... In the Torah portion for this week “Shelach Lecha ("Send For Yourself"…) We witness 12 spies —chosen men from among of their tribes — as they spy out the land that Yah had promised. Their mission was a simple reconnaissance mission “go up into the hill country, and see what the land is….” Numbers 13:17-18 (ESV).

They were never asked to fight, they were only told to be courageous. They found "a land flowing with Milk & Honey" (Numbers 13:27) along with giants. The latter caused a Spirit of Fear to enter of some of them. Being afraid wasn't the issue. Things were still under control until they opened their mouths...

Nelson Mandela once said that...

courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

When the spies returned from their mission, they brought their internalized fear back to the camp and gave voice to it causing a plague to break out. It was not the Spirit of Fear itself that caused the break out in the camp, it was the Evil Report — the words spoken (and believed) which caused the Children of Israel to loose Faith with God. Stirring unbelief was the end goal of the Spirit of Fear and ultimately quenching the faith that had been built up in the people.


Numbers 14:11 (ESV)

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?


Fear, Doubt, & Unbelief will sink just about any ship. It ties Yah's hands. In order to protect and keep our promise afloat we must be courageous, believe God, and watch our mouths!

Phillipians 4:13 (ESV)

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

"And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."

See Yah This Sabbath ... Much love in Yahushua! Rabbi John Wesley A., PhD & Pastor Martha
Congregation Beth Hashem in Durham, Greenville, & Wilson, NC