Genesis 15:13-14 God tells Abraham his seed shall be a stranger in a land and will be afflicted for 400 years, then God will judge that nation and they shall come out with great substance.
God gave Moses, a word of promise to bring to the children of Israel (this promise comes to them. After 400 years of slavery to the Egyptians).
The promise is: Exodus 3:17. I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, unto the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites. The Amorites, the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Then in Deuteronomy 6:10- 11. He tells them (wait a minute. I know I told you that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. But I left something out). There are great and goodly cities there that you didn't build there are houses full of all good things which thou fillest not and wells already dug. You won't have to dig any, and there are vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant.
There's just one small detail that I have to mention to you (there are giants over there).
Numbers 13:1-3 17-25 vs30-33.
Now go to our text: Moses sends 12 spies in to spy out the land and bring back some fruit of the land. They go into the land they spy out the land, and they bring back figs, pomegranates and grapes, (the grapes were so big that it took two men to carry one cluster on a staff between them).
The Bible doesn't say who these two men were, but I think they were Joshua and Caleb, because they were the only two who agreed upon the promises of God and who believed that they could possess their inheritance.
All 12 spies, announced: it truly is a land flowing with milk and honey (and here is some of the fruit).
The 10 spies went on to say (nevertheless) or in our modern language. What they said was, (but).
Oh man. As soon as I see that (but) I know trouble is brewing that one little word has robbed people of their faith. Stolen their health robbed them of their dreams, kept them from their miracle and slammed the door shut to the promises of God.
I know God can heal, but.
I know God can deliver, but.
I know God can save, but.
I know God can open the door, but.
I know God can bring water out of the rock, but can he give us a table and put meat on it here in the wilderness.
I know God can, but.
how many times have we stood on the border of our promised land, and failed to take possession. Just because we coudn’t believe God was able?
Every time you add a (but) to the promises of God. You limit God, and disqualify yourself from his promise and from his provision.
These 10 spies, all had the same problem: (They had giants in their eyes).
At some point in your life as a believer. You have to make up your mind what you want in life (giants or grapes).
Grapes = the promises, blessings, provisions of God.
Giants = the enemies and the adversaries to the promises and the provisions of God.
Giants are employed by the devil to resist you, frustrate you, and steal the promises of God for your life.
There are all kinds of giants: fear, insecurity, inferiority, sickness, debt, depression, worry, anxiety, stress, family problems (and the list goes on and on). But whatever name you put on them. Their mission is to keep you out of your blessing, and to keep you from enjoying the promises of God for your life.
In life, you are either going to have giants or grapes, but you can't have both
that means: either the Giants are going to occupy your thoughts and capture your attention and decide your actions and control your life or the grapes will.
If you are motivated and energized and driven by the grapes, the giants won’t be any problem.
But if you are controlled and manipulated and dominated by the giants, then you will never taste the grapes.
When you are motivated and energized and driven by the grapes, You will scare some people.
(you will talk big, you will think big, you will plan big, you will worship big, you will give big).
You will make bold statements, like Joshua and Caleb (you will boldly declare. We are well able to take the land, we are well able to do what God said, we can do.
Now I want you to know when you become aggressive in your faith. And when you become bold in your confession. You are going to attract attention (you are going to stir people up). And your greatest enemies, are not going to be in the world or of the world.
The greatest enemies to bold courageous grape grabbing giant killing faith are going to be sitting close by in the church: and they are the ones with giants in their eyes.
All they can see is giants, all they can talk about are the Giants, all they can see is the bad economy, the dwindling social security, and the health insurance problems and high gas prices, all they can see is the negative, and they have decided that it's not worth it.
And they will fight you, and they will criticize you, and they will persecute you, and they will do everything they can to hinder you and keep you from moving forward and possessing the greater blessing.
The truth is, this describes many in the church: they have been captured by the Giants. They are being held prisoner by a giant mentality. (They are slaves in giant prison).
These are the ones who will resist you and resent you for breaking out the giant prison. They will criticize you and do everything they can to discourage your faith.
Like Joshua and Caleb, you have to be able to say to these people: I love you, but I don't agree with you.
