"Defeat Is Not God's Plan"
It�s good to be coming to you today by the leading of the Holy Spirit. I apologize to those who desire to read this word more often than quarterly � a lot of factors led to the change. We do believe that in 2006 we�ll be able to return to a monthly distribution. I want everyone who desires to hear and read the messages to have a fresh word every month. Sometimes we may not understand everything, but we need to understand that the Holy Spirit is constantly teaching. God has a reason, a purpose, something to teach us in every situation. It�s up to us to go on to victory � that is God�s plan for each of us! We can read at the end of Revelation and know the outcome. Hey � we win! �Defeat is Not God�s Plan!�
Before I get into the meat of this message, I would like to confess some things � things that are not part of God�s formula for victory. God has given us all example after example, instruction upon instruction � following these are the key to living victorious, here and now! I�ve been guilty of entertaining negativity. After some recent messages, negative remarks came to me by two other preachers. I let it bother me. I prayed and second-guessed what the Holy Spirit had given me. I read and re-read God�s Word. His Word did not change and will never change! The Old Testament and the New go hand in hand. People bring curses into their lives and to their families still today. Yes, Jesus came to break the curse, and He did, but it�s everyone�s personal responsibility to come to Him. God promises us blessings of obedience and curses for disobedience. I fell into an area of doubting myself and my calling. Why? Because I let what other people had to say interfere with me preaching what the Holy Spirit gives. That�s MY fault! You see, God doesn�t know defeat. Thinking negative, listening to negative people and speaking negativity leads to fear. Negativity and fear aren�t of God. They lead to defeat. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan� for His children.
Let�s talk about negativity for just a minute� It is a very subtle but powerful tool of satan. The sweetest, most well-meaning little ol� sister in the church can be a carrier of that malignant negativity. Fact of the matter is, show me someplace that has one negative person, and if you look a little deeper there�ll be a host. Negativity spreads like poison and it becomes easier because there�s always a group that is neutral and trying to straddle the fence. Well, God has called me to preach things straight. You see, I�m not in this for a popularity contest! I�m in it because God called me to preach the truth. To many I�m blunt or have an outdated message. I just don�t fit the modern church and the �new� gospel. God doesn�t use negative people! God doesn�t use people who try to straddle the fence! God does not change! What was sin 50, 100, 500+ years ago is still sin today. God�s Word does not bend and God�s true men and women are not flexible or tossed with every wind of doctrine. I�ve had to shake off the poison of people�s negativity. I had come so close to compromising how God wants me to preach, but I will not. God�s plan is to continue going forward, receiving all His promises. To back up, go back or slow down is defeat. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan�.
One of the best examples of what negativity and men with the backbone of a jellyfish causes is found in Numbers 13 & 14. Most everyone knows this story of the children of Israel. God made promises to them. He never broke a promise and worked miracles in their behalf. He heard their prayers and cries and brought them out of Egypt and its bondage and slavery. God destroyed the enemies that came against them. God made provision for them. God had proven Himself to them over and over. I know many of you, just like me, can testify to the same thing, personally from experience. God does not lie. He does not fail and is always working in our behalf. In Numbers 13:2 the Word that God spoke to Moses is very clear: �Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel�� I think God was quite clear that He had given them the land! Does God lie? Certainly not! The victory was already theirs! It was their land � God said it. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan�.
So here they are � Moses had sent the 12 spies into the land. They went out to look the land over, to get samples of the provisions in the land and to check out the inhabitants. God has good, plenteous and wondrous things for all His children. In this land there were grapes, big grapes! I want you to just picture what they looked like � one cluster of grapes so big it was carried on a branch between two people. These were brought back to the congregation and these spies called it the land of milk and honey � exactly what God promised them. The people are excited and ready to go. In verse 30, �Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.� Yes, they were ready, and God had given the go-ahead. It was theirs for the claiming. After all, �Defeat is Not God�s Plan�.
Now, verse 31 is where those who carried the deadly venom of negativity came in. The men with their words of defeat � natural vision, no trust or faith in God � spread negativity throughout the congregation. They said, �We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.� They spoke of giants and land that swallowed up the inhabitants. The negativity that was spoken spread like a virus through the camp. All of a sudden everyone was looking at the circumstance. They forgot all that God had already done. They forget they served THE God who can and will do ALL things to bring the best to His children! They forgot that God had already given them the land. They forgot that when God calls you, sends you and says you CAN, �can�t� isn�t in the vocabulary. The negative report, full of unbelief brought by the spies, revealed two things about them. 1) They did not have a loyal relationship with God based upon His past faithfulness to His people � they were not committed to God! 2) They did not put trust in God and His promises for their future. Only 2 men of God stood faithful and completely trusting in God � Joshua and Caleb! The other 10 spies were the opposite. This holds true today with the drastic contrast between men of God who trust Him, and those who trust in numbers or military or the world system. It�s a very clear and present danger in churches today, and many a preacher has caved in to it. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan�.
Let us look in Numbers 14 at how negativity affected the congregation� Just maybe some of you can relate to these scriptures. Here the people are, they have fed off of a negative report, and now they�re looking for someone to blame. Verse 2 says, �And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron...� These two men of God had led them out of bondage and God had made the way. Now the people have turned into a bunch of whiners, their minds taken by negativity and defeat. They dwelled on what could happen. No doubt they sat around their tables and fires talking each other up in more negativity. Now comes the great idea satan likes to plant when he gets people in that frame of mind: �It�s the preacher�s fault � he led us here. Let�s turn back to Egypt (slavery) � at least we were safe there.� How many times has the devil tried to convince you to turn back? These people wanted to choose a new leader and turn back. Child of God, let me tell you this: ANYTIME you take a step backward, in the opposite direction God has sent you, YOU step into bondage! You open doors for things � sin � to return, and it will take up residence and destroy your soul! Everything of God proceeds forward, no matter what the circumstance. There is no time for turning back, or negativity, or being defeated. There is a stern warning in what God told those guilty of this (Numbers 14:20-45). Even though God pardons and forgives when people continually repeat an act of sin or show habitual lack of trust in God, it does not mean that they will not receive punishment. Be careful what you entertain and where you put your trust. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan�.
In closing I want to address my brother and sister ministers� I urge you to study Joshua, Caleb, Moses and Aaron. They stood and spoke the truth. They were not swayed by the majority or popular opinion. The true child of God must stand, trust God and preach what the Holy Spirit gives at all times. Follow God and His instruction and direction. Don�t be swayed by congregation, other ministers, spouses, children or organizations. Don�t be swayed by numbers, or should I say lack of numbers. You are winners for Christ � obey God and He�ll take care of the rest. �Defeat is Not God�s Plan!�
In Christ, Bro. Don George
A Note From Kim�
Our attitudes, expressions and words are contagious � like it or not! Just as negativity spreads like a poison, thankfully the same is also true with faith, optimism, smiles and positive attitudes. Which are you spreading? It�s one or the other!
Do you speak praises of what all God is
doing in your life? Do you have peace in your current situation and trust in the Lord�s plan for you? Or do you continually go on and on (and on) about how satan�s coming against you from every direction, then maybe add on at the end (with usually a very tired sigh), a �well-bless-God-I�ll-get-though-somehow�?
What is your mouth speaking? Are you a blessing or a burden to others? Take a
good close look and listen at yourself �
would YOU want to be around you?
Think about it! :)
