Take Possession of God's Promises

(Numbers 13-14)

It seems to me that some of the unhappy people are Christians; often more so than other people. Many Christians seem to lack motivation to assert themselves in order to get the things that they desire. Now, I am over sixty-seven years old, and I have been in the church all of my life. I admit that I have not always been living a model Christian life, but I have been going to church all of my life. When I was a young lad, it seemed to me that Christians expect to live a humble life in which they will necessarily have less than other people. Sometimes, it seemed to me that God intends for Christians to be poor. The Christians will get their reward when they get to heaven. In heaven they will get a starry crown, golden shoes, new robe, and a ring on their fingers. It seems that being poor on earth is a good investment when one considers the rewards that Christians will receive when they get to heaven.

In the 1970s or 1980s the message began to shift. It was said that “some people are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.” Christians should not simply look for rewards in heaven, but they are to seek to make their life and the life of others more rewarding while here on earth. The “Prosperity Gospel” teaches that financial blessings are obtained by faith that leads to positive speech and donations to Christian ministries. Now, I believe that both of these views are often carried to the extreme. God does not promise riches to anyone. God does not desire that people live in poverty and need. God expects His people to obey Him and receive the blessings that He has in store for them (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). The questions for this article are: Why do God’s people fail to realize the blessings that God promises to them. Do Christians today know what God promises to give to them? Do Christians expect something from God that God does not promise to give? What price are we willing to pay to take possession of the things that God promises to give to us? The story in Numbers 13-14 helps us to see that too often we fail to take possession of what God gives us.

In this story, God delivers the Israelites out of bondage; out of the hands of Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt. The Lord demonstrates His power by bringing about the ten plagues in Egypt which leads to Pharaoh releasing the slaves. Later, Pharaoh changes his mind and sets out to capture the slaves, but God saves the people at the Red Sea (Exod. 14). After crossing the Red Sea God tells Moses to send men to spy out the land (Num. 13:2,). Moses selects twelve spies to investigate the land. When they return ten of the spies give a negative report. They bring evidence that the land is a good land (vv. 25-27). This should have been enough evidence for them that the Lord’s words are true. On the contrary, they continue to give reasons that they should not try to take the land that God promises that He is giving to them. They report that the people of the land are too large for them to defeat. Caleb tries to convince the people that they “should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it” (v. 30). The ten spies argue, ‘“We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us’” (v.31). The people believe the report of the ten and complain against Moses. The following are reasons that the people of God fail to take passion of what God gives to them.

First, the people listen to the wrong voices. Why do we often listen to the wrong voices? I suggest that it is because all people are born sinners. As a result, we are by nature at odds with God. Thus, we by nature tend to be in agreement more with the voices that tell us something different from what God tells us. God proves Himself to us over and over again, but we still tend to believe the voices that deny the words of the Lord. Those who believe God are like Joshua and Caleb. There is no obstacle too big to overcome. They reason, ‘“If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us’” (14:8, NASB). On the other hand, those who side with those who give a negative report are said to be in rebellion of God and in fear of the people of the land (v. 9).

The second reason is that the Israelites fear the people who live in the land. They see them as giants and themselves as grasshoppers (13:32-33) In America, people of African descent were treated as second class citizens. Discrimination meant that white folks could take advantage of the Negro without consequence. In many places, and especially in the south, schools were segregated. At the schools that I attended most of us had to use second handed books passed down to us after the white students had used and in some cases abused them. Many of the books that we received had pages missing. Yet, our teachers did not allow us to use this as an excuse for not getting our home work and learning. So, our teachers led us to borrow books from our classmates, or we copied the missing pages. We knew that in most cases blacks would not be hired according to their abilities, but by the color of our skin. We knew that we would not receive equal pay and promotions. We believed in God and we believed that God was going to bring about a change in the United States of America. We studied and we learned because we expected to take whatever God by His grace would give to us.

In 1964 the civil rights bill is passed and in 1965 congress passes the Voting Rights Act. Schools are being integrated and Blacks begin to get better jobs. Discrimination is now against the law. Now, in 2015 there are many African Americans who do not take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us and too many of us do not vote. In the story before us God is giving the land to the Israelites, but they will have to go in and take possession of the land by destroying the enemies of God that live in the land. Unfortunately, they are kept from pursuing God’s promise because of their lack of faith in God and their fear of the people who live in the land. As an African American man, it saddens me to hear my fellow brothers crying about how the man holds them back. To these brothers I say, yes, the enemy will fight against you, but you must trust God, gird up your loins, put on your war clothes and prepare for the battle. Preparation includes faith in God first and foremost; believing that He will give you the victory. We must get our education and take care of our bodies. We must stop listening to those voices that tell us about the power of those who live in the land. It may be their land today, but God promises us that He gives the land to those who are willing to take possession of it.

African American males must take care of the children that they father into this world. We must honor God by honoring the mothers of our children. If we are Christians we really don’t have a choice in the matter. Ephesians 6:1-4 tells us that children are to honor and obey their parents (because) Fathers are to bring up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (v. 4, NASB). How many men are leaders in their churches while at the same time neglect training their children in the ways of the Lord? Why does the church allow this to happen in spite of Paul’s instructions to Timothy concerning leaders in the church in regards to their wives and children (1 Tim. 3:1-5)? Let us be clear. This text addresses bishops specifically, but throughout the scriptures these qualities are given for all leaders.

The third reason that the Israelites are afraid to take possession of the land is that they see themselves as too small. Today we call it a lack of self esteem. They do not believe that they are big enough and strong enough to defeat the enemy. God is not telling them that they will take the land. God is giving them the land. They only have to put their faith in God, follow His directions and war strategy and take possession of the land.

There is a warning for today’s people of God in this story. The people refuse to take possession of the land. God does not allow those who rebel against Him to enter into the Promised Land. God tells Moses that He is going to dispossess the people (14:12), but Moses pleads to God to pardon them. God relents and pardons the Israelites. The Israelites continue to be God’s people. Those who have seen God’s great signs and wonders are not allowed to enter into the Promise Land. They wander in the wilderness for forty years and die. After they all die, God gives the land to their children.

In conclusion, we must believe that God is able to deliver to us what He promises to give to us. The lack of faith in God is no excuse for failure, but it is often the reason. We cannot be afraid of the challenges that lie in front of us. We must take courage in the Lord in the face of every obstacle. The nay Sayers tells us that it is impossible, but we must heed the voices of those who speak a sure and confident word from the Lord. We must know that God has the last word in all things.