The Cost of Carelessness in Our Walk with God, Part Two. 'Allowing Fear To Take Control' By Dr. Dave Madenberg

The Cost of Carelessness in Our Walk with God, Part Two

'Allowing Fear To Take Control'

Shortly before the Lord took him home, Joshua, who led the children of Israel  into the Promised Land after the death of Moses, said these final words as Israel's leader in Josh. 23:8-14,   (Joshua is also speaking these parting words to us)

"... but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.  For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day."  "One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you ..."   "And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that  not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.   All have come to pass for you, not one word of them has failed."   (Or will fail)

So, after Joshua's death, God appointed  'judges'   to lead Israel.  It says in Judges 2:18,   "And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them  (the Israelites) out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge;  for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them."

When it came time  for the Israelites to continue their purge of  Ca'naan  God commanded them to take for themselves, it says in Josh 1:1-2, 

"Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying,  'Who shall be first to go up for us against the Ca'naanites to fight against them?'  And the Lord said,  'Judah shall go up.  Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.'  " 

Even before the battle started, God  'promised'  Judah  victory would be theirs.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  Victory would be theirs.

--So, now with Joshua gone, the Israelites were being  lead by  God's Spirit  and  the  judges He appointed.  

--As it says in Zech 4:6, God moves "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts."

A question  I had was,  'Why did God raise up  judges  rather than another strong leader like  Moses or Joshua?'

In search of an answer, I came across the website, Lonang Institute, which offers this explanation: 

"The answer lies in examining the purpose of God in sending Moses and then Joshua.  God sent Moses as a deliverer to deliver the people out of Egypt. (Acts 7:35)  He also sent Moses to teach the people the laws of God (Exo. 24:12).   ...when Moses was near death, God commissioned Joshua saying, 'Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.' (Deut 31:23) ... Moses was to deliver Israel from Egypt and teach them God’s laws.  Joshua was to take the nation into their land..."

So, God commanded the tribe of Judah  to resume the conquest  of Ca'naan Joshua started.  In Judges ch. 1, it says:

1)  Judah took his brother, Simeon, and the Lord delivered the Ca'naanites and Per'izzites into their hand.

2)  Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

3)  Next, the children of Judah fought and won against the Ca'naanites who dwelt in the mountains in southern Israel.

4)  Judah then fought against the Ca'naanites dwelling in Hebron, defeating them.

5)  Following the Hebron victory, Judah went against the inhabitants of Debir, Kirjath Sepher, Zephath, Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron  --  And every battle was won as God promised.

The SAME  God  who  promises us  'victory'  in the battles we fight, as we call on His name.  In Rom 8:37, Paul said:  "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Mal 4:3  tells us,  "You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet ..."  

Q:  How easy is it for us to say, 'Lord, I trust You, and I will not fear'  when we're not in the midst of a trial causing us to fear?   

Isn't  God's  promise  of victory  to Judah the  same promise  He gives  us?      God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He never changes.

Then in Judges 1:19,  "So the Lord was with Judah.  And they drove out the mountaineers  (mountain dwellers),  but  they could  not  drive out the inhabitants of the lowland ... "  Didn't God promise Judah victory?

God proved to the Israelites He was with them by the victories they won- - as He promised.   So, why  couldn't Judah  drive out the  Ca'naanites  living in this particular lowland?  

God's word tells us  it was because the Israelites saw  'chariots of iron.'  A new technology'  the Israelites had never encountered in battle. It was a military advantage  causing them to fear.

It was their  'giants'  the preceding generation encountered in Num 13-14.  Only Joshua and Caleb had the  faith to believe God  they were  able to defeat those giants.  But, the ten other spies who would today be known as 'cowards,'  reported to their brethren with fear in their hearts,  the giants couldn't be defeated. They were too large, too formidable.

In Num 13:31-33, the  ten cowards  gave this report: 

"We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we."  "And they

gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying:  'The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.'  'There we saw the giants ... and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Q:  Didn't God tell Moses in Num 13:1,   "Send men to spy out the land of Ca'naan,  which I am giving  to the children of Israel ... "  

God said without equivocation,  He was giving Ca'naan to His people, regardless of the current residents  (be they giants, or venomous turtles, or Martians).  

Didn't this second generation of Israelites  learn  from the first generation  God is faithful to His promises?  

And have we learned that lesson --  that a promise from God, like gold, can be taken to the  bank?

