In Numbers 13:1,25-14:10 we see the story of God promising to give the people the land. “The Lord said to Moses,“Send men to explore Canaan, which I’m giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of their ancestors’ tribes.” – {Numbers 13:1-2}. They send in spies who come back and say how wonderful it is but they then interject their fears into the scenario and it influences the people who received the report to such an extent they spent a night crying over how bad they believed the situation to be all based on the “bad report” the “Good report” turned into! Read how they responded…
“Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”-{Numbers 14:11-5}.
FEAR-FED THINKING;
Note they “ALL “spent the night crying, grumbling against the LORD’S leaders, Their FEAR-FED Thinking led to Depressive thinking that life was not worth living, wishing they had died not once as in Egypt, but twice…if not Egypt why not die in the wilderness! Then they doubted God cared for them,their fear fed thinking leading them to think the worse about God, that somehow His intentions towards them were sinister, that He was out to “get them!” They accused Him of bringing them out to the wilderness to be murdered “by the sword!”
Then the “spiral,” in their FEAR-FED THINKING plunged even further down as they believed their wives and children would be “plundered,” and then they CONCLUDED IT would BE BETTER TO GO BACK TO EGYPT, THE PLACE OF bondage WHERE THE LORD HAD MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED THEM FROM! They wanted to usurp God’s authority by displacing the leaders He chose with their own appointment. “So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt…But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.”- They believed they were wiser than GOD! Also they were willing to MURDER God’s leaders! Fear Fed thinking can lead us into sin!
Oh what damage one drop of fear allowed to continue turns into a torrent of irrational thoughts, attacking the goodness and kindness and integrity of God!
Moses put his finger on the problem, Rebellion against the LORD,and so it is when we REFUSE to trust Him, take Him at His Word and act upon it! They acted on their FEARS…! God had promised, He had been good to them, but they Chose to Reject His Word, which is to Reject Him! Fear Fed Their Thinking, and LED to their decision making!
“Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not FEAR them.”But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.”- {Numbers 14:9-10}.
Note the LORD’S Love to them; He has His servant warn them, And Remind them of what He had promised them. Their Response, “All” the congregation wanted to murder them! Fear-Fed Thinking led to a mob Mentality spiraling all the way down to murder if necessary! When God is rejected and rebelled against, Fear is insane how it spiral downs!
“The Fear of man is a snare, But whoever Trusts in the LORD will be safe”- {Prov 29:25}
IT can all be led back to them REJECTING God’s Promise and ACCEPTING “…THE FEAR OF MAN!” -{Prov 29:25}
Fear- Fed Thinking leads spiraling down to being Fear -LED Doing! To Reject the Promise of God leaves you with embracing who or what? Something or someone else becomes your authority in whom you believe and trust in! For the Israelite’s they trusted in the “FEARS” of others, and it was “the majority” of others, they trusted in. How easy to rationalize, “surely they cannot all be wrong?”which meant they chose to REJECT God, and His promise! They chose to believe the “bad report” and fed on the FEARS of others. Their fears MULTIPLIED. Their FEAR-FED Thinking Led to FEAR LED Assumptions, and FEAR LED Living! Though they had escaped the physical bondage of Egypt, now they were walking themselves into emotional, spiritual bondage, through embracing and submitting to Fear! Un-grounded fears!
For God had promised but all they “heard,” was the bad report. They “listened” to the fears of others over the LORD’S FAITHFUL Character, Promise . They took the “spy’s”word over His Word! Choices were made!
What does your Thinking reveal about you? Feeding Fears or Feeding your faith? It all depends on the Focus. Focus on Him, His Word and when fear seeks to infiltrate remember the LORD and His Promises!
Fears seek to TEMPT us away from Living by faith in Him who loved us and gave Himself up for us.-{Read Galatians 2:20}Feed your Fears or TRUST the LORD and what He says. -{Prov 29:25}