And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Heb 3:18&19).
For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Heb. 4:3)
Introduction: People of God have to face one giant or the other by faith before they enter into God’s rest and promises. The interesting thing is that though you have to face these giants, you are not expected to face them in your own power and strength but with faith in God who has already won the battle for you. He just wants you to participate in the victory. If there is any difficult situation that your heart tells you to confront but your body considers too difficult; if it fits into your calling (purpose or life assignment), it is better to face it with faith than back out. The status quo is familiar and more comfortable but God expects you to take a leap and move into the world of unknown to conquer more territories.
Examples of people who faced giants
Abraham had to leave the known comfortable environment to face the giant of an unknown city. He took the leap trusting God with the unknown future. As a result of his faith, He became God’s friend, God made a covenant with him and he became the father of many nations.
The Israelites had to leave Egypt, wade through the wilderness and face the giants; the Canaanites, Jebusites, Amorites etc. If they didn’t face these giants, and conquered them by faith, they would have remained in bondage as slaves forever. During the time of the war, it would have seemed as if they were suffering. They had to miss the garlic and cucumber in Egypt and eat the monotonous manna. They couldn’t buy or make new dresses. However, they were better off in the long run because when they conquered and entered into the promise land, they could take a lot of milk and honey. They even reaped fruits from trees they never planted.
Don’t give up on any giant
What is the giant (difficult situation) facing you that you have to conquer? It may be West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), or Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) or Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) exams, Medical School, or other Professional exams, theological training, apprenticeship, developing and sending business proposal, trying more business ideas to generate more money etc. Whatever it is, please don’t avoid it. You may seem to have less money or time for socials, compared to your friends or the situation may seem to be stressful and threatening but in the long run, you will be better off. (The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. Prov 22:13). If the challenge affects your health negatively, you may need to space out the tasks and go slowly or seek medical advice on how to cope but don’t give up. When you face and conquer those giants, you will enter into your rest and have more peace than those who avoided them.
In Numbers: 14:28-35, God was angry with the Israelites in the wilderness because they did not exercise faith. Have you ever wondered what they needed to exercise their faith for? It was not to win souls for God or do anything directly for him. The faith they were to exercise was to bring them into their own promised land and enjoy God’s goodness. Yet, refusing to exercise that faith became a sin to them so much that God referred to them as an evil generation. Can you imagine that God was angry with them because they didn’t trust him to bring them into their land full of milk and honey? You may think that because the challenge facing you is about your life, career or welfare, therefore you can do whatever you like but you cannot. Do you know why? Your life is God’s product! It doesn’t really belong to you. God wants that product to succeed, therefore if you refuse to prosper and reach the peak in your assignment or God’s purpose for your life, you are frustrating God’s plan. You are depriving him of the glory He is supposed to get from the success of His product — You! and it will become a sin to you (Num 14:40) which may attract negative consequences. In Number 14: 37&38, those men who were afraid of moving forward and brought evil report from Canaan died while Caleb and Joshua who had faith in God lived.
You may think that not taking a step to improve will just make you remain status quo but it doesn’t work that way. God‘s anger for not exercising your faith can make him withdraw his hands and those things you think are enough can fall apart. Dare to exercise your faith and move forward. In Numbers 14:32, God pronounced that all the people who were afraid to face the giants would die in the wilderness and it happened. None of them entered the promised land.
Follow God’s timing and care for your brethren
It is also important to note that in God’s agenda for your life, specific time is allocated for different tasks and assignments. If you don’t key into the training for your purpose at the right time, you may be taking a step when the grace is not yet available or has been lifted. In Numbers chapter 14: V40-45, the people who had refused to move forward when they were instructed by God through Moses decided to move against His warning and they were defeated by their enemies. Don’t run ahead of God or drag behind him.
Sometimes, the giant you have to face may not be important for your survival or that of your immediate family. It may be after you have conquered what you need at that level that you realize that you are like an armed man amidst your brethren who needs to fight for the sake of other Christians. In Numbers 32: 16&17, the armed men among the tribes of Reuben and Gad though they had already got their own inheritance on the other side of Jordan to the east, made a pledge before Moses that after settling their families, they will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until they have brought them unto their place . They promised not to return unto their houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. What is more interesting to me about this story is that in Numbers 32:22-23, Moses told them that if they kept their promises to assist their brethren, then they would be guiltless before God and the people of God and the land shall be their possession before the Lord, otherwise, they are sinners against the Lord; and may be certain that their sin will have its reward.(BBE). This means that as a child of God, you cannot sit in your comfort zone while your brethren in your church, or country or even globally are not possessing their possessions in certain aspects of life. Whatever is the aspect where God has given you assignment, you must ensure you stretch yourself to assist your brethren in that regards.
Conclusion: Avoiding a challenge or refusing to try again may seem more comfortable than facing it but the comfort doesn’t last. It’s like the comfort felt by a lazy man who sits down idling away while others are working and sweating. If indeed you want to enjoy a lasting comfort, then you must be diligent to know what it takes to reach the top in your life assignment (or God’s purpose for your life) and apply yourself to whatever it takes. Until you reach the top, whatever rest you seem to have is just temporary.
Note however, that we as children of God do not fight the same way that unbelievers do. We fight from victory. Whatever giant the Lord is telling you to face, He has already conquered them, He just wants you to play the human role and be a part of the victory. (Deut 3:18). Therefore exercise faith in God every step of the way. Remember the bible says we who have believed do enter into his rest. Believe that you can face the giant and conquer but let your faith be in God and not in your ability. Don’t make the goal or challenge the first priority in your life, don’t let it replace God because He is the only one who can ultimately make it easy and possible to get the blessing without sorrow added to it. (Prov 10:22)
Whatever you consider as a giant, if it fits into your purpose and it will make you grow and not static, please face it trusting God that He has already won the battle on your behalf. See you at the top !!!!!!