32. WHO ARE YOU ALLOWING TO CONTROL YOUR FATE?Change your fate by not listening to faithless people!
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Going against the crowd isn’t easy. Though history may prove the lone voice to be a hero, we have all learned that it is much easier to agree with the opinion of the majority. But when our convictions are based on principle, it pleases God more for us to stand firm in those convictions. Even when it goes against the opinions of the crowd. It takes courage to stand alone. Today we will see that following our conscience is more important than trying to please others. A firm decision to do the right thing and listen to God, despite the popular opinion of the crowd and the risks involved, may just be the thing that turns the direction of your life towards personal success, family happiness, or even our nation’s salvation.
It was a moment that called for a clear mind, good counsel, and a nationalistic vision. The Second World War was crippling Europe. In a few short weeks, Hitler’s lightning fast warfare (blitzkrieg) had obliterated Poland, subdued Norway, and sent fear through the entire French Army.
It was a cold morning as President Ismet Inönü slipped on his jacket and rode in his private car to a secret meeting. This clandestine meeting was with none other than British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. As President Inönü rode along, his mind must have been whirling with the situation of his beloved nation. He had recently met with Hitler’s man, Franz von Papen, who made a determined
effort to persuade Turkey to join the Axis powers. And now, he was sure that Winston Churchill would make a similar proposition.
President Inönü was waiting for Churchill inside a train wagon at the Yenice Station 23 kilometers outside of Adana, Turkey. It was January 30, 1943. The strength of the Germans’ victories in the rst years of the war had motivated Churchill to ask Turkey to join the Allied forces. Although up until that point Turkey had not been involved in the war, they had maintained a decently-sized Army and Air Force. Churchill's hope was that the Turks would open a new front in the Balkans. Inönü knew very well the hardships his country had suffered during years of incessant war between 1908 and 1922 and he was determined to keep Turkey out of another war as long as possible. The young Turkish Republic was still re- building, recovering from the losses due to earlier wars, and lacked the modern weaponry and infrastructure necessary for such a fight.
However, the decision wasn't an easy one because Inönü was sure that Stalin would love to have the Turkish straights. He could see the significant value of financial and military aid from the United Kingdom and the United States if the Soviets were to invade. What should the president decide? He was certainly not a stranger to war and he knew very well how to manage an army and lead an attack. But was this the time to join? Was fighting another war the best option for his country?
Can you imagine the pressure he felt as he sat with one of the most influential men in the world? You can be sure that Churchill was giving him every conceivable reason to join in the cause against Hitler’s regime. But President Inönü did something very brave; he resisted the pressure to join. He decided his nation needed time to heal, a time to grow internally. Both of which would never happen if Turkey got involved in the war. History revealed his wisdom. The President’s decision altered the fate of perhaps over 100,000 Turks and their generations. Thousands of young men of that generation, grew up, married, had children, and lived to see their grandchildren. Turkish blood had already proven it’s valor on the eld of battle and President Inönü's choice saved Turkey’s strength and honor for future battles.
Times of war call for secret dealings and big decisions. After leaving Egypt under Moses' leadership, the Israelites found themselves in such a situation. They had just completed their journey through the deserts of the Sinai peninsula and were standing on the edge of the Promised Land. The promise that God had made almost 400 years earlier was about to be ful lled. They would nally have their own gardens, lands, and homes. But before they entered that land, God instructed them to examine it. Let's read about it in Numbers chapter 13 verses 1 and 2:
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them."
Each tribe of Israel chose one man to send into Canaan as a spy. The spies' assignment was simple. They had to learn as much as they could about the land that would soon become theirs. It was a beautiful land, abundant in fruits, trees, and fertile elds. God’s plan was to honor His covenant with Abraham and supply the Israelites with a wonderful land for worship, honest work, and the pleasures of friends and family. It was to be a place to safely harbor the promised seed of Abraham until He should be born. The mission of the twelve appointed spies is described in Numbers chapter 13 verses 17-20:
17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
So the men started their journey and explored the land for forty days. It must have been a marvelous adventure for them after living most of their lives as captives along the Nile. They must have been excited at the rich brown soil, fertile valleys, pine trees and streams. It was like paradise! As they drank from the cool fountains, ate the luscious grapes, and stretched their eyes over the hills, they could hardly believe this was to be God’s gift to them. After spending 40 days in paradise, the spies safely made it out of Canaan and returned to tell the people everything they had seen. The news that they had returned quickly spread through the camp and the people gathered in excitement to hear what it was like.
