Whose report.....?

Numbers 13:1-2, 31 NIV

The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”   

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

There are daily battles we all must face as we run the race ahead of us. There are situations that will challenge the faith that we profess. Atimes, we may sit down and wonder exactly what is expected of us in the face of these varied, diverse and difficult situations and it is what we do with these thoughts and in these times that show the quality of our convictions and the source, purpose and target of our faith.
There can be two extremes to our daily experiennces and walk in life. It is very easy to believe everything that God says when all is rosy. When you have just made some legitimate money from a business deal and you can pay all your bills conveniently, any sermon on God's ability to provide will sit well with you. When you haven't been in hospital for a while, health becomes a conclusion rather than a reason for thanks. It is easy to take for granted the things we see as common everyday but the greatest challenge comes when the convictions, beliefs and tenets you hold on to are tested by situations and circumstances. Most times, we have an idea of the Word says about sufficiency but we really can't place our hands on the exact words. When lack comes, all the passages that deal with provision and God's supply are suddenly our daily food and confession.
The people of Israel had been promised the land of Canaan long before now. They had seen God at work in Egypt and had experienced his provision, protection and provenance through the desert. Now, at the very point of their breakthrough, they looked ahead and saw impossibilities. God who had taken them through all the difficulties of the desert was forgotten and only their comfort and convenience was important.
It is just like what we have today. It is easy to take God at His Word when all is rosy but difficult to remember what he has said at the first sight of trouble. We quote these passages more out of memory than relationship and we wonder why it seems God is far away when we are in trouble. We have not mastered the art of seeking God when all is rosy and getting to know his voice, and we then want his instant answers when all is not well. Another extreme is to completely forget and to doubt all he has said in his Word also. Whichever it is, God is not a switch that can be put on and off at will or whose Words can be picked on at our own convenience. His Word must be taken as it is: undeniable, unbreakable and irreversible.
I must get a Word from God for my life. I must find out what God's will, purpose and direction for my life are. I must know what battles to fight and which ones I must learn to walk away from. As I run this race, God's grace is sufficient but I must constantly depend on him and not on my abilities, strength or wisdom.
God alone is the source of sustenance, growth and inspiration. His Word is the compass and guiding light for this journey. Find out what he has to say to you and hold on to his Word. That is the source of victory and breakthrough. Look away from the disappointments and distractions around; just focus on God. His time of favour is here.