DO NOT LIMIT THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (PART 6): DO NOT LIMIT GOD IN THE POWER OF YOUR IMAGINATION – I AM NOT A GRASSHOPPER
1. Numbers 13 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I have given to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” 3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. 17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) 21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. 26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
2. Psalm 78: 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
INTRODUCTION: DO NOT LIMIT THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (PART 6) I AM NOT A GRASSHOPPER
Topics: In What Ways We Limit God? Why We Limit God? How To Take Off The Limits? Results Of A Life Without Limit. Review: In Psalm 78, We Looked At How The Hebrews Limited Their God In The Wilderness - they saw all the miracles yet doubted God. In Mark 6, they refused to accept who Christ was because of Familiarity. In 1 Kings 20, they limited God due to Presumption - God of the mountains only and not of the valleys and plains. In 1 Samuel 28, we limit God due to Fear - King Saul and Elijah (1 Kings 19). In 2 Kings 8, we limit God in Giving – Shunemite Woman. Last Sunday - limit God in our Imagination & Vision - 12 Spies in Numbers 13. Today Part 2 of Not Limiting God In Your Imagination Or Vision – I Am Not A Grasshopper.
MEANING OF “LIMIT”
Limit: “A point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. This is a restriction on the size or amount of something permissible or possible. Some words synonymous with limit are restrict, put in check, restrain, freeze, regulate, control, etc.
LEARN TO IMAGINE - GOD CAN DO GREAT THINGS THROUGH ORDINARY PEOPLE
We Must Learn To Dream Big. Pro. 23:7: “As A Man Thinks In His Heart, So Is He.” John Milton: “The Mind in its own place can make a heaven or hell.” We Too Often Overlook The Power Of The Mind; the power of vision & imagination. Definition Of Imagination: The power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses – sight, hearing, or other senses – a creative ability. Vision: The capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired state that inspires people to respond. A godly vision requires risk-taking & glorifies God, not people.
1. Myles Munroe: “We are not to be so concerned about who approves or disapproves of us, but remember that God’s approval is what counts.”
2. Myles Munroe: When you believe in your dream and your vision, then it begins to attract its own resources. No one was born to be a failure.”
3. Myles Munroe: “Don’t judge your success by the masses, and what they think of you. Judge yourself by what God told you to do.”
What Does God Say?
1. 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith and not by sight.”
2. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - Think about such things.”
WE MUST DREAM BIG - INVENTIONS NO ONE THOUGHT WOULD BE A SUCCESS
1. The Electric Light Bulb: Thomas Edison’s invention of electricity & light bulb would fail.
2. The Telephone: Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone rejected by Western Union.
3. Television: John Baird 1st demonstration of television in London - a financial waste of time.
4. Airplanes: Wright Brothers airplane: If God wanted man to fly, he would have given us wings.
5. Automobiles: “horseless carriage” would pass away. “Running 80 MPH - choke us to death.”
6. Online Shopping: Will not survive - women like to walk at malls rather than sit at home.
7. Cell Phones: Motorola: Cellular phones will absolutely not replace local lines – will be too costly.
8. Zippers: Slide fastener was prone to failure & mockery. “What self-respectable man will zip…”
SOME KINDS OF NEGATIVE PEOPLE
Negative Person: Sees The Bad In Every Good Situation & The Worse In Every Bad Situation.
1. The User: Selfish personality & master manipulator who uses deception to get what he wants.
2. The Gossiper: They feed on the misfortunes & mistakes of others and exaggerate the truth.
3. The Blamer: They take little responsibility for anything they do.
4. The Complainer: They are not satisfied and feel victimized. They need attention.
5. The Temperamental: They have no control over their emotions. They will lash out at others.
6. The Victim: They feel everyone is after them. Saying: “Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.”
7. The Envious: For them, the grass is always greener somewhere else.
8. The Manipulator: They suck time and energy out of your life under the façade of friendship.
9. The Dementor: People who walk into a room and instantly suck the life or joy out of it.
10. The Twisted: They derive deep satisfaction from the pain and misery of others.
11. The Judgmental: They do not appreciate & judge people who are not like them.
12. The Arrogant: They are a waste of your time - everything you do as a personal competition.
5 WAYS TO REMAIN POSITIVE AROUND NEGATIVE PEOPLE WE HAVE TO BE AROUND
1. Don't Take It Personally.
2. Remain Grateful For What Is Going Well.
3. Remind Yourself That Everyone Has Their Own Journeys.
4. View This Challenge As An Opportunity For Growth And Self-Discovery.
5. Spend Some Time Alone.
6. Spend A Lot Of Time With God.
ENCOURAGE: GOD CAN USE ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO IMAGINE IN HIM.
1. Nimrod And People: Gen. 11: God knew that their Imagination and scattered…
2. Woman With The Issue Of Blood: Mark 9: The woman suffering from an issue of blood pursued Jesus in the crowd just to secretly touch the hem of His garment. She Imagined herself healed.
