October 9-10, 2004, Numbers 13-14

RECONNECTING THE POWER!
SEEING WITH SUPERNATURAL SIGHT!

*** Numbers 13:1-3 “The Lord now said to Moses, "Send men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to Israel. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes." So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp…..” [New Living Translation]
*** Numbers 13:17-21,23 “Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: "Go northward through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see." So they went up and explored the land…. When they came to what is now known as the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also took samples of the pomegranates and figs.” [NLT]
*** Numbers 13:25-28 “After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel…. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: "We arrived in the land you sent us to see, and it is indeed a magnificent country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit as proof. But….”
*** Numbers 13:28 “But the people living there are powerful, and their cities and towns are fortified and very large. We also saw the descendants of Anak who are living there!”

WE CAN'T!

*** Numbers 13:30 “But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" [NLT]

WE CAN!

*** Numbers 13:32-33 “So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: "The land we explored will swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that's what we looked like to them!" [NLT]

1. SEEING WITH NATURAL EYES OF FEAR!

A. THE REASONS!
1. THEY HAD FORGOTTEN WHAT GOD COULD DO!
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?”
*** Psalm 103:2 “Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me.” [NLT]
2. THEY UNDERESTIMATED WHAT THEY COULD DO!
*** Numbers 13:33 “We felt like grasshoppers next to them…!" [NLT]
OUTLOOK DETERMINES OUTCOME!
*** Romans 8:31 “What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” [NLT]
3. THEY FOCUSED ON THE REASONS TO FAIL!
*** Num. 13:31 “We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" [NLT]
*** Psalm 118:6 “The Lord is for me, so I will not be afraid.” [NLT]

B. THE RESULTS!
1. DISCOURAGEMENT! - Num. 14:1 “Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.” [NLT]
2. DISCONTENTMENT! - Numbers 14:2 “Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron.” [NLT]
3. DEFEATISM! - Numbers 14:3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country to have us die in battle? Our wives and little ones will be carried off as slaves! Let's get out of here and return to Egypt!" [NLT]

2. SEEING WITH SUPERNATURAL EYES OF FAITH!
*** Numbers 14:6-9 “Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua…and Caleb..., tore their clothing. They said to the community of Israel, "The land we explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey, and he will give it to us! Do not rebel against the Lord, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don't be afraid of them!" [NLT]

HOW TO SEE WITH SUPERNATURAL EYES OF FAITH!
A. BY REMEMBERING THE POWER OF GOD!
*** Exodus 14:13-14 “Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you. The Lord himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!" [NLT]
*** Psalm 34:3 “O magnify the Lord with me….” [New American Standard Version]
B. BY SENSING THE PRESENCE OF GOD!
*** Exodus 13:21-22 “The Lord guided them by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. That way they could travel whether it was day or night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from their sight.” [NLT]
*** Hebrews 13:5 “God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you….” [Message]
C. BY BELIEVING THE PROMISES OF GOD!
*** Exodus 13:11 “When God brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he promised you and your fathers, and turns it over to you,….” [Msg]
*** Hebrews 6:18 “God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.” [NIV]
D. BY HOLDING THE PROTECTION OF GOD!
*** 2 Kings 6:17 “Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened his servant's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” [NLT]
E. BY TRUSTING THE PROVISION OF GOD!
*** Phil. 4:19 “This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” [NLT]

THE BIGGER WE MAKE OUR GOD,
THE SMALLER OUR PROBLEMS BECOME!

Eph. 1:18-19 “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” [NIV]