Who's Your Toughest Opponent?
Have you ever heard someone say that they lost the game before the game ever began? Attitude and perspective play a pivotal role in victory and defeat. Therefore, we are our own toughest opponent. Our mentality often dictates our outcome. This make sense because the brain and body are connected through neural pathways. The brain controls the body. So, if your mind doesnāt believe the body can do a certain task, it makes it more difficult to effectively execute the task. Letās take an example from the Bible.
In Numbers 13, the people of Israel were approaching the land of Canaan, the land that God promised them. Moses instructed 12 people, one person from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, to go and scope out the land and bring back a report. Read the scripture below.
When the 12 returned, they discouraged most of the Israelites by reporting their fears. The men felt like grasshoppers in Canaan in comparison to the men that resided there. They assumed that the people Canaan thought this too.
So, here are a few takeaways we can apply to our life:
Ineffective comparisons cripple our progress. The 12 Israelite men that returned with the report compared themselves to the men that resided in Canaan. They concluded that they could not defeat them solely based on that observation, which prevented them from going to the land that God promised them. Keep in mind that this is AFTER God worked through Moses to part the Red Sea for them to escape from Egypt. God revealed Himself countless times before this. They have seen miracle after miracle. Still, they feared the men in Canaan, thus, doubting the power of God. The Israelites focused on the wrong comparison. The most important and effective comparison is the greatness of the men in Canaan versus The Greatness of God. Who would win in battle? Thousands of men or the all-powerful, matchless, sovereign King of kings? If the Israelites would have compared the Canaanite men to God, they would have realized that they already had the victory! It is the same with us. We need to change what we are comparing. We will experience peace during whatever we are facing when we compare our problems and circumstances to our God. We would realize that our God is bigger than any issue or situation we could ever face, and He is always with us.
PAUSE... We want to hear from you!
Have you ever psyched yourself out of doing or achieving something because you've compared yourself to someone else's abilities or performance?
Yes, I'm guilty of doing that...
Nope! I'm pretty confident in myself.
I've compared myself sometimes but keep pressing anyway.
I'm not sure...
Never be so quick to name yourself a name that God didn't give you. The Israelite men stated that they felt like grasshoppers in Canaan compared to the men there. They added that the people in Canaan thought this too. Notice that the Israelite men didnāt say that the Canaanite men called them grasshoppers. They didnāt say that the Canaanite men humiliated or belittled them. They didnāt even say that the Canaanite men threatened them in any way. So where did the grasshopper analogy come from? It came from the Israelite men. They put their insecurities and how they felt in comparison to the Canaanites in the Canaanitesā mouths. They saw themselves as tiny, imperceptible insects, the grasshoppers. I find it ironic that they used grasshoppers as the analogy. Caleb and Joshua made the statement that the Canaanites would not devour them, that the Israelite people would devour them. Similarly, despite their size, grasshoppers can devour large sums of plants. In fact, they benefit the ecosystem and have a significant influence on what types of plants grow from the ground. So insignificant due to size? I think not. Never believe that you
are anything less than what God says about you. When you start to feel small, insignificant, ugly, lonely, stupid, or whatever else the enemy attempts to plant in your mind, remember the great lengths that God went through just so you can have the opportunity to choose salvation and dwell with Him in His Kingdom. Remember what Jesus endured. Remember that God does not lie, that He said that He will never leave you, He wants you to have an abundant life, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you are royalty because you are a child of the Most High God!
God does not lie. Earlier in the scripture, it states that God promised the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey. He declared Canaan as that promised land. So why do the Israelites doubt God? That doubt caused them to miss out on the land that God promised. God waited 40 years, until those that doubted and grumbled against Him, everyone that is 20 years of age and older (except Caleb and Joshua) died. Read Numbers Chapter 14 for more details. Trusting in your abilities to judge a situation based on what you see, hear, smell, touch, or even feel can mislead you and cause you to miss the blessing God has for you. So do not rely on your senses in difficult circumstances. Instead, trust His promises.
CALL TO ACTION
Read Numbers Chapter 13 and 14 to better grasp the context.
Be honest with yourself about yourself. List the insecurities and idiosyncrasies you are most critical about? Do you criticize or think negatively about yourself?
Again, be honest with yourself. List the things that you are struggling with. What do you fear? Are you guilty of conducting ineffective comparisons? Note: Being courageous does not mean that you are fearless or that you are not afraid of anything. It means that you donāt let fear paralyze you. You do whatever you do (in alignment with Godās Will) even though you are afraid. So, are you courageous?
Write down your problems and situations and compare it to the greatness of God.
Study the Word of God to see what God says about you. You can also try Googling āWhat does God say about me?ā or something similar to give you a good starting place.
Look up Some of the promises God made to us.
The bottom line is that we are our greatest opponent. Still, God doesnāt make mistakes. We are Godās handiwork, purposely, fearfully, and wonderfully made. So, why waste energy and resources on battling ourselves when the wickedness of this world already tries to take us out?
PRAYER
Lord,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your promises. Help us to trust You more instead of leaning on our own understanding. It says in Your Word that You are The Truth. So, we bind the enemyās lies in the name of Jesus. We bind ineffective comparison. You have overcome the world. You are powerful, kind, and loving. Nothing is too difficult or too big for You. We thank You and praise Your Holy name. It is in Jesusās name I pray.
AMEN.
If you have not accepted God as Your Lord and Savior, because you need more information about salvation to make your decision, please take the FREE mini course THE INVITATION. Just click the "I Need More Info" button below. It will give you a detailed explanation on why salvation is necessary, how to become saved, and the next step after you accept The Invitation.
If you havenāt accepted GODāS INVITATION OF SALVATION and want to do so now, earnestly pray this prayer:
God,
I know You love me. I believe You died and rose from the dead for my sins. Please forgive me for my sins. I give you my heart and soul. Please be my Savior and Lord. Transform me. I desire to align with Your Will. Thank you for Your faithfulness and Your Love.
It is in Jesusās name I pray.
Amen.
All of heaven rejoices when one person accepts THE INVITATION to salvation.
~ Luke 15:10
CONGRATULATIONS!
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