3. Friends Of The Paralytic Born Of Four: Mark 2: The desperate friends of the paralyzed man broke through a roof to get him to Jesus. They Imagined him free once placed before Jesus.
4. Moses: Exodus 2: When Moses, barely 3 months old was placed in that tiny basket escaping death, his mother already saw (Imagined) that he was a proper child took risk to preserve him.
5. Gideon: Judges 6: He himself knew he was a nobody. But the angel addressed him as “Mighty man of valor”. The angel made him to See what he really was in spite of the Midianite problems.
6. Joseph The Dreamer: Gen. 37: Believed his dream enough to tell it to haters – his own brothers.
7. Elisha & King Jehoash Of Israel & Aram: 2 Kings 13: Elisha said: “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry: “You should have struck the ground 5 or 6 times; then you would have defeated & destroyed Aram completely. But now you will defeat it only 3 times.” (Limited thinking).
8. Matthew 13: 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
KINDS OF POSITIVE PEOPLE: LIKE CALEB AND JOSHUA
The Positive Person does not dwell on the lack but what is available. He or she is a realist but see the best in every bad situation. Strive to have such people around you.
1. Hard Worker: They are very industrious and are not eye servants.
2. Positive Person: Someone uplifting and helping you get out of your woes. If they cannot help you, they help you move on.
3. People Who Ask Questions… and do not assume on things or people.
4. Dreamers: Solely, dreaming will not get you anywhere, but aiming to turn your dreams into a reality is how to become successful. Move around people with big dreams is it will rub off on you.
5. People Who Listen: Such person has “2 ears 1 mouth?” You always want to be doing more listening than speaking.
6. People Who Trust You: It’s limiting to work alongside people that don’t trust you to take initiatives on your own. Taking chances on people is part of good organization culture.
7. People Who Have Overcome Obstacles: People that have gone through their share of obstacles professionally and personally can make great mentors for you.
8. People Who Make Things Happen: Such people do not wait for others to do – they get involved.
9. People Who Pray Before They Act: Some people will never pray when the going gets tough.
10. People Who Don’t Dwell On The Past: They learn from it though.
11. People Who Don’t Always Blame Others: Such people are willing to learn.
12. Grateful People: They wait as the eagle but not materially controlled.
THE STORY TELLS US TO HAVE A GIANT MENTALITY; NOT A GRASSHOPPER MENTALITY.
1. God Wanted Them To See What He Had Given Them, Not Measure Their Strength Against It. Num. 13:2. When God gives you something, the job is not to figure whether you have it, but how to partner with God to possess it. Spiritual inheritance requires vision to take it in the physical.
2. God Put The Blessing In The Midst Of Giants So You Can Think Big To Go & Get It. It is true that the giants were there, but God wants you to go among the giants and get the grapes. You have to go through hell and hot waters. You have to go through Anak to get anything.
3. God Wanted Them To Go And See What They Were About To Inherit On Credit. God told them they would live in houses they had not built. This was the season and they could not see it. God has prepared a blessing for you already on credit. Go thru the Promised Land and inherit it.
4. The Enemies Did Not Say You Were A Grasshopper – You Said It. The enemy does not see things the way we see it. E.g. Rahab told the Israelites that Jericho was afraid of them… The grasshopper mentality did not come from God but from themselves. Num. 13:33: “We were in our eyes & in their eyes.” This separates visionaries from losers. People Treat you like you treat yourself.
5. Grasshopper Have Strong Leg Muscles, But Weak Arm Muscles. It can leap 20 times its body size. It cannot take what it needs to take because it survives by jumping away. Some of us are like that. Every time God is sending a victory, the devil sends something to make us leap from the blessing. Tell someone: “I am leaping no more.” “I will stand and fight.” Some are quick to jump from one situation to another. They cannot stand tension. They want everything easy. Be stable.
6. Grasshoppers Can Fly: Most grasshoppers are pretty strong fliers, and will make good use of their wings to escape predators. There are some who just don’t just jump from one place to another; they fly away for no reason at all. One moment they are there, the next moment they are gone.
7. Grasshoppers Come In Three Colors. Brown, green, sand. Brown live on ground. Green live on plants. Sandy live on beach. They adapt to their environment. People that blend in will never receive God’s blessings. They are fitting in. If you want blessings, come out of the closet & stop blending.”
8. Though Grasshoppers Usually Blend Into Their Environments, But Giants Uncover Them: When giants move among the grasshoppers, they begin to move away. Problems bring out grasshoppers. But problems expose the giants in you. You are a giant in the Lord Jesus.
9. Grasshoppers Have Ears On Their Bellies. Their auditory organs are on the abdomen. Abnormal people with no spiritual sensitivity are the ones that only allow what they hear to shape them. We must learn to believe God’s report. Remember: “Faith comes by hearing.”