Num 23:19  says:  "God is not a man, that He should lie ... Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

Throughout scripture, God promises  us  victory, and that  He will never leave  or forsake us.  Deut 31:6  says:

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be afraid of them: for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave nor forsake you."

But,  the ten cowards  managed to convince the people they were unable to defeat the giants, despite God's promise of victory. 

And,  how did the first generation of Israelites respond to the 'bad report,' even after witnessing all the miracles and the parting of the Red Sea?

Num 14:1 tells us:  "So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night." 

Q: Before criticizing them, let's ask ourselves: 'How would  we  have responded to the bad report?'  Again, it's easy to say we trust and won't fear...when not in the midst of a trial.

They allowed fear to control them.  And this second generation  responded  the same way, after seeing  the  iron chariots:  With  fear,  lack of trust, and failing  to believe  God's  promises of victory.

Q:  And when  we  face a giant, or  iron chariot  that looms before us,  knowing  God  promised us  victory, calling us  'more than conquerors' in Rom 8:37,

1)  Will we allow fear to control us?

2) Will we trust God's many promises to us? 

3)  Will we fight, knowing God said He'd be with us?   Or,

4)  Will we  cry out and weep, saying:   'Lord, the addiction is too great  for me to overcome!  The illness is too far gone!  My marriage  can't  possibly be salvaged.'

--So, because they allowed  fear  to control them; and because of their unbelief  even though God brought them victory after victory,  God punished this  'faithless generation'  by  making them wander in the desert  forty years, until all those over the age of twenty, 'died off.'

They were not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of unbelief.  Nor will any of us be allowed into our Promised Land, who fear or refuse to believe.  Our Promised Land is heaven.  Am I being a bit melodramatic?  (Read Rev 21:8)

--But, why didn't this 2nd generation who saw the iron chariots - learn to trust God witnessing the 1st  generation's failure:  By carelessly walking with God in fear and unbelief?  

--And do we believe God  when He says He's  Jehovah Jireh,  our provider,  when we face  'an iron chariot' of:  illness, mounting bills, the rising cost of food, rent, gas and utilities? 

--Will we cry out and weep through  'fear and unbelief'  like the Israelites?   "So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night." 

Both Israelite generations  failed their test of faith.  Will we pass ours when it comes?

Interestingly, after Judah saw these  'chariots of iron,' and  panicked from fear:

Verse 21:  "...the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem..."

Verse 27:  "... Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth She'an and its villages, or Ta'anach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants Ib'leam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages ..."

Verse 29:  "Nor did Ephraim drive out the Ca'naanites ..."

Verse 30:  "Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants ..."

Verse 31:  "Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants ..."

Verse 33:  "Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants ..."

Q:  Why, from the time Judah saw these  'iron chariots'  did things change: To where Judah went from being victorious in every battle, to the other tribes being  unable  to defeat the remaining  Ca'naanite inhabitants?

Maybe God was unable to hand Israel the victory because these   'chariots of iron'  were His  'kryptonite'?  That, even God was overpowered by them?

--Battle after battle, God gave Judah the victory.  So, what was it about these 'iron chariots'  preventing  God's people  from claiming victory? 

--And,  did they even try to fight?  The bible only tells us the Israelites couldn't drive out the Ca'naanites because they saw  the seemingly impregnable  'chariots of iron.'   

Questions I asked myself while reading this account:

1.  Was Israel's failure to gain victory  due to fear?   If so, after all the victories God gave them, how is  it  fear  was  allowed to enter their hearts?

2.  Was the failure  due to doubt  God might not be faithful to His promise of victory?

3.  Was it  due to lack of trust  in God's ability to fight these strange, chariots of iron?   

4.  Were the failed victories due to disobedience  toward God?   Judges 2:13-14  says:   "They forsook the Lord and served Ba'al and the Ashtoreths.  And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel." 

Judges 2:1-3  says  that before Joshua and his generation died off, the Angel of the Lord came to the children of Israel, reminding them  God  made a covenant  with their fathers  He would never break  His word to them.  

Q:  If God makes a covenant or promise, and then breaks it ...wouldn't that make God a liar?  But, God doesn't lie!

So, why wasn't there  victory over  the  'chariots of iron?'   Did Israel break their part of the covenant?

Judges 2:2-3  says regarding the  Israelite  portion of the covenant with God:  

"And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land;  you shall tear down their altars.  But you have not  obeyed My voice.  Why have you done this?" "Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you."

Q:  Have any of us  compromised  our covenant with God?  Such as giving our support  to things God says He hates, but the world accepts with open arms? 

