A Good Report?
A good report! Our feet are beautiful on the mountains, the high places in God, where our walk brings good news! Dare we risk it? We announce peace, not war. We announce salvation to all, not condemnation to unbelievers forever. We show the way into the kingdom, without judgment for the sin and death in which mankind lives. We speak life, not death, into others. We draw with love, not fear. We have the privilege of proclaiming to all that our God reigns!
How critical it is to bring a good report to the people of God today! Our redemption is drawing nigh in this Day of the Lord. He is in charge of it all, including the fate of the earth and all life dwelling in it. There is more and more bad news, so much to complain about! So many are most unhappy about what’s happening in our lives. There is little national agreement on the direction we are going. America, with its wealth, privilege, and technology, has become a nation of argumentative complainers.
For generations, there have been wars and rumors of wars, with periodic escalation and thousands of deaths. We are having more natural and man-made disasters, more destructive and dangerous storms of all types, famine, more war, more destruction, more violence, more illness, more loss. We continue to develop more ways to kill each other, either directly, or indirectly, through what we allow for financial gain. Do you feel the weight of discouragement and hopelessness begin to settle as you read these sentences?
This is all truth, but it causes no joy or peace in our hearts to know it, let alone rehearse it all to ourselves and others. We must see God’s hand in our lives, regardless. Our joy is in the Lord and He has good news for all of creation. There are world experts in bad news, divisive news, and news of horror and defeat. Many make their living by sharing bad news. It’s difficult to be positive as a newscaster, that’s not really their job. Having all good news does not sell the news, even though some news outlets now add a “feel good” story following the words and images of death and tragedy.
A good report is speaking with encouragement about things, focusing on what is worthy of praise and admiration. Christians do need to be informed, to be alert and pray, to apply spiritual wisdom and understanding to the events of the day. But our focus is on Him, showing forth faith flowing from His heart of love. We know He has everything in His Hands love and mercy, justice and truth. If that is where it is, how can we not flow out in a stream of His love and goodness to all? What is the treasure in our hearts that can flow out with a good report?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 Berean
What is stored up in our hearts of the treasures of heaven to encourage and give people hope in these times? What words do we have that are edifying to the body of Christ? Our hope is in God! We create darkness and negativity when we speak only bad news, giving a bad report about others, ourselves, or the world. There really are consequences to words. There’s a saying that “pessimists are realists while optimists are blind.”That is not God’s wisdom!
In fact, some of us Christians are accused of being entirely too positive! But God told us in Philippians to focus on the Good News, fulfilled in Jesus Christ our Lord.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV
What can be more clear than this passage, starting with telling us not to worry? We can be thankful in, though not necessarily for, all of our circumstances. God was the first One to say, “Don’t worry. Be happy!” This is good news! It is all a good report as we are encouraged to think about these things. Who embodies all that this speaks of but our Lord Jesus Christ? He is the good report: all that is true, honorable, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. As His heart is revealed to us, as we are learning of His ways, He creates these things within us, too.
A good report is easy as we meditate on all His faithfulness, His kindness, mercy, love and forgiveness for His people. What we turn our gaze upon, who or what we worship and adore, becomes a part of us. The Christ is being formed within a people as we rest in His presence, allowing Him to make us more than conquerers in all situations.
Paul told the Thessalonians to keep building each other up:
“He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 Berean
Why is a good report so vital? Well, let us consider the consequences of making a negative,“bad news” report to the people of God. The Israelites were led by Moses for many days through the wilderness, finally arriving at the border of the promised land. Moses directed 12 spies to go into the land to assess the people, their possessions and crops, the fruit of the land, in preparation for finally entering in.
Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies sent to check out the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve spies, all except for Joshua and Caleb, came back with a bad report. This had serious consequences for the people of God:
“They reported to Moses and said, ‘We went into the land where you sent us, and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage].
The people [descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.’
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are too strong for us.”
So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we went, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it were men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim), and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:26-33 Amplified
How they had forgotten the promises, the miracles, let alone the might and power of their God! It was a very bad report, formed in fear and deception. This bad report magnified the enemies they were to conquer while disclaiming God’s promise of victory. The ten spies forgot all about God and His words to them when facing their future enemies. They saw their enemies of great stature and themselves, God’s people of promise, as weak and small. They were completely overwhelmed by the outward appearance of their foes.
