1 00:00:14,099 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,660 --> 00:00:27,019 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:43,960 Cool, so I have been gone for like two weeks, pretty rough two weeks. Maria and 5 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,359 the kids were all sick at the same time and so, well it was even worse, it was kind 6 00:00:48,359 --> 00:00:53,859 of overlapping, so it's just constant sickness in the house. So we had Bo and 7 00:00:53,859 --> 00:00:58,299 Van both had a hand, foot, and mouth two weeks ago, and a little over two weeks now, 8 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,020 and then they got better and like, while they're getting better right near the end, 9 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,260 Maria gets the stomach bug out of nowhere and she's down for a week and I'm like, 10 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,819 you know, like just trying to get things done at the around the house and work 11 00:01:10,819 --> 00:01:18,120 and all that, so, and to put the icing on top of that is a week before all that 12 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,700 happened, my phone broke, and so like I didn't have insurance, so I'm figuring that 13 00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:27,560 out. Anyway, I've been a month without a phone and two weeks without going out, so 14 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,200 if I'm a little awkward tonight, it's just I haven't seen humans, so don't hold 15 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,159 it against me, but everyone's doing better and my new phone comes in tomorrow, 16 00:01:36,299 --> 00:01:40,900 so I'll be back in civilization, but honestly a month off of a phone, it's 17 00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:47,319 pretty nice, it feels great, but yeah, so we are gonna be going over reading 18 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:53,239 through Numbers 13, which we can turn to, and I know we're, there's some fruit of 19 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:57,760 the land that the spies bring and I have bananas here, this actually wasn't a 20 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:03,239 prop for tonight until I just, you know, realized right now, but Gail said who, 21 00:02:03,719 --> 00:02:08,039 Amelia brought some bananas, so if you guys love bananas like my kids do, grab 22 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:14,080 a few bushels over there, really random but delicious and free, so. Alright, let's 23 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:22,620 start in prayer and then we'll read Numbers 13. Alright, Lord, we thank You so 24 00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:28,719 much, God, that You're here, Lord, that You want to speak, and I pray, God, that 25 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:34,159 yeah, just through all my preparation and despite it, God, I pray that You would 26 00:02:34,159 --> 00:02:37,599 speak through Your Word, which I know You will, You promise to, Lord, and I 27 00:02:37,599 --> 00:02:42,120 pray that Your presence would be here, speaking to our hearts, God, and just 28 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:48,460 making Your Word real to us, Lord, so we could walk in it, walk in faith, and I 29 00:02:48,460 --> 00:02:54,479 pray that this true story, Lord, of the spies and the faith and the fear and all 30 00:02:54,479 --> 00:02:59,500 of this, Lord, we could truly picture and see You in it, Lord, and see the beauty 31 00:02:59,500 --> 00:03:05,580 of who You are, God, and we love You and worship You, in Jesus' name, amen. Alright, 32 00:03:05,580 --> 00:03:14,120 so, before we read Numbers 13, the title is Faith over Fear. Really simple, faith 33 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,819 over fear. They have that on bumper stickers and t-shirts and things, it's not 34 00:03:17,819 --> 00:03:23,719 unique, I didn't come up with it, but faith over fear, and that is such a theme 35 00:03:23,719 --> 00:03:30,460 of life, right? On a daily basis, we're confronted with faith or fear, and it's 36 00:03:30,460 --> 00:03:37,900 so easy to let fear in and slowly win in the battle of the mind, and everybody 37 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:45,000 deals with it, but we need to choose to have faith in defiance of this fear, and 38 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:50,539 Hebrews 11.1 tells us what faith is, it says, now faith is the substance of 39 00:03:50,539 --> 00:03:55,939 things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is not just a 40 00:03:55,939 --> 00:04:02,039 vague hope or like, I wish this would happen, faith is truly something real, and 41 00:04:02,859 --> 00:04:07,139 it's faith looking forward to something real as well, it's faith and 42 00:04:07,139 --> 00:04:14,419 hope in Jesus, and from that we actually get something, and the terminology for 43 00:04:14,419 --> 00:04:19,300 substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen that Paul 44 00:04:19,300 --> 00:04:24,040 talks about is actually like a title deed, like you have the deed to your 45 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:29,920 house, it is proof and evidence that you own your house, same thing with a car, proof 46 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:35,199 and evidence that you own your car, so is the same for us with faith, it's proof 47 00:04:35,199 --> 00:04:40,339 and evidence that we actually have salvation and we have the promises of 48 00:04:40,339 --> 00:04:47,100 God, so fear is the exact opposite of that, and it's like, it's giving you 49 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:51,800 like random facts about reality and things that are scary and make you 50 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:56,860 slowly start to doubt your faith, doubt God, and next thing you know you're giving 51 00:04:56,860 --> 00:05:01,759 over the title deed, you're handing it over to Satan, and you miss out on what 52 00:05:01,759 --> 00:05:09,399 God has for you, and we see that here in Numbers 13 that Israelites literally 53 00:05:09,399 --> 00:05:13,100 were this close to going into the Promised Land, they had it, it was 54 00:05:13,100 --> 00:05:17,800 theirs, it was their inheritance, their right, and that generation, because of 55 00:05:17,889 --> 00:05:23,029 fear, gave that title over, and they didn't get to walk in it, but the next 56 00:05:23,029 --> 00:05:30,069 generation did, so to frame all of that, I want to give the hopeful verse of Isaiah 57 00:05:30,069 --> 00:05:37,329 26.3, which is really the way that we keep our faith, the way we have faith 58 00:05:37,329 --> 00:05:47,870 over our fear, and Isaiah 26.3 says, you will keep him in perfect peace, this is 59 00:05:47,870 --> 00:05:54,449 mine is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. If the Israelites did that one 60 00:05:54,449 --> 00:06:00,269 little thing, kept their mind focused on the Lord, and fixed on him, they would have 61 00:06:00,269 --> 00:06:04,410 had peace, and they would have trusted him, and that generation wouldn't have 62 00:06:04,410 --> 00:06:09,310 wandered for the 40 years, they would have been in the Promised Land. So let's 63 00:06:09,310 --> 00:06:17,269 jump in to Numbers 13, and the Lord spoke to Moses saying, send men to spy 64 00:06:17,269 --> 00:06:21,129 out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel from each 65 00:06:21,129 --> 00:06:27,730 tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them. So the 66 00:06:27,730 --> 00:06:33,069 spies, it seems like it's God's idea, right? Like, oh yes, send some spies out, 67 00:06:34,009 --> 00:06:38,930 but we actually find out that this is not God's idea, he didn't originate it, 68 00:06:39,749 --> 00:06:45,769 he said it was okay, sure, you can do it, because we see in Deuteronomy 121, 69 00:06:45,769 --> 00:06:52,850 which I'll read for you, is, this is Moses saying, every one of you, speaking to the 70 00:06:52,850 --> 00:06:57,110 Israelites, came to me and said, let us send men before us, and let them search 71 00:06:57,110 --> 00:07:01,829 out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go, 72 00:07:02,110 --> 00:07:07,129 and of the cities into which we shall come. And that plan pleased me well, 73 00:07:07,230 --> 00:07:11,610 so I took 12 of your men, one from each tribe. So here's what happened, the 74 00:07:11,610 --> 00:07:16,670 Israelites were already fearful to go into the Promised Land, already were 75 00:07:16,670 --> 00:07:21,410 doubting, and they said to Moses, can we spy it out first? Can we see if it's 76 00:07:21,410 --> 00:07:27,810 actually good? Can we see if there's big cities there with armies, just to 77 00:07:27,810 --> 00:07:32,350 like, feel it out and see? And Moses thought, that seems like a reasonable 78 00:07:32,350 --> 00:07:37,870 idea, let me go to the Lord. And then we see in the verse we just read, the 79 00:07:39,550 --> 00:07:44,829 So right off the bat, before anything even happens, I want to point out that 80 00:07:44,829 --> 00:07:49,089 this was not actually God's idea originally, he blessed it, but he already 81 00:07:49,089 --> 00:07:54,410 knew what was going to happen because of the report of the spies. He already knew 82 00:07:54,410 --> 00:07:59,810 that faith and doubt was taking root in the people's hearts, and he said, if you 83 00:07:59,810 --> 00:08:07,370 want to do this, sure, you can do it. So because they were already doubting, they 84 00:08:07,370 --> 00:08:13,810 sent these spies. And we see Moses says in verse 3, Moses sent them from the 85 00:08:13,810 --> 00:08:18,370 wilderness of Peron according to the command of the Lord, all of the men who 86 00:08:18,370 --> 00:08:23,250 were heads of the children of Israel. And here are their names, it's, yeah, I'm 87 00:08:23,250 --> 00:08:28,329 gonna try this. I'm just gonna hit the names, not the tribes. Shammuah, Shafat, 88 00:08:28,329 --> 00:08:38,029 Caleb, Yigal, Hosea, Palti, Gadiel, Gadi, Amiel, Cethir, Nabiguel. These are the 89 00:08:38,029 --> 00:08:43,110 names of the men who Moses sent to spout the land. And Moses called Hosea, the son 90 00:08:43,110 --> 00:08:51,470 of Nun, Joshua. So he sends out the people, and it says that Moses sent them 91 00:08:51,470 --> 00:08:56,129 to see whether, which we'll read here in a bit, but to see if the land was 92 00:08:56,129 --> 00:09:01,909 good. Didn't they already know the land was good, though? They kept hearing it 93 00:09:01,909 --> 00:09:06,970 over and over again, the land flowing of milk and honey, right? And they kept 94 00:09:06,970 --> 00:09:11,850 hearing this was their land, that the Lord was going to give them. So why are 95 00:09:11,850 --> 00:09:18,190 they already doubting? Why are they already afraid? And it just, it blows my 96 00:09:18,190 --> 00:09:22,970 mind, they saw God lead them every single day by a cloud, a pillar of 97 00:09:23,029 --> 00:09:27,730 cloud, who knows how tall, probably higher than they could see, and by night a 98 00:09:27,730 --> 00:09:34,169 pillar of fire guarding them. They saw all of Egypt fall in the Red Sea, and like 99 00:09:34,169 --> 00:09:39,090 God was doing miraculous, miraculous things constantly, and then as soon as 100 00:09:39,090 --> 00:09:45,830 they come to the Promised Land, again, they doubt. And in this, this quote, it 101 00:09:45,830 --> 00:09:51,549 says, unbelief often presents itself as being factual or practical or down to 102 00:09:51,549 --> 00:09:57,070 earth. Yet the most factual, practical, and down-to-earth thing we can do is trust 103 00:09:57,070 --> 00:10:01,029 the Word of the Living God. Their unbelief was not according to the facts, 104 00:10:01,309 --> 00:10:07,850 but despite the facts. Despite the fact that God did all these things, they still 105 00:10:07,850 --> 00:10:14,950 found a way to be afraid. And Jesus says, like, he doesn't want us to be 106 00:10:14,950 --> 00:10:19,250 super factual-based and super logical and try to figure everything out before 107 00:10:19,250 --> 00:10:23,210 we go and do something, right? When God says, do it, we should just go ahead and 108 00:10:23,210 --> 00:10:27,909 do it. We need to have that faith. And he says, to inherit the kingdom of God, we 109 00:10:27,909 --> 00:10:32,190 must be like a little one, like a child. We need childlike faith. Like, if he says, 110 00:10:32,450 --> 00:10:36,730 do it, I'm not gonna start spying out the land and figuring out the best way, 111 00:10:36,789 --> 00:10:40,610 and if it's too hard for me, this or that. Like, literally, if he says, do it, 112 00:10:40,830 --> 00:10:45,370 just go for it. Like, our faith needs to be like that. If he says, do it, I 113 00:10:45,370 --> 00:10:49,350 believe it. If he's called me to it, I'll go and do it. If he's leading me there, 114 00:10:49,389 --> 00:10:53,549 I'm gonna move. And if he tells me to go and stand up for something, I'm gonna 115 00:10:53,549 --> 00:11:01,029 stand up for it. And, you know, it's funny. I was thinking about this message and, 116 00:11:01,309 --> 00:11:05,289 you know, with acts of faith, going and doing something when he hears, when you 117 00:11:05,289 --> 00:11:10,710 hear the Lord say it. And I was walking in, and there's two kids walking down 118 00:11:10,710 --> 00:11:15,470 on the other side. They're probably like 13. And I saw them, and immediately I felt 119 00:11:15,470 --> 00:11:18,789 like, I feel like I'm supposed to pray for them. Like, this is gonna be really awkward. 120 00:11:18,929 --> 00:11:21,850 I'm like, yeah, but I got to get in there, you know, where it's like 10 minutes 121 00:11:21,850 --> 00:11:26,210 till I should probably get ready and pray. So, I come into the church, and I 122 00:11:26,210 --> 00:11:30,070 immediately feel the conviction. I'm like, I'm about to talk about if God says 123 00:11:30,070 --> 00:11:34,409 something, do it. And I just walked away from these people, these kids that I was 124 00:11:34,409 --> 00:11:38,250 supposed to pray for. So, I'm like, alright, Lord. I didn't even say a word to 125 00:11:38,250 --> 00:11:42,970 anybody. I just walked back out right over there in front of the house. And was it an 126 00:11:42,970 --> 00:11:48,269 awkward conversation? Yeah. I was like, hey guys, wait up. And I don't remember what I 127 00:11:48,269 --> 00:11:52,269 said. I asked them if they knew Jesus. I asked if they need a prayer. But, look, 128 00:11:52,549 --> 00:11:57,769 like, I don't, you don't know what God is going to do through a simple act of 129 00:11:57,769 --> 00:12:04,070 faith. A simple act of obedience. Those kids probably thought I was crazy, but 130 00:12:04,070 --> 00:12:07,509 maybe when they're 30 years old, they're gonna be thinking back to that 131 00:12:07,509 --> 00:12:10,929 little breadcrumb of the crazy guy standing outside of the church that 132 00:12:10,929 --> 00:12:16,250 chased him down the block to pray with him. You never know, but really, like, God 133 