If so, could this be why we don't see  victory  with some of our prayers? 

So, the consequence  for their transgressing the covenant is stated in Judges 2:20-21, 

"Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice;  I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died." 

And worse, Judges 2:15 says,  "Wherever they (Israelites) went out, the hand of the Lord was  against them  for calamity ..."

But, was  'disobedience' to the covenant  the  only reason  for  failing to drive out the Ca'naanites?   Or, could  it have been a combination of  all four 'sins' against God:    Fear, doubt,  lack of faith, and  disobedience?

I found this on the website, BibleRef.com  to answer this question:  "The book of Judges has followed Judah's campaign to defeat all the Canaanite peoples in their allotted territory ... It is a good news, bad news scenario. The good news is that because the Lord was with Judah, they were able to conquer the region known as the hill country in southern Israel. (So long) as Judah maintained faith in God, they could accomplish all He asked them to do. The bad news though, is that they could not entirely drive out the inhabitants of the plains—because those Canaanites had iron chariots ..."

"The text makes no further comment about this difficulty. Readers are often confused, given that God's influence is supposed to be at work in these battles. The God that miraculously made Jericho's walls fall could also intervene to overcome iron chariots. The text does not say Judah was defeated, only that they didn't "drive out" those inhabitants ... So why didn't God intervene here?  Bible scholars are left to speculate, since the text offers no clues..." (But) a common theme in Israel's failures in Canaan is  complacency and lack of faith."

Jas 1:6-8  tells us:  "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

More questions to be asked:  (When I read the Old Testament accounts, asking myself questions helps me to dig deeper):

1)  Whatever reason(s) Judah  failed to take the land,  why did  the other tribes fail to drive out  their respective  Ca'naanite foes?

2)  Did Judah   communicate   their  fear to the other tribes like the ten cowards  did from the previous  generation? 

3)  Did the Israelite tribes ask each other,  "Does  God even know how to fight against these iron chariots?"   

4)  Did the Israelites  sink into despair  because they took their eyes off the Lord,  instead, gazing in fear at the impregnable, unable to be defeated chariots of iron?    

5) And did both generations forget what God said to them through Joshua (Joshua 1:9)?  "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

6)  And did both generations  forget  what God told them through the prophet Isaiah (Isa 41:10)?  "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

The iron chariots  were that  generation's  'Red Sea Moment,' testing whether they  trusted  and believed  God.

Q:  And when we're faced  with our  'Red Sea Moment'  causing fear, do we trust and believe God?  Or, do we allow  fear to take control?  

In his book, Battle Ready, Prepare to be Used By God, author Steve Farrar says this on p. 46:

"... this report from the twelve Israelites wasn't sense and sensibility; it was sense and stupidity. Joshua and Caleb had sense -- the other ten guys were flat-out stupid.  They either didn't think that God trumped every other giant, or they didn't think at all.  They just panicked. And when the ten leaders panicked, the people fell like a line of dominoes, and everyone panicked."   

Q:  Do we panic  when  faced with an iron chariot:  A cancer diagnosis?  A sudden job loss, a spouse asking for a divorce, being persecuted for our faith?

Q:  Will facing an unfamiliar challenge  cause our heart to  'faint with fear'?   

Q:  Will we forget how, in His faithfulness, God  delivered us  from adversity  in the past? 

There are many instances in scripture  where people  of faith ran in fear, even after God brought them victory:

(Ex)  After Elijah called down fire from heaven that destroyed the altars of Ba'al, he ran into a cave  in fear  after hearing Jezebel wanted to put him to death.

In Matt 24, Jesus tells us in the last days, some would  be  persecuted and put to death for our faith.  Will we allow fear to control us  and deny Christ  (run in fear)?

On the other hand:

-Daniel  refused  to bow to a newly enacted law making it illegal to pray to anyone but king Darius.  (Dan 6:10-18)

-Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego  refused  to bow to king Nebudchednezzar's  statue.

-David  refused  to  run in fear  from Goliath, but battled regardless of the size difference ... confident God was with him. 

All these men possessed  great faith.  But, when  flesh faces an  'iron chariot,'  do we allow fear to control us ... or does our faith  prevail?

Why did  Elijah run in fear, but Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego  stood strong ... refusing  to allow fear  to control their actions? 

--When the  'spirit of fear'  tries to  enter our heart,  why is it  some believers stand strong and rebuke the fear, while others  allow fear  to control them? 

