For We Can Certainly Do It

In the Old Testament, Moses sent out twelve spies — one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel — to explore the land of Canaan. The spies all came back safely and reported to Moses that the land was very fruitful.

"We went into the land to which you sent us,

and it does flow with milk and honey!

Here is its fruit."

Numbers 13:27b (NIV)

Unfortunately, they also reported that the people were powerful, and the cities large and fortified.

Despite this apparent opposition, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, were not scared to take action and possess the land for their own. They knew that God's power would be with them — a power greater than all the armies in the world put together.

"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.'"

Numbers 13:30 (NIV)

But the other ten spies were terribly frightened of the Canaanites. They were unable to put their trust in God. They spread amongst the people of Israel a bad report. As a result, fear overtook the hearts and minds of the all the Israelites.

"They said, 'The land we explored devours those living in it.

All the people we saw there are of great size.

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.'"

Numbers 13:32b-33 (NIV)

The people of Israel then refused to obey God's command for them to take control of the productive land of Canaan. As a consequence of their disobedience and lack of faith, God punished the Israelites by making them wander in the desert for forty years, one year for every day the twelve spies took to spy out the land of Canaan. Out of all the Israelite, males and females who were over twenty years of age at the time, and only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter the land of Canaan once the forty years had passed.

God has a purpose or plan for every Christian who surrenders his/her life to Him. However, it may take several years for God to prepare someone before his/her calling is fulfilled.

Many times when a door opens and we hear God's voice commanding us to move forward, fear and negative thoughts begin to bombard our minds and hearts. We become so paralyzed with fear that we are afraid to cross over into the Promised Land. But we must follow the examples of Joshua and Caleb. We must put our trust fully in God, move forward into battle with God on our side, and fulfil God's mission for our lives with complete obedience to Him, putting all fears and anxieties to rest.