Page 71 - Overcoming Addiction

Numbers 13:25-33
When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, they
proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the
sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back
word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the
land. Thus they told him, and said, "We went in to the land where you sent
us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are
fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak
(the Anakim were giants) there. Amalek is living in the land of the Negev
and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill
country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the
Jordan." Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should
by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it."
But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up
against the people, for they are too strong for us." So they gave out to the
sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying,
"The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that
devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of
great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the
Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we
were in their sight."

As you consider the giants in the land of your flesh, do you see yourself as a
grasshopper in comparison? If we were left to our own strength and resources this
is truly how we should see ourselves. But, as we read in the last chapter, we are not
left to face the enemies in the land of our flesh by our own strength and wisdom.
God has said He will fight for us, and that together we will overwhelmingly
conquer all enemies.
Caleb and Joshua were the only two men who went in to spy out the land
who calculated their ability to take possession of it by reckoning on God being
with them. We read further the words of Joshua and Caleb.

Numbers 14:6-9
Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had
spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation
of the sons of Israel, saying, "The land which we passed through to spy out
is an exceedingly good land. If Yahweh is pleased with us, then He will
bring us into this land and give it to us -- a land which flows with milk and
honey. Only do not rebel against Yahweh; and do not fear the people of the
land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from
them, and Yahweh is with us; do not fear them."

This should be the mindset of all those who have been called out of the world
by God. If you have received the Spirit of Christ to indwell you, then you should do
all your reckoning with the knowledge that you are not alone. God is both present
with you, and He will fight for you. The protection has been removed from all of