--Why is it, when brought to a  'Red Sea Moment,'  only  some  pass the  test of faith?

There's a saying,   "Bravery is not the absence of fear, but rather taking action in the face of fear ."   

Even brave people fear, but they still act  despite their fear. They don't allow fear to control them.  They overcome their fear.  (Ex. Sgt and the rookie)

Cowards, on the other hand, allow fear to control their actions.  They're walking carelessly with God  because of  fear and unbelief   God doesn't have their back.  The bible tells us not to fear 366 times. (Wurmbrand)

I'm  in no way  suggesting Elijah was a coward.   Quite the contrary.  He was no coward.   But, for whatever reason, in this instance he allowed  'the spirit of fear'  to gain control;  Until  God spoke to him while in the cave, comforting him.  Then  fear left.

And as I mentioned in a prior  message: 

--The soldiers going over the top during WW1  'feared death'  as bullets were flying over their heads.  But, they still acted despite their fear.

--The marines who stormed the beaches in WW2  'feared death'  when artillery shells were exploding all around them.  But, they still acted despite their fear.

These soldiers and marines chose to perform their duty,  despite their legitimate fear of death.

And during the times we face our own 'giant or iron chariot'  causing us to fear:

We  can choose  to act like Joshua and Caleb, or like the ten cowards.  

We can choose  to go 'toe to toe' with the enemy and fight  the good fight;  or run in fear. 

We can choose  to stand up to those who want to destroy this country with 'woke policies.'   Or, we can wave the white flag of surrender, saying:   'Let's not rock the boat or make waves,'  as an excuse not to fight for God's truth. 

Q:  Looking back at our lives, how many iron chariots  has God helped us defeat?

How many believers  today  ask God, as did the Israelites in  Exodus 16:   

"Yes, God, You did provide water for me, but can You also provide food?"  "Yes,  You did  that  for me,  but  can You also do  this?" "Yes, you saved my marriage.  But, can You also heal my disease?"

-How many times does God have to  show us  He has our backs? 

-How many times does He have to  remind us,  He will never leave or forsake us? 

Isa 52:12 says,  " ... for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."

Q:  But some ask, 'When has God gone before me  and has  been my rear guard?'

A:   While in that sick bed; during that financial crisis; in the midst of a bad relationship; while battling an addiction; during the time we had  no control over the circumstance.  God was with us as He promised.

God has 'promised'  to be with us and bring us  victory.

But, to   'receive'  the victory:

--We must  cast out all  fear, doubt,  unbelief, and lack of trust.   

--We must  remain  obedient and  grab hold of the authority  we've been given.  --We must  overcome  fear with faith, confident in God's  promise to be with us -

    Both  in the valley and on the mountaintop.

-Then, the  'chariots of iron'   will rust.  Then, the giants  will melt. 

-God goes before us and also guards our back.

-God is greater than any  iron chariot or giant  we'll ever face!   

-But, both Israelite generations  forgot  this truth  and failed  their tests of faith.

And isn't this  what the Red Sea Moment,  the giants and  the iron chariots  represent:   God's testing of our  faith?

Phil 4:13 says,  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

Rom 8:31,  "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Do we believe  what God promises is not only for that person, but also for me?      

Do we  believe  what we  'say'  we believe?   Or is it just lip service?

Do we say,  'Lord, I trust You'  to do all You say You'll do:  provide, protect, and  bring  healing?  Yet, by allowing  fear to control us, aren't we're  showing God  we  really  don't  trust Him?

--Have  past victories  taught us  God is faithful to His promises?   Or, do we say like the Israelites:   'Yes, Lord, You  provided  water  for me.  But can  you also  provide  food?'

Once again, Joshua 23:8-11 says:  

"... but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.  For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations;  but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day ... for the Lord your God is He who fights for you,  as He promised you.  "   

Let's believe  to receive  and lay hold of God's promises to us.  And I'm speaking this to myself as well.

Let's believe  regardless  of what  'iron chariot'  lies before us, we will not be defeated.   Rather, we  defeat them  by God's power  and  by the blood of the Lamb. 

Rev 12:11 says, "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony ..."

Jesus tells us in  Lk 10:19,  "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Psalm 60:12 says,  "Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies."

Psalm 61:3-4,  "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;  I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.     

In  Jer 32:27  God tells us, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"

And, in  Josh 21:45,  "Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel.  All came to pass."

And  all  will come to pass  that God promises  us - as we place our trust in Him -  knowing  our God  is  faithful!             

AMEN.