Let's read the account of the spies’ journey in Numbers chapter 23 verses 23-31:
23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and gs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It ows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are forti ed and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan." 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."
As the people saw the beautiful fruit that was brought back, and heard the stories of the clear water and green hills they were excited with the romantic thought of owning their own farms. This was their destiny! But ten of the spies began to report things that were negative and even scary. They said,
''The men are like giants, we would be the size of grasshoppers and the walled cities are impenetrable."
Suddenly the joy of the crowd turned to doubt and fear. A new picture was emerging. One lled with terror and destruction.
Just then two men full of faith, Caleb and Joshua, stepped forward, faced the crowd and cried out:
"Stop my friends! Let us overcome.”
It isn't easy going against the opinion of a small group, much more a whole nation. But, Caleb and Joshua knew the other spies were wrong and refused to doubt. How were they able to withstand that kind of social pressure? Quite simply, they focused on what God could do, not what the people couldn't. They remembered those 40 days in paradise and the strong promises that God had given them. Hadn’t they seen the Red Sea parted? Hadn’t they seen God perform miracles when He provided food and water? Did they so quickly forget when God's presence descended with re and lightning on Mt. Sinai? They resisted the urge to follow the crowd by following God instead.
Let's continue the story by reading Numbers chapter 13 verses 31 and 32 and chapter 14 verses 1-10:
31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are." 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.
1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt." 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that ows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them." 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.
Many people think the course of their life is based upon a pre- written fate. But in this Biblical event we see that the attitude of the people is what shaped their destiny. By allowing fear to overwhelm them and by their lack of self-control they were actually participating in turning themselves away from the destiny that God had planned for them. God had made every provision for them to own their own land. A beautiful land which God wanted them to have. Now the imaginations and fears of the people, the bad report of the ten spies, and their lack of faithfulness to God’s promises were placing a distinct block between the blessing God desired toward them and their chance of obtaining it.
Someone might say,“Well, they had a right to be afraid of those people. The Canaanites were like giants.”
But God had not told them they had to ght those people! He could have run out the inhabitants with bees if He had wanted to! Hadn’t He overcome the Egyptian Empire with a plague of frogs and lice? Never forget God has a 1000 ways to solve your problems which you have never thought of. Trust in Him no matter what. Do not be afraid!
Caleb and Joshua attempted to persuade the people. But the people wouldn’t listen to them. God became so upset with the people’s lack of faith that He withdrew the opportunity to enter Canaan from them. Like a good parent who doesn't tolerate a child throwing a tantrum, we can only expect there would be consequences for Israel's bad behavior. So, God had no choice but to help this child – Abraham’s grandchildren – learn a hard lesson. Let's nish up by reading Numbers chapter 14 verses 26-35:
26 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As I live, saith Jehovah, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me, 30 surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die."
What a sad day as the camp of Israel turned from the borders of the promised land and headed back into the desert where they would spend the next 40 years. One year of wandering for every day of rebellion. A year for a day. Was it their fate? No. Their fate had been to celebrate in the good land. They had negatively altered their fate, by their bad beliefs and bad behavior. Just as President Inönü in 1943 had spared his nation by a good choice, those ten spies had doomed theirs by a bad one. Do you know what happened to the ten spies who gave the bad report? The Bible says they died of a plague!
How can you positively alter your fate?
There is a story of commander Inönü, in which is hidden a key that may help you in your quest to positively shift fate. Long before Inönü was the national chief, he was invited to represent Turkey in Lausanne Switzerland in December of 1922. The conference was held between Britain, France and Turkey to renegotiate the treaty of Sevres. The proceedings of the conference were notable for the stubborn diplomacy of Inönü.
The British representative was Lord Curzon. Lord Curzon would launch into lengthy speeches opposing Turkish demands for recognition of the national pact. Already partially deaf, Inönü would simply turn off his hearing aid when Curzon would make his long winded speeches denouncing the Turkish position. Once Curzon was nished, Inönü would turn on his hearing aid and restate his original demands. He was oblivious to Curzon's denunciations. Why? He literally hadn’t even heard them!
Every human is equipped with a hearing aid of sorts. If we turn it off when need be, we could shift fate powerfully and often. The crowd, listening to the fearful report of the ten spies, should have turned off those negative false ideas much sooner. They should have kept their ears listening solely to the word of God. Always remember, it is only those who listen to God that will ever enter paradise.
Discussion Questions
1. Do your decisions help shape the course and direction of those under your leadership? Your spouse, children, or other respected
friends?
