Joseph Prince - How to Win Without Fighting

Remember that at Kadesh Barnea, everything changed. The place they came out, for two years, they were walking with God, but for 38 years, they were wandering in the wilderness. But God collectively calls them 40 years of testing, 40 years of wandering, 40 years of being under God’s wrath. What happened? What did they do that made God so angry with them? What did God promise them in the first place? God promised them when God brought them out of slavery from Egypt… by the way, the name Egypt in Hebrew means double stress, literally. Mitsrayim in Egypt, double stress. God has bring his people from a place where, you know, they say we are narrow-minded. They say they are broad-minded. Actually, they are in a place of always being stressed. We are in a place where it’s broad, amen. And God promised to bring us into a land where you will live in houses, in cities you did not build.

You will live in houses full of good things that you did not fill. You will eat from vineyards that you did not plant and drink from wells you did not dig. What does that tell you? That tells you it’s a finished work prepared by another. In their case, it was the giants, amen? And the giants had no place, no right to be in that land, but it’s like the devil. The devil brought the giants there, and he had them, we call them squatters. It’s not their land, but they are inhabiting that land. They are called squatters.

So when God brought his people in, the devil was there. So likewise, right now, the devil and his evil spirits, his minions… maybe I shouldn’t use minions nowadays, they are cute, but his cohorts are sitting on your blessing, on your gift. Maybe you’re looking for healing, and they’re sitting on healing. You’re looking for provision, they’re sitting on provision