Even though the land was found to be rich and flowing with milk and honey, just as God said, they skipped right past that to get to the bad news. When Caleb attempted to speak in faith, they contended strongly with his good report. They were already captivated by the bad report that had planted fear, negativity, and defeat in the people. Caleb didn’t get anywhere with his positive, faith-filled, encouraging report because hope and faith had already been destroyed.
This bad report seriously damaged the people’s trust that God would do what He promised in giving them the land flowing with milk and honey. It brought death, not life, rapidly spreading unbelief throughout the camp:
“Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’
So they said to one another, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.’ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.” Numbers 14:1-5 Amplified
How contagious negativity is! Bad news travels fast. The seed of fear and unbelief from these ten spies sharing a very negative report was infectious. Their bad report about the promised land caused such rapid despair that the people wanted to go back to the bondage of Egypt or die in the wilderness rather than go in to take the country promised to them by God. And this was a people who had seen many miracles in their escape from Egypt’s bondage and sustenance during the days of the wilderness travels. They had experienced much love and provision of God, including their miraculous deliverance when the Red Sea parted for them to escape their oppressors.
By this time in their travels, the Israelites had been miraculously saved and provided for over and over, yet fear and anger swallowed up their faith. God is not pleased when we forget all His benefits. It surely does not delight the Lord when we quickly accept an overwhelmingly bad, negative report and forget all His blessings, deliverance and benefits. These people of God should be pillars of faith after all God has said and done for and within them. Caleb is just that, stating clearly that they all should believe this land is theirs already because God promised it to be so. As David said:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds.” Psalms 103:1-2 Berean
Caleb’s statement of faith, came from a heart that believed all God had said to them. Caleb did not judge by the sight of his eyes or what he has heard of their enemies. His faith in God’s promises, in His word to His people, was not shaken when faced with the adversity surely to come. Caleb is strong in his faith that their God can do all things. He stands on God’s power to do what appears impossible, over and over, for those He has called and chosen. Negativity, fear, and darkness, however, rapidly take hold of their hearts, when fully accepting the majority report of impossibility and loss.
This is always the case. Bad reports swallow up God’s word and that of faithful trusting servants like Caleb, a lone voice except for Joshua, giving a good report. The results of a bad report for those who are not garrisoned by God in their hearts remain so today. Just be around someone with negativity, carrying a theme of darkness with words such as “Isn’t it awful…I knew this [bad thing} would happen …the world is getting worse and worse…we’re heading to a catastrophe, a fatal end: (pick one): World War 3, global destruction, overrun by ‘foreigners’, lethal destruction, loss of democracy or freedom or income and… and…so on.”
We can add to the endless flood of bad news, negativity, condemnation and “Ain’t it awful!.” The gospel of fear is rampant but it is not God’s way. There are always these things and yes, in this day of the Lord, there is even more of it. But the Day of the Lord, coming as a thief (a surprise) to some is welcome to us. It’s good news! Our words of faith in this hour are important! We are able to bring a good or bad report about entering into our Promised Land, the Kingdom of love, peace and joy, right here, right now, on this earth, because God promised.
We can learn to speak life rather than death. We can foster love and mercy instead of division and hate. We can speak peace, truly being peacemakers, rather than stirring up animosity for anyone different than we are. We surely can continue to give the bad report that the majority have, that our flesh will never defeat the enemy until we die and go to heaven. We can complain that we are fighting the devil all day long. We can shake our heads about how impossible it is for Jesus Christ to bring His body of believers into unity. We can accept that war and destruction are inevitable, as we know humans deserve it.
There is a constant flood of bad news coming at us, now minute by minute with all our technological advances, even in third world countries. Are we caught up in this, flowing with the majority, more often the bearer of bad news about how others or we, ourselves, continue to fall short? What kind of crop will we get when sowing these negative fear-based words in a bad report? Or do we see with spiritual eyes and hear with spiritual ears the good news of what is coming upon the earth today?
When will God’s people, who are called by His name, speak the good news to others? When will we know that we are chosen for such a time as this when darkness threatens to swallow up the light completely on our earth? Do we trust His word rather than what we see or hear on this planet? Let’s proclaim that God’s love is true and available, that His peace is possible here on this earth, and that His joy is eternally within us as our strength.
Oh yes, there is much shaking and trembling as God is dealing with all within us and around us. But even that is good news! The fire of God’s passion, His wrath, burns up the dross in those of us who draw ever closer to His presence. His refining fires consume our dross. We are thankful for all that God is doing in this world. He is bringing to an end the ways of man. That’s good news!
