A Good Report

A good report! Our feet are beautiful on the mountains, the high places in God, where our walk brings good news. Dare we risk it? We announce peace, not war. We announce salvation to all, not condemnation to unbelievers forever. We show the way into the kingdom with the mercy of God rather than human judgment for the sin and death in which mankind dwells. We speak life, not death, into others. We draw from the spirit with love, not fear.

We have the privilege of proclaiming to all that OUR GOD REIGNS! How critical it is to bring a good report to the people of God today! Our redemption is drawing nigh in this Day of the Lord. He is in charge of it all, including the fate of the earth and all life dwelling in it. But there is always more and more bad news, a continual onslaught of darkness, with much to complain about. So many are most unhappy and extremely fearful about what’s happening in the world. And the suffering of multitudes seems endless.

With its wealth, privilege, and technology, we seem to have become a nation of argumentative complainers. There is little national or international agreement on the direction we are going in America in this 21st century. For generations, there have been wars and rumors of wars, with periodic escalation and thousands, even millions, of deaths. We have more natural and man-made disasters, more destructive and dangerous storms of all types, more famine, more war and rumors of war, more destruction, more violence, more illness, more loss. We continue to develop more ways to kill each other, either directly, or indirectly through what we allow for financial gain.

Do you feel the weight of discouragement and hopelessness begin to settle upon you as you read the above sentences? It is truth, but causes no joy or peace in our hearts to know it, let alone rehearse it to ourselves and others. We must see God’s hand in our lives, regardless. Our joy is in the Lord and He has good news for all of creation. We are the light of the world and the world needs us to be, now!

The darkness is deep indeed, with world experts delivering bad news, divisive news, news of disagreement, dishonor, horror and defeat. Many make their living by sharing bad news and it must be difficult to be positive as a newscaster or reporter. That’s not really their job. Having all good news makes it impossible to report what is happening, let alone catch the people’s attention. Bad news sells, even though some news outlets now add a feel good story following the words and images of wrongdoing, death, and tragedy.

What is God’s good report? A good report is speaking with encouragement about things, focusing on what is worthy of praise and admiration. Christians do need to be informed, to be alert and pray, to apply spiritual wisdom and understanding to the events of the day. But our focus is on the love and truth of our God. We are to be showing forth faith as we trust in Him. We are reassured, over and over, that He has everything in His Hands of love and mercy, justice and truth.

We need not fear or create fear in others when His faith is strong within us. How can we flow out in a stream of His love and goodness to all? How may the treasure of Christ in our hearts flow out with a good report?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 BSB

What is stored up in our hearts of the treasures of heaven to encourage and give people hope in these times? Is it not the Lord within who creates the treasures of His very own nature? What words do we have that are edifying to the body of Christ? Our hope is in God! We create darkness and negativity when we join in with repeating only bad news or giving a bad report about others, ourselves, or the world. That is not what God called us to be and do.

There really are consequences to words. There’s a saying that pessimists are realists while optimists are blind. That is not God’s wisdom! In fact, some of us Christians are accused of being entirely too positive! Others fail to understand us when we remain positive and faithful to our Lord regardless of the world worsening day by day. God told us in Philippians to focus on the Good News, fulfilled in Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV

Who embodies all that this speaks of but our Lord Jesus Christ? He is the good report. Our Lord is all that is true, honorable, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. His very nature, the character represented by His name, dwells within us, in our hearts. What can be more clear than this passage, starting with telling us not to worry? We can be thankful in, though not necessarily for, all of our circumstances. As we mature, however, we even learn to be grateful for all of our circumstances as we trust God to bring good from it all.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose". Romans 8:28 NKJV

God was the first One to say, “Don’t worry. Be happy!” This is good news! It becomes a good report as we are encouraged to think about these things. What we turn our gaze upon, who or what we worship and adore, becomes a part of us. The Christ is being formed within a people as we rest in His presence, allowing Him to make us more than conquerers in all situations. As His heart is revealed to us, as we are learning of His ways, He creates a good report within us.

