Most of the time, it is what we choose to believe that’s important. Do we choose to believe God, or do we choose to believe the things that we see right in front of us? We know that the word tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), that we cannot see with our physical eyes. God gave us armour not of steel but of the Spirit, which are truth, righteousness, readiness given by the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17). We cannot see this armour but it is very real. Why do we then constantly look with our eyes and allow that to dictate how we respond, feel, and believe.  Even when we get that bad report from the world, we should take up the armour and look to God for our help, just like Caleb and Joshua. We need to remind ourselves that we should look beyond the physical of what our eyes see and believe God’s promises, no matter what we see.

Numbers 13:1-33

Spies Sent into Canaan

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “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.” So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel…

So, God told Moses to send spies into the promised land. Each tribe was to be represented and not just any representation, but it says chief among them and heads of the people. So, these men were sent, and Moses gives them specific instructions.

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, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 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 they went up and spied out the land …

Report of the Spies

At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 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. And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 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.”

Most of the spies returned with a report that said that the land was rich in food, but the inhabitants were strong, and the cities are well protected. Furthermore, they saw the descendants of Anak. Anak was a tribe of giant people in Canaan. Their report was one of fear and doubt that they could not do what God called them to do.

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.” 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.” 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. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

But Caleb’s response was one of such confidence, saying that they would be able to overcome it. But the other men contradicted what Caleb said, fearing that they could not go up against these people, for they saw them as stronger. The word says that they brought a bad report of the land. They saw these giants and forgot all the promises of God and what He can do. They thought that the battle was dependent on themselves, but Caleb knew that they would be able to do it because of God.

Joshua and Caleb’s Report

Number 14:6-9

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 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. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 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.” 

The people were so afraid of the report that they were ready to go back to Egypt in slavery. But Joshua and Caleb told the people that if the Lord delighted in them (is pleased with them), He would give them the land. But the people were already blinded by the negative report given. All they could see were men that they feared.

I think we do this so often we do not even realize it. We look at the things in front of us, put God behind us and believe our own eyes. But we really should believe God above all other things, including our own eyes. Caleb and Joshua show us that it is possible to look at hard and impossible situations but see and remember that if God is pleased with us, we will overcome that situation, we will win that battle or we will come through it on the other side.

So, let us be aware and learn to look and believe that once God is pleased with us, we will be victorious. Let us look at the world and do the unexpected and believe God’s report, especially when it’s the opposite of what we see. Let us look beyond the physical, and no matter how it looks, choose to look through God’s promises and blessings. So do not let your eyes deceive you and cause you to fear.

All photos were taken by Kyle or Vani. These photos are from the many adventures we have been blessed to experience together. We are so grateful for every blessing from God. No filters were used nor were the photos edited except for an occasional crop. We hope you enjoy.