What ever we do or set out to do – that comes from fear, you can be sure that it will not succeed in what you hoped for. Only that which comes from faith, and faith that hears directly from God in His Word, will succeed in what we hoped for.
When the spies came back from the Land of Canaan, there were two reports: the report of those who feared, and the report of Joshua and Caleb were NOT afraid to take the land that the Lord had ALREADY given them with a promise.
The fearful spies spread their fear throughout the community of Israelites. The people then grumbled and complained, and they threatened to choose another leader (other than Moses whom God chose to lead them) to take them back to Egypt where they lived as slaves. Imagine that; to trust in slavery and suffering in Egypt, instead of liberty and blessings in God.
Joshua and Caleb tore their robes in deep grief over what they were hearing, and said to the entire assembly: “If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into the land and He will give it to us. The Canaanites have no protection, because the Lord is with us!” (Numbers 13:30 – 14:11)
But the people clung to their fear anyway, and they talked about stoning Joshua and Caleb, Moses and Aaron, and BOY! did this ANGER THE LORD!
“How long will these people treat ME with contempt?! How long will they refuse to BELIEVE in Me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?! I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you (Moses) into a nation greater and stronger than they.” (Numbers 14:11-12)
Moses, because of godly wisdom, interceded for the people by reminding the Lord what would happen if He destroyed the people that He brought out of Egypt; how others would see that God was NOT ABLE to do what He said He would do for His people. Moses said, “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as You have declared.”
The Lord forgave the grumblers and complainers, FOR HIS OWN RENOWN, and because His ‘faithful’ servant Moses asked Him to. But the Lord said, “Nevertheless, not one of those who saw MY GLORY and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed Me and tested Me ten times – not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors….But because My servant Caleb has a DIFFERENT SPIRIT and FOLLOWS ME WHOLEHEARTEDLY, I will bring him into the land, and his descendants will inherit it.”
As for all the grumblers: “How long will this wicked community grumble against Me? I heard them all, so tell them: ‘As surely as I live, I will DO TO YOU THE VERY THING I HEARD YOU SAY.’” (Numbers 14:17-28)
So, here we have from God Himself what happens to us when we choose fear that always opposes the reward of our faith. We will all fear from time to time, but be certain that if we begin to act out of fear – our fear will surely come upon us; what we feared will in fact happen.
God acts on our faith, with His good pleasure. God also allows our fear to result when we don’t confess it and take hold of what He said and walk it out. His displeasure results in our painful discipline. The choice is ours.
What has God said to you that He expects you to apply your faith to – and then do? We’ve each been given faith as small as a mustard seed to grow up into our most holy faith.
In the biblical book of James, we are reminded of how important it is to “persevere” in faith of what we’ve heard directly from God in His Word, that we are to do with Him, and for His glory. “Faith comes by hearing; hearing the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) And, that to help us to keep persevering in our faith God has instructed us that we can go to Him any time and ask for His wisdom, so that we mature in faith, and we complete what He tells us to do, not lacking a thing. God always has a purpose in making us wait for Him to act, or suffer for a time, which both situations can incite fear in us.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives GENEROUSLY AND WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, and it will be given to you. BUT when you ask, YOU MUST BELIEVE AND NOT DOUBT, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. THAT PERSON SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE ANY THING FROM THE LORD. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” (James 1:5-8)
God calls each of His sons and daughters in Christ – to HIS PURPOSE (not our purpose). “Not my will, but Yours be done in my life, Lord.”
We should recognize a scheme of the devil’s, and not allow fear (or pride) turn us from the obedience of our faith. Satan is a liar and destroyer, he controls us mostly by what we fear (death, loss, humiliation, poverty, rejection, etc.).
God is truth and life, and by His love and power “we can do all things through Christ who gives us His strength” – all the way to our ‘finish line’ of faith. Father God desires to reward our faith – more than we do!