Why Was It So Hard for the Children of God to Stake Claim to the "Promised Land?"

In all my years as a Christian, I've never thought about it before Sunday when Sam mentioned it in his sermon. His 3rd point in a message based on the passage of Scripture in Numbers 14:5-10 was this: 

"I forgot the promise in the Promised Land." 

The Israelites sinned against God  by forgetting that He always...always...always keeps His promises! 

They followed a God who proved Himself faithful over and over again as they wandered in the desert and yet, when it came time to actually get. to where they were going, they forgot.

Aren't we like that too?

Don't we sing those great songs in our services on Sunday mornings, then crawl out of bed on Tuesday and face our struggles as if He's determined to let us down?

I think the problem is that we expected the "Promised Land" to be handed to us without a fight. We feel the spit of the giants we face and back down. We draw up in little balls and cry about being abandoned by the very God who brought us to this place as if He intended to make a mockery of us all along.

Nothing could be further from the truth! 

While the Israelites started looking for stones to hurl at Joshua and Caleb, Moses and Aaron, Joshua and Caleb begged them to trust God more.

Perhaps the battle you're facing came out of left field and you're not quite sure what to do with it. You didn't know it would be so hard! You thought you'd walk right in to a land flowing with milk and honey, settle down, plant your vineyards and drink your wine. But somebody else thinks this land belongs to them. 

Do we turn around and settle for less? No! Heavens No! 

God means for us to fight for it.

He means for us to march into territory that's been occupied by enemy forces, and by faith in Him, claim that land for His glory.

He means for us to get downright determined.

God is honored when we shout, "CHARGE!" in situations where it seems foolish to expect anything other than disappointment. 

The devil wants you to focus on the giants in the land.

God wants you to remember that this is land He PROMISED to you.

The devil wants you to get mad at God and stone the people who dare to believe! 

God wants you to follow them through flooded rivers, beside impenetrable walls, against vast armies to take what He's already given you.

How do we do this today? 

Through prayer and fasting and patient obedience.

We trust God. We deny the flesh. And we go wherever His Spirit takes us. We stop looking at the size of the giants and instead gaze on the beauty of His holiness. We let the invitation to take back what the devil's stolen from us, hurl us into a battle we've already won; and we fight like we know it.

You are a child of God.

You have been promised the land. It is yours.

Take it.