1. We must hear the Word of God long enough for it to cause us to wonder, mediate, and to believe it. Most Christians will tell you that they have heard the Word of God alright, but they have not stayed with it long enough through the persecutions, trials, temptations and tests that the enemy brings upon them, so that they will produce fruit of any lasting result. Please see vs. 15-19 where we see that the enemy immediately comes to steal the Word or Seed of God. That is exactly what Jesus said to us in John 10:10. The Word is the only written book that the enemy wants to steal from you and I. It is the only Real Word that brings lasting faith into our hearts as we read it. (See Ro. 10:17) We find that the Word of God is made of non-affect by three things and three ways.

a. The worries of the world
b. The deceitfulness of riches
c. And the desires of other things

3. The next and last thing that I would like us to look at today is that we must allow the Word of God to bear FRUIT in our lives, by staying close to it. In Vs. 20 it says that “They hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold”. Because the devil is constantly trying to seal the Word of God from our hearts in the above-mentioned ways, we must constantly put more and more in because it is the Pearl of Great price that God has given to us. We have seen that that the devil wants to steal it, but God wants His Word to impact our lives so that we bear fruit. I don’t know about you, but I want to bear more fruit this year and the next year to come. I hope this year that you will determine to hear more of the Word of God, accept what you hear from the Spirit of God through his servants, and then stay by the Word of God long enough in the special areas that you want to see more effective fruit produced at, such as health, healing, finances, family life, peace, love, joy, faithfulness, and a multitude of others. See vs. 24, “By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.”

When there is eminent death that threatens us or a family member from sickness or disease, or when a financial crises comes our way, or an unmovable mountain seems to stand in our way, we of necessity need to know how to respond to it and what to do. The lesson that we have today may help insure all of us that we are not floundering around, hoping needlessly that something will work out, but instead, by directing us back to the foundations of our faith in God, we can know that we have help in our current situation.

When disaster comes to each of us, as disasters seem to come, what is our reaction? If we are quite honest, we often wonder where we "missed it", or how did we “leave the barn door open” so to speak. We tend to panic in our situation and look to everything and everybody to help us except the One that we have given ourselves to in faith. If we look to the spiritual pilgrims before us, they seemed to react a little different than we do today.

In the 13th chapter of Numbers we see that God had spoken to Moses to go up to Canaan, to spy out the land “Which I am going to give to the sons of Israel”. We see from this first verse and through the following 32 verses that the people of Israel had a choice when they faced the “giants” that were in their path to the wonderful promised land. They had a choice, as well as we do each and every time we face a disaster, and that is to believe the “report of the Lord” that God had given them in the land of Canaan as an inheritance. Well, they seemed to have forgotten the Word of God that came to Moses from the Lord.

We will be tempted to react to what we see! That is a real temptation my friends, in light of the huge walls that look impossible to climb. It was for the Isrealites, who saw the men of that country who made them look as though they themselves were grasshoppers. As with us, whether or not it is a terminal disease diagnosed by the doctors, or a hopeless situation in the family, or whether or not it is financial crises, or even a job situation that is totally out of control. Whatever the case, we all have a choice, and must go back to the foundations of the Word of God for our Spiritual strength and faith in God. After the initial shock of the disaster strikes, we must begin to respond in our spirits from what we know and believe - Our faith in God!

• We must go back to the foundations of faith that we trusted before the disaster. That is the WORD OF GOD. This is where we will receive our help in time of trouble. Ps. 37:39, “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble.” Ps. 27:5, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.” The Isrealites forgot the One who had delivered them, healed them, protected them, and cared for them, and failed to put their faith in the living God.
• We must go to God in prayer based on Who He is to us, and what He has said in His covenant Word that He will do for us and put our faith there. In Christ we have the most wonderful and precious promises, some are found in Eph. 3:20, Eph. 1:3, and 2nd Peter 1:4. In the old covenant it says in Ps 4:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Ps 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;” and last of all Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
• We are to go to God our Father and state our case before Him, standing on His Holy Covenant Word. Isaiah 43:26 says “Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.” To the wicked God says the opposite: “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.” Ps. 50:16.

We are not like the wicked, but are found in Christ Jesus the Son, the Covenant one with whom we are in a Covenant relationship. That is why we are told to come boldly to the throne of Grace, so that we can find help in time of trouble. Praise the Lord! We are also in a better covenant than the one that they had in the old covenant and it is established on better promises. Heb. 8:6, “He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”

Going back to our story, we can also see in the following chapters that Caleb and Joshua had a different spirit! What kind of “spirit” did they possess? It was a spirit of faith in the living God that believed He was able to do what He said. We can see from vs. 30 and chpter 14 vs. 24 that Caleb had a different faith than most of the others that were called the people of God in that day. “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” Did Caleb and Joshua have to face the SAME GIANTS AND IMPENETRABLE walls? Yes they did! Did they achieve what the others could not do? Yes, by the hand of the Lord that is with those who believe that He is willing and able to help those who come to Him.

(See Joshua Ch. 6) How did Joshua do the impossible, what kept him from straying like those before him? It is recorded in Ch. 1 of Joshua the “key” to what I believe is Joshua’s success. In verses 5-8, God says to Joshua vs .7-9, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, (or the Word of God) which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

God gave Joshua his utmost assurance that he would be with him wherever he would go and would cause Joshua success, IF he would keep the law of God ever before him. What does the Word of God do for us that we should keep it before us? Jesus said in John 15:7-8, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” In the Gospel of Mark, Chp. 16 vs. 20 it says “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.”

God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be with us and go with us in each and every situation that we face and will even send ministering spirits, which are His angels, to assist us. However we must stand on the Word of God, which are His covenant promises that we know to be true and declare it before the situations and circumstances that we are facing.

Let us hold fast to the Lord, His Holy Word, promises of the Father and bring glory to him even in the midst of the storms and trials of life. It won’t be easy, but we can do it and we must do it if we want to be overcomers and victorious in Christ who has given us the victory.

Let’s keep the faith that we once knew in our hearts alive and afresh trusting in God though Jesus our Redeemer according to His Covenant Word and grace.