A DIFFERENT SPIRIT
The story in Numbers 13 and 14 of the 12 spies who went out to survey the land God had promised to give the people of Israel has been shared many times. God had promised for years to give dedicated land to Israel. And, it looks like God is ready for those people to possess the land.
God, in Numbers 13:1 tells Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel;”
I wonder why God instructed Moses to send spies.
God had promised the land to them. He had shown them signs, wonders and miracles through the exodus from slavery in Egypt. He sustained them through the wilderness. And, again, He promised them the land.
So, why did God send in the spies rather than just give them the battle plan?
Could it be that God was revealing within them the true state of their trust in Him?
Twelve spies saw the same thing. All twelve of them saw that the land was exactly like God had told them, flowing with milk and honey. All twelve saw the people of the land and saw that they were strong and of great stature. All twelve saw that the cities were fortified and large.
But here is where there becomes a distinction.
Ten focused on the size of the problems and saw no solution.
Two focused on the size of their God and knew that He is the solution.
God, because the ten convinced the people of the insurmountable odds they faced, and created an atmosphere of fear, allowed all the people to wander another forty years.
Joshua and Caleb ultimately entered the land and enjoyed the inheritance God promised them.
God spoke of Caleb, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.”
The different spirit within Caleb just did not happen. Caleb made conscious choices to trust God and to keep his focus God’s word. This created the different spirit within Caleb and empowered him to persevere through forty years of wandering, numerous battles and then finally, enter into his inheritance.
God had been tested ten times by the Israelites. Each time God had been gracious in His response to teach them to trust in Him.
Sometimes, we too face what seem to be insurmountable challenges. There are times when we have to endure situations that were not of our doing.
But when we cultivate a different Spirit within us, focus on God, and persevere, God will fulfill His word to us.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”