Kristen tschida
ARE YOU WALKING BY FAITH OR SIGHT?
Numbers 12 gives us the account of the Lord telling Moses to send some men to explore the land of
Canaan. Moses sent 12 leaders from the tribes of Israel to scout out the land. They were to report on
the conditions of the land: Are the people weak or strong? Many people or few people? What kind of
land do they live in? What kinds of towns? Walled or fortified cities? How is the soil? Fertile or poor?
Trees or not? Any fruit in the land?
Moses didn't want a report that would discourage the taking of the land, he was just looking for the
facts~ a report.
Off the men went...for forty days they scouted out the land. They even brought home some of the fruit.
"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" (Num 12:23). The fruit was ripe and it was massive!
The land was good, just as the Lord had said. He had promised the nation of Israel that this would be
their land.
Upon their return, the report of 10 men went something like this: "The land does flow with milk &
honey”, BUT...the people are powerful; the cities are fortified; the land devours those who live in it;
descendents of Anak live there (huge size, tall, strong); we are like grasshoppers in their eyes~ no way
can we attack these people and take the land.
Two men, Joshua & Caleb had a different report. They didn't argue that some of the 'facts' weren't
true, but they believed what the Lord had told them~ that this land of Canaan was promised by the
Lord to them. The report of Joshua & Caleb went like this: "The land we passed through and explored
is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with
milk & honey and will give it to us. Don't be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow
them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them."
Caleb & Joshua knew that the Lord was bigger, stronger, more powerful than any man....and God was
on their side. It didn't matter what it looked like in the natural, they walked by faith to believe that
God would do what He said He would do. These young men refused to be intimated by the
circumstances or the voices all around them. Joshua & Caleb were confident of their identities. They
looked at the people in the land of Canaan and spoke of these giants that “we will swallow them up…
the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them,” (Num. 14:9).
The WHOLE Israelite assembly talked about stoning them (Joshua & Caleb). The "herd" mentality
won out and stood against the faith walkers. The Lord met Moses at the tent of meeting and He spoke
saying, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in
me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?" (Num 12:11).
The Lord is calling the next generation to reject the cultural voices, refusing to be
intimidated by the circumstances and to have a confidence in their identity, knowing
that God is bigger, stronger and more powerful than the world around them.
Which "camp" are you in? In the midst of difficult circumstances or uncertainty, do you side with the
10 sight-walkers (noticing in the natural all the obstacles before you) or do you side with the 2 faithwalkers (taking note of the obstacles, but knowing God is bigger than any obstacle)?
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Kristen tschida
ARE YOU WALKING BY FAITH OR SIGHT?
When others are around you, is the atmosphere filled with faith? Joshua & Caleb spoke boldly about
God's certainty and power to defeat any enemy. They were filled with faith. However, the majority of
the explorers were defeated, filled with fear and confusion and with a bad report stirred up the whole
assembly against faith.
The Lord punished the generation for their lack of faith (except for Joshua & Caleb). "Not one of them
will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers" (Num 12:23). And because of their
disobedience, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years~ one year for every day the explorers
were scouting out the land. "These men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were
struck down and died of a plague before the Lord," (Num 12:37).
Walking by sight looks only at the natural; facts: 1 + 1= 2 kind of stuff. This is living in the way of
the natural senses and natural consequences. Walking by faith says, “No matter what the natural
circumstances are, there is ONE who is BIGGER and STRONGER and more POWERFUL than the
circumstances.
Faith is not being moved by what I see, but is moved by what I believe (when that faith is put into the
Creator-God).
Lord, equip me so I can help to raise up Joshua's & Caleb's in this
generation....who stir up faith in themselves and others.
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