A good report is easy as we meditate on all His faithfulness, kindness, mercy, love and forgiveness for His people. Paul told the Thessalonians to keep building each other up in this way:

“He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 BSB

Why is a good report so vital? Well, let us consider the consequences of making a negative, badnews report to the people of God. A powerful example of the impact of a bad report is found in the Old Testament Israelites ready to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. Through many miracles, God had used Moses to lead His people out of Egyptian bondage. Upon arriving at the border of the promised land, Moses directed twelve spies to go into the land to assess the people, their possessions and crops, and the fruit of the land, in preparation for finally entering in.

Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies sent to check out the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve spies, all except Joshua and Caleb, came back with a bad report which had serious consequences for the people of God:

“They reported to Moses and said, ‘We went into the land where you sent us, and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage].

The people [descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.’

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are too strong for us.’

So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we went, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it were men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim), and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:26-33 AMP

The ten spies had their eyes fixed on their enemies rather than upon their God. How had they forgotten the promises, the miracles, let alone the might and power of their God? It was a very bad report, formed in fear and deception, magnifying the enemies they were to conquer while disclaiming God’s promise of victory. The ten spies saw their enemies of great stature and themselves, God’s people of promise, as weak and small.

These ten spies were completely overwhelmed by the outward appearance of their foes. Even though the land was found to be rich and flowing with milk and honey, just as God said, they skipped right past that to get to the bad news. When Caleb attempted to speak in faith, they contended strongly with his good report. They were already captivated by the bad report that had planted fear, negativity, and defeat in the people.

Caleb didn’t get anywhere with his positive, faith-filled, encouraging report because hope and faith had already been destroyed. This bad report seriously damaged the people’s trust that God would do what He promised in giving them this land flowing with milk and honey. It was their land, but they could not claim it due to unbelief. The bad report by the ten spies brought death, not life, rapidly spreading unbelief throughout the camp:

“Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’

So they said to one another, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.’ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.” Numbers 14:1-5 AMP

How contagious negativity is! Bad news travels fast. The seed of fear and unbelief from these ten spies sharing a very negative report was immediately infectious. Their bad report about the promised land caused such rapid despair that the people wanted to go back to the bondage of Egypt or die in the wilderness instead. And this was a people who had seen many miracles in their escape from Egypt’s bondage and sustenance during the days of the wilderness travels.

For forty years the Israelites had been miraculously saved and provided for, over and over. These people of God should be pillars of faith after all God has said and done for and within them. Nonetheless, fear rather than faith took the people over as they heard the bad report of the ten spies. It immediately swallowed up Joshua and Caleb’s good report and soon turned to anger at God and His chosen leaders. How rapidly and easily negativity turns faith into unbelief.

It surely does not delight the Lord when we quickly accept an overwhelmingly bad, negative report that discounts God’s care and past blessings, deliverance and benefits. Then and now, God is not pleased when we forget all His benefits.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds.” Psalms 103:1-2 BSB

Caleb’s statement of faith came from a heart that believed all God had said to them. Caleb did not judge by the sight of his eyes or what he heard about their enemies. His faith in God’s promises, His word to His people, was not shaken when seeing powerful adversaries in their path. Caleb is strong in his faith that their God can do all things. Caleb stands on God’s power to do what appears impossible, over and over, for those He has called and chosen.

Caleb represents just that as he states clearly that they all should believe this land is theirs already because God promised it to be so. Negativity, fear, and darkness, however, rapidly took hold of their hearts. They quickly forgot that all things are possible in God and that He keeps His promises. Isn’t this usually the case? Bad reports swallow up God’s good word through faithful trusting servants like Caleb, a lone voice except for Joshua, who were bringing the good news.

Today, it seems easy for us Christians to accept the majority’s negative and fear-based report rather than God’s good tidings to all. Yet we are told:

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV

The results of a bad report for those who are not garrisoned by God in their hearts are quite costly! Just be around someone with negativity, a bitter spirit, one who carries a theme of darkness with words such as “Isn’t it awful…I knew this [bad thing] would happen …the devil is getting to me…the world is facing annihilation…we’re heading to a catastrophe, a fatal end: (pick one): World War 3, global destruction, being overrun by ‘foreigners’, lethal weapons, loss of democracy or freedom or income …and so on.”

