WHAT REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE

In Numbers 13 Moses sent out 12 spies to go through the promise land and report back their findings: 1. see what the land was like 2. see if the people were weak or strong, few or many 3.was the land good or bad 4. were the cities like camps or strongholds 4.was the land rich or poor was there forests there and bring back some fruit from the land. The one thing they were not to do was view the land and people from their perspective. Yet when they returned 10 had done just that and in verse 33 they made this report " we were like grasshoppers in our own sight and so we were in their sight." And the people listened to and believed the bad report.

In 1 Samuel 11 an account is given about Jabesh Gilead, they were surrounded by the enemy, all looked hopeless, their circumstances appeared grave, but they sent out messengers for help, then came back the report verse 9b "Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help". When they heard the report they believed and were glad.

We have all heard or seen a bad report, you know the ones: doctor report, loss of income, children rebelling, spouse leaving, car broke down, mortgage payment late, creditors calling, bank account in the negative and it goes on and on. In the past I would get a bad report and immediately I would see myself as a grasshopper compared to the report, and I would hear the enemy shout "you will not get through this time" and I would be shaken. Yet, I began to keep praying, keep believing, and keep praising and I saw that each time I thought that I couldn't, God did. Over and over God was faithful and He brought me through it and I began to sit up markers that I could look back on and say "God did it for me then He will do it for me now. I will not be shaken."

Psalm 112:6 Surely he will never be shaken, the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.

When I read this part about never be shaken I remembered:

Hebrews 12:28a Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace.....

Since we are part of God's kingdom which cannot be shaken, then how can we allow a bad report to shake us.

Psalm 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings (NLT says fear bad news); his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Psalm 112:8a His heart is established; he will not be afraid,.....

It is the perspective that we view the bad report that will determine will we be shaken and fearful or will we be steadfast and courageous? There is only one report we need to believe, even when all appears hopeless, and we think help may not come. That report we hold onto only has three words "GOD IS ABLE".

So hold on Help is on the way.