Summary: Just as an intoxicated person will exhibit certain characteristics, even so, those who are spiritually discouraged will exhibit some disturbing responses to life.

THE DISASTER OF SPIRITUAL DISCOURAGEMENT

Text: Num.13: 21-25; Deut.1: 24-28

Intro: Discouragement is certainly no stranger to any of us. It is a malady that plagues everyone at some time or the other. As a matter of fact, one might even say that occasional discouragement is a natural part of being human.

There’s nothing wrong with an occasional bout of discouragement. But no one should live that way on an ongoing basis.

However, my point today is not to deal with the psychology of emotional discouragement. I want to talk about what I call spiritual discouragement.

Spiritual discouragement is different from emotional discouragement in that it is directly related to one’s relationship with the Lord. It will however, always go hand-in-hand with emotional discouragement. In many cases, one is the cause of the other.

When a person is emotionally discouraged, it is usually because of unfulfilled expectations—things simply haven’t worked out like they expected. The same thing is true of spiritual discouragement. The exception being that the disappointments lies with one’s expectations of God, and His handling of a particular situation or situations.

Today I want to examine some things that spiritually discouraged people do. I want to look at their mindset, and more importantly, their spiritual condition.

Let’s examine how disastrous spiritual discouragement can be to the Christian.

Theme: Spiritually discouraged people:

I. BELIEVE NOT GOD

A. This Is Evidenced By What They See.

1. They don’t linger on the positives.

Num.13: 26 “And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.”

2. They are long on the negatives.

Num.13: 28 “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

……………………………………………………

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

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.”

NOTE: [1] The words, “they brought up an evil report” basically means that the ten negative spies “…started a campaign of evil-speaking against the two faithful men” (Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 131).

[2] It has always puzzled me that though the ten spies saw the Promised Land was just as God had predicted it would be, they could not seem to see that victory was already theirs, since God had promised to “…be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries” (Ex.23: 22).

[3] I don’t believe that just because someone believes something, that that makes it so. But there is something to be said for having a positive attitude; especially when God has made a promise.

As much as 77% of everything we think is negative and counterproductive and works against us. People who grow up in an average household hear “No” or are told what they can’t do more than 148,000 times by the time they reach age 18. Result: Unintentional negative programming.

Shad Helmstetter in Homemade, Jan, 1987.

[4] Thank God, not everyone lets the negatives of life keep them from accomplishing what God wants them to do.

On June 18, 1999 Gary and Gloria Sloan, Southern Baptist missionaries, who had been on the field of Mexico only six months, were enjoying a birthday celebration for their daughter, Carla, at a popular swimming spot on Mexico’s Pacific coast. With them were two other young missionaries from the United States, Joy Murphy and John Weems.

Due to a strong undertow, Carla began to be pulled out to sea. Gary Sloan and the other two missionaries rushed to save eleven-year-old Carla, but were overcome and drowned, as did she.

When Carla’s body was brought to shore, Gloria doubled over in agony, unable to breathe. But it was then that she felt the physical presence of Jesus. Gloria said, “I felt such a strength and power and control. I looked down at my daughter, and I had such a peace” (The Commission, a publication of the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, pg. 29).

A large group of people gathered to watch this unfolding tragedy. And before long, four bodies lay in the sand. But what happened next is truly amazing. Gloria stood over the bodies of her dead loved ones and gave witness to the saving power of Christ. She told the people, “…The pain I felt because of the loss of my husband and daughter was not as much pain as I felt for the true lostness of those standing around me” (Ibid, pg. 29).

Gloria Sloan then told the people that her daughter and husband were standing in the presence of God. And then she said, “What if you were the ones laying here? Would you know you would be in God’s presence” (Ibid, pg. 31)?

Gloria’s husband and daughter were buried in Mexico. After their funerals, she went home to Texas to heal. And believe it or not, after almost six months, Gloria packed up her remaining three children and went back to Mexico to finish the work that she and her husband had begun.

B. This Is Evidenced By What They Say.

1. The Christian who is walking in faith says, “We can.”

Num.13: 30 “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

2. The Christian who is spiritually discouraged says, “We can’t.”

Num.13: 31 “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”

NOTE: [1] There’s a principle right here that we must not miss: Faithlessness sees only the giants, while faith sees the giants in the shadow of the greatness of God.

[2] Folks, anytime we confess something other than what God has said, that makes us wrong. In essence, ten of these spies believed that God didn’t know what He was talking about. The fact that the people of Canaan were stronger than the Israelites wasn’t the point, even though it was an accurate observation. The point was that God had already promised to fight the battles for them and give them the victory.