One negative person infects the whole group and their mission. When believers add to the endless flood of bad news, negativity, condemnation and “Ain’t it awful!” our faith, hope and trust in God is damaged. It is easy to join the crowd in doing so. The gospel of fear is common, rampant, and so very familiar, but it is not God’s way. There have always been such things and yes, in this day of the Lord, there seems to be even more of it. But the Day of the Lord, coming as a thief (as a surprise) to some, is welcome to us.

God always has good news regardless of all the awful things we see, hear, and understand, all the sin, the disasters and calamities all around. Our words of faith in this hour are important! We are able to bring a good or bad report about entering into our Promised Land, the Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy, right here, right now, on this earth. Why? Because God promised. He said so.

How? By the power of His truth and love within us. When our eyes are stayed upon Him, He keeps us in His peace. We surely can continue to give the bad report that most others have, murmering and complaining about what is happening. We join the Israelites’ unbelief when we say that our flesh will never defeat our enemies until we die and go to heaven. We complain that we are fighting the devil all day long, when Jesus Christ already defeated him on the cross.

We can shake our heads about how impossible it is for Jesus Christ to bring His body of believers into unity, pointing to the endless division existing at present. We accept that war and destruction are inevitable, even the only way to insure our safety. After all, has it not been always so, from the days of Cain and Abel? We easily give up and wait for heaven, where all will be made right. It is surprising how powerful the draw of darkness is in our lives, how commonplace it seems.

But what kind of crop are we getting when sowing these negative fear-based words by a bad report? God’s people should be edified, empowered to see with spiritual eyes and hear with spiritual ears the good news of what is coming upon the earth today, regardless of this world’s affairs. We can learn to speak life rather than death. We can foster love and mercy instead of division and hate. We can speak peace, truly being peacemakers, rather than stirring up animosity for anyone different than we are.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV

When we are determined to trust Him, no matter what, He keeps us faithful to what He has spoken. He does the work within us as we surrender our will to His will. When will we, God’s people, who are called by His name, speak the good news to others? WThe light and life of God is critically needed when darkness threatens to swallow up all His love and mercy completely in our earth. Do we trust His word rather than what we see or hear on this planet? We are chosen for such a time as this, to be lights in the world.

Let’s proclaim that God’s love is true and available, that His peace is possible here and now, that His joy is eternally within us as our strength. Oh yes, there is much shaking and trembling as God is dealing with all within us and around us. But even that is good news! Nothing will be destroyed by this shaking unless it is meant to be. The fire of God’s passion, His wrath, burns up the dross in those of us who draw ever closer to His presence. His refining fires come to change us as we surrender all to Him.

We are made thankful for all that God is doing in this world, while despising the suffering and shame. God is bringing to an end to the ways of man whether or not we see the end from the beginning as He does. That’s good news! So many things created by man’s efforts alone are coming to an end. Hallelujah! Only God can correct the chaos and destruction on this earth by changing the hearts of men. That’s good news!

The Lord is descending, coming back within a people to reconcile all to Him, because He so loves the world. That’s good news! His compassions fail not, they are new every morning. That’s good news! His justice is fully joined with His mercy and compassion. That’s good news!

“Now the day of the Lord will be arriving as a thief, in which the heavens shall be passing by with a booming noise, yet the elements shall be dissolved by combustion, and the earth and the works in it shall be found.

At these all, then, dissolving, to what manner of men must you belong in holy behavior and devoutness, hoping for and hurrying the presence of God's day, because of which the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements decompose by combustion!

Yet we, according to His promises, are hoping for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness is dwelling." 2 Peter 3:10-14 CLV

The language that Peter uses sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? We can relate to the fearful Israelites, ten out of twelve, the majority opinion, who brought their negative and fear-filled report to the camp. But when God brings an end to a season, He is ushering in the new. These passages spoken in God’s symbolic language are not ministering condemnation and destruction, but change through God’s passion, translated as His wrath. God’s endings always bring new beginnings.

God makes all things new and His newness is always better than what came before. Then, as now, when God’s people look into the future of God’s kingdom, many do not see with spiritual eyes and ears, only able to give a negative, discouraging and demoralizing report. In Moses’ day, those chosen to spy out the land were trusted men of stature that Moses saw as leaders of the people. Though they were in error, they were men of influence, so their report was believed by the majority of the people.

