As we were traveling to Orange Beach, Alabama, Jon (my husband) made an observation that really stuck with me. He mentioned that people in our society/culture like to make statements. His point was that statements alone do not leave room for interaction or growth. Instead, we should all be asking more questions…LISTENING to insight from knowledgeable sources. There are ALWAYS people who know more than we do. If we desire to make an impact, to enter a “new land”, we need to actively listen and learn. Spend more time with people who desire unity and are not just making statements and causing division.
There is a battle raging in our world. We all feel it, but not everyone understands it. There is force whose goal is to steal, kill and destroy. This is nothing new. Spiritual battles have existed since the creation of humanity. This evil force (Christians call this force Satan) wants to:
1) Steal your joy and sense of purpose.
2) Kill your hope for the future.
3) Destroy your relationships, families and sense of well-being/peace.
On the “flip side”, the Lord says that he knows the plans he has for us, and they are GREAT! “For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look to me wholeheartedly, YOU WILL FIND ME. I will be found by you.” Jeremiah 29:11-14. He cares about you and loves you more than you can imagine.
In the midst of the battle, God longs to give us hope! He wants to bring peace. As new graduates long for a greater purpose, as young moms fear for their children and the next generation, as we all face an unknown future, God longs to lead us to a better existence. A life of hope, joy, peace and unity.
The Bible speaks in detail about the Israelites’ journey towards Canaan, a land God had promised them. God told Moses that He saw the Israelites’ suffering in Egypt and had come to rescue them.
“So I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey,” (Exodus 3:8).
Through multiple miracles, God helped them escape the oppression they were experiencing in Egypt and led them to the border of their promised land. Moses sent twelve leaders (one from each tribe) into the unknown land to explore and bring back information about the land, the towns, and the people, with instructions to bring back samples of the crops they found. The spies returned with many reasons for entering the “bountiful” land. They brought back a single cluster of grapes that had to be carried by two men, as well as pomegranates and figs. They also reported that the inhabitants of the land were 7-9 feet tall, and that their cities were fortified with walls up to 20 feet thick and 25 feet tall. Two of the leaders spoke with great faith, believing that they could take the land, but the majority couldn’t stop focusing on their fears. When we face difficult circumstances and tough decisions, it can be difficult to focus on the power and promises of God to guide and protect us. We have to intentionally and prayerfully keep our eyes on the positives, power and promises of God. God had promised them this land!
It is often in “the desert” when we encounter a crossroads. When Moses sent the spies to investigate Canaan, the Israelites were waiting for their report in the desert oasis of Kadesh. Kadesh was near the southern border of Canaan. Ten of the spies that returned focused on the negative facts, and two of them reported on the beauty and fruitfulness of the land. “The negative opinion of ten men caused a great rebellion among the people. Because it is human nature to accept opinion as fact, we must be especially careful when voicing our negative opinions.” (NIV Commentary of Numbers 13:33-14:4.)
The negative, fearful opinions of the spies influenced the Israelites and ultimately led to their wandering in the desert for 40 years, never entering their promised land. They were literally on the southern border of Canaan, and they missed it!
Our world is in the midst a desert experience! By this, I mean worldwide many people are living in fear of great uncertainties. We have the voice of a few in the media reinforcing the negative…feeding the fear in people. Because of our fears, we are turning away from all the blessings that are set before us. This “desert“ we’re experiencing is taking many people away from their support systems, removing financial stability due to business closures, and individuals are turning against each other, rather than rallying together to move our world forward to enter a hopeful, peaceful season.
Spiritual battles are nothing new, but we can learn from the past. I want to be fueled by my faith, not by my fears. God has challenged me in recent years to weigh my words carefully. Negative, critical, judgmental comments are ALWAYS counterproductive. These attitudes and mindsets are a slippery slope that lead to cynicism, sarcasm and ultimately a toxic thought life that moves us towards death…death of relationships, as well as mental, spiritual and physical death. Just as God has a plan that leads to life and purpose, Satan has a plan that intends to steal, kill and destroy us.
Our words have power—power to BUILD and lead to a greater life, our promised land; and power to DESTROY and move us towards death, the barrenness that the desert holds. The consequences and benefits of our choices to live out our faith and speak life do not stop with us. They will deeply effect the generations that follow us.
This is God’s promise for us as we enter into this unknown territory…
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19.
What is your promised land? Is it a new job, a new mindset/attitude, or possibly a new place of residence? Keep your mind focused on the promise and the possibilities! Also, stay alert to the needs and journeys of the people around you. Let’s speak words of encouragement and LIFE! Encouragement means “to put courage into.” May we live with a perspective like the two spies who believed for something GREAT!
Thank you, Michelle! Sometimes staying quiet is the most difficult response, but the most productive😉.
This is so good and so true. Thank you for capturing what is on your heart so eloquently. I have learned so much from you over the years, the biggest lesson, when to be quiet. Lol.