00:12:16,250 --> 00:12:20,870 has called all of us to sometimes awkward things, but sometimes very normal 134 00:12:20,870 --> 00:12:25,769 things on a daily basis in our work, in our families, whatever we're doing. And 135 00:12:25,769 --> 00:12:30,830 if he's called us to it, we should never look at the facts of if I'm 136 00:12:30,830 --> 00:12:36,210 qualified, if I have the words, if I'm gifted in that area, if he's called 137 00:12:36,210 --> 00:12:49,070 you to do it, just step up and do it. Amen. And in verse 17, which we just read, or 138 00:12:49,070 --> 00:12:55,190 16, these are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses 139 00:12:55,190 --> 00:13:03,570 called Hosea, the son of Nun, Joshua. Very interesting. Changed his name. Now, it's 140 00:13:03,570 --> 00:13:08,129 interesting if you know the meanings of the names, which I do, so I read it, I 141 00:13:08,129 --> 00:13:16,769 looked it up. So Hosea means salvation. It's a great name, but Joshua means Yahweh 142 00:13:16,769 --> 00:13:23,450 is salvation. That's much better, right? It's attributing a truth and a hope. 143 00:13:23,649 --> 00:13:27,669 It's attributing faith to the place it's supposed to go, which is in God 144 00:13:27,669 --> 00:13:35,309 himself. Now, Joshua, when he was Hosea, he was born in Egypt as a slave. His family 145 00:13:35,309 --> 00:13:40,090 were slaves and they were hoping for one day to be saved, but they didn't 146 00:13:40,090 --> 00:13:45,470 even know God personally. They didn't know Moses. He was just born in 147 00:13:45,470 --> 00:13:50,669 slavery hoping one day they would be saved in some way. But now, Moses, 148 00:13:50,769 --> 00:13:55,270 before he sends him into the Promised Land, changes his name to what it's 149 00:13:55,389 --> 00:14:01,669 truly supposed to be. He's saying, you were saved by Yahweh and you will be 150 00:14:01,669 --> 00:14:06,710 saved by Yahweh. Like, you are going to go into the Promised Land and before you 151 00:14:06,710 --> 00:14:11,809 do, you have to have faith in him. We can't have a vague faith. We can't have 152 00:14:11,809 --> 00:14:18,250 just hope. We need to have true faith in Jesus. We need to put our faith in 153 00:14:18,250 --> 00:14:26,350 him. And, you know, we can trust Jesus. We can trust God, right? We have seen all the 154 00:14:26,350 --> 00:14:30,529 amazing things he's done, just like he did for the Israelites. We have 155 00:14:30,529 --> 00:14:34,730 stories in our own lives, I hope. Right? Does anybody have stories of how God's 156 00:14:34,730 --> 00:14:41,110 provided, healed, taken care of us, led us through, done miracles? Like, we, when 157 00:14:41,110 --> 00:14:49,230 we trust in him, we see he brings salvation. True salvation. And our God is 158 00:14:49,230 --> 00:14:58,450 all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing. So let's read verse 17 on, 159 00:14:59,870 --> 00:15:04,370 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, Go up this 160 00:15:04,370 --> 00:15:10,389 way into the south, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like, 161 00:15:10,389 --> 00:15:15,450 whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many, whether the 162 00:15:15,450 --> 00:15:19,750 land they dwell in is good or bad, whether the cities they inhabit are like 163 00:15:19,750 --> 00:15:24,809 camps or strongholds, whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are 164 00:15:24,809 --> 00:15:29,149 forests there or not. Be of good courage in bringing back some of the fruit of 165 00:15:29,149 --> 00:15:36,509 the land. Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. Again, didn't 166 00:15:36,649 --> 00:15:41,789 he know it was good? Didn't he know that it doesn't matter if there's enemy armies 167 00:15:41,789 --> 00:15:46,070 there? God's gonna take care of them. He's already wiped out an enemy army in 168 00:15:46,070 --> 00:15:51,230 Egypt. And here, already, there's an element of doubt. And now we don't know 169 00:15:51,230 --> 00:15:57,009 if Moses saying this, that he was doubting himself, or if he was posing the 170 00:15:57,009 --> 00:16:01,789 question to give them an opportunity for faith. I believe it's the second. I 171 00:16:01,789 --> 00:16:05,590 don't think Moses was doubting. But I think when he was saying this, he's 172 00:16:05,590 --> 00:16:09,529 like, you wanted to go spy it out. Why don't you see if it's good? Why don't you 173 00:16:09,529 --> 00:16:15,309 see if God can handle this? Because faith needs to be personal. Like, we can't rely 174 00:16:15,309 --> 00:16:19,950 on someone else's faith. And God will give us trials, tribulations, 175 00:16:20,269 --> 00:16:26,590 persecutions, opportunities to have faith over fear. If we fall prey to fear 176 00:16:26,590 --> 00:16:31,169 constantly, don't think that God's gonna just like, be like, okay, you can 177 00:16:31,169 --> 00:16:35,330 live in fear. He's gonna give us another opportunity. He will never leave 178 00:16:35,330 --> 00:16:40,250 you in failure. He's gonna say, hey, it's okay. I forgive you. Here's another 179 00:16:40,250 --> 00:16:45,350 opportunity to have faith. Here's another opportunity to have victory. So Moses 180 00:16:45,350 --> 00:16:50,830 sends them out. Verse 21, they went up and spied out the land from the 181 00:16:50,830 --> 00:17:05,309 wilderness of Zen as far as Rehobo, near the entrance of Hamaf. And they 182 00:17:05,309 --> 00:17:09,130 the descendants of a knock were there and the descendants of a knock were 183 00:17:09,130 --> 00:17:15,509 giants. Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. I love all 184 00:17:15,509 --> 00:17:19,049 the details that they give you. It's like, oh, that clears things up. I 185 00:17:19,049 --> 00:17:23,549 didn't know Hebron was seven years. I thought it was six. Then they came 186 00:17:23,549 --> 00:17:27,390 to the valley of Eschol and cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes 187 00:17:27,390 --> 00:17:31,650 and they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some 188 00:17:31,650 --> 00:17:36,130 of the pomegranates and figs. The cluster of grapes was so big they 189 00:17:36,130 --> 00:17:40,430 needed two people to carry it on a pole. That's some good land right 190 00:17:40,430 --> 00:17:47,150 there. That is crazy. One cluster, not even a vine. So they returned 191 00:17:47,150 --> 00:17:51,210 from spying out the land after 40 days and they departed and came back 192 00:17:51,210 --> 00:18:01,430 to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children. At 193 00:18:01,430 --> 00:18:05,690 the time of the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. Then 194 00:18:05,690 --> 00:18:09,670 they told him and said, we went to the land where you sent us. It truly 195 00:18:09,670 --> 00:18:15,390 flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit. Should have stopped 196 00:18:15,390 --> 00:18:19,029 there, right? Should have stopped with, yeah, we went, it's flowing 197 00:18:19,029 --> 00:18:23,750 milk and honey. Here's some of the proof. And then they say, verse 28, 198 00:18:23,950 --> 00:18:28,190 nevertheless. It's never a good sign when you hear nevertheless. It 199 00:18:28,190 --> 00:18:33,150 basically negates everything you just said. So yes, it is good, right? Flows 200 00:18:33,150 --> 00:18:36,410 with milk and honey. There's fruit there. It's amazing. Nevertheless, 201 00:18:37,089 --> 00:18:40,309 the people who dwell in the land are strong. The cities are fortified 202 00:18:40,309 --> 00:18:44,089 and very large. Moreover, we saw the descendants of a knock there, 203 00:18:44,410 --> 00:18:47,910 the giants. And the Amalekites dwell on the land of the south. 