THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
NUMBERS 13:31-33
1 JOHN 4:4

"… greater is he that is in you..."

DO NOT OVERESTIMATE THE ENEMY!

The world’s philosophy is never to underestimate the enemy. While this is also true in the spiritual realm, overestimating the enemy to the extent that God is rendered powerless over it is unscriptural. It is said that the twelve spies agreed with the report, but differed in their evaluation. Ten of the spies said the difficulties were too great, which meant returning to Egypt was better (Num 13:31-33). The other two, Caleb and Joshua, asserted that God could give victory in spite of the difficulties. They knew who God is and they knew His power. The two pleaded with Israel not to rebel against God by refusing to enter the land (Num 13:30; 14:6-9). Joshua and Caleb did not underestimate their enemy neither did they overestimate them as the other ten spies did.

The ten spies reported that the inhabitants of the land were mighty people and the cities were inaccessible and very great. Moreover, they claimed that the children born of Anak, the giants in those days, were present and that they (the twelve spies) looked like grasshoppers in comparison to them. The ten spies spread an evil report about the land among the Israelites by exaggerating the difficulties of the conquest in their unbelieving despair, and describing Canaan as "a land that eateth up the inhabitants" (Num 13:32). They said, "We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we" (Num 13:31). They discouraged the hearts of the people. It was a tragic irony that the ten spies were speaking of the very nations already named in God’s promise to Abraham (Gen 15:18-21).

The world says, "Do not underestimate your enemy." We add, "Neither overestimate the enemies of God as if they are more powerful than Him." The children of Israel forgot the promise of God to Abraham. They believed the evaluation of their dishonest leaders. Do not magnify the power of the enemy over God’s power!

THOUGHT: Do I really know my God the Almighty?
PRAYER: "As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me" (Ps 55:16).