Faith or Fear

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd January 19, 2016 - Filed in Devotional - 14,202 views
  Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 'How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Tell them, As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you' Numbers 14:26 WEB
  
  After seeing miracles everyday in the wilderness, like mana from heaven, pillars of fire, parting seas, water from rocks, knee deep quail around their camp, the Israelites came to the border of the Promised Land. There they sent spies to look over the land and ten of them brought back a bad report. They spoke of giants in the land that made them feel like grasshoppers. The camp panicked and wanted to return to Egypt.
  
  While the Israelites grumbled and complained, the Lord was listening. When He had heard it enough, He decided to do the very thing that he heard them say with their own mouth. In this case, they prophesied their own future. The Israelites said 'We are going to die in this wilderness', and the Lord said, "Have it your way."
  
  Here we learn about God's perfect will, and His permissive will for us. He wanted the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, but they were paralyzed with fear and refused. Their own fear shaped their destiny. Faith is believing that God will come through for you, that this is going to be OK. Fear is the opposite, believing that He will not take care of you, that you cannot do this, that you will die if you try it.
  
  All the great heroes in scripture faced their fear and spoke positive things into their situation. While the army of Israel cowered in fear, David looked at the giant Goliath and said: 'This day will Yahweh deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel' (1 Samuel 17:46).
  
  God has great plans for you, plans to give you hope and a future, but we need to agree with Him. The enemy also has a plan for us: to steal, kill, and destroy. The words coming out of your mouth will shape your attitude, your beliefs, and confirm which side you are really on. We get to choose.
  
  Don't speak curses over your own life and family. Do not let doom and gloom control your speech and thoughts. When you do this you are just feeding the enemy ammunition to use against you. Agree with God: 'I don't know how, but this is going to work out for good.' Say what you would like to happen if you could choose, because that is what you are doing.
  
  Prayer: Father, help me to stand strong in the face of fear. Fill me with Your glorious presence and help me to face whatever comes my way. I choose You, and though I am weak, with You I am strong. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.