“Then
Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up
and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.’”—Numbers 13:30
The Israeli people needed a separate place in
which to thrive as a God-centered nation.
He chose an exceptionally good country for their development, and gave
them a commission to go in and possess the land of Canaan. So at the Lord’s
direction, Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land. (You can read the whole
account in Numbers 13, 14). What a surprise when ten of them returned with
frightening negative stories. All that
these spies could see were the obstacles to taking ownership.
“And they returned from spying
out the land after forty days. Now they
departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the
children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back
word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the
land. Then they told him, and said: ‘We
went to the land where you sent us. It
truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless
the people who dwell in the land are
strong; the cities are
fortified and very large;
moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South;
the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the
Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan’” (Numbers
13:25-29)
However, Caleb was certain that they would “surely overcome,” “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it’” (Numbers 13:30). Because he was focused on God’s promises rather than the obvious difficulties, his attitude was one of confidence that was based on God’s words to Abraham, “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis. 12:7). His attitude of faith helped to create a mindset of abundance and not poverty. A poverty mindset will keep you stagnant and hold you in bondage, and can keep you tied to a certain geographic location so that you will never leave a certain area. Some people never move from where they were born. They will stay there tied by poverty to the land. Never allow yourself to be tied to anywhere when God is telling you to move. “Where God guides He will provide”—Rev. Billy Joe Daughtery
The people did not share Caleb’s faith. Their attitude of failure when they heard the tales of giants and fortified cities scared them, and held them in bondage so that they did not want to move out in faith with God. The Israelites served a God who had proven that He could overcome anything: He had parted the Red Sea to facilitate their escape from Pharaoh. And He fed them for two years in the desert. Over and over again He proved His provision and guidance for them, and yet they chose to focus on difficulties.
Focusing our attention on obstacles distorts our vision, and then we begin to have an attitude of failure which leads to a poverty mindset. Focusing on the obstacle causes it to loom so large in our minds that we can not see to take the next step in faith. In reality, if God has called us to do something, the only hindrance is our mindset! He has already planned a way around, over, or through any barriers that might lie on the path to fulfilling His purpose. Walk in the abundant provision of His grace keeping your focus on Him and what He has promised to you in His Word.
Prayer—Father I repent
of having an attitude of failure and a poverty mindset. I ask You to forgive me, and help me keep my
focus on You and the promises that You have made to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.
