apparently, most of them have forgotten what they can do through God, they needed a quick reminder and Caleb did just that. At that moment I would say he was also witnessing for God as well. Even when the majority we're on the other side he stuck to the truth and promises of God and he also preached it too. Just when the truth of God's promises seem to have been oppressed by the previous ten, God was able to rise it up again through him. He allowed himself to be used as an instrument to bring positive tidings at the time and help them see the light at the end if the tunnel.
Finally, at the end of their journey, we saw how those that had faith and believed in God then went over to the land flowing with milk and honey, and those that believed otherwise couldn't make it. They perished out of their own unbelief and didn't get to see the Promise land. In a way they belittled God's prowess, strength and superior abilities. How could they have forgotten that God was able and is still able.
From this brief extract I hope we see the importance of faith in our lives as Christians. At the very beginning of the year, we all had set goals, prayed onto God for one thing or the other. Probably when we we're writing down those goals or praying we had double minds and was doubting in our hearts. It is time to actually change our mindset and chase out such doubt and unbelief because all things are possible to them that believe (Mark 9:23). Know vividly that "Everything He calls you, tells you is possible".
When we put all our faith in God;
We are courageous about all He said concerning us.
We are always positively minded.
We hold on to God every time with patience.
We profess our faith firmly to people around us.
We exalt God among us(because we believe and trust in His abilities)
We have peace of mind that doubting minds don't have (because as expected of Christians we've laid it all at His feet to sort out.....not murmuring like the people of Israel did and end up giving ourselves unnecessary headaches).
We attain our set goals and get answers to our prayers respectively because we waited on Him patiently and constantly.
We are courageous about all He said concerning us.
We are always positively minded.
We hold on to God every time with patience.
We profess our faith firmly to people around us.
We exalt God among us(because we believe and trust in His abilities)
We have peace of mind that doubting minds don't have (because as expected of Christians we've laid it all at His feet to sort out.....not murmuring like the people of Israel did and end up giving ourselves unnecessary headaches).
We attain our set goals and get answers to our prayers respectively because we waited on Him patiently and constantly.
Dear reader(s)..... this time, SEE NO IMPOSSIBILITIES, KNOW NO IMPOSSIBILITIES, SPEAK NO IMPOSSIBILITIES.
Thanks for reading and God bless. Till next time
thanks dear
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