Many people do not succeed in life for many reasons: fear, ignorance, negative influence of others etc. Madalas nakikita natin ang kawalan at kakulangan.

In the book of Numbers 14:27, there are highlights:
1. The land is as God has said, one that flows with milk and honey. The brought we have brought is proof of it (v26-27)
2. The people are very strong (v 28)
3. The cities are walled, fortified and very great.
4. Giants occupy the land. We are in their sight are grasshoppers (v28-29, 32-33)
5. We are not able to go against these people, for they are stronger than we are. (v31)
[insert photo of a giant]

But was it not God who told them to go there? Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?

The confirmation
The land is as God has said, one that flows with milk and honey. The brought we have brought is proof of it (v26-27). It was confirmed by the spies. They even brought big grapes to confirm that their report is true.

The doubt
• The people are very strong (v 28)
• The cities are walled, fortified and very great.
• Giants occupy the land. We are in their sight are grasshoppers (v28-29, 32-33)
• We are not able to go against these people, for they are stronger than we are. (v31)

In verse 33 it says: “we saw the giants” But the Bible is clear in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith, not by sight.” The 10 spies are natural men who look to natural things.

The faith
• We agree with all the majority report as far as the fruitfulness of the land, the strength of the walled cities, and the size of the inhabitants (v 27-33)
• But, we disagree with the report regarding our inability to go up against these giants. Let us go up at once, and possess the land, for we are well able to overcome it. (v 30)

You see how Caleb and Joshua talked by faith which is always in the affirmative, always optimistic:
• we are well-able;
• the Lord will bring us into the land and give it to us;
• the are defenseless;
• the Lord is with us; do not fear.

What about you? Do you see lack? Do you see big problems? Or do you see abundance and God’s provision? Do you see the bigness of the Lord?
What about you? Do you ask big things from the Lord? Look at the prayer of Jabez:

The Prayer of Jabez, 1 Chronicles 4:10 :
“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.”

Lessons learned from Jabez prayer
1. He called to the God of Israel – He knows who to call. We also have to know the character, the nature and the power of our Almighty God. You acknowledge who He is.
2. “You would bless me” – Allow God to bless you because Jabez recognises that blessings come from God. He know the power of the Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches and glory…”
3. “that you would multiply my territory” – hindi masama humingi sa Diyos na paramihin ang iyong mga tinatangkilik or pag-aari. Are you asking God to give you more and increase your wealth and influence?
4. “your hand be with me” we do not only ask God to provide for our needs but we also ask Him for His hand to direct our steps and lead us through better opportunities and let His hand guide us through to withstand the trials of life. For me this is the greatest blessing of all.
5. “keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” His own mother named him this because of the pain she endured in labor! When Jabez prays, he speaks against the testimony of his name and lets go of the shame it covered him in. When you pray, come to God vulnerable and ready for Him to turn your weakness into His glory. He can turn your sorrows into joy.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this way: “Father in heaven . . . deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:9, 13). Jabez looks to God in confidence as his defender.

Look at the lives of Caleb, Joshua, and Jabez. They may have been through negativities and they were outnumbered by people by who made discouraging words against them. But they did not see those negative words of despair, discouragement, and frustration. They see God at the center of everything: they are able because the Lord is with us and the Lord will give us the land. Do not fear.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

My daughters Jewel and Chelsea pray every morning while kneeling down at our altar. Their age is 3 and 5, at the time of this writing. But their prayer today is: “Lord Jesus, please give us a big house and a big car…” At the time of this writing, we have a small house and no car at all. But I am grateful that they see God as the source of the blessings and not daddy’s or mommy’s job or business.

I want to encourage you today to seek God and ask that you will not stop believing that all things will work together to your advantage. So do not dare to stop believing that promise.