So many people in this life want everything but without putting forth any effort...nobody wants to sweat anymore...everyone wants things the easy way...they don’t want to fight their giants---they just wanna lay down and let someone else do it...and then whine and complain about things the whole time...
We see that doctor’s or a lawyer’s home and say (I’d sure like to have a home like that) but we don’t want to go to school for 15 years so we can make that kind of money so we can buy a home like that.
We see that young man walking through the mall with his muscles bursting out of his shirt, and we say (man I’d like to have muscles like that)...and you can if you go to the gym a few times a week and pump iron and work out until it feels like your arms and legs are going to fall off.
Or we see that pastor of a large church, he’s prosperous and drives a nice car and lives in a beautiful home, and we say ( I want a church like that and a car like that and a home like that) The question is, are you willing to do what he did to get it?
Are you willing to be faithful over a handful of not so perfect people, seek God, study his word, obey him when it doesn’t make sense, be persecuted and publicly criticized and humiliated?
You see:
Many believers have the attitude that just because they are saved and in the family of God, that now God is supposed to give them everything they ever dreamed of without any effort, or work or discipline on their part.
The fact is, it costs what it costs and it never goes on sale.
Yes God wants to prosper you and bless you, but sometimes you’re going to have to go through something.
Sometimes you have to struggle, Sometimes you have to fight.
There is something in the struggle that is necessary to becoming what God has ordained us to be.
Let’s read Numbers 13:25-33 (amplified bible) -with my notes of revelation and research also within this text i have typed below---
1 AND THE Lord said to Moses,
2 Send men to explore and scout out [for yourselves] the land of Canaan, which I give to the Israelites. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader or head among them.
3 So Moses by the command of the Lord sent scouts from the Wilderness of Paran, all of them men who were heads of the Israelites.
(the list of names of the men from each of the twelve tribes was not just a duplicate of earlier lists in Chap. 1 of this book of Numbers---these men were regarded not only as leaders in their tribal units, but also as men who were physically and spiritually capable of great benefit, action, and achievement)
4 These were their names: of the tribe of Reuben (who sees the son; the vision of the son), Shammua (a sacrifice) son of Zaccur (of the male kind; mindful);
5 Of the tribe of Simeon (that hears or obeys; that is heard), Shaphat (judge) son of Hori (a prince; freeborn);
6 Of the tribe of Judah (the praise of the Lord; confession), Caleb (a dog; a crow; a basket) son of Jephunneh (he that beholds);
7 Of the tribe of Issachar (reward; recompense), Igal (redeemed; defiled) son of Joseph (increase; addition);
8 Of the tribe of Ephraim (fruitful; increasing), Hoshea [that is, Joshua (a savior; a deliverer)] son of Nun (posterity; a fish; eternal);
9 Of the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand), Palti (deliverance; flight) son of Raphu (wrath; in trouble)
10 Of the tribe of Zebulun (God; Lord on high), Gaddiel (goat of God; the Lord my happiness) son of Sodi (my secret place);
11 Of the tribe of Joseph (increase; addition), that is, of the tribe of Manasseh (forgetfulness; he that is forgotten), Gaddi (my troop; my kid) son of Susi (riding a white horse);
12 Of the tribe of Dan (judgment; he that judges), Ammiel (the people of God) son of Gemalli (price paid; resource paid; thoughtful payment);
13 Of the tribe of Asher (happiness), Sethur (hid; to steal, act of killing or destroying) son of Michael (who is perfect, without spot?);
14 Of the tribe of Naphtali (that struggles or fights), Nahbi (very secret) son of Vophsi (fragrant; diminution – which means repetition with something that is of a shorter duration than the original);
15 Of the tribe of Gad (idol of fortune or felicity – which is happiness, fame, fortune), Geuel (to cause affliction; to deceive) son of Machi (poor; a smiter- which means one who hits hard).
16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to explore and scout out the land. And Moses called Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua.
17 Moses sent them to scout out the land of Canaan (merchant; trader; or that humbles and is brought under control, soft/submits)
, and said to them, Get up this way by the South (the Negeb) and go up into the hill (high land) country (homeland; distinct, set apart area), (this is saying we need to get up! move to next level – in faith, anointing, provision, vision)
18 And see what the land is and whether the people who dwell there are strong or weak, few or many,
19 And whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the cities they dwell in are camps or strongholds,
20 And what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is timber on it or not. And be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.
21 So they went up and scouted through the land from the Wilderness of Zin (buckler; coldness ) to Rehob (breadth – distance from side to side – beginning and end; space – region beyond The Earth’s atmosphere, time, area set apart; great extent), to the entrance (the way in; right of entry; coming onto the scene) of Hamath (anger; heat; a wall).
