Be Inspired Bible Study 27th March 2025Topic: What you see & what you say
Text: Numbers 13
Numbers 13:1-3, 17-20, 23-33 KJV
[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. [3] And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
[17] And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: [18] and see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; [19] and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; [20] and what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
[23] And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. [24] The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. [25] And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. [26] And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. [27] And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. [28] Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. [29] The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. [30] And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. [31] But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. [32] And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. [33] And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Glory be to God for another wonderful opportunity to study and share His word. Lord eternal as we study the word, we ask for divine clarity, understanding and direction beyond human reasoning. Lord have your way, shine your light through your word and let our minds receives direction in all areas in Jesus name amen.
Glory be to God for another wonderful opportunity to study and share His word. Eternal Lord, as we study, we ask for divine clarity, understanding, and direction that goes beyond human reasoning. Lord, have Your way, shine Your light through Your word, and let our minds receive direction in all areas in Jesus' name. Amen.
The story of the children of Israel in the Bible unfolds in different phases, and one significant phase is when Moses sent some chosen leaders, including Joshua and Caleb, to spy out the Land. Numbers 13:1-3 clearly tells us that the Lord spoke to Moses and instructed him to send men to search the land He was giving to the children of Israel.
The first reality and rhema in this instruction is that God didn’t say the land He will give, but the land which I give to the children of Israel. So, the land was already theirs; they just needed to take a step of faith and explore it. God told Moses to send leaders from every tribe, people who were not just grown-ups, but leaders of their tribes. These individuals were not acting just on their own behalf but as representatives of their people. In today’s terms, these would be the people voted into office, representing the constituents.
Fast-forward to verses 17-20, where Moses gave them specific directions: to spy out the land of Canaan, assess its strength, size, and whether the people who dwelt there were strong or weak, few or many. They were also instructed to check whether the land was good or bad, whether the cities were fortified, and to bring back some of the fruit of the land.
Again, we see that God can be trusted. He already knew what the land looked like and who was living there. Even though He knew the people might feel intimidated, He still instructed them to bring back the fruits. You may wonder, how could they bring back fruit from a land they hadn’t fully explored? The answer is simple: when God gives you a vision or puts you on a mission, He provides direction and makes provision for it. He is not a man to lie. If He tells you to be strong and courageous, it’s because He knows what you will face, even if you don’t. We must obey His instructions and trust that He will fulfill His promises. If He says, “Be strong and of good courage,” it means He’s aware of what awaits us, whether or not we can foresee it.
In verses 23-33, the Bible says they came to the brook of Eschol, where they cut down a branch with a cluster of grapes, pomegranates, and figs. They searched the land for forty days before returning to Moses and Aaron and the congregation of Israel in the wilderness of Paran. Imagine being in the wilderness with God promising you a land that was already given, yet He still instructs you to send people to spy it out. God takes us through seasons of preparation. Sometimes these seasons may involve waiting, and in some cases, they may not be pleasant, but it’s crucial not to lose focus or faith just because the present situation doesn’t look like the destination God has promised. What you see in life should not determine what you say about your life. Even when what you see doesn’t align with what God says, your confession must align with His promises.
For example, if God has promised that you will have children in your marriage, but all your tests are negative, don’t label yourself barren. God has not called you barren. Look at Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth—though once barren, they became mothers by God’s mercy. If God has shown you that your dreams are achievable, but right now everything seems far-fetched, don’t doubt. God is not a man that He should lie. But remember, what you say matters, even when circumstances are not aligning with God's promises.
Don’t seek permanent solutions in temporary situations. Don’t let your temporary circumstances dictate your peace. Many people give up just because they can’t imagine how God will bring them into their promised land. That’s the enemy playing tricks with your mind and pushing you into fear, instead of keeping you in faith.
When the spies returned, in verses 27-30, they reported to Moses that they saw the children of Anak (giants) dwelling in the land. The Amalekites lived in the south, the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites lived in the mountains, and the Canaanites lived by the sea and along the Jordan. It seemed impossible to take the land because the inhabitants were so well-established. However, remember that God instructed them to observe the people, the strongholds, and everything about the land. God wasn’t concerned about the inhabitants; He just wanted them to know that He had already given them the land, no matter who lived there. The presence of giants and strongholds did not change the promise of God.
What you see doesn’t determine what God will do. Your words must align with what God said from the beginning, not just with your current situation, which might look completely different from His promises.
In verse 30, Caleb stood up and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession of it, for we are well able to overcome it." But the other men disagreed, saying, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." They brought up an evil report, claiming that the inhabitants were giants, and they said, “We were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:33)
My question to these people would be: Did the Anakites call you grasshoppers, or did you just imagine that you were grasshoppers in their sight? Who says a thing and it comes to pass unless the Lord has commanded it? (Lamentations 3:37-40). God’s word says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). This isn’t motivational speaking; it’s a call to align your words with the truth of God’s Word. Until you change your confession, your mindset may remain trapped in darkness when you are meant to walk in the light. What are you saying to yourself? God knew what lay ahead, and though some saw the challenges, others saw the opportunity to prove God right by stepping forward in faith to take what God had already given them. The land was theirs, regardless of the giants, the fruits, or the strongholds.
What are you saying because of what you see? Have you asked God for the right words in situations that don’t seem to align with His promises?
The word of God isn’t about faking it until you make it. It’s about calling those things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). You won’t fully understand until you become a doer of the Word, not just a hearer or preacher (James 1:22).
It’s alarming when believers, whether they speak in tongues, know the Bible, or are prayer warriors, live in contradiction to what the Word says. What you say in prayer or in leadership should align with the Word, not with your current reality.
To live by the Word above your circumstances, you must remove the lens of the world and put on the lens of the Word of God. So, I ask you again: What do you see, and what do you say? No matter what you see, ensure that your words align with the Word of God.
Thank you, Lord, for the grace to share Your Word. Help us, Lord, to see as You see and to live according to Your Word, in Jesus' name. Amen.
