Bishop Coulter: Just a Thought – Are You a Grasshopper?

Dear Friends,

Several days ago during our morning devotions in the office, Judy Covington read excerpts from Numbers 13 about the spies’ report after they had spied out the Promised Land. We all know the story of how Joshua and Caleb said, “we can take the land,” but ten spies said “no we can’t”, and the people believed them and not God.

But the verse that struck me was verse 33 which says.
Numbers 13:33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Notice they were like grasshoppers in their own sight!  So the enemy viewed them the same way.
They did not go up to spy the land in faith, but in fear. They let fear guide their thoughts. They let fear dictate who they were.  Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

The 10 spies defeated themselves with their negative thinking. They were thinking, “we cannot do that” but they forgot that God could do it through them.   Remember, the enemy will always reinforce your negative thinking. When you say,” I can’t do that”, the enemy is quick to agree with you. He will send you well-meaning friends who will reinforce the negative with words like, “that will cost you too much, you do not have the experience, or what happens if you fail”?

Remember the battle is always for the mind. If Satan can get you into negative thinking, he will be able to stop you in all your endeavors. I will remind you of 2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  So when fear or negative thinking comes to you, know that it is an attack from the evil one.

In these situations I always like to remind myself of two verses;
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What is God calling you to do today? This is a season where God is moving quickly and powerfully. He is calling his people to new exploits. He is moving us out of our comfort zones. The question is, “Are you going to allow Him to work through you and gain new ground or are you going to stay and think that is impossible?”

I encourage you today to let God move you into that new territory He has for you. The Israelites did not understand that God would go before them and the victory was assured because God was with them.  Joshua and Caleb understood that with God’s help nothing is impossible.

Today I encourage you to let God stretch you once again. To believe in the God who has called you and believe in yourself. God does not make mistakes. He called you because He has a great victory for you and your ministry.

Let us move forward to all that God has in store for us,
Bishop Bob Coulter