204 00:18:48,230 --> 00:18:50,710 The Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites dwell on the mountains 205 00:18:50,710 --> 00:18:54,269 and the Canaanites dwell by the sea along the banks of the Jordan. 206 00:18:54,269 --> 00:18:58,630 So they're saying, it's filled with people. There's no like empty 207 00:18:58,630 --> 00:19:01,869 spot. We can just pitch a tent and build our own city. There are 208 00:19:01,869 --> 00:19:08,809 huge giants and armies covering this place. And so Caleb quieted 209 00:19:08,809 --> 00:19:11,869 the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and take 210 00:19:11,869 --> 00:19:16,349 possession for we are able to overcome it. But the men who had 211 00:19:16,349 --> 00:19:19,089 gone up with him said, we are not able to go up against the 212 00:19:19,089 --> 00:19:21,910 people for they are stronger than we. And they gave the 213 00:19:21,990 --> 00:19:25,349 children of Israel a bad report of the land, which they had spied 214 00:19:25,349 --> 00:19:28,450 out saying, the land through which we have gone as spies is 215 00:19:28,450 --> 00:19:31,349 a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people 216 00:19:31,349 --> 00:19:36,369 whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw 217 00:19:36,369 --> 00:19:39,910 giants, the descendants of a knock, and we were like grass 218 00:19:39,910 --> 00:19:42,970 hoppers in our own sight. And so we were in their sight. 219 00:19:46,549 --> 00:19:53,089 So this nevertheless comes in not because the land is bad. It's 220 00:19:53,089 --> 00:19:55,589 not like, hey, it's empty. It's a desert just like this. And 221 00:19:55,589 --> 00:19:58,990 there's no one there. We don't want to go there. It is a land 222 00:19:58,990 --> 00:20:03,269 filled with blessing, but it's going to be hard. We're going 223 00:20:03,269 --> 00:20:07,490 to have to fight, right? We have to actually exercise faith in 224 00:20:07,490 --> 00:20:13,210 God and fight armies that look like we can't take them. And 225 00:20:13,210 --> 00:20:16,170 the problem was in that last line is they looked at 226 00:20:16,170 --> 00:20:19,930 themselves. They said, we were like grass hoppers in our own 227 00:20:19,930 --> 00:20:23,029 sight and in theirs. Like we know they think we're small and 228 00:20:23,029 --> 00:20:26,970 we think we're small. Like that's not good, right? And 229 00:20:26,970 --> 00:20:30,230 the whole thing is fear crept in because they looked at 230 00:20:30,230 --> 00:20:33,930 themselves. They looked at their own limitations, their 231 00:20:33,930 --> 00:20:37,349 own inabilities. I'm not that strong. I'm not that tall 232 00:20:37,349 --> 00:20:40,690 I don't have the right armor or swords. We've never fought a 233 00:20:40,690 --> 00:20:43,369 major battle. We don't even know what we're doing, right? 234 00:20:43,789 --> 00:20:47,049 They looked at themselves and they realized we can't do 235 00:20:47,049 --> 00:20:51,650 it. The fear crept in because they looked at themselves. 236 00:20:52,009 --> 00:20:57,250 But we know he will keep you in perfect peace, him whose 237 00:20:57,250 --> 00:21:00,509 mind has stayed on you, who trusts in the Lord. Had they 238 00:21:00,509 --> 00:21:03,950 just kept their eyes fixed on God, they would have 239 00:21:03,950 --> 00:21:07,890 realized he was going to do it all. Like he is the one 240 00:21:07,890 --> 00:21:11,769 who fights our battles. You see David in Goliath, he 241 00:21:11,769 --> 00:21:14,089 never should have been able to take him. But you 242 00:21:14,089 --> 00:21:17,210 realize he was promised he was going to be king. So 243 00:21:17,210 --> 00:21:20,309 he knew he wasn't going to die. That's why he knew he 244 00:21:20,309 --> 00:21:23,529 could take Goliath, right? He was promised you will 245 00:21:23,529 --> 00:21:25,950 be king one day. And he looked at himself and said, 246 00:21:25,990 --> 00:21:29,069 I'm not king yet. And this guy is defying God. So 247 00:21:29,069 --> 00:21:31,470 I'm going to win this battle. I trust in him. He 248 00:21:31,470 --> 00:21:36,009 threw that little stone, killed him, one blow. And 249 00:21:36,009 --> 00:21:39,009 so the Israelites could have thought the same thing. 250 00:21:39,170 --> 00:21:42,230 They said, God did all this. God promised to fight 251 00:21:42,230 --> 00:21:45,049 our battles. God is making the way here. We just 252 00:21:45,049 --> 00:21:48,210 need to go, just like he did in Egypt. But instead 253 00:21:48,210 --> 00:21:52,750 they looked at themselves. And you know, fear, 254 00:21:53,150 --> 00:21:57,009 though it uses facts, is a liar, right? Have you 255 00:21:57,009 --> 00:22:00,150 ever had someone like bring up things about you 256 00:22:00,150 --> 00:22:02,990 that are like, certain things are true, but it's 257 00:22:02,990 --> 00:22:05,150 framed in a way that you make me someone I'm not, 258 00:22:05,450 --> 00:22:08,109 right? Like these act, sometimes people can accuse 259 00:22:08,109 --> 00:22:10,450 you and be like, you're late, you were late this 260 00:22:10,450 --> 00:22:12,970 week, you forgot to do that. You are a horrible 261 00:22:12,970 --> 00:22:14,789 person. Like you, you know what I mean? Like 262 00:22:14,789 --> 00:22:16,630 people can just like make up things. And 263 00:22:16,630 --> 00:22:19,289 that's what the enemy does. It's like, you 264 00:22:19,289 --> 00:22:23,269 failed in this area. You did this. You did that 265 00:22:23,269 --> 00:22:26,650 in the past. You should never be able to live 266 00:22:26,650 --> 00:22:28,549 for God. You should never be able to serve in 267 00:22:28,549 --> 00:22:30,690 this area. You don't deserve that position. 268 00:22:31,190 --> 00:22:34,789 You're not capable. And sure, some of those 269 00:22:34,789 --> 00:22:38,309 things are true. David was not capable in his 270 00:22:38,309 --> 00:22:41,289 own strength to take out Goliath. But he knew God 271 00:22:41,289 --> 00:22:44,029 said he was going to become king and God was 272 00:22:44,029 --> 00:22:46,130 going to fight his battles. So we need to 273 00:22:46,130 --> 00:22:50,890 remember that faith in ourselves will, we will 274 00:22:50,890 --> 00:22:53,390 fail. We will see ourselves as grasshoppers, 275 00:22:53,390 --> 00:22:55,809 just like everyone else does, right? But if we 276 00:22:55,809 --> 00:22:59,009 have faith in God, something switches. Suddenly 277 00:22:59,009 --> 00:23:02,009 we realize it's not about us. It's about him. 278 00:23:03,269 --> 00:23:06,049 And when I was thinking about this, I was 279 00:23:06,049 --> 00:23:11,910 picturing like being in a room, right? If it's 280 00:23:11,910 --> 00:23:14,970 dark, like it's, you know, you're fearful, 281 00:23:15,009 --> 00:23:18,390 like of the darkness, whatever. Fear is like 282 00:23:18,390 --> 00:23:20,710 drawing the curtains closed, like, and you're 283 00:23:20,710 --> 00:23:22,569 making it darker and you're just sitting in 284 00:23:22,569 --> 00:23:25,049 it. You're sitting there. There's nothing you 285 00:23:25,049 --> 00:23:27,109 can do to make this darkness go away. Like 286 00:23:27,109 --> 00:23:29,710 you can't suddenly create light yourself. 