Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Intention

To destroy fearful, crippling ‘grasshopper’ small-mindedness, instead fortifying ourselves with courage and conviction so we can go and reap an abundant harvest of people for God.

Scripture

“Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, ‘Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!’

“But the men who had gone up with him responded, ‘We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!’

“So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: ‘The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.’”

– Numbers 13:30–33

Reflection

Most of us know the story of the twelve spies Moses sent to scout the land God promised Israel. Each spy was a leader from one of the twelve tribes.

For forty days, they journeyed northward through the Judean wilderness, into Samaria, across Galilee and along the lakeshore, and up the Jordan Valley to the slopes of Mount Hermon.

Imagine it: the awe of seeing the promised land for the first time! No wonder they exclaimed it was flowing with milk and bursting with fruit (Numbers 13:27). It was exactly as God had said. He was faithful to His Word. He always is.

God’s plan for Israel was clear: enter the land and possess it. His good purpose is nothing less than the redemption of the world. He needs His people on His side.

But fear took root.

Despite God’s clear command, they recoiled.

Ten of the twelve returned with a report fashioned by fear. They fixated on fortified cities and towering enemies. “We felt like grasshoppers”, they whimpered.

Do we do the same? When we see what the King has summoned us to – His mission, His harvest – do we hesitate? Do we ruminate on barriers instead of the breakthrough?

Jesus has commanded us to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

We have scouted the ‘land’ (the world). The harvest is ripe (John 4:35). The fruit is abundant.

But there are also ‘giants’ in the land.

Like those spies, we are tempted to vacillate and withhold our complete allegiance to God’s work in the world.

But we are not grasshoppers.

We are the King’s army. We march under His authority.

The writer of Hebrews urges us to throw our hesitation to the wind (Hebrews 6:1) and refuse to retreat (Hebrews 10:39). Instead, we must forge forward with courage and conviction.

I can’t help but think of a different set of twelve leaders: those gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

They waited on God. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They moved out in bold obedience. Through the gospel, they turned the world upside down.

Rise up, Church! Let us go and ‘possess’ a plentiful harvest of people for Christ’s inheritance (Acts 20:32)!

Video

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us, day by day, our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.

Author Bio

Vincent is a Naturopathic Practitioner in Lismore. Born in Kenya, Vincent encountered Jesus in Grahamstown through the ministry of the late Archbishop Bill Burnett. He studied at the United Faculty of Theology in Melbourne as a candidate for the ministry of the new Uniting Church.

Prayer Points for GO Month to Pentecost 2025

1. Five friends to trust in Christ and to share the gospel with those five in May. Matthew 28:19–20

2. Repentance, revival and reformation in Australia and for millions to believe in Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47

3. A Church that grows in extravagant love for God and people. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

We invite you to support this prayer campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for revival and see millions come to faith in Christ. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:

DATES: Every night from Sunday, 4 April to Sunday, 8 June

TIME: 8 PM (AEST), 7:30 PM (SA & NT), 6 PM (WA)

ZOOM URL LINK: zoom.us/j/776881184

ZOOM TUTORIAL: youtube.com/watch?v=pAMDxH_H_Cs

View GO Month 2025 devotionals

___

Photo via Adobe.