What is it called when you never see a certain car, but after you purchase a specific model they’re everywhere? Bermuda Triangle? Kidding, but the word “believe” has been just that for me. I see it over and over in scripture and it seems to jump off the page every time.
Last month I gave three points to conquer any situation you may be facing, one of which was “form a belief.” In life you will find yourself at many crossroads, a fork in the road if you will, and the actions you take in those moments will determine what you end up possessing. Mandy and I find ourselves at these defining moments and the fight that we engage in are between the natural circumstance and the spiritual truth. The Lord spoke this to me some time back and the words intensely linger in my heart. “The devil will always try to get you to prove your spiritual position with a natural manifestation.” Trusting God’s word will always come off to some as an irresponsible act, when in fact it’s the complete opposite. Let me show you what I’m talking about in the Word.
In Numbers 13 and 14 we find the story of Moses sending the twelve spies into the promise land to secretly search out and discover what the Lord had said was theirs. In Exodus 3:17, God is speaking to Moses concerning the Israelites, saying, “I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites…to a land flowing with milk and honey.’” Notice that God made arrangements for the children of Israel even while Moses was still tending sheep on the backside of the desert. Hebrews 4 says, “even before the foundation of the world.” Wow! God has been making preparation for your promised possession even before you knew it was time to begin the journey!
The twelve spies return from their covert-op and ten begin to give a report of the promise land. In Numbers 13:27-28 it reads, “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.” Those ten spies returned and stood in front of the nation of Israel and said, “The word of the Lord concerning the promise land is true, and here’s the proof…but!” And there it is, the fork in the road moment, with natural resistance to spiritual truth. It’s the unrenewed mind asking questions and wondering how is this possible all the while demanding a sign of what can only be seen with a believing heart and manifested by faith. Our response to this moment determines whether we take possession or wander.
In Numbers 14:11 the Lord responds to the doubt of the ten spies and the reaction of the Israelites by saying to Moses, “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me…?” Hebrews 3:19 says, “So we see that they could not ENTER IN because of unbelief.” We stand, so many times, at the threshold of our promise only not entering in because of unbelief. Thomas, the disciple who doubted the report of the other disciples concerning seeing Jesus, said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hands into His side, I will not believe.” To this Jesus replied, “Do not be unbelieving, but believing. Blessed [empowered to prosper] are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” To be transparent, the temptation for me comes in trying to figure out the logistics of the promise and how the supernatural will materialize. This is none of my business. My job is to keep the word in my eyes and the word coming out my mouth with a steady flow of praise and thanksgiving. How God accomplishes what I have found to be mine from His word, is His business. Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them, and you will have them.”
My prayer for you is this, that you will not allow the details of the circumstance to tangle you up and restrain you from ENTERING IN and HAVING that which you are believing for. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years just outside of the promise, not because of the will of God, but because of unbelief. As you sow this month do so with a believing heart that is ready to receive and enter into that which has been prepared for you! Pray over your seed and know that it is working for you that which God has destined you to obtain for His glory!
“Believing is the process of faith and trust its protection.”