It is the same today. More than one Christian leader who holds stature in the religious communities of faith have taken a position to preach a fear-based gospel. It is so much easier to yield to fear and unbelief, particularly when respected leaders are trumpeting evil and destruction all around us. You can hear it in their threats of doom and punishment, condemnation and judgment. Our human vision, clouded by our carnal understanding, cannot see the way for God to be victorious given the factual situations facing us all in this world.

We surely do need a new earth, but how? And when? Few consider that the new earth that He has already been creating is the change in our earthly nature. Some religious leaders admit privately that they know that all will be saved. God has revealed more than they teach, But they are fearful to minister truth about the future of believers to those who follow them. They cannot abandon their lies and deception for fear of losing their position, congregation, income, or stature among the people. These are unwilling to pay the price for declaring the truth and suffering loss.

Who is consistently preaching that we are able totake the kingdom? Who is declaring that the heavens and earth to be destroyed are the former spiritual heavens in which people have dwelt along with our earthly ways? Who teaches understanding of God’s promise after the flood in Noah’s day, never to destroy the earth, though we are doing our best to do just that? With such voices from their religious leaders, God’s people continue in living far below their rights as God’s people.

There are some who are spying out our spiritual land of promise and giving a good report. Like Joshua and Caleb, they are often rejected, reviled and accused of false doctrine. Our good report, when countering the prevailing limited doctrine of rapture of the saints while unbelievers are sentenced to eternal hell on this earth, is not well received or even understood. We are not going with the majority opinion, so people resist and reject our good report.

But there are those minority voices, watchmen on the wall, who continue to bring a good report Let’s return to our Old Testament account to see the eventual impact of the good report Caleb and Joshua brought back:

“Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to the whole congregation of Israel, ‘The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us.

Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them!’ But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb.” Numbers 14:1-10 BSB

Consider all these statements of faith Joshua and Caleb’s good report brought, which are also confirmed in God’s word about our future spiritual Promised Land of righteousness, peace, and joy.

1) It is an exceedingly good land.

“For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and take delight in My people. The sounds of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her.” Isaiah 65:17-19 BSB

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’” Revelation 21:1-4 NASB

Note the spiritual application of this to our future lives on earth. There are no tears, mourning or crying or pain in heaven. The new heavens and new earth descend upon us who are alive and remain.

2) The Lord delights in us.

"The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

“Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love” Ephesians 1:1-4 AMP

When we really know that Father God delights in us, it changes our hearts from fear to faith, from despair to confident hope.

3) He will bring us into this land.

"The whole land of Canaan, where you [Abraham] now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Genesis 17:8 NIV

"The whole land of Canaan, where Abraham now resides as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Hebrews 11:8-10 NIV

We are Abraham’s seed, his heirs according to the promise of faith. It is everlasting, ours throughout the ages.

4) He will give it to us because He said so.

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Numbers 23:19 KJV

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” Titus 1:1-2 BSB

When God says He will do it. His promises are always fulfilled. Period.

5) Do not rebel.

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Samuel 15:23a NKJV

"See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." Hebrews 3:12-13 NIV

The sin of rebellion is the source of God’s judgment all through the bible. This sin cost an entire generation of Israelites their lives, except for Joshua and Caleb, who lead the generation born into the wilderness in to the Promised Land.

6) Don’t be afraid of people. Twice.

"I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass?" Isaiah 51:12 ESV

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 NIV

This is a consistent theme running through the bible. Old Testament leaders were repeatedly chastised and suffered loss when they trusted in their potential allies around them, rather than the Lord their God to save them. When they asked God and did what He said, they were successful.

The New Testament repeats this message in many ways, emphasizing that the people who serve the Lord need not be afraid. Jesus Christ has overcome the world and that includes all the people who live here.

8) Our enemies will be like bread, easy to conquer.

“Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.” Psalm 44:5 ESV

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39 NIV

The key to conquering our enemies easily is in our trust in the Living God as expressed in Christ Jesus. As we mature, we become skillful and practiced in responding to our enemies by turning immediately to God. It truly does become easy to conquer our enemies within, where we have a lasting victory, with continual surrender. God has conquered all and promises those who seek Him with a whole heart to make us as He is in this world. He overcame all things and so will we, as Father God enables us to do.

