Challenges of Life

Read:

Numbers 13:26-33

Joshua 2:1-7

Joshua 2:22-24

Introduction:

In our first passage in Numbers 13:26-33 we find the Children of Israel are met with a great challenge. Some spies have been commissioned with the task of checking out the promise land. As they report back they admit the land offers so many opportunities, it is even better than what we have heard - it does in fact flow with milk and honey, the fruit of the vine was amazing, this was truly the promise land. But there was also a challenge.

Challenge: A challenge is something that tests strength, skill, or ability, especially in a way that is interesting.

Sometimes challenges are a welcome or even fun event. It is common today for people to challenge others to different things on social media.

Such as:

The 100 Layer Challenge - you and a friend have to put on 100 layers of something either articles of clothing, makeup, or whatever the focus of the challenge.

The Baby Food Challenge - You and a friend have to take spoonfuls of different types of baby food without spitting them out. You can drink water but only after swallowing the food.

The Chubby Bunny Challenge - One person goes first, puts marshmallows in his/her mouth and says “Chubby Bunny” and then the next person does the same. The person who can no longer say “chubby bunny” or cannot put another marshmallow in their mouth loses the challenge. If you swallow or spit out the marshmallows – you lose.

Now while these challenges can be fun, provide team building entertainment, and friendly competition - they are nothing in comparrison to the challenge that met the Israelites that day those twelve spies came back with their report.

In reality they weren’t just met with a challenge - it was challenges. And there are times we will be faced with choices, tests, challenges that shake us to our core!!! We will be confronted with major life changing challenges that can make or break us - not just likes on social media-

1. Confronting the Challenges

There were two main challenges the Children of Israel faced: Numbers 13:28 gives us these two challenges.

Two challenges faced -

1: Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great:

2: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

Challenged by the strength of the people - Numbers 13:28

Challenged by the stature (size) of the people - Numbers 13:31-33

The children of Anak -

the descendants of Anak are generally considered “giants” one commentator writes, “gigantic may be more appropriate.”

Reports in a thirteenth century B.C. Egyptian letter records fierce warriors in Canaan that are seven to nine feet tall.

Two female skeletons from the twelfth century - about seven feet tall were found in the Transjordan area. (Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000. Print.)

The children of Anak were also a fierce people - Numbers 13:32a - “A land that eateth up the inhabitants”

Due to their strength, stature, and status as fierce warriors the spies said, “wear are as grasshoppers in comparison”

Before we go any further I want to ask - what challenges are you facing? Are there giants in the spiritual land God wants you to possess? Are there tests and hard situations you are going through or facing? This can be related to job changes, relationships, finances,

When you confronting a challenge there are only two options - it won’t go away so you can’t ignore it, you can either accept or reject it.

When Israel was confronting the challenge of the promise land they looked at it and said, “Uh- eh, no way, I’m not facing those giants.”

They took the path of choosing to reject the challenges.

2. Choosing to Reject the Challenges

I should point out that one is never the same after facing a challenge of this size -from here on out this generation was marked as failing to face the challenge.

Most of the people were moved by fear and lack of faith in God.

Caleb and Joshua said “By God’s help we can take them”

The other’s said, “No way we can take them”

They all saw the same fruit, the same giants, the same strength, the same stature - but not all of them saw a way to overcome.

Choosing to reject the challenge costs dearly

It cost the loss of the life of so many people - more than if they would have faced the giants as grasshoppers.

It cost them precious time

It cost them so many amazing moments in the promiseland

Several years ago I met a gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney's original advisory boards. What amazing stories he told! Those early days were tough; but that remarkable, creative visionary refused to give up. I especially appreciated the man's sharing with me how Disney responded to disagreement. He said that Walt would occasionally present some unbelievable, extensive dream he was entertaining. Almost without exception, the members of his board would gulp, blink, and stare back at him in disbelief, resisting even the thought of such a thing. But unless every member resisted the idea, Disney usually didn't pursue it. Yes, you read that correctly. The challenge wasn't big enough to merit his time and creative energy unless they were unanimously in disagreement!

Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.107.

It was some forty years later that Joshua said - “Alright people its time to try this again” and he commissioned two spies to check out the land again. (Josh. 2:1-7)

Notice the challenges hadn't gone away - they were still there and the same - you can't run from or ignore the challenges and problems and tests of life - but you can change them to conquests.

Take on that challenge - you can change that challenge into a conquest.

3. Changing the Challenges to Conquests

I love that old song, “Got Any Rivers” the songwriter pictures this so beautifully,

God is the same and His Word is dependable, He'll make a way through the waters for you; Life's situations by Him are amendable, Mountains and hills He will part for you too.

These two spies encounter many adventures and things in the Promise Land but when they return they said - the challenge is great, but God is greater. Lets go

I want you to notice how this challenge was changed into a conquest

1. Time - 40 years of watiting and wandering - it sometimes takes time and effort and practice to overcome a challenge - preparation

2. Death - It took the death of all the naysayers (to put a spiritual application - you are going to have to kill or put to rest all of those doubts and self-defeating thoughts and words)

3. Work - They had to quit wandering around in the wilderness and head toward the promise land - by faith take Jericho, take o the Giants, take on all those things that were still there -

But this time they wren’t facing the challenge alone - they were going with God’s guidance and leadership

Maybe a story by Bill Hybels in his book The God Your’e Looking For will express it better.

Facing Challenges with the Father

When I was first learning how to sail my dad's sailboat out on Lake Michigan, he would often say to me, "Go ahead and take the boat out, but take a friend with you."

A 42-foot sailboat on a body of water the size of Lake Michigan is a big responsibility. But always up for a challenge, I'd find a junior high friend to accompany me, and we'd sail past the breakwater, hoist the sails, and head out to open water. But as soon as I'd see any cloud formation coming our way or the wind seemed to be piping up, I'd head back towards shore, take the sails down, and regain my normal breathing pattern only when we were safely tied up in the slip. Most of the time, it was fun having a friend along, but in a storm I knew this kid wouldn't be much help.

Other times, however, my dad would come home from work and we'd go out together. When I was sailing with my dad, I'd actually look for cloud formations and hope for heavy air. I loved the feel of the strong winds and huge waves!

My dad had sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. He had endured five days of sailing through a hurricane. He was a veteran, and I was confident that he would be able to handle anything Lake Michigan could throw at us. Everything changed when my dad was on board.

—Hybels, Bill. The God You're Looking For, (Thomas Nelson, 1997), quoted in Leadership Journal, "To Illustrate Plus," Spring 2000, Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 69.

This morning you are facing or will face challenges - what are you going to do with them - I want to challenge you to change that challenge into a conquest!!!