By Pastor Peter Ventura Jr (Reprinted with permission)
Text: Nu. 13:1-3, 17-33.
The Apostle Paul speaking about events which are recorded in the Old Testament – events such as you and I have read right here this morning in the now and nasty 2024 – Paul said: “Now all these things happened onto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11). Not an Example, but an Ensample. There is difference between an Example and an Ensample. An Example is a type of something, but an Ensample is the real thing!
By way of seven pointed words and or expressions from our text, it is my desire to show you how to be victorious in Christ Jesus, and how to fall short of your victorious life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Each ensample will come directly from the Word of God – from our opening text:
1. The Get You Up – of Commission (17). Moses tells the spies to go search the land and see what kind it was – and as to the inhabitants that dwelt in it. Amen! It’s good to know the strength and character of the enemy we have to conquer. As with Israel, so with all Christians. When the Lord tells us to go in a certain direction, it matters not how great the difficulties, or how formidable the enemy or obstacle, we shall have grace to surmount the one and to overcome the other. With every “Go” of Command, the Lord gives us the “Lo” of His presence –“…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mt. 28:20).
2. The Be Of Good Courage of Fortitude (20). True courage is the outcome of the fear of God. He who fears God need not fear any foe. He who has looked into the face of God can look into the face of any man. True courage has consistency as its forerunner!
3. The Nevertheless of Unbelief (28). Unbelief always magnifies difficulties and makes them far larger than they are. There is always a ‘nevertheless’ where man is concerned, and when unbelief is at work. The unbelieving spies saw the difficulties – great cities, high walls, tall giants. All these things they saw; but they did not see God Almighty at all. They looked at the things that were seen, rather than at the things which were unseen. Their eye was not fixed on Him who is invisible. No doubt, the cities were great; but God was greater! The walls were high. But God was higher! The giants were strong. But God – the Lord of Hosts was stronger!
4. The Well Able of Faith (30). The man or woman, boy or girl of faith who looks to God, and remembers what He is able to do – Shouts – “We Are Well Able To Overcome.” Faith looks the difficulties straight in the face. It is not ignorant – not indifferent – not reckless; but – what? It brings in the living God. It looks to Him! It leans on Him! It draws from Him! There lies the grand secret of faith’s power.
5. The Not Able of Despair (31). What a contrast this is to the “Well Able” of Caleb! “Stronger than we” is the exclamation of despair as the enemy is compared with the self-occupied ones. But surely the enemy – the foe – is not stronger than He! Ah, it makes all the difference whether it be “He” or “We”. If the warfare depends on us there will be defeat, but since it depends upon the Lord there must be victory, if we trust Him! Despair is born out of self-occupation and through viewing self’s resources. There is only one way to get rid of self, and that is, put the Lord in front of it – then self will read, “Himself”.
6. The Evil Report of Half-Heartedness (32). Half-heartedness is the worm that will kill any plant of grace. The reason why so many fail is a lack of thoroughness. Half-heartedness is the forerunner of defeat! Half-heartedness magnifies difficulties, hesitates in danger, discourages timid ones, breeds unbelief, lacks backbone, cripples devotion, and thinks much of itself!
7. The We Saw of Short-Sightedness (33). Those evil reporters saw the great ones of the earth, but they did not see the Great One of Heaven! I said they saw the great ones of the earth, but they did not see the Great One of Heaven! If they had looked at the great ones of the earth from the Lord’s view, they would have seen the great ones of the earth, but as “grasshoppers”, in the Lord’s sight! Isaiah wrote: “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heaven as a curtain, and spreadeth out as a tent to dwell in” (Isa. 40:22). Instead of this, the spies say they are as grasshoppers. If you and I look at difficulties and dangers through the world’s perspective, we will be discouraged. A discouraged Christian man or woman, boy or girl, is a defeated Christian! But if, you and I, Christian – if we stand on the mountain-top of fellowship with God, earth’s great ones, and all of our difficulties in this life will indeed be as grasshoppers!
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