287 00:23:30,049 --> 00:23:32,230 You're in the darkness. But the only thing 288 00:23:32,230 --> 00:23:34,750 you can do is open the curtains and let the 289 00:23:34,750 --> 00:23:37,529 light in. That's what faith is. You can't 290 00:23:37,529 --> 00:23:39,230 fight your own battle and muster up the 291 00:23:39,230 --> 00:23:41,650 strength to win, but you can throw open 292 00:23:41,650 --> 00:23:43,130 the curtains and let the light of Christ 293 00:23:43,130 --> 00:23:46,269 shine in, right? That's what faith is. It 294 00:23:46,269 --> 00:23:49,410 is turning to him, realizing he's the way, 295 00:23:49,589 --> 00:23:51,930 he's the truth, he's the life, he has our 296 00:23:51,930 --> 00:23:53,750 victory. And when we throw open the 297 00:23:53,750 --> 00:23:59,230 curtains, darkness and fear must leave. And 298 00:23:59,230 --> 00:24:02,150 we see here too with Caleb. I love Caleb. 299 00:24:02,329 --> 00:24:05,029 He is the man. He, in the midst of 300 00:24:05,029 --> 00:24:07,750 everybody being afraid, saying, let's 301 00:24:07,750 --> 00:24:11,049 just, like, you'll see next chapter, 302 00:24:11,930 --> 00:24:13,589 they're so afraid, they say, let's get a 303 00:24:13,589 --> 00:24:15,930 new leader and go back to Egypt. Like, 304 00:24:15,950 --> 00:24:17,910 they just went through the wilderness and 305 00:24:17,910 --> 00:24:21,410 all this stuff, they, you know, that God 306 00:24:21,410 --> 00:24:23,230 wiped out the Egyptian army and now they 307 00:24:23,230 --> 00:24:24,529 want to go back there and be like, can 308 00:24:24,529 --> 00:24:26,690 we be slaves again under you? Like, what 309 00:24:26,690 --> 00:24:28,750 are they thinking? That fear makes you 310 00:24:28,750 --> 00:24:30,970 think crazy things. If you're living in 311 00:24:30,970 --> 00:24:33,250 fear, you will do crazy things that you 312 00:24:33,250 --> 00:24:35,950 never thought you would. But Caleb 313 00:24:35,950 --> 00:24:38,410 didn't care. He didn't care about the 314 00:24:38,410 --> 00:24:40,170 giants. He didn't care about, like, 315 00:24:40,309 --> 00:24:42,650 getting together a strategic plan. He 316 00:24:42,650 --> 00:24:44,490 just jumps right in and says, let us 317 00:24:44,490 --> 00:24:46,450 go up at once and take possession, for 318 00:24:46,450 --> 00:24:49,569 we were, are well able to overcome. He 319 00:24:49,569 --> 00:24:51,170 was not well able to overcome in his 320 00:24:51,170 --> 00:24:52,549 own strength, but in the strength of 321 00:24:52,549 --> 00:24:54,529 the Lord he was. He didn't even have a 322 00:24:54,529 --> 00:24:56,529 plan yet, but he says, let's go right now. 323 00:24:56,750 --> 00:24:59,430 That is childlike faith right there. And 324 00:24:59,430 --> 00:25:03,569 the amazing thing is that after the 40 325 00:25:03,569 --> 00:25:06,690 years of wandering are over, he's about 326 00:25:06,690 --> 00:25:10,150 80 years old and he leads the charge to 327 00:25:10,150 --> 00:25:12,430 fight the giants in the mountains and 328 00:25:12,430 --> 00:25:15,869 he wins. Isn't that incredible? Like, he 329 00:25:15,869 --> 00:25:18,690 made it through and almost 40 years 330 00:25:18,690 --> 00:25:21,389 later he was finally able to take the 331 00:25:21,509 --> 00:25:23,690 fight to the giants and he was finally 332 00:25:23,690 --> 00:25:26,190 able to walk in that faith that he 333 00:25:26,190 --> 00:25:28,869 desperately desired to 40 years earlier. 334 00:25:30,109 --> 00:25:32,609 And it makes me think, in Matthew 11, 335 00:25:32,750 --> 00:25:34,369 have you heard that verse where Jesus 336 00:25:34,369 --> 00:25:36,210 says, the kingdom of heaven suffers 337 00:25:36,210 --> 00:25:37,869 violence and the violent take it by 338 00:25:37,869 --> 00:25:40,670 force? It is the coolest, most 339 00:25:40,670 --> 00:25:43,930 interesting verse that I've heard in 340 00:25:43,930 --> 00:25:47,650 the Gospels and it's mysterious. I 341 00:25:47,650 --> 00:25:50,470 love it and a lot of theologians have 342 00:25:50,470 --> 00:25:52,930 very mixed reviews of what they think he 343 00:25:52,930 --> 00:25:55,750 meant, but when I look at Caleb, I think 344 00:25:55,750 --> 00:25:58,490 about that verse, that the kingdom of 345 00:25:58,490 --> 00:26:00,490 heaven suffers violence and the violent 346 00:26:00,490 --> 00:26:03,789 take it by force. What I believe it's 347 00:26:03,789 --> 00:26:05,569 saying, and a lot of people believe this 348 00:26:05,569 --> 00:26:07,910 isn't just my idea, but there's 349 00:26:07,910 --> 00:26:10,190 opposition, right? There are opposing 350 00:26:10,190 --> 00:26:12,609 forces to people entering the kingdom of 351 00:26:12,609 --> 00:26:16,289 heaven, but there is an equal and 352 00:26:16,289 --> 00:26:18,289 opposite reaction that must happen. If 353 00:26:18,289 --> 00:26:19,509 you want to enter the kingdom of 354 00:26:19,509 --> 00:26:23,029 heaven, there's a violent and extreme 355 00:26:23,029 --> 00:26:25,750 reaction that someone goes through when 356 00:26:25,750 --> 00:26:29,289 they become Gods, when they throw off 357 00:26:29,289 --> 00:26:31,190 sin in the world and they die to 358 00:26:31,190 --> 00:26:33,029 themselves and they enter the kingdom of 359 00:26:33,029 --> 00:26:35,049 heaven. So it says, even though you're 360 00:26:35,049 --> 00:26:37,650 facing opposition, right, even though 361 00:26:37,650 --> 00:26:39,789 there are forces against you, you can 362 00:26:39,789 --> 00:26:42,930 walk right into the kingdom of God. And 363 00:26:42,930 --> 00:26:45,329 it takes that type of person to truly 364 00:26:45,329 --> 00:26:47,369 lay hold of that for which Christ 365 00:26:47,369 --> 00:26:49,549 Jesus has laid hold of them. To truly 366 00:26:49,549 --> 00:26:52,490 walk in the kingdom of God, it takes an 367 00:26:52,490 --> 00:26:54,869 extreme reaction where you die to 368 00:26:54,869 --> 00:26:57,509 yourself and you live for him. And think 369 00:26:57,509 --> 00:26:59,910 about all of it, right? All of the verses, 370 00:27:00,450 --> 00:27:02,410 like I just said, I am laying hold of 371 00:27:02,410 --> 00:27:04,069 that for which Christ Jesus has laid 372 00:27:04,069 --> 00:27:06,309 hold of me. God is grabbing you. You 373 00:27:06,309 --> 00:27:09,109 need to grab onto him. Also about 374 00:27:09,109 --> 00:27:10,630 running the race with endurance, 375 00:27:10,829 --> 00:27:12,609 throwing off every single weight and 376 00:27:12,609 --> 00:27:15,410 sin that wants to entangle you, pick 377 00:27:15,410 --> 00:27:18,029 up your cross and follow him. Being 378 00:27:18,029 --> 00:27:20,430 crucified is no longer I who live but 379 00:27:20,430 --> 00:27:22,930 Christ who lives in me. That is a visceral 380 00:27:22,930 --> 00:27:25,890 response to the gospel. That is extreme 381 00:27:25,890 --> 00:27:27,529 and that's what it means that the 382 00:27:27,529 --> 00:27:29,950 violent take it by force. Don't you want 383 00:27:29,950 --> 00:27:32,529 to take the kingdom of God like that 384 00:27:32,529 --> 00:27:35,009 with that level of enthusiasm? And 385 00:27:35,009 --> 00:27:37,250 that's what Caleb is doing here. He has 386 00:27:37,250 --> 00:27:39,390 an immediate boldness and faith that 387 00:27:39,390 --> 00:27:45,390 says, let's just go right now. And 388 00:27:45,390 --> 00:27:49,210 but Joshua, he is commended as being 389 00:27:49,210 --> 00:27:52,869 faithful because he was. But he's not 390 00:27:52,869 --> 00:27:54,869 mentioned in these verses here, if you 391 00:27:54,869 --> 00:27:56,650 notice. He didn't say anything 392 00:27:56,650 --> 00:27:58,549 immediately. He did not give a bad 393 00:27:58,549 --> 00:28:01,289 report. But he kind of let Caleb, you 394 00:28:01,289 --> 00:28:02,849 know, speak up first and he kind of 395 00:28:02,849 --> 00:28:05,690 like waited until verse six, it says 396 00:28:05,690 --> 00:28:08,569 in chapter 14, Joshua, the son of 397 00:28:08,569 --> 