| There is a great old song often sung in my former | | | | voices more important (Numbers 14:22-23). |
| church Pastor Benny Hinn led called "Whose report will | | | | Murmurers and complainers ultimately are primarily and |
| you believe?" | | | | solely concerned with their own lusts, what is best for |
| The song goes like this: | | | | them and most advantageous for their situation (Jude |
| "Whose report will you believe?" | | | | 1:16). |
| "We shall believe the report of the Lord!" 2X | | | | Murmurers and complainers inward battle cry "What is |
| "His report says I am healed!" | | | | best for me, myself and I?" (Exodus 14:12; Numbers |
| "His report says I am free!" | | | | 14:3) The will of God, Name of God, kingdom of God |
| "His report says victory!" | | | | means nothing to them. (Matthew 6:9-10,33) |
| Be encouraged! What you are going through is nothing | | | | Unbelieving believers prefer the status quo, the safety |
| new. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes | | | | of economic enslavement to Egypt, and are not |
| 1:9). | | | | interested in living by faith to inherit the promised land. |
| The devil always goes after the point man and will try | | | | They would rather continually go in circles and die in |
| every avenue of attack. If he cannot lie to and | | | | the wilderness (Numbers 14:12). They don't want to go |
| deceive you than he will go through people close to | | | | to the mountain to be with God, let Moses do that for |
| you who you think are reputable to try to persuade | | | | us and tell us what God is saying (Exodus 20:18-21). |
| and detour you. | | | | Evil reports weaken the hearts of God's people and |
| The devil could not get Jesus (Matthew 4; Luke 4) so | | | | cause them to transgress (1Samuel 2:24). |
| Satan departed "for a season" until a better | | | | "Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good |
| opportunity or angle presented itself to maneuver and | | | | morals." (1 Corinthians 15:33) |
| get at Jesus (Luke 4:13). | | | | What you tolerate will dominate! |
| When Jesus was going to go to the cross to be | | | | The devil is very clever so if he cannot get you to |
| crucified for the sins of the world, Peter (not being | | | | succumb to blatant criticism, fear tactics and slander |
| mindful of the things of God, but the things of men | | | | ...then he will come as a wolf in sheep's clothing |
| ....specifically that which was most advantageous for | | | | appearing religious and give you a "spiritual" prophecy |
| Peter) tried to stop Him from doing so (Matthew | | | | and word of "direction." (Matthew 4:5-6) Remember |
| 16:21-22). Jesus said to Peter and essentially the spirit | | | | while Christians watch TV the devil reads the Bible and |
| motivating him to oppose Christ: "Satan get behind me! | | | | does his homework (Psalm 91:9-12). |
| You are an offence to me: for you are seeking the | | | | The man of God Nehemiah who was rebuilding the |
| things of men, not the things of God." (v.23) | | | | walls of Jerusalem and Shemaiah a "religious person" |
| Satan filled the heart of Judas one of Jesus' chosen | | | | wanted to have a meeting with Nehemiah in private. |
| twelve disciples to betray Christ (John 13:2). | | | | Shemaiah was wanting Nehemiah to go into hiding and |
| It seems in these last days while many are being | | | | be careful lest he lose his life. Basically Shemaiah was |
| governed by cultural immorality, media trends and | | | | wanting Nehemiah to stop God's work and to just |
| making a name for themselves ....sadly many in the | | | | cower in a state of fear and perpetual concern for |
| church do not "know what spirit they are of" or | | | | himself....trying to shift the focus off of God and His |
| following (Luke 9:54-55). | | | | work onto Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 6:10-11) |
| The sons of Bilhah and Zilpah polluted the mind of | | | | Nehemiah did not bow to the spirit of fear for one |
| young Joseph who in turn brought the "evil report" | | | | moment and immediately discerned in himself that God |
| back to his father Jacob, the patriarch of the twelve | | | | had NOT sent Shemaiah "the religious man." |
| tribes of Israel (Genesis 37:2). | | | | Nevertheless Shemaiah was quick to give a "spiritual" |
| "You shall not raise a false report: do not put your | | | | prophecy against Nehemiah because he was a hired |
| hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness." | | | | gun doing the work of Tobiah and Sanballat (Nehemiah |
| (Exodus 23:1) | | | | 6:12-13). |
| Essentially the word wicked is where we get the word | | | | Sanballat and Tobiah were hoping to throw Nehemiah |
| wicker (in retan furniture) meaning to twist. The wicked | | | | into a state of fear and confusion so he would draw |
| know the truth but twist it to manipulate and push their | | | | back from the work of God. |
| own agenda and self-will. | | | | "The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good |
| One of the ten commandments is "Thou shalt not bear | | | | report makes the bones fat." (Proverbs 15:30) |
| false witness agains thy neighbor." (Exodus 20:16) | | | | Conversely an evil false report decayeth and rottens |
