502. Are
the ÒGiantsÓ surrounding your promise?
Have you ever felt like there is no hope? Have you tried and tried to believe the Word, but things just keep going the wrong way? Well welcome to the Kingdom of God! Have you ever said, ÒLord I believe, but help my unbelief?Ó
There are reasons why we experience situations like
this, both from GodÕs perspective and from SatanÕs perspective. From SatanÕs point of view his job is
to steal the Word of God out of our hearts once it is planted there. He uses all sorts of means to
discourage.
We are going to focus more on GodÕs perspective with
the hope that when we understand this, our hope and faith will be revived and
we will inherit all that God has for us.
Lets look at a classic Old Testament event that connects
promises and giants. It takes
place right after the multitudes of Israelites left their slavery in Egypt
under the command of Moses, and were in the desert heading for the promise
land. The Lord told them to go
look at the land that He had given to them.
Numbers 13:1-2 says, ÒThe LORD said to
Moses, ÔSend some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the
Israelites. From each ancestral
tribe send one of its leaders.ÕÓ
The twelve spies went and looked at Canaan, their promise. They saw walled cities, abundant water, provisions, food, clusters of grapes, and they also saw GIANTS. Some of these giants were called Anak, which in Hebrew literally means, Òthose who cut off your provisions.Ó
When the spies returned with the reports, they were split on what they said. The ten spies said, ÒWe seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes.Ó Joshua and Caleb said, ÒWe should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. For they are bread for us. Their protection has moved from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.Ó (from Numbers 13-14). Notice, the enemyÕs protection was removed!
The story says that God became angry with everyone
except for Joshua and Caleb who believed.
Seeing the LordÕs anger, the people decided they had better try to take
the land. But it was too
late. The LordÕs presence was
removed and they were wiped out.
The end of the story was that forty years later, Joshua and Caleb were
the only two people of this group of about three million that made it to the
promise land. All the rest died in
the desert and their children went in their stead.
Do circumstances
that look like Giants surround you?
Well if you are
looking in faith, you will see that your promise is hidden inside of the overwhelming
circumstances!
Why would God treat us this way? Why would He hide our promises inside of overwhelming circumstances? Why would He not just speak to us, have us believe, and deliver the goods then the next day? Maybe sometimes He does, but often it does not happen that way.
God needs to feed our new man and starve the old nature, the flesh. Otherwise our old nature would stay active and continue to haunt us. The quickest way to starve the old nature is to deny its longings, its desires, and its ease of living.
It is like God were to say, ÒIÕm true to My promise, but the blessing I have for you is surrounded by overwhelming circumstances. Not just anybody can have these promises, you need to qualify for them by going through a trial of your faith. I have hidden your stuff, but you can see it by faith, not by sight. I have done this on purpose. Look at it, check it out, but look at it in the Word, which is your supplier. All you Ôsight saintsÕ canÕt have this on your Ôsight termsÕ. It must be by faith like I said about AbrahamÓ.
ÒTherefore it is of faith so that it might be according to grace; for the promise to be made sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it has been written, ÔI have made you a father of many nationsÕ) --before God, whom he believed, who makes the dead live, and calls the things which do not exist as though they do exist. For he who beyond hope believed on hope for him to become the father of many nations (according to that which was spoken, ÔSo your seed shall beÕ). And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (being about a hundred years old) or the deadening of Sarah's womb. He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnessÓ (Romans 4:16-22).
Another
purpose (I believe) God has for hiding
our promises in the midst of Giants,
is that most believers would never go into warfare against these
Giants if their promise was
not being threatened!
When
we overcome these Giants, we have
overcome demons and have put them out of commission. This is GodÕs plan and purpose.
ÒWhen
the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is [so that] that they may be destroyed foreverÓ (Psalms 92:7).
ÒThe
Lord said, ÔI will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them [your enemies]
back from the depths of the sea, That your foot may crush them in blood, And
the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.ÕÓ Psalms
68:22,23).
This
kind of warfare is for others. It is the unselfish warfare that
defeats the enemies for our families even for generations to come, and from
those to whom we are called to minister.
ÒI
now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking
in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the churchÓ (Colossians
1:24).
Facing Giants
When we face a giant:
1. It is always intimidating.
2. We feel lonely in battle.
3. But it develops stability.
4. It leaves a memorial.