00:28:10,049 Nun and Caleb, the son of 398 00:28:10,049 --> 00:28:12,029 Jeff, you know, were among those who 399 00:28:12,029 --> 00:28:13,390 had spied out the land and they tore 400 00:28:13,390 --> 00:28:16,069 their clothes. And they spoke to all 401 00:28:16,069 --> 00:28:18,089 the congregation of Israel saying, the 402 00:28:18,089 --> 00:28:20,329 land we pass through to spy out is an 403 00:28:20,329 --> 00:28:24,269 exceedingly good land. So he did speak 404 00:28:24,269 --> 00:28:26,769 up in the end. And that's what faith 405 00:28:26,769 --> 00:28:29,930 does. When someone has faith near you, 406 00:28:30,210 --> 00:28:34,069 you slowly start to grow into faith as 407 00:28:34,069 --> 00:28:36,609 well. And we need to be surrounded by 408 00:28:36,609 --> 00:28:38,670 people that have faith. Because if 409 00:28:38,670 --> 00:28:40,230 we're surrounded by people who doubt, 410 00:28:40,769 --> 00:28:42,009 we're going to be just like the rest 411 00:28:42,009 --> 00:28:43,809 of the Israelites who said, let's get 412 00:28:43,809 --> 00:28:45,809 a new leader. Let's go back to slavery 413 00:28:46,329 --> 00:28:49,369 in Egypt. It's less scary there, but 414 00:28:49,369 --> 00:28:51,690 we want to be people who overcome. And 415 00:28:51,690 --> 00:28:53,670 that's what Caleb says. We are well 416 00:28:53,670 --> 00:28:56,250 able to overcome it. And Joshua was 417 00:28:56,250 --> 00:28:57,710 filled with the same faith in the 418 00:28:57,710 --> 00:29:03,390 end and was with him. Now, after 40 419 00:29:03,390 --> 00:29:05,950 years, just like Caleb goes in and 420 00:29:05,950 --> 00:29:07,869 fights the Giants, well, Joshua, once 421 00:29:07,869 --> 00:29:10,250 Moses dies, becomes the leader to 422 00:29:10,250 --> 00:29:14,710 bring them in. And God says to him 423 00:29:14,710 --> 00:29:16,609 directly in Joshua one nine, it says, 424 00:29:16,970 --> 00:29:19,430 have I not commanded you be strong 425 00:29:19,430 --> 00:29:21,609 and of good courage, do not be afraid 426 00:29:21,609 --> 00:29:24,009 nor be dismayed for the Lord your God 427 00:29:24,009 --> 00:29:28,529 is with you wherever you go. He's 428 00:29:28,529 --> 00:29:30,329 reminding him, he said, hey, you 429 00:29:30,329 --> 00:29:32,269 had faith back then continue to have 430 00:29:32,269 --> 00:29:34,869 faith now. Do not be afraid. Do not 431 00:29:34,869 --> 00:29:37,269 be disturbed, discouraged, but be of 432 00:29:37,269 --> 00:29:39,109 good courage because I'm with you. 433 00:29:39,990 --> 00:29:42,130 And we need to constantly have that 434 00:29:42,130 --> 00:29:44,150 faith like moments of faith in the 435 00:29:44,150 --> 00:29:45,529 past, though they're good and 436 00:29:45,529 --> 00:29:47,190 there's something to look back on. 437 00:29:47,430 --> 00:29:49,609 They can't be the entire experience 438 00:29:49,609 --> 00:29:51,410 of our Christian life. It can't 439 00:29:51,410 --> 00:29:53,470 always be remember 20 years ago. 440 00:29:53,849 --> 00:29:56,130 Remember in the early days, we 441 00:29:56,130 --> 00:29:57,890 need to be having that faith every 442 00:29:57,890 --> 00:29:59,890 single day because we can't it's 443 00:29:59,890 --> 00:30:02,250 like eating it 10 years ago. Is 444 00:30:02,250 --> 00:30:03,210 that going to sustain you 445 00:30:03,210 --> 00:30:04,130 through the rest of your life? 446 00:30:04,490 --> 00:30:06,549 Like we need to eat daily. We 447 00:30:06,549 --> 00:30:08,150 need to exercise daily to stay 448 00:30:08,150 --> 00:30:09,930 healthy. We need to move and do 449 00:30:09,930 --> 00:30:12,009 things. And that's what faith is. 450 00:30:12,130 --> 00:30:13,289 It's like a muscle. You need to 451 00:30:13,289 --> 00:30:15,210 exercise it. You need to move. 452 00:30:15,390 --> 00:30:17,190 You need to stay alive. And 453 00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:18,509 that's why like, like faith 454 00:30:18,509 --> 00:30:21,430 requires action. That's why it 455 00:30:21,430 --> 00:30:23,089 says faith without works is dead. 456 00:30:24,289 --> 00:30:26,210 Works does not, it's not 457 00:30:26,210 --> 00:30:27,829 required for heaven. But if you 458 00:30:27,829 --> 00:30:28,630 don't know works, you don't 459 00:30:28,630 --> 00:30:30,829 believe like you don't. Faith 460 00:30:30,829 --> 00:30:33,089 without works is dead. So here 461 00:30:33,089 --> 00:30:34,910 Joshua is after 40 years, he 462 00:30:34,910 --> 00:30:37,970 had an opportunity again to now 463 00:30:37,970 --> 00:30:40,329 lead the faith filled Israel 464 00:30:40,329 --> 00:30:42,650 lights into the promised land. 465 00:30:45,349 --> 00:30:48,589 Now, if you've heard me speak 466 00:30:48,589 --> 00:30:50,849 before, you know, I always love 467 00:30:50,849 --> 00:30:51,950 to bring everything back to 468 00:30:51,950 --> 00:30:53,789 Jesus because it's all about 469 00:30:53,789 --> 00:30:57,170 him, right? We know in numerous 470 00:30:57,170 --> 00:30:59,029 places in the gospel, it says 471 00:30:59,029 --> 00:31:00,670 that Jesus opened all the law 472 00:31:00,670 --> 00:31:02,109 and the prophets to his people 473 00:31:02,109 --> 00:31:04,970 and showed them where it was 474 00:31:04,970 --> 00:31:06,890 speaking of him. All the law 475 00:31:06,890 --> 00:31:07,930 and the prophets speak of him, 476 00:31:07,950 --> 00:31:10,549 it says. So we know that the 477 00:31:10,549 --> 00:31:12,470 promised land is like the 478 00:31:12,470 --> 00:31:13,990 kingdom of God, right? The 479 00:31:13,990 --> 00:31:15,630 promised land is like our 480 00:31:15,630 --> 00:31:17,549 kingdom of God. It's a picture 481 00:31:17,549 --> 00:31:20,690 of it. But there's opposition to 482 00:31:20,690 --> 00:31:22,029 enter the kingdom of heaven, 483 00:31:22,309 --> 00:31:24,009 the kingdom of God. There are 484 00:31:24,009 --> 00:31:26,750 giants. There is sin, death and 485 00:31:26,750 --> 00:31:29,650 the devil. And these good spies 486 00:31:29,650 --> 00:31:31,150 are actually a picture of 487 00:31:31,150 --> 00:31:33,269 Jesus, a foreshadowing of him 488 00:31:33,269 --> 00:31:35,890 because we couldn't handle the 489 00:31:35,890 --> 00:31:37,069 Israelites. I mean, we 490 00:31:37,069 --> 00:31:38,609 couldn't handle the giants on 491 00:31:38,609 --> 00:31:40,089 our own sin, death and the 492 00:31:40,089 --> 00:31:42,410 devil. But Jesus holds the 493 00:31:42,410 --> 00:31:44,029 victory and we see in Hebrews 494 00:31:44,029 --> 00:31:46,109 12 too, it says Jesus who for 495 00:31:46,109 --> 00:31:48,170 the joy set before him endured 496 00:31:48,170 --> 00:31:49,589 the cross, despising the 497 00:31:49,589 --> 00:31:51,150 shame and has sat down at 498 00:31:51,150 --> 00:31:52,130 the right hand of the throne 499 00:31:52,130 --> 00:31:54,950 of God. He saw the victory and 500 00:31:54,950 --> 00:31:56,470 the joy set before him that 501 00:31:56,470 --> 00:31:58,589 he went through the cross. And 502 00:31:58,589 --> 00:31:59,970 I want everyone, let's all 503 00:31:59,970 --> 00:32:01,990 turn to 1 Corinthians 15. 