peterd

There be giants here!

Numbers 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

When things are going well, problems and disappointments are not part of our vocabulary and we are prospering in every area it is easy to display “Faith”. It is so easy to criticise and “counsel” others who somehow are not experiencing the joy, peace and prosperity promised in the Word of God for every one of His children. It is so easy to “look down our noses”, shake our heads and have seemingly endless answers and advice for those so beset. It is so easy to say “have faith in God” – and really unless you have been where they are, have sat where they sit, have experienced what they are going through it is better that you keep silent and take their cause to our heavenly Lord in intercessory prayer.

The prophet Ezekiel was taken in the spirit to the Israelite captives – he said “I sat where they sat” (Ezekiel 3:15) – and he said: “I was astonished” – it blew him away. God gave him this insight so he could minister to these people with an understanding and sympathetic heart.

In our scripture reference above we see the report brought back by the spies Moses had sent into the “Promised land” – “there be giants there!” They were big, strong and we were like grasshoppers compared to them. We were “nobodies”. They terrified us. We saw just how insignificant and small we really were. Might as well give up right here and now! And do exactly what???

They couldn’t go back to Egypt. To return to the desert meant certain death. Now it seemed that to enter the land also meant certain death. All their bravado and “faith” had disappeared like the morning mist. It was just here where the true faith was tested.

Two men in the crowd of gainsayers; Joshua and Caleb; rose up to the challenge and said: “Yes; there are giants in the land. Yes; we are like grasshoppers in their sights. Yes; they are far greater and more powerful than we are. Yes; it looks like a hopeless task – BUT with God we are well able to take the land!!!”

Who did the crowd believe? Strangely enough they believed the majority negative vote. The result was that the then living generation never entered the land “flowing with milk and honey”, but died in the wilderness. Only the two men of faith eventually entered the land.

My experience in life has been that the giants do not get smaller – each encounter is with bigger, stronger and more terrifying giants. Our Christian walk in this world is one of constant battles and victories – and sadly some defeats where faith wavers. We sang a song in my youth with some of the following words: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world!

The giants we confront in our lives are permitted for a twofold purpose:

-          To make us see just how small and insignificant we really are so we don’t claim the credit for success.

-          To cause us to turn to God in faith and say what God says: “You are well able to be victorious here.”

I have found when I feel so low I “can’t touch bottom”; so low that “I can’t get my nose up onto the curb”; that it is then time to start praising the Lord and saying what He says I am. What exactly am I anyway? Who am I anyway? Do I believe what Satan says I am? Settle it once for all that Satan is a liar and always opposes the truth and denies what God says.

What does God say?

Romans 8:35-39 who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Did you get that? MORE THAN CONQUERORS.

Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

And did you get that? You ARE seated in heavenly places in Christ.

SO WHAT IF THERE ARE GIANTS?

SO WHAT IF THEY ARE BIG AND REACH TO THE HEAVENS?

SO WHAT IF YOU SEEM SO INSIGNIFICANT AND DOOMED TO FAILURE?

Recognize who you are and where you are. No matter how big the giants are, they are not “seated in the heavelies” – you are and are far above and over them. By faith take the victory. Giants are there to test and strengthen our faith. The bigger the giants are the harder they fall!

Walk tall and believe God like Joshua and Caleb – no matter what!