When it comes to a medical diagnosis, whose report will we believe: the doctor’s or God’s? Jesus tells us, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, ESV).
People love to give their 2 cents’ worth about your situation, saying, “You won’t make it,” “Things won’t get any better for you,” “That’s your lot” or “That’s life.” So whose report will you base your future on? What people are telling you or on the Word of God?
If you listen to man and not God, you will not advance in life as God has purposed you to. It is to your advantage to walk by faith and not by sight. Your attitude makes a profound difference in whether you overcome or run from challenges you face.
The story of the 12 spies who returned from scouting the land of milk and honey gives us a great example of believing in God rather than man. Out of those 12, only Caleb and Joshua gave a good report, saying “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30b).
Yet the other 10 said, “‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.’ So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, ‘The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants'” (Num. 13:31b-32a).
You see, Caleb and Joshua had a spirit of overcoming. The other 10 spies did not because they did not believe God, so they never inherited the promised land and died in the wilderness.
Don’t accept what the majority says. Jesus was always a minority. Many people did not like what He said or did, such as the Sanhedrin, the Sadducees and Pontius Pilate. Yet He was the only one who was constantly listening to and obeying the Father. Despite widespread lack of acceptance of Jesus, who had the good report in the end? Jesus.
John the Baptist was also a minority. He proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). He was only one person, and no matter what, he kept speaking the truth.
At the end of each school year I took home a report card. Being on the autism spectrum meant I struggled big-time, even more so in a classroom environment, which would show in my report.
Mum’s eyes would fill with tears when she read comments like, “We don’t hold much hope for your son past grade six; he does not seem to understand anything we have taught him.” My dad would say, “Oh well, I will have to work a little bit harder, and one of these days I will buy a big plantation or business to secure Reg’s future.” Praise God, my parents believed in God and not man.
Believing the right report is not always a popular choice. You can tell someone they will get well, but their friends and family might say, “No, that’s not what Google says.” When you are in the minority, you will lack support—because believing a good report from God is not the popular choice. God’s Word says, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:17). Paul says “we,” for we are all able to overcome anything we want.
God only needs the minority. How many people did He need to save the city of Nineveh? One—Jonah, who said in effect, “Guys, you are in big trouble. If you don’t repent and get your life in order, God will destroy you.” From one person’s words, they started to pray and fast, including the cattle. And God spared that city.
All God needs is that one person to believe. Those who believe will stand in the realm of God to overcome.
Reg Morais is the senior pastor of Living Faith Community Church, launched from Anoint the World Ministries, which he founded 15 years prior. Each week he runs seven services, reaching a global audience through social media platforms. Learn more about him and his ministry at regmorais.com.