504 00:32:07,150 --> 00:32:09,150 So we see the sin, the death 505 00:32:09,150 --> 00:32:10,230 and the devil. These are the 506 00:32:10,230 --> 00:32:12,029 things that we can't fight in 507 00:32:12,029 --> 00:32:13,289 our own strength, the giants 508 00:32:13,289 --> 00:32:15,450 that must be taken down so 509 00:32:15,450 --> 00:32:17,450 that we now can walk into the 510 00:32:17,450 --> 00:32:21,150 kingdom of heaven. And verse 511 00:32:21,150 --> 00:32:26,930 54, I'd highly recommend 512 00:32:27,609 --> 00:32:29,049 everyone read all of 1 513 00:32:29,049 --> 00:32:30,089 Corinthians. It's so good. 514 00:32:31,210 --> 00:32:33,230 So when the corruptible has 515 00:32:33,230 --> 00:32:35,869 put on incorruption and the 516 00:32:35,869 --> 00:32:37,509 mortal has put on 517 00:32:37,509 --> 00:32:40,529 immortality, then shall be 518 00:32:40,529 --> 00:32:41,970 brought to pass the saying 519 00:32:41,970 --> 00:32:44,170 as it is written, death is 520 00:32:44,170 --> 00:32:46,710 swallowed up in victory. Oh 521 00:32:46,710 --> 00:32:48,690 death, where is your sting? 522 00:32:49,130 --> 00:32:50,390 And oh Hades, where is your 523 00:32:50,390 --> 00:32:52,589 victory? The sting of death 524 00:32:52,589 --> 00:32:54,849 is sin and the strength of 525 00:32:54,849 --> 00:32:56,450 sin is the law. But thanks 526 00:32:56,450 --> 00:32:58,410 be to God who gives us the 527 00:32:58,410 --> 00:32:59,750 victory through our Lord 528 00:32:59,750 --> 00:33:04,549 Jesus Christ. Sin and death, 529 00:33:05,230 --> 00:33:08,009 hell, the grave, Satan, all of 530 00:33:08,009 --> 00:33:10,349 it has been defeated by 531 00:33:10,349 --> 00:33:11,430 Jesus's death and 532 00:33:11,430 --> 00:33:12,490 resurrection on the cross. 533 00:33:13,490 --> 00:33:15,170 So we don't have to be afraid 534 00:33:15,170 --> 00:33:16,910 of anything. If that's 535 00:33:16,910 --> 00:33:18,130 handled, the rest is pretty 536 00:33:18,130 --> 00:33:20,250 easy for God, right? If our 537 00:33:20,250 --> 00:33:22,089 eternity is secure and all 538 00:33:22,089 --> 00:33:23,930 our failures are handled, 539 00:33:24,470 --> 00:33:26,410 then Jesus's victory is 540 00:33:26,410 --> 00:33:28,490 final and is for every day 541 00:33:28,490 --> 00:33:31,230 for us. And these two spies, 542 00:33:32,390 --> 00:33:35,109 Caleb and Joshua, also have 543 00:33:35,109 --> 00:33:35,990 a lot of things that point 544 00:33:35,990 --> 00:33:37,349 to Jesus as well, which is 545 00:33:37,349 --> 00:33:38,829 very cool. We have Caleb. 546 00:33:39,509 --> 00:33:41,130 Caleb means faithful and 547 00:33:41,130 --> 00:33:43,269 wholehearted. Faithful, 548 00:33:43,509 --> 00:33:45,569 wholehearted. And Joshua 549 00:33:45,569 --> 00:33:46,890 means Yahweh's salvation. 550 00:33:47,970 --> 00:33:49,769 And if you take the Hebrew 551 00:33:49,769 --> 00:33:51,069 name Joshua and make it 552 00:33:51,069 --> 00:33:52,170 Greek, it's actually Jesus. 553 00:33:53,230 --> 00:33:54,529 That Greek, the Greek 554 00:33:54,529 --> 00:33:56,170 version of Joshua is Jesus. 555 00:33:57,049 --> 00:33:59,069 So Jesus is the faithful high 556 00:33:59,069 --> 00:34:01,210 priest who is whole hearted 557 00:34:01,769 --> 00:34:02,910 like Caleb's name means, 558 00:34:03,109 --> 00:34:05,289 wholeheartedly devoted to 559 00:34:05,289 --> 00:34:08,030 God and to the ministry of 560 00:34:08,030 --> 00:34:10,349 saving us. It says that he 561 00:34:10,349 --> 00:34:11,789 is salvation, God is 562 00:34:11,789 --> 00:34:13,750 salvation, and the name of 563 00:34:13,750 --> 00:34:15,010 Joshua literally means 564 00:34:15,010 --> 00:34:16,349 Jesus. It's the same 565 00:34:16,349 --> 00:34:19,769 name. And Judah and 566 00:34:19,769 --> 00:34:20,989 Ephraim are the two tribes. 567 00:34:21,789 --> 00:34:25,150 So, so Caleb is, Joshua is 568 00:34:25,150 --> 00:34:27,349 from the tribe. Oh, maybe 569 00:34:27,349 --> 00:34:29,130 I switched these. Let me 570 00:34:29,130 --> 00:34:32,070 read it. We have Caleb, 571 00:34:32,190 --> 00:34:33,090 the son of Jeff, you know, 572 00:34:33,170 --> 00:34:34,789 is the tribe of Judah. So 573 00:34:34,789 --> 00:34:37,250 yeah, Caleb is from Judah 574 00:34:37,250 --> 00:34:40,070 and Joshua is from Ephraim. 575 00:34:40,769 --> 00:34:42,030 Now these two tribes are 576 00:34:42,030 --> 00:34:43,030 very interesting as well 577 00:34:43,030 --> 00:34:45,289 because we know that 578 00:34:45,289 --> 00:34:47,130 Jesus is from the tribe 579 00:34:47,130 --> 00:34:49,010 of Judah. He's from the 580 00:34:49,010 --> 00:34:51,789 tribe of Judah. And the 581 00:34:51,789 --> 00:34:53,489 it's interesting the way 582 00:34:53,489 --> 00:34:55,070 the tribes go through the 583 00:34:55,070 --> 00:34:56,789 wilderness, we have Judah 584 00:34:56,789 --> 00:34:57,909 leading the East, leading 585 00:34:57,909 --> 00:34:59,130 the whole entire 586 00:34:59,130 --> 00:35:00,050 congregation through the 587 00:35:00,050 --> 00:35:01,250 wilderness. Jesus is our 588 00:35:01,250 --> 00:35:02,690 leader. He is the one 589 00:35:02,690 --> 00:35:04,030 leading us right into 590 00:35:04,030 --> 00:35:05,650 the Promised Land. And 591 00:35:05,650 --> 00:35:07,469 then on the western side 592 00:35:07,469 --> 00:35:09,190 is Ephraim. And so it 593 00:35:09,190 --> 00:35:10,570 shows that like as the 594 00:35:10,570 --> 00:35:11,829 sun rises from the East 595 00:35:11,829 --> 00:35:13,110 to the West, these are 596 00:35:13,110 --> 00:35:14,869 the two spies that were 597 00:35:14,869 --> 00:35:16,190 good, the two tribes that 598 00:35:16,190 --> 00:35:17,469 were good. And we see 599 00:35:17,469 --> 00:35:18,449 like the East and the 600 00:35:18,449 --> 00:35:19,889 West, the sun rising and 601 00:35:19,889 --> 00:35:21,510 setting. Jesus is the 602 00:35:21,510 --> 00:35:22,829 light of the world. He is 603 00:35:22,829 --> 00:35:23,969 the beginning and the 604 00:35:23,969 --> 00:35:25,570 end, the first and the 605 00:35:25,570 --> 00:35:31,309 last. And as like we said 606 00:35:31,309 --> 00:35:34,550 that Ephraim also what had 607 00:35:34,550 --> 00:35:35,690 the blessing of the 608 00:35:35,690 --> 00:35:37,449 firstborn. He had the 609 00:35:37,449 --> 00:35:38,570 blessing of the firstborn. 610 00:35:38,690 --> 00:35:40,230 And we know that Jesus in 611 00:35:40,230 --> 00:35:42,150 first in Colossians it 612 00:35:42,150 --> 00:35:43,369 says he's the firstborn 613 00:35:43,369 --> 00:35:45,030 overall creation and the 614 00:35:45,030 --> 00:35:46,369 firstborn from among the 615 00:35:46,369 --> 00:35:48,250 dead. So here are these 616 00:35:48,250 --> 00:35:49,630 people, their names, 617 00:35:49,869 --> 00:35:51,190 their tribes, what they 618 00:35:51,190 --> 00:35:52,269 were doing in the 619 00:35:52,269 --> 00:35:53,210 wilderness, all are 620 00:35:53,210 --> 00:35:55,030 pointing to Jesus one day 621 00:35:55,030 --> 00:35:56,829 coming, defeating sin 622 00:35:56,829 --> 00:35:59,050 death and hell and Satan 623 00:35:59,050 --> 00:36:00,210 so that we can truly 624 00:36:00,210 --> 00:36:01,789 enter the promised land. 625 00:36:02,530 --> 00:36:03,849 And how do we overcome? 