22 And then went up into the South (the Negeb) and came to Hebron (society; friendship); and Ahiman (brother of the right hand), Sheshai (six; mercy; flax – pale yellow plant that yields linen making fiber and oil), and Talmai (my furrow; that suspends the waters; heap of waters)
[probably three tribes of] the sons of Anak (a collar; ornament) were there. (Hebron was built seven years (the number of spiritual perfection) before Zoan (motion) in Egypt (that troubles or oppresses; anguish).
23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol (cluster or bunch of grapes), and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two [of them]; they brought also some pomegranates (round, reddish, orange sized fruit with a tough rind enclosing several chambers that are filled with numerous seeds surrounded by tart juicy red pulp; ornament on bottom of High Priest’s Garmet)- and figs (sweet tasting fruit – many seeds that is eaten fresh, preserved, or dried).
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol [cluster] because of the cluster which the Israelites (people of God) cut down there.
25 And they returned (to come or go back; to appear again; to reply to someone) from scouting (soldier sent to gather information) out the land (earth for use; to end up somewhere unpleasant) after forty days (THE NUMBER OF PROBATION OR TRIAL. The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deut. 8:2-5). Moses was on the mount for 40 days (Exodus 24:18); 40 days of Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3:4). Jesus was tempted for 40 days (Matt. 4:2).
26 They came (to originate from; arrive or happen; result from; to be produced; to reach; amount to) to Moses (taken out; drawn forth) and Aaron (a teacher; lofty; mountain of strength) and to all the Israelite (God’s property) congregation (group of worshippers; church body of Christ; gathering and coming together)in the Wilderness (natural, deliberatively uncultivated land; barren area; uncomfortable situation) of Paran (beauty; glory; ornament) at Kadesh (holiness), and brought (past tense of bring) them word (divine reason and meaning), and showed (to make visible; to be visible; to exhibit; to demonstrate; to give information; to arrive; to come in third) them the land’s fruit (product of something; offspring; edible part of a plant).
27 They told Moses, We came to the land to which you sent us; surely it flows (moves freely from place to place- in a steady, unbroken stream; circulates within body; available in quantity) with milk (nutritious fluid; provision) and honey (sweet and sticky substance; term of affection and love; someone who is nice and kind and loving; something extremely good). This is its fruit.
28 But (introducing further information or opposition; except or for emphasis – without something happening) the people who dwell there are strong, and the cities are fortified (make place safer; make structure stronger; strengthen or encourage) and very large; moreover, there we saw the three (a value of three; numbered three; complete grouping) sons (male offspring; male child with connections with something complete) of Anak – (name means a collar; ornament (he was the father of three giants)
[of great (exceptionally important and powerful; very good; large; impressive; bigger than others; useful; lasting a long time or forever) stature (height; individual’s standing; level of achievement)and courage (quality of being brave; the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of aciton)].
29 Amalek (a people that licks up; someone who dwells in the valley – a bottom dweller) dwells in the land of the South (lower, bottom area of the equator) (the Negeb); the Hittite (one who is broken; who fears), the Jebusite (one who believes in truth and justice; holy), and the Amorite (bitter; a rebel; a babbler ) dwell in the hill (high land) country (homeland; distinct, set apart area); and the Canaanite (that humbles and is submissive to God)dwells by the sea (salt and water of the earth; great; job and/or life; body) and along by the side of the Jordan (the river of judgement)[River] (reroute to original location; large channel or flow of fluid).
30 Caleb quieted (making little noise; peaceful; free from trouble; relaxed; not showy; calm; secure in claim)the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess (to own; have as an ability; have knowledge of; to be under control; to seize something) it; we are well able to conquer (seize area by military force; master something; win someone’s admiration; to win) it.
31 But his fellow (companion; equal) scouts (soldier sent to gather information; someone sent to evaluate something; someone who is seeking) said, We are not able to go up against (in competition with; in contact with by leaning on; as protection from; in payment of; compared with; in preparation for)the people [of Canaan], for they are stronger than we are.
32 So they brought the Israelites an evil (malicious; harmful; devilish; wicked; a force causing harmful effects; something sinful) report (tell all about what happened; to inform someone of somebody else or something; something that is believed and experienced) of the land which they had scouted out, saying, The land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.
33 There we saw the Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers (flying and jumping insect; slender; planteating; produces a buzzing or whirring sound by rubbing its back legs against its forewings), and so we were in their sight (faculty of seeing; range of seeing; something that is seen; something worth seeing; to be guided into alignment; opinion; insight and observation).
God left the giants in the promised land on purpose...
1. Because they needed to learn how to fight their own battles...looking to God for guidance, strength, stragedy, and purpose.