9) Our enemies are not protected because the Lord is with us.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.

I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’” Isaiah 41:8-10 NIV

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.” John 14:16-18 AMP

Such confident truth Joshua and Caleb brought through their words to the fearful and rebellious Israelites! Such confident truth John and the other writers of the bible declared. Sadly, we still battle fear and unbelief, struggling to believe God’s good report through His servants, as we are engulfed in worldly darkness. As a result of their unbelief, Moses and Aaron had to intercede with God so He did not destroy all of them right then and there.

Further, those who seemed to repent still tried to go up to take the land, though they were warned they no longer had God’s blessing. And they were destroyed, which likely confirmed their unbelief rather than revealing their rebellion. There are always voices against anyone who dares to go against the majority of negativity and fear. We are in a battle, brothers and sisters in Christ, against fear and unbelief.

How can we share the Good News of God’s kingdom if we cannot even believe it ourselves? It seems so difficult to trust good news, even for us Christians. God allows adversity in our lives to train and refine us, so sometimes it seems we get used to the bad news, even to expect it. The voice of negativity and defeat is louder, more frequent, and sadly, more believable, than God’s words of promise and victory. Be on guard against faith-defeating reports, those messages repeatedly bringing bad news to God’s own.

May God continually plant a good crop of His fruit, the Word of His good news, filling our hearts with His water of life to flow out to all mankind! Some shrink the Lord’s called and chosen into weak and defeated earthly people unable to enter in, as the ten spies did centuries ago. Some believers are constantly fighting or fearing the devil whom Jesus Christ defeated on the cross.They focus on reminding us of our sinful nature that Jesus paid the price to eradicate, discouraging rather than edifying the body of Christ.

God help us all! Such messengers are unable to fully accept what Jesus Christ has done. They cannot see the God of their salvation has all power and authority to bring victory. This is a flood of death, of darkness and negativity, coming through bad reports to which we are subjected daily in this hour. Only a few seem to see beyond the present chaos and confusion to trust God to be faithful, loving, and true, to do what He said He would do.

We can proclaim that we are able to follow on to know the Lord, we can conquer the world in us, just as Jesus conquered, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We can learn to live in all the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished, here and now, instead of waiting to die or escape in a literal rapture. We can be in the world, but not of it. God hears and knows all, then and now. We cannot do it by law, we cannot do it by works, but through God’s power and might, we are always victorious!

Father God knows whether we are proclaiming truth or murmuring and complaining about our lot in life. He sees when we focus upon the worldwide daily news of loss, death, and tragedy. He knows and, while humanly understandable in our present times, it is not pleasing to Him. He will change it when we allow Him to do so. Because of Jesus Christ, He has compassion and forgiveness for all. There is pardon, but there may also be consequences.

The Israelites back then were pardoned by the Lord because their leaders interceded, but the consequences were that they were not allowed to enter in to the promised land.

"I have pardoned them as you requested,’ the Lord replied. ‘Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the Lord, not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— no one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers.

None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.” Numbers 14:1-10; 20-22 BSB

God will deal with all those, past and present, who have continually brought a bad report about what He has promised His people. All those who are fearful cannot enter into the kingdom in that condition. False teachings from the mind of man disqualify them due to unbelief in His promises. We cannot treat with contempt all that God has already done, with signs and wonders, providing for us in our times of walking on this earth. Trust and obey, there is no other way.

There is no lack of good news, but there is a lack of discernment, of spiritual vision to see beyond the flood of darkness. The limited scriptural interpretations based on man’s understanding, man’s reasoning, fail to convey the spiritual good news within the Book. Revelation lists the fearful and unbelieving before the abominable, murderers, and others who continually sin, as among those who cannot enter in to His kingdom. They cannot enter in if they cannot see and believe God’s promises.