| Jesus was well aware of human nature, their sinful | | | | the bones. (Proverbs 12:4; 14:30; 17:22) |
| tendencies and unruly tongues with which they devour | | | | "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the |
| men. Therefore Jesus asked Peter, "Who do men say | | | | soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) |
| that I am?" (Matthew 16:13) Then Jesus got a bit closer | | | | "Hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men....who |
| to home asking Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" | | | | have made lies your refuge and under falsehood have |
| (v.15) | | | | hid yourselves... Judgment also will I lay to the line, and |
| Joshua and Caleb were fully believing God to possess | | | | righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep |
| the promised land and ready to go up at once to take | | | | away the refuge of lies.... And your covenant with |
| it (Numbers 13:30). | | | | death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell |
| The majority of the people, the unbelieving believers | | | | shall not stand." (Isaiah 28:14-18) |
| that is, said: "We are not able to go up against the | | | | " ...and it shall be a vexation only to understand the |
| people; for they are stronger than we. And they | | | | report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can |
| brought up an evil report of the land.....seeing | | | | stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than |
| themselves as grasshoppers in their own sight." | | | | that he can wrap himself in it." (Isaiah 28:19-20) ....In other |
| (v.31-33) | | | | words those who are seemingly trying to "cover" and |
| What was the result of the evil report of those who | | | | protect you .....God is saying they themselves are |
| Moses sent to search and report back the condition of | | | | coming up short and are unable to do so because |
| the land? The men made all the congregation to | | | | they don't have the depth and wherewithal to do so. |
| murmur and slander the land (Numbers 14:36). | | | | "The Lord will do His work, his strange work; and bring |
| Some of the negativity you are getting is most likely | | | | to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore do not |
| coming from a spirit working in people, possibly | | | | be mockers, lest your bands be made strong..." (Isaiah |
| unbeknownst to themselves (Ephesians 2:1-2; 6:12). | | | | 28:21-22) |
| Another possible source of negativity and less than | | | | "This also comes forth from the Lord of hosts, which is |
| enthusiastic reactions you are getting has very likely | | | | wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." (Isaiah |
| come from one or a few murmuring and spreading evil | | | | 28:29) |
| reports. | | | | "Who has believed our report? and to whom is the |
| Scripture says "One sinner can destroy much good." | | | | arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1) |
| (Ecclesiastes 9:18) And "a root of bitterness can defile | | | | "For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every |
| many." (Hebrews 12:15) People who do not walk in | | | | side." (Jeremiah 20:10) ...interesting to see where the |
| God's grace are not gracious in their speech and thus | | | | fear comes from and when....after the words are |
| tend toward judgmentalism and slander (Luke 4:22; | | | | spoken. |
| Colossians 4:6). | | | | Likewise faith "comes by hearing" words (Romans |
| Those who swallowed the evil report and spread it | | | | 10:17). Yet not all believed the report, nor obeyed the |
| were considered evil themselves in the eyes of the | | | | gospel (Romans 10:16). |
| Lord. God said, "I the Lord have said it and will surely | | | | Even kings can be adversely effected by words. - |
| do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered | | | | "The king of Babylon has heard the report of them, |
| together against me: in this wilderness they shall be | | | | and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, |
| consumed, and there they shall die." (Numbers 14:35) | | | | and pangs as of a woman in travail." (Jeremiah 50:43) |
| These who brought the evil report died by the plague | | | | "But though he had done so many miracles before |
| (v.37). | | | | them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of |
| But Joshua and Caleb were among those who went | | | | Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, |
| to search the land but were of a different spirit and | | | | Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has |
| followed God fully (not half-heartedly as most in the | | | | the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (John 12:37-38) |
| Christian country clubs of today). Joshua and Caleb | | | | "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, |
| God exalted to lead, live and possess the promised | | | | of good report, if any virtue, if there be any praise, think |
| land. (Numbers 14:38,24) | | | | on these things." (Philippians 4:8) |
| The negative unbelieving believers unbeknownst to | | | | So beware! Words are channels of spirit and life or |
| themselves were tempting and belittling God and | | | | death and destruction (see John 6:63). |
| refused to listen to His voice considering their own | | | | |