2. The ten spies' negative report quickly turned the crowd’s opin- ion from joy to horror. Is there anything or anyone in your life that
makes you afraid, insecure, or unhappy? How can you ignore them?
3. How do you think God felt about the people’s rejection of His gift of land for the children of Abraham?
4. How are you using God Promises to cancel fear and grow in faith?
It was a moment that called for a clear mind, good counsel, and a nationalistic vision. The Second World War was crippling Europe. In a few short weeks, Hitler’s lightning fast warfare (blitzkrieg) had obliterated Poland, subdued Norway, and sent fear through the entire French Army.
It was a cold morning as President Ismet Inönü slipped on his jacket and rode in his private car to a secret meeting. This clandestine meeting was with none other than British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. As President Inönü rode along, his mind must have been whirling with the situation of his beloved nation. He had recently met with Hitler’s man, Franz von Papen, who made a determined
effort to persuade Turkey to join the Axis powers. And now, he was sure that Winston Churchill would make a similar proposition.
President Inönü was waiting for Churchill inside a train wagon at the Yenice Station 23 kilometers outside of Adana, Turkey. It was January 30, 1943. The strength of the Germans’ victories in the rst years of the war had motivated Churchill to ask Turkey to join the Allied forces. Although up until that point Turkey had not been involved in the war, they had maintained a decently-sized Army and Air Force. Churchill's hope was that the Turks would open a new front in the Balkans. Inönü knew very well the hardships his country had suffered during years of incessant war between 1908 and 1922 and he was determined to keep Turkey out of another war as long as possible. The young Turkish Republic was still re- building, recovering from the losses due to earlier wars, and lacked the modern weaponry and infrastructure necessary for such a fight.
However, the decision wasn't an easy one because Inönü was sure that Stalin would love to have the Turkish straights. He could see the significant value of financial and military aid from the United Kingdom and the United States if the Soviets were to invade. What should the president decide? He was certainly not a stranger to war and he knew very well how to manage an army and lead an attack. But was this the time to join? Was fighting another war the best option for his country?
Can you imagine the pressure he felt as he sat with one of the most influential men in the world? You can be sure that Churchill was giving him every conceivable reason to join in the cause against Hitler’s regime. But President Inönü did something very brave; he resisted the pressure to join. He decided his nation needed time to heal, a time to grow internally. Both of which would never happen if Turkey got involved in the war. History revealed his wisdom. The President’s decision altered the fate of perhaps over 100,000 Turks and their generations. Thousands of young men of that generation, grew up, married, had children, and lived to see their grandchildren. Turkish blood had already proven it’s valor on the eld of battle and President Inönü's choice saved Turkey’s strength and honor for future battles.
Times of war call for secret dealings and big decisions. After leaving Egypt under Moses' leadership, the Israelites found themselves in such a situation. They had just completed their journey through the deserts of the Sinai peninsula and were standing on the edge of the Promised Land. The promise that God had made almost 400 years earlier was about to be ful lled. They would nally have their own gardens, lands, and homes. But before they entered that land, God instructed them to examine it. Let's read about it in Numbers chapter 13 verses 1 and 2:
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them."
Each tribe of Israel chose one man to send into Canaan as a spy. The spies' assignment was simple. They had to learn as much as they could about the land that would soon become theirs. It was a beautiful land, abundant in fruits, trees, and fertile elds. God’s plan was to honor His covenant with Abraham and supply the Israelites with a wonderful land for worship, honest work, and the pleasures of friends and family. It was to be a place to safely harbor the promised seed of Abraham until He should be born. The mission of the twelve appointed spies is described in Numbers chapter 13 verses 17-20:
17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
So the men started their journey and explored the land for forty days. It must have been a marvelous adventure for them after living most of their lives as captives along the Nile. They must have been excited at the rich brown soil, fertile valleys, pine trees and streams. It was like paradise! As they drank from the cool fountains, ate the luscious grapes, and stretched their eyes over the hills, they could hardly believe this was to be God’s gift to them. After spending 40 days in paradise, the spies safely made it out of Canaan and returned to tell the people everything they had seen. The news that they had returned quickly spread through the camp and the people gathered in excitement to hear what it was like.
Let's read the account of the spies’ journey in Numbers chapter 23 verses 23-31:
23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and gs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It ows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are forti ed and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan." 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."
As the people saw the beautiful fruit that was brought back, and heard the stories of the clear water and green hills they were excited with the romantic thought of owning their own farms. This was their destiny! But ten of the spies began to report things that were negative and even scary. They said,
''The men are like giants, we would be the size of grasshoppers and the walled cities are impenetrable."