II. BLUBBER OVER OBSTACLES THAT FAITH WOULD OVERCOME

Num.14: 1 “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.”

NOTE: This is a truly sad state of affairs. Here are the children of Israel poised to enter the land that God had promised to give them. Yet they aren’t rejoicing as one would think. No! They are crying in frustration and disappointment. This is not because God had suddenly changed His mind, but because they were paralyzed by their fear. Fearfulness always impedes forward progress.

III. BLAME OTHERS FOR WHAT FAITHLESSNESS HAS CAUSED

A. In Fear And Frustration They Criticized God’s Servants.

Num.14: 2a “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron…”

NOTE: [1] The word “murmured,” means, “to be obstinate (espec. in words, to complain)” (James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible: published by MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia; #3885 of the Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, pg. 59).

[2] When your own faithlessness and distrust of God has gotten you in a mess, don’t start blaming the preacher, or other saints. Lay the blame where it belongs—on your on shoulders.

It is said that when the British and French were fighting in Canada in the 1750s, Admiral Phipps, commander of the British fleet, was told to anchor outside Quebec. He was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive, then support them when they attacked the city. Phipps’ navy arrived early. As the admiral waited, he became annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the towers of a nearby cathedral, so he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ships’ cannons. No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the land forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral was of no help. He had used up all his ammunition shooting at the “saints.”

Daily Bread.

[3] When you’re looking to blame someone for the situation you’re in, look closer to home. The answer may be under your own nose.

One evening several college students spread Limburger cheese on the upper lip of a sleeping fraternity brother. Upon awakening the young man sniffed, looked around, and said, “This room stinks!” He then walked into the hall and said, “This hall stinks!” Leaving the dormitory he exclaimed, “The whole world stinks!”

Today in the Word, May 1990, MBI, p. 8.

B. In Fear And Frustration They Wanted Caleb And Joshua Stoned.

1. Caleb and Joshua took a valiant stand of faith.

Num.14: 6 “And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”

NOTE: [1] Joshua and Caleb’s statement, “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us,” is not to be understood in a doubtful sense. The idea is that of an assumed fact. The “evil report” spread by the ten spies had resulted in an accusation against God that He intended to kill them; that God had deceived them (Joshua 13: 32-14: 3). In essence, Joshua and Caleb said, “This isn’t so. God delights in His people, and He’s going to do just what He said. He’s going to give us this land.”

[2] Notice also that Joshua and Caleb indicated that for Israel not to go in and take what God had promised would be an act of rebellion (v. 9a). God’s Word says, “…For whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom.14: 23b).

[3] Notice the words, “…neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us…” (v. 9). The words, “…they are bread for us,” is the rendering of a verb that basically means, “’to eat’…’to devour,’ ’lay waste’ or ‘destroy’” (Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 131). There is a little-noticed implied principle here. Bread is often thought of as that which gives sustenance or nourishment. That’s what the obstacles and difficulties of life are to be to us—that which nourishes us spiritually—that which makes us stronger.

[4] Joshua and Caleb also said, “Their defence is departed from them” (v. 9b). The word “defence” literally means, “shadow” (Ibid, pg. 131). The idea is that the people of Canaan were without protection. In essence, Joshua and Caleb were saying that these people were right where they wanted them.

2. The faithless congregation took a violent stance of fear and frustration.

Num.14: 10a “But all the congregation bade stone them with stones…”

IV. BLUNDER INTO FAULTY THINKING

A. The Israelites Thought Bondage Preferable To Battles.

Num.14: 2b “…and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!”

B. The Israelites Thought God To Be Some Sort Of Cosmic Bully.

Num.14: 3 “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”

Deut.1: 27 “And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.”

V. BY-PASS GOD’S INTENDED BLESSINGS

A. Faithlessness Resulted In Retribution.

Num.14: 27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.”

NOTE: Folks. In God’s economy, you either go forward by faith, or you fail by fear.

B. Faithlessness Robbed Them Of Rest.

Heb.3: 18 “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Theme: Spiritually discouraged people:

I. BELIEVE NOT GOD

II. BLUBBER OVER OBSTACLES THAT FAITH WOULD OVERCOME

III. BLAME OTHERS FOR WHAT FAITHLESSNESS HAS CAUSED

IV. BLUNDER INTO FAULTY THINKING

V. BY-PASS GOD’S INTENDED BLESSINGS