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-10 KJV

There are indeed giants in our hearts to overcome on our way to our inheritance. He comes to reign within our hearts, where Jesus said the kingdom is found. His authority is within us, His people in Whom He chooses to tabernacle. Any fear, all unbelief that rule our earthly minds must be overcome by the spirit and the word. Many things are promised to the overcomer but one must believe the good report and go up to the battle! We seek God to swallow up our fear, building a complete trust in Him when we are afraid. Meditate on this good news:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:4 NIV

Christians today, like Joshua and Caleb of old, are to persist in modeling and influencing our brothers and sisters to see the truth of God in overcoming all of our enemies, without and within. It does not say we must wait for these changes until after we die. Those who die in the body have left this earthly battle for what awaits them in God when their rank is called. We who remain, however, are changed as we walk and talk with Him.

We are equipped by our Lord to share the Good News of the Kingdom, enabled to boldly risk being markedly different from the majority. We bring back a good report and stick to it despite rejection or persecution. The first century martyrs did just that despite torture and evil from others who were threatened by their good news. The Lord does delight in us, His called and chosen people. He counts on us to bring a good report to the people who are unaware of God’s kingdom within.

We share the good news of His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy residing and taking over inside of us. Now that is good news indeed! Do we need to be reminded that the Lord is with us? That our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered all things on our behalf? That He has conquored death, sin, and the devil? That the battle is not ours but His? Do we prevail as Joshua and Caleb eventually did and were honored by God with the leadership to take the land of promise.

But first, let us see what happened to the ten who gave the bad report:

“So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the Lord.

Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive…’But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it’…

Early the next morning they [those believing the bad report] got up and went up toward the ridge of the hill country. ‘We have indeed sinned,’ they said, ‘but we will go to the place the Lord has promised.’ But Moses said, ‘Why are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord? This will not succeed! Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the Lord is not among you. For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, He will not be with you.

But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the Lord moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.” Numbers 14:24; 36-38; 40-46 BSB

Some of the people agrees they had sinned, but stubbornly insisted on proceeding to the land God had promised—without God! They decided too late and without God’s anointing to carry out the mission. What they had feared and predicted came upon them, as they were severely defeated. God destroyed their unbelieving and fearful leaders, raising up new leadership who are called, chosen, and faithful to Him.

Though the loss may not be of lives today, there is always loss from disobedience to God from lack of faith in His promises. Those who continually harbor negativity and fear in their spirit, soul, and body eventually show it in loss of peace and health, if not relationships. They unknowingly poison those around them with their bad report. Some become literally bent over in our bodies from continually bearing the heavy weight of fear and defeat. It is costly to believe a bad report about God Almighty!

Joshua became a great victorious leader in bringing the Israelites into their land. God said Caleb had a different spirit, one that followed the Lord wholeheartedly, nothing held back. Do we realize that there is a spirit to good and bad reports? Oh, yes there is! Ask any coach of team sports about what happens when members of their team, and in particular, their leadership, get a negative and defeatist attitude. This spirit of negativity and defeat takes over, contributing to the very thing the coach is working against.

One negative person is like the apple that can spoil the whole bunch. This is true in any organization, workplace, family, or gathering. It’s difficult to achieve success when a negative fearful spirit takes over a group. It was true for the Israelites and it is true for us, His called and chosen people. We are lights shining in this present darkness and, oh, how the world needs us to be just that! Can it be more clear that the way of life in the kingdom of God is through the good report of faith in God and all of His promises?

All negative, fearful things, especially those used to keep power and control over God’s people, will be destroyed in the fire of God’s presence as death is swallowed up by life. We do not have to join the crowd of naysayers bemoaning the state of humanity in this world. We keep our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, pursuing the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus, along with our beloved brother, the Apostle Paul.

For the called and chosen of His people, He creates faithfulness now, through Jesus Christ. He is destroying our enemies within, writing His truth in our new hearts that are no longer hard and stony. He did this very thing when Jesus Christ rose again and came back as the Spirit to dwell within us. Even little children know to say “I have Jesus in my heart” with complete faith that it is so. And what is in our hearts will come out of our mouths. Let it be a pure stream of God’s love and mercy, hope and confidence.

Oh, how we need to see the sons of God, led by the spirit, joining spiritual Zion to bring about change for all. Let us desire to be the bringers of Good News from Zion to the people of God!

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You--in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Trust [confidently] in the LORD forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah 26:3-4 AMP