Many many things created by man’s efforts alone are coming to an end. Hallelujah! Only God can correct the chaos and destruction on this earth. That’s good news! He is coming back within a people to reconcile all to Him, as He so loves the world. That’s good news! His compassions fail not, they are new every morning. That’s good news! His justice is fully joined with His mercy and compassion. That’s good news!
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:10-14 NIV
Sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? We can relate to the fearful Israelites, ten out of twelve, the majority opinion, who brought their negative and fear-filled report to the camp. It is just so today. Then, as now, when God’s people look into the future of God’s kingdom, they do not see with spiritual eyes and ears, and are only able to give a negative, discouraging and demoralizing report. These passages, using God’s symbolic language, are used to threaten condemnation and destruction, forgetting that God’s endings always bring new beginnings.
In Moses’ day, those chosen to spy out the land were trusted men of stature that Moses saw as leaders of the people. Though they were in error, they were men of influence, so their report was believed by the people. It’s so much easier to yield to fear and unbelief, then and now, particularly when respected leaders are trumpeting evil and destruction all around us. Our human vision, clouded by our carnal understanding, cannot see the way for God to be victorious given the factual situations facing us all in this world. We surely need a new earth, but how?
More than one Christian leader has taken a position to preach fear instead of faith in God. Some even admit they are ministering what they know is limited truth, but cannot abandon it for fear of losing their congregation, income, or stature in the religious world. Few preach that we can take the kingdom, that the heavens and earth to be destroyed are the former spiritual heavens in which people have dwelt, that God promised after the flood in Noah’s day, never to destroy the earth, though we are doing our best to do just that.
With such voices from their religious leaders, God’s people continue in living far below our promises and privilege in God. Those who spy out the land and give a good report, like Joshua and Caleb, are rejected, reviled and accused of false doctrine. Our good report, when countering the prevailing limited doctrines, is not well received or even understood. We are not going with the majority opinion and people seem to really resist that.
But there are those voices that continue to bring a good report. Let’s return to our Old Testament account to see the eventual impact of the good report Caleb and Joshua brought back:
“Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to the whole congregation of Israel, ‘The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us.
Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them!’ But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb.” Numbers 14:1-10 Berean
“If the Lord delights in us…”Consider all the statements of faith their report brought:
1) it is an exceedingly good land.
2) the Lord delights in us.
3) He will bring us into this land.
4) He will give it to us because He said so.
5) Don’t rebel—they ought to know this does not work with God by now.
6) They will be like bread, easy to conquer.
7) They are no longer protected because the Lord is with us.
Such confident truth they brought, but as it was then, so it is today. This was a powerful word of faith and truth but the people had heard and believed the bad report. They refused to receive the truth being spoken to them. Fear and resentment of God and their leaders overpowered them, and the majority opinion ruled. As a result of their unbelief, Moses and Aaron had to intercede with God so He did not destroy all of them right then and there. In fact, those who repented but tried to go up to take the land without God’s blessing were destroyed.
There are always voices against anyone who dares to go against the majority of negativity and fear. How can we share the Good News of God’s kingdom if we cannot even believe it ourselves? It seems so difficult to trust good news, even for us Christians. God allows adversity in our lives to train and refine us, so sometimes it seems we get used to the bad news. This voice is louder, more frequent, and sadly, more believable, than God’s words of promise and victory:
“‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.’
His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’
Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:25-33 ESV
Jesus spoke in symbolic language, figures of speech that He had to translate into commonly understood words in order for His disciples to understand. Jesus’ work was to show the Father in Him, drawing all back to the Father through His marvelous work that brought His being into the hearts of men and women. He states clearly that when His work is finished, He will not have to intercede between Father God and believers, because Father God loves us, too!
What does this say about the teaching that Jesus is needed to intercede between believers and a a wrathful, angry, condemning Father? Jesus’ intercession is between us and our enemies, not our loving Father God. He is interceding for us so that we may fulfill God’s will on the earth. Can you hear this good news? We may hope for the good news, but, often in our hearts, we expect the bad. We become unable to trust that all God does is good and that His news is always good news to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.
“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8: 27-31 NIV
What, indeed?! God is for us, so who can truly be against us? What is in our hearts will flow out to others. May God continually plant a good crop of His fruit, the Word of His good news, filling our hearts with His water of life to flow out to all mankind! There are Christian people all over who are following leaders today and looking into the Promised Land of His Kingdom. Some continually bring a negative report back to the people, including all the work we have to do for us or our loved ones to qualify to enter in.