626 00:36:05,030 --> 00:36:06,030 Right. Revelation says 627 00:36:06,030 --> 00:36:08,070 how do we overcome? It's 628 00:36:08,070 --> 00:36:09,489 by the blood of the lamb 629 00:36:09,990 --> 00:36:11,030 and the word of our 630 00:36:11,030 --> 00:36:12,570 testimony. And our 631 00:36:12,570 --> 00:36:13,650 testimony is not just 632 00:36:13,650 --> 00:36:14,929 our own story. Our 633 00:36:14,929 --> 00:36:16,130 testimony is that Jesus 634 00:36:16,130 --> 00:36:18,329 Christ is Lord. That is 635 00:36:18,329 --> 00:36:19,530 the testimony that we 636 00:36:19,530 --> 00:36:20,989 overcome with. So every 637 00:36:20,989 --> 00:36:22,789 trial, every temptation, 638 00:36:23,389 --> 00:36:25,190 every persecution, every 639 00:36:25,930 --> 00:36:27,449 principality or power we 640 00:36:27,449 --> 00:36:30,190 overcome by Jesus, the 641 00:36:30,190 --> 00:36:31,130 blood of the lamb and 642 00:36:31,130 --> 00:36:32,449 the word of our 643 00:36:32,449 --> 00:36:36,429 testimony. So in closing, 644 00:36:36,550 --> 00:36:38,889 I want to ask like who 645 00:36:38,889 --> 00:36:41,630 are we in this story? I 646 00:36:41,630 --> 00:36:43,150 know Jesus is the good 647 00:36:43,150 --> 00:36:46,489 spies and but he calls us 648 00:36:46,489 --> 00:36:47,969 to be like them, to be 649 00:36:47,969 --> 00:36:50,110 like him. Right. But in 650 00:36:50,110 --> 00:36:53,010 normal life, I fall all 651 00:36:53,010 --> 00:36:54,550 across that spectrum. I 652 00:36:54,550 --> 00:36:56,489 fall into the Israelites 653 00:36:56,489 --> 00:36:57,530 who listen to the bad 654 00:36:57,530 --> 00:36:59,269 report and believe it and 655 00:36:59,269 --> 00:37:01,190 don't want to go. I fall 656 00:37:01,190 --> 00:37:02,489 sometimes into the 10 657 00:37:02,489 --> 00:37:04,389 bad spies who see the 658 00:37:04,389 --> 00:37:05,869 world and see the 659 00:37:05,869 --> 00:37:07,230 circumstances and then 660 00:37:07,230 --> 00:37:08,630 choose fear over faith. 661 00:37:09,429 --> 00:37:10,449 And then there are many 662 00:37:10,449 --> 00:37:11,469 times where I'm also 663 00:37:11,469 --> 00:37:12,750 Joshua and Caleb and I 664 00:37:12,750 --> 00:37:14,110 have strong faith and 665 00:37:14,110 --> 00:37:15,050 I'm like, yeah, we can 666 00:37:15,050 --> 00:37:17,590 do this. But God has 667 00:37:18,269 --> 00:37:19,909 better things for us than 668 00:37:19,909 --> 00:37:21,030 living between those 669 00:37:21,030 --> 00:37:22,010 three types of people. 670 00:37:22,329 --> 00:37:23,750 Right. Because it says 671 00:37:23,750 --> 00:37:25,789 if we keep God will keep 672 00:37:25,789 --> 00:37:27,070 us in perfect peace if 673 00:37:27,070 --> 00:37:29,170 we keep our mind fixed 674 00:37:29,170 --> 00:37:31,550 on him because we trust 675 00:37:31,550 --> 00:37:35,650 him. So my faith is 100 676 00:37:35,650 --> 00:37:38,230 percent tied to my focus. 677 00:37:39,090 --> 00:37:40,130 Does anybody else 678 00:37:40,130 --> 00:37:42,050 relate? If you're not 679 00:37:42,050 --> 00:37:43,849 focused on him, you're 680 00:37:43,849 --> 00:37:44,630 going to start believing 681 00:37:44,630 --> 00:37:46,690 a lot more fear. You're 682 00:37:46,690 --> 00:37:48,010 going to be handing over 683 00:37:48,010 --> 00:37:49,469 the title deed of like 684 00:37:49,469 --> 00:37:50,550 yes, you can have this 685 00:37:50,550 --> 00:37:51,969 promise of God because 686 00:37:51,969 --> 00:37:53,110 I'm too scared to take 687 00:37:53,110 --> 00:37:54,869 it. There are so many 688 00:37:54,869 --> 00:37:56,670 things that he has for us 689 00:37:56,670 --> 00:37:58,489 that we need faith to 690 00:37:58,489 --> 00:38:00,150 receive all of it. All 691 00:38:00,150 --> 00:38:01,550 of our Christian life is 692 00:38:01,550 --> 00:38:03,150 received through faith in 693 00:38:03,150 --> 00:38:06,250 Jesus. And so we can't 694 00:38:06,250 --> 00:38:07,130 oscillate back and 695 00:38:07,130 --> 00:38:08,489 forth between the bad 696 00:38:08,489 --> 00:38:09,630 spies and the good spies 697 00:38:09,630 --> 00:38:11,849 on a daily basis. Like 698 00:38:11,849 --> 00:38:13,210 we know that obviously 699 00:38:13,210 --> 00:38:15,150 we have fears and trials 700 00:38:15,150 --> 00:38:16,329 and all, but it says 701 00:38:16,329 --> 00:38:19,070 count it all joy when 702 00:38:19,070 --> 00:38:19,889 you go through various 703 00:38:19,889 --> 00:38:21,170 trials and temptations 704 00:38:21,170 --> 00:38:22,809 because what I have this 705 00:38:22,809 --> 00:38:26,110 first right here. Oh, I 706 00:38:26,110 --> 00:38:27,369 didn't write down. I 707 00:38:27,369 --> 00:38:29,570 love that one. Yeah. So 708 00:38:29,570 --> 00:38:30,730 consider pure joy when 709 00:38:30,730 --> 00:38:32,230 you endure various trials 710 00:38:32,230 --> 00:38:33,949 because it produces 711 00:38:33,949 --> 00:38:35,630 perseverance and test 712 00:38:35,630 --> 00:38:37,409 your faith. So we are 713 00:38:37,409 --> 00:38:38,809 given opportunities to 714 00:38:38,809 --> 00:38:40,329 have faith through trials 715 00:38:40,830 --> 00:38:42,949 and constantly we need to 716 00:38:42,949 --> 00:38:43,849 keep our mind fixed on 717 00:38:43,849 --> 00:38:46,070 him every single day on 718 00:38:46,070 --> 00:38:47,309 a daily basis. If our 719 00:38:47,309 --> 00:38:48,329 mind is fixed on him, 720 00:38:48,329 --> 00:38:49,610 we will be like the good 721 00:38:49,610 --> 00:38:51,429 spies that reject the 722 00:38:51,429 --> 00:38:52,989 facts and the lies of the 723 00:38:52,989 --> 00:38:55,030 enemy and instead choose 724 00:38:55,030 --> 00:38:56,489 faith and go into the 725 00:38:56,489 --> 00:38:57,590 promised land like Caleb. 726 00:38:59,449 --> 00:39:00,730 So I do have some 727 00:39:00,730 --> 00:39:01,730 questions that we can 728 00:39:01,730 --> 00:39:03,369 break off into groups. Um, 729 00:39:03,550 --> 00:39:04,730 I do want to pray before 730 00:39:04,730 --> 00:39:06,429 we do it, but, uh, we 731 00:39:06,429 --> 00:39:07,329 could put up those 732 00:39:07,329 --> 00:39:08,869 questions and I'll close 733 00:39:08,869 --> 00:39:09,710 it out in some prayer. 734 00:39:11,309 --> 00:39:12,329 Lord, thank you so much, 735 00:39:12,429 --> 00:39:14,750 God, um, that you are 736 00:39:14,750 --> 00:39:16,469 so faithful to us. 737 00:39:16,469 --> 00:39:19,110 Lord, thank you that 738 00:39:19,110 --> 00:39:20,710 you are so powerful, God. 739 00:39:21,289 --> 00:39:22,730 Um, no matter what you 740 00:39:22,730 --> 00:39:23,969 called us to, no matter 741 00:39:23,969 --> 00:39:24,889 what we will be going 742 00:39:24,889 --> 00:39:26,309 into God, you already had 743 00:39:26,309 --> 00:39:28,070 the victory, Lord. You 744 00:39:28,070 --> 00:39:29,630 already won the battle, 745 00:39:29,630 --> 00:39:30,969 Lord. So we just need to 746 00:39:30,969 --> 00:39:32,750 believe and step in and 747 00:39:32,750 --> 00:39:33,750 I pray God that we 748 00:39:33,750 --> 00:39:35,010 wouldn't be like the 749 00:39:35,010 --> 00:39:36,389 Israelites believing the 750 00:39:36,389 --> 00:39:38,349 bad report or the spies 751 00:39:38,349 --> 00:39:39,889 that got wrapped up in 752 00:39:39,889 --> 00:39:41,510 fear and realized how 753 00:39:41,510 --> 00:39:42,909 weak we are, God, like, 754 00:39:42,989 --> 00:39:44,090 yes, we are weak, of 755 00:39:44,090 --> 00:39:46,130 course, but we serve in 756 00:39:46,130 --> 00:39:48,150 all powerful God. And I 757 00:39:48,150 --> 00:39:49,670 pray that we would step 758 00:39:49,670 --> 00:39:51,210 out in faith, Lord, um, 759 00:39:51,389 --> 00:39:53,289 this week, that when you 760 00:39:53,289 --> 00:39:54,550 tell us to do something, 761 00:39:54,670 --> 00:39:55,730 God, that we would just 762 00:39:56,230 --> 00:39:57,369 wholeheartedly like a kid, 763 00:39:57,489 --> 00:39:58,670 just believe it, Lord, and 764 00:39:58,670 --> 00:40:00,349 go and do it. And I pray 765 00:40:00,349 --> 00:40:01,150 that we would see 766 00:40:01,630 --> 00:40:02,829 miraculous things happen, 767 00:40:02,989 --> 00:40:03,769 Lord. I pray that we 768 00:40:03,769 --> 00:40:04,530 would see salvation, 769 00:40:04,949 --> 00:40:06,150 Lord. I pray that we 770 00:40:06,150 --> 00:40:07,530 would see your gifts in 771 00:40:07,530 --> 00:40:09,010 our life come to life, 772 00:40:09,010 --> 00:40:10,389 God. I pray that we'd 773 00:40:10,389 --> 00:40:11,530 step into all that you've 774 00:40:11,530 --> 00:40:13,889 planned for us and for 775 00:40:13,889 --> 00:40:15,929 our church and Jesus 776 00:40:15,929 --> 00:40:43,170 name, amen.