CHECK THE ATTITUDE

Numbers 14:9, "...the Lord is with us! Don't be afraid of them!"

The story of the spies in Canaan is an indication of how scarce the attitude of belief can become. Moses sends in 12 spies; ten of them come back defeated and discouraged. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, kept their attitude in check.

"Attitude determines altitude." -John Maxwell. It's easy to get caught up in the naysayers, but to have good success it is paramount that I remember the Lord is with me! When the Lord is with you there is nothing unattainable. When the Lord is with you there is nothing that cannot be overcome. It's an attitude, a confidence, a blessed assurance to know "the Lord is with us."

The major difference between the TEN and the TWO? ATTITUDE!

10 believed the land had no future; 2 insisted the land was to be possessed by them.
10 displayed cowardice based on fear; 2 displayed courage rooted in faith.
10 disobeyed God's direction; 2 knew the direction was God.
10 utterly ignored God in their report; 2 felt calm assurance.
10 suffered from small thinking and saw themselves as grasshoppers at the foot of giants; 2 saw themselves as chosen by God in relation to men.

The result?

These ten naysayers spread anxiety throughout Israel’s camp. Their rotten attitudes infected the whole congregation until the spiritual contagion could not be contained. Notice who got blamed for the nations negative response: “Our brethren have discouraged our hearts saying, “The people are greater and taller than we’” (Deut. 1:28) through a negative majority report, this ancient commission deprived nearly two million people of their inheritance in Canaan. Through their poisonous influence, the Israelites were driven back into the wilderness to die, and God delayed in fulfilling His purpose for His chosen people for 40 years.

Our attitude determines our approach to life.
Our attitude determines our relationships with people.
Our attitude is often the only difference between success and failure.
Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else.
Our attitude can turn problems into blessings.
Our attitude can give us an uncommonly positive perspective.
Our attitude is not automatically good just because we belong to God.