Suddenly the joy of the crowd turned to doubt and fear. A new picture was emerging. One lled with terror and destruction.
Just then two men full of faith, Caleb and Joshua, stepped forward, faced the crowd and cried out:
"Stop my friends! Let us overcome.”
It isn't easy going against the opinion of a small group, much more a whole nation. But, Caleb and Joshua knew the other spies were wrong and refused to doubt. How were they able to withstand that kind of social pressure? Quite simply, they focused on what God could do, not what the people couldn't. They remembered those 40 days in paradise and the strong promises that God had given them. Hadn’t they seen the Red Sea parted? Hadn’t they seen God perform miracles when He provided food and water? Did they so quickly forget when God's presence descended with re and lightning on Mt. Sinai? They resisted the urge to follow the crowd by following God instead.
Let's continue the story by reading Numbers chapter 13 verses 31 and 32 and chapter 14 verses 1-10:
31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are." 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.
1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt." 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that ows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them." 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.
Many people think the course of their life is based upon a pre- written fate. But in this Biblical event we see that the attitude of the people is what shaped their destiny. By allowing fear to overwhelm them and by their lack of self-control they were actually participating in turning themselves away from the destiny that God had planned for them. God had made every provision for them to own their own land. A beautiful land which God wanted them to have. Now the imaginations and fears of the people, the bad report of the ten spies, and their lack of faithfulness to God’s promises were placing a distinct block between the blessing God desired toward them and their chance of obtaining it.
Someone might say,“Well, they had a right to be afraid of those people. The Canaanites were like giants.”
But God had not told them they had to ght those people! He could have run out the inhabitants with bees if He had wanted to! Hadn’t He overcome the Egyptian Empire with a plague of frogs and lice? Never forget God has a 1000 ways to solve your problems which you have never thought of. Trust in Him no matter what. Do not be afraid!
Caleb and Joshua attempted to persuade the people. But the people wouldn’t listen to them. God became so upset with the people’s lack of faith that He withdrew the opportunity to enter Canaan from them. Like a good parent who doesn't tolerate a child throwing a tantrum, we can only expect there would be consequences for Israel's bad behavior. So, God had no choice but to help this child – Abraham’s grandchildren – learn a hard lesson. Let's nish up by reading Numbers chapter 14 verses 26-35:
26 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As I live, saith Jehovah, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me, 30 surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die."
What a sad day as the camp of Israel turned from the borders of the promised land and headed back into the desert where they would spend the next 40 years. One year of wandering for every day of rebellion. A year for a day. Was it their fate? No. Their fate had been to celebrate in the good land. They had negatively altered their fate, by their bad beliefs and bad behavior. Just as President Inönü in 1943 had spared his nation by a good choice, those ten spies had doomed theirs by a bad one. Do you know what happened to the ten spies who gave the bad report? The Bible says they died of a plague!
How can you positively alter your fate?
There is a story of commander Inönü, in which is hidden a key that may help you in your quest to positively shift fate. Long before Inönü was the national chief, he was invited to represent Turkey in Lausanne Switzerland in December of 1922. The conference was held between Britain, France and Turkey to renegotiate the treaty of Sevres. The proceedings of the conference were notable for the stubborn diplomacy of Inönü.
The British representative was Lord Curzon. Lord Curzon would launch into lengthy speeches opposing Turkish demands for recognition of the national pact. Already partially deaf, Inönü would simply turn off his hearing aid when Curzon would make his long winded speeches denouncing the Turkish position. Once Curzon was nished, Inönü would turn on his hearing aid and restate his original demands. He was oblivious to Curzon's denunciations. Why? He literally hadn’t even heard them!
Every human is equipped with a hearing aid of sorts. If we turn it off when need be, we could shift fate powerfully and often. The crowd, listening to the fearful report of the ten spies, should have turned off those negative false ideas much sooner. They should have kept their ears listening solely to the word of God. Always remember, it is only those who listen to God that will ever enter paradise.
Discussion Questions
1. Do your decisions help shape the course and direction of those under your leadership? Your spouse, children, or other respected
friends?
2. The ten spies' negative report quickly turned the crowd’s opin- ion from joy to horror. Is there anything or anyone in your life that
makes you afraid, insecure, or unhappy? How can you ignore them?
3. How do you think God felt about the people’s rejection of His gift of land for the children of Abraham?
4. How are you using God Promises to cancel fear and grow in faith?