Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living

Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.  Numbers 14:9 KJV

 

When you are only five feet three, and someone who is six feet five towers over you, you quickly learn what intimidation is, especially when the giant leans over you and threatens to make mincemeat out ofyou.  We’d much prefer enemies about our own size, giving us an equal chance; but of course, life isn’t always fair.

Sometimes the problems of life—the difficulties and challenges you face—are no less foreboding than the giants whose strength and height make you feel like a midget, and they are certainly no less intimidating.

When David faced his giant, Goliath, he had three options: turn and run, be intimidated by the giant, or confront the giant and defeat him with God’s help. So is it with the giant problems that confront us today—broken homes and hearts, financial problems that challenge your existence, difficulties with people, and health problems that just don’t go away.

Some run away from their problems (only compounding them).

Others live with the giant towering over them, intimidating them, making them his slave.

A few confront their giant and win. That’s what this program is about—conquering the giants in your life, utilizing the weapons of spiritual warfare that God provides, and finding His strength to defeat your giant.

Before we get started, please allow me to refresh your memory of the challenge confronting God’s people when they left Egypt and started for the land of milk and honey–because there are parallels to what confronts us today.

Having seen the mighty hand of God in deliverance from Egypt and seeing God’s great power as the waters of the Red Sea parted, allowing them to cross through dry- shod but engulfing the Egyptians army, they fully expected that taking Canaan would be another series of miraculous events—a cakewalk, as we would describe it.

They were dead wrong.  Moses, not completely certain what lay ahead, decided to do some reconnaissance— he sent out 12 men to spy out the land.  The 12 went into the land and from north to south, from east to west they assessed the situation—the numbers of the enemy, their strength, the geography, and how productive the land was. They all saw the same thing. And what they saw frightened most of them. “There are giants in the land—descendents of Anak!” they said. Ten of those men wanted to quit on the spot—give up and go back to bondage in Egypt. But two of those men, Joshua and Caleb, said, “It’s true, there are giants in the land; but God will surely give it to us.” They wanted to immediately confront their enemies.

In assessing the situation, Joshua made a fascinating statement.  He said, “Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:9 KJV).  The enemies, he said, are “bread” for us.  The word he used was generally used for wheat or grain which had been ground and made into a loaf. The same word was used for the showbread in the tabernacle. He is really saying that these giants whom you fear will be ground like wheat, becoming—yes!—bread for you. You will thrive on them, seeing what God does. And like the nourishment you get from bread, it will feed your faith and make you strong.

That’s the way it is with the giants in your life. Yes, you would prefer that you not have to take on the giants; but remember, without bread, you die.  And without taking on the giants in your life, you will never know that God is bigger than any problem you will ever face.

 

Resource reading: Number 13:1-33