10. When Grasshoppers Team Up, They Cause Billions Of Dollars Damage To Crops Annually. A lone grasshopper does less harm, although it eats about half its body weight in plants per day. But when they swarm, their combined feeding habits can leave farmers without crops and people without food - about $1.5 billion damage yearly (USA). People don’t realize how much danger they cause to others by what they say and do. Some things we do to others, they will never recover from.
11. Grasshoppers Are An Important Source Of Protein: Grasshoppers are delicious! Even John the Baptist ate locusts and honey in the wilderness. Romans 8:28: All things will work together for good. It is not all that is bad that ends up bad. God can use your enemies to promote you.
12. Grasshoppers Existed Long Before Dinosaurs: Our modern day grasshoppers descend from ancient ancestors that lived long before the dinosaurs. Fossil record shows they first appeared about 300 million years ago. It is not how long you live, but how productive you are. It is not how much you have, but what you do with what you have.
13. Grasshoppers May "Spit" Liquid To Defend Themselves: This means of self-defense helps them repel predators. Don’t let grasshoppers use you as a spitting basket. Some Christians will spit vulgarity out of their mouth to offend & abuse others. You will know a grasshopper by what it spits.
14. There Is A Difference Between Tasters & Receivers. Some people will taste the goodness of God in church, but they do not receive it. Move from a taster to a receiver by changing your perception of how you see yourself. Do not just believe in God, believe in yourself through God.
15. Grasshopper Will Eat Everything On The Tree But They Never Eat Grapes. They eat the leaves, stalk, stem, but not the grapes. No matter how close you come to a blessing and you have the wrong thoughts, you will never eat grapes. Grapes are not for grasshoppers.
16. Grasshoppers May Be Good At Taking The Land, But Poor At Managing It. We pray but do nothing. From the moment they crossed into the Promised Land, the manna stopped. Some are geared to praying but doing nothing. We speak in tongues and prophesy all day, but the unbelievers come and take the land that was given to us. Though land was given to them, the Canaanites came and dwelled there. Good at taking but poor at managing.
17. Make Up Your Mind That You Are No Grasshopper. Stop being negative and & go possess. Stop being contented with clusters and go for the land where the blessing is. I don’t want miracles for the moment. I want blessings for life. I want to own the land not the clusters of grapes.
PEOPLE WHO IMAGINE GREAT THINGS FOR GOD ARE BACKED BY GOD.
1. Heb. 11:1 Now Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
2. 1 Thes. 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who Believe.
3. 1 Tim. 4:10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who Believe.
WHAT IS THE GRASSHOPPER COMPLEX
1. We Name Problem After Problem Just Like The Spies: “The people are strong. The cities are walled in by great walls. We saw Giants. There are many people living in all areas of the land.”
2. It Is Just Like People. We see the great potential that lay before us but then doubt sets in. I can’t do that because… (a) I don’t have the time (b) I don’t have the money (c) I don’t have the ability (d) I don’t… you fill in your own excuse.
3. Or The “What If’s” Set In… (a) What if I fail? (b) What if I run into a problem I didn’t plan for? (c) What if this thing goes wrong? (d) What if…
REMEMBER GOD’S WORD
Their Lack Of Belief In God’s Word And Promises Angered Him and brought a curse of forty years of Wilderness Wandering, one for each day they explored the land, until the unbelieving generation died off. God forgave them, but decided that “not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” (Num. 14:23). Num. 14:28-29 “I will do the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall, every one of you twenty years old or more”. The 10 men who gave the bad report were struck down and died of a plague (Numbers 14:37). Only Joshua and Caleb survived to enter because they believed. The land He commanded them to go in and take was already theirs; they simply had to trust and obey. God will never lead us where His grace cannot provide for us or His power cannot protect us. Israel had seen the power of God in Egypt. Yet, like many people, they walked by sight and not by faith. Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God”. Failure to believe in God’s Word kept them from entering the Promised Land. This truth has never changed.
EVALUATING YOUR GOD-SIZED DREAMS…
1. Is It Consistent With Scripture. No vision from God will violate any biblical teachings.
2. Is It Consistent With Your Spiritual Gifts. Did God tell you to do something He gifted you for?
3. Is It God-Given? Does the dream look like God’s fingerprint, blessing and empowerment?
4. Is The Vision Worthwhile? Make certain that your vision is relevant and needful.
5. Is It Clear & Concise? May take work, but be able to express the heart of it clearly to someone.
6. Is It Ambitious? Does it amaze, and move people toward something better than the status quo.
7. Is It Unique? If your vision is the same as everyone else’s, something is wrong.
8. Is It So Compelling That People Want To Own It Or Be Part Of It? Visions excite, motivate, generate enthusiasm.
REMEMBER
1. Heb. 11:6 And without Faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2. Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
3. Psalm 112:6-7 6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. 7 They will have no fear of bad news; their Hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
Pray That We Will Be People Of Imagination And Vision.