Many believe the bad report of eternal punishment from God for all in His judgment, working fear and condemnation for unbelievers in the hearts of God’s people. Watch for it, listen with discernment as you hear messages that are repeatedly bringing bad news to God’s own. Some will oppose any others bringing good news that is contrary to their own limited and fearful vision. They somehow shrink the Lord’s called and chosen into weak and defeated earthly people unable to enter in, constantly fighting or fearing the devil, blocking the truths of His kingdom. They focus on the flood of evil and disaster evident all around instead of the God of their salvation, completed through His Son, and all His mighty power to bring victory.
Such is the flood of death through bad reports to which we are subjected now. A few see beyond the present, trusting God to be faithful, loving, and true, to do what He said He would do. These proclaim that we are able to follow on to know the Lord, we can conquer the world in us, just as Jesus conquered. We are learning to live in all the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished. He hears and knows all, then and now.
God knows when we are murmuring and complaining about our lot in life, or the worldwide daily news of loss, death, and tragedy. Father God knows and, while humanly understandable in our present times, it is not pleasing to Him. Because of Jesus Christ, however, He has compassion and forgiveness for us. Back then, for the Israelites, the Lord pardoned the people because their leaders interceded:
"I have pardoned them as you requested,’ the Lord replied. ‘Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the Lord, not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— no one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers.
None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.” Numbers 14:1-10; 20-22 Berean
God will deal with all those, past and present, who have continually brought a bad report about what He has promised His people. All those who are fearful cannot enter into the kingdom in that condition. They have disqualified themselves and all those who follow and listen to them. We cannot treat with contempt all that God has already done, with signs and wonders, providing for us in our times of wilderness walking. Oh, no, there is no lack of good news, but there is a lack of vision to see beyond the flood of bad news. The fearful and unbelieving cannot enter in:
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-10 KJV
There are some giants to overcome on our way to our inheritance. Fear and unbelief rule our earthly minds, and that has to be overcome by the spirit and the word. The second death described in this symbolic language is just that—bringing the fire of God’s presence to burn up fear and unbelief. The lake of fire is a purifying place and cannot represent hell, as death and hell are thrown into it:
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:13-14 KJV
All are judged, with judgment coming first to the House of God. This is good news! It is judgment toward redemption, not eternal condemnation. Does it not say that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord? Be not deceived, God will judge with righteous judgment those who are looking into the things of God’s kingdom and bringing back a bad report. God is destroying the refuge of lies that have dominated and robbed His people. This is good news!
We are promised a new heaven, a high spiritual place in which to dwell, and a new earth that is no longer headed for destruction. When we understand what God is saying by the spirit, that the fires that He’s bringing on our earth (internal and external) are the fire of His presence to bring about redemption, long-awaited for positive change, fear is gone and faith is built up in us and others. After all, did not Jesus say:
"But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31-32 NIV
Do you think our Father, the ruler of the universe, is incapable of giving us the kingdom? And just where is this kingdom? It is somewhere out there in the sky, the atmosphere which surrounds the earth? Does our Lord ever tell us that the kingdom is or will be in a place found outside of us, somewhere that will be geographically located in Jerusalem or any other address in this literal earth?
No, our Lord is very clear about this, if you but let the Holy Spirit reveal it to you. Jesus clearly said in the gospels that the kingdom of God is within us. He warned His disciples:
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.’’” Luke 17:20-23 NIV
Consider another of God’s own, the great leader and Israel’s king, David, who had many enemies. In the Psalms that he wrote, he continually reminds himself that God is trustworthy. Over and over, David reiterates his trust in God. There is no fear in trust. There is no fear in trust. Fear and trust cannot co-exist in our hearts if we are to enter into His spiritual kingdom of peace, joy, love, and righteousness.
We seek God to swallow up our fear, building a complete trust in Him when we are afraid. Meditate on this good news:
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:4 NIV
Christians today, like Joshua and Caleb of old, are to persist in modeling and influencing our brothers and sisters to see the truth of God in overcoming all of our enemies, without and within. It does not say we must wait for these changes after we die. We are changed as we walk and talk with Him. We share the Good News of the Kingdom, enabled to boldly risk being markedly different from the majority in bringing back a good report and sticking to it despite rejection or persecution. What words of faith and trust in our God Joshua and Caleb display for our edification!
And the Lord does delight in us, His called and chosen people. He counts on us to bring a good report to the people who are unaware of God’s kingdom within. Now that is good news indeed! Do we need to be reminded that the Lord is with us? That our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered all things on our behalf? That the battle is not ours but God’s? No matter what we see and hear about what is coming on the earth in this hour, we are not to be afraid.
