Inspiration

Is Faith Such a Big Deal?

By Connie Arnold

When we hear this question, we immediately whip out Hebrews 11:16, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him”. This is a stock answer that may sound hollow to some who hear it.

We pray for something that we desire that only God can bring to pass. But our faith waivers when we can’t provide a plan for God to follow. Or we tell ourselves that the answer to this prayer might take us out of our comfort zone. We may have gotten too deep into this ‘faith’ thing. But we step out only to feel the ground crumbling under our feet. So, can we go back? Can we take our prayer back? Can we say, “Lord, I can’t believe this could really happen.”

Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land that God had promised to give to Israel. God told them it was time to go in and grab hold of His promise. When they spied out the land, they saw the perfect conditions for prospering as a new nation: a land flowing with milk and honey. The men brought back a sample of the grapes, bolstering everyone’s faith…until they heard the rest of the story.

Ten of the spies said, “We have seen the giants, the sons of Anak; and we were in our own eyes as grasshoppers.” These men were spewing out fear as grasshoppers vomit a brown liquid when they’re afraid. Not a pretty sight. Here were God’s children on the cusp of realizing one of God’s greatest promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob drawing back in fear.

Two spies stood firm: Joshua from the tribe of Judah; Caleb from the tribe of Ephraim (Joseph’s son). They knew that God would not protect the inhabitants of Canaan from the Israelites. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and urged the congregation not to rebel against the Lord. “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well-able to overcome it,” (Numbers 13:30 NRSV). They were voted down. God asked Moses, “How long will this people refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?”

Let us look at the consequences of throwing out their faith. Moses had to stand between God and the people, urging Him to withhold his anger. But there were repercussions. The ten spies and all the agreeing congregation would never see the promised land. Only when that generation was dead and gone could Israel make the journey into the promised Canaan Land.

Joshua and Caleb, along with their families and a new generation, lived to cross over the Jordan River and enjoy the blessings and abundance of the new land. Their faith was rewarded, but nevertheless, they had to wait for the fulfillment of their trust.

We latch on to faith as we take our petition to the Father, believing that the answer will come in His own time. But before that ‘time’, Satan tempts us to revisit our giants. We should determine to view these obstacles as targets on a firing range—shoot them down by recounting past victories. We have not been in this territory before; we are claiming new ground. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).