I love you, but I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in giant prison just to make you happy.
I believe somebody tonight is breaking out of giant prison.
I believe somebody is grabbing the grapes.
Once you taste the grapes. The Giants don't matter anymore, giants are just something you have to deal with to get the grapes.
(Tell somebody: (I am afraid of no giants)
Giants are problems, (Grapes are promises).
Tell your neighbor: I'm grabbing some grapes tonight.
(When you fill your eyes with the promises of God. The problems in your life become very small).
God said tonight is a night for breaking out of giant prison. You have been held there long enough and you have been held there illegally but tonight you're busting out.
Tell your neighbor: I’m bustin’ out
Tonight is the night for possessing.
God is giving new vision.
You're not going to have your eyes full of giants anymore; you’re going to see the grapes.
You're going to think grapes.
Walk grapes.
Talk grapes.
When you close your eyes at night. You're going to see grapes.
You’re not going to see the problems anymore, you're going to see the promises and the provisions and the blessings of God.
There is a whole generation coming behind you. that is depending on you to show them how to deal with the Giants and enjoy the grapes.
What heritage, are you going to pass down to your children? Your grandchildren?
[Giants or Grapes)?
What will your confession be? Son, grandkids, we came to a land flowing with milk and honey but the Giants were so big. And so mean that we didn't even try to fight them, and we forfeited our inheritance.
Or will it be son, daughter, grandkids. We came to this land flowing with milk and honey and the grapes were so big that it took two full grown men to carry one cluster between the two of them on a staff.
Oh yeah. There were some giants there too but they weren’t no big deal. (Here taste these grapes).
There are two kinds of people in the church: There are those that spend their lives measuring giants, and talking about how tall, and how mean and how powerful the giants are.
Then there are those who are weighing the Grapes, and the Grapes out weigh the giants.
I can’t speak for you tonight: but as for me and my house (we are in the grape weighing business, we’re weighing the promises of God that are heavier and more Powerful than any giant.
I’m starting to feel something in here: I believe I'm feeling a giant stomping anointing in here.
Somebody's getting ready to stomp down some giants.
Somebody’s getting ready to stomp down some giants that have been lying to you and stealing from you, they’ve been manipulating and intimidating you (but that was yesterday)
(I feel a grape grabbing anointing in here).
I believe, I feel, some people standing up in their faith tonight.
Somebody here: the Giants have been lying to you, threatening you, stealing from you.
(But tonight, you're getting the grapes).
*Tell somebody: I'm grabbing the grapes*.
I'm grabbing my joy.
I'm grabbing my peace.
I'm grabbing the salvation of my prodigals.
I'm grabbing my new anointing.
I'm grabbing a breakthrough in my finances.
I'm grabbing my new car.
Grab some grapes,
grab for your ministry.
grab for the restoration of your family.
grab for the healing of your body.
Grab as many as you can, grab as many as you want.
(Tell your neighbor:)
I' m a giant killing grape grabbing child of God.
(What a tragedy. It is to let the Giants stop you from eating the grapes. When they are growing on your own property).
(You are not the trespasser, the Giants are)
You are not stealing the grapes, They belong to you.
“Jesus paid for them with his blood”
The devil knows the grapes belong to you (they’re on your property). But the devil won't give up without a fight.
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent take it by force.
The grapes are your reward for standing on the word of God.
*All hell was breaking loose in your life, but you stood on the word of God.
*Sickness was attacking your body, but you stood on the word and you got your healing.
*Your finances were being attacked but you stood on the word.
*Your marriage, your family was being attacked, but you stood on the word.
*Your ministry was attacked, but you stood on the word.
You stood on the word of God, and you backed those giants down, and you cut off their heads. And now it's time to enjoy the grapes.
Why were the grapes so big?
(I believe God wanted to show us his abundant nature)
God is not selfish, he’s not stingy, and he’s not tightfisted.
(He’s excessive, he’s extreme, he’s extravagant he’s generous).
Tonight were anointing everyone: you're going to leave this place with a giant stomping grape grabbing anointing. And I pity the giant that tries to stand between you and your grapes.