What a formidable internal enemy fear is, and only our Lord can conquer it. There are days we do need to be reminded Who holds the keys of death and hell, Who has already gained the victory for us, Who is interceding against the enemy of our souls, Who is giving us the victory though it is yet to be fully evident. We can have a good report, despite obstacles to Kingdom life. We are to learn to rest in Him and His provision.
We have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord and we are learning to walk more and more fully into all that He accomplished. Joshua and Caleb eventually prevailed and were honored with leadership in the land of promise. But first, the ten who gave the bad report were dealt with by God:
“So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the Lord.
Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive…But ‘because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.’” …
Early the next morning they got up and went up toward the ridge of the hill country. ‘We have indeed sinned,’ they said, ‘but we will go to the place the Lord has promised.’ But Moses said, ‘Why are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord? This will not succeed! Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the Lord is not among you. For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword.
Because you have turned away from the Lord, He will not be with you. But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the Lord moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.” Numbers 14:24; 36-38; 40-46 Berean
Some of the people did agree they had sinned, but stubbornly insisted on proceeding to the land God had promised—without God! What they had feared and predicted came upon them. They were severely defeated and God destroyed their leaders. In fact, more were lost as they were not armored with God for the battle. Some of the camp may even have trumpeted this defeat as proof of their bad report, admonishing the rest: “See! We told you God would do this. We warned you that the people in this Land are too strong and mighty for us.”
Their defeat and destruction was caused by their disobedience to God, unbelief swallowing the words He had spoken through their leaders. They suffered most painful and dire consequences because of it. Though the loss may not be of lives today, there is always loss from disobedience to God and His promises. Those who continually harbor negativity and fear in their spirit, soul, and body eventually show it in the loss of peace and health, some literally bent over in their bodies from continually bearing the heavy weight of fear and defeat.
Joshua and Caleb, however, stuck to their good report in the face of majority disdain and were honored for it. God said Caleb had a different spirit, one that followed the Lord wholeheartedly, nothing held back. Do we realize that there is a spirit to good and bad reports? Oh, yes there is! Ask any coach of team sports about what happens when members of their team, and in particular, the leadership, get a negative and defeatist attitude. This spirit of negativity and defeat takes over, contributing to the very thing the coach is working against.
This is true in any organization, workplace, family, or gathering. It’s difficult to achieve success when a negative fearful spirit takes over a group. It was true for the Israelites and it is true for us, His called and chosen people. We are lights shining in this present darkness and, oh, how the world needs us to be just that! Can it be more clear that the way of life in the kingdom of God is through the good report of faith in God and all of His promises?
All negative, fearful things, especially those used to keep power and control over God’s people, will eventually be destroyed by God as death is swallowed up by life. We have yet to see this perfected, but faith is considering those things that be not as though they were, as Abraham, the father of our faith did:
“As it is written, I have made thee [Abraham] a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17 KJV
Abraham’s faith pleased the Lord such that He was a friend of God. God allows fearful things to come upon us so we become strong in our trust in Him. He swallows up fear of death with His everlasting light. We do not have to join the crowd of naysayers bemoaning the state of humanity in this world. We keep our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, pursuing the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus, along with our beloved brother, the Apostle Paul.
In the Old Testament, God destroyed the people. He is still capable of removing the disobedient if they will not repent of their failure to preach the truth of His word. He lifts the anointing of His presence, revealing the lack of godly power in their words. For the called and chosen of His people, however, He creates faithfulness now, through Jesus Christ. He is destroying our enemies within us by the refining fire of His presence, writing His truth in our new hearts, no longer stony, as Ezekiel prophesied centuries ago:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV
He did this very thing when Jesus Christ rose again and came back as the Spirit to dwell within us. Even little children know to say “I have Jesus in my heart” with complete faith that it is so.
We watchmen upon the wall are eagle-eyed in warning of the enemy while having faith that God will conquer all our enemies in our Land of Promise. Kingdom living is peace, joy, and love. Can we believe God will bring unity among the brethren, let alone peace in the world? His love unites, it does not divide. He said so and He will do it. He will accomplish His will and purpose.
Now is the time to hope, pray, and believe Him. Oh, how we need to see the sons of God, led by the spirit, joining spiritual Zion to bring about change for all.
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You--in both ]inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].
Trust [confidently] in the LORD forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah 26:3-4 Amplified