2. Because giants distinguish the difference between those who profess and those who possess...those who are all talk and not much action---and those who talk the talk and walk the walk...
You know, it is one thing to confess the promises of God, but it is another thing to strap on your sword (The Worde)and go toe to toe with your giants (the enemy and his devices)and possess the land(your Christian inheritance and promises)
3. The Giants expose the grasshoppers in the crowd (When giants show up grasshoppers speak up).
Grasshoppers usually blend into their environments but giants uncover them.... grasshoppers don’t eat grapes, You will never have promised land type of faith if you have a grasshopper type mentality.
4. You get to know yourself in the struggle and what you are really made of( the real you comes out under pressure). Christians are like tea bags---you don’t really know what is in them until they are put in hot 5. You get to know God, you realize that God is your only help...you realize what level of faith you are on and this also gives opportunity to grow...
6. You will get stronger, stronger roots and more good fruit as you dig into the world of The Word and prayer.
7. You will become aware of the excesses and unnecessary things in your life....you will begin to weed your garden...
8. The struggles produce thankfulness and gratefulness(example ) someone survives a tornado, their house is gone their car is gone but they are so thankful that they are still alive, the family is together....not taking things for granted...
you gotta praise God through the storms of life...
When you know you had to fight for what you got:
a.You will appreciate it more
b.You won’t let anyone take it from you
c.You will remember the fight and what it took to be where you are now...
9. The struggles in our lives test our level of commitment to God... in this we are able to truly see our level of commitment is through the struggle...faith again...
10. The struggles leads to your peace and rest...
Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12. The struggle makes you qualified for reward: David heard them speak of a reward, but he knew the reward was only for the person who would fight and KILL Goliath.
1Sam 17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
We should understand that many times the struggle, the fight, the battle, the trial, the warfare, the praying, the waiting, the building of waiting patiently, the enduring...the pain of the trouble is just as important as the blessing or reward
While we are looking at the reward, God is looking at the development that is taking place through the struggle.
Faith is forged in the furnace of adversity.
The first generation children...the children of Israel forfeited their inheritance because they would not fight...tell me, think about it...
How many of Gods people have forfeited their destiny their promises, just because they refused to fight and stay in the battle....
When the heat was on they bailed out, backed down, laid down their swords and conceded to the enemy.
As long as everything was going smooth they were right there shouting with the rest of the army, joining in the effort BUT as soon as the struggle came they all chickened out...gave up and caved in and gave in to discouragement and fear and doubt.
If you will be truthful tonight: what has made you who you are?
what you are in God is the struggle
What you had to fight for,
What you had to fight against
What you had to overcome...
are you sticking it out?
are you caving in?
The caterpillar goes through a process of metamorphosis through which it changes from an earthbound crawly worm, into a beautiful butterfly.
...this process involves struggle to cut the struggle short would rob the butterfly of it’s destiny.
...a baby chick in the egg goes through a process of growth inside of the egg until it begins to outgrow the egg, but it must peck it’s way out of the egg.
This struggle strengthens the baby chick and prepares it for life outside the egg.
To cut the struggle short would severely injure if not kill the chick.
Through the struggle it gains the strength it needs to survive and thrive in it’s new environment.
And here is one of the best thing about your struggle:
It qualifies you to help others.
When you been through something you can help somebody else
When you’ve stood your ground and fought your battles and conquered your giants you are qualified to help someone else through their battles.
One thing that has really helped me through my struggles is (the thought of ) how many people am I going to be able to help
Yes I may be going through a struggle but I’m growing through my struggle
I’m developing some spiritual muscles,
I’m developing some compassion, some patience, some endurance.
Some long suffering.
I’m developing the ability to put myself in the position where others are and to feel what they feel, so I can speak a word in season to them.
Yeah I may be struggling right now but don’t feel sorry for me, There’s something in the struggle I need to become what God has ordained for me.
Pray for me, not to get out but to go through.
God did not deliver Daniel from the lions den ( he delivered him through it).
God did not deliver the three hebrew children from the the fiery furnace he delivered them through it).
David needed Goliath
The children of Israel needed the giants
The 3 hebrew children needed the fiery furnace
Sampson needed the philistines
And we need the struggle
There is no testimony without a test and no victory without a battle.
A victorious life is not a problem free life, it is a life in which we overcome our enemies by virtue of struggle and fight.
Finally let me say: The struggle don’t last forever
Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning
The struggle is an instrument of transition.
The struggle means you are on your way somewhere.
The devil wouldn’t fight you if you were not going somewhere
The struggle prepares you for your future.
The struggle is an indication of transition
Don’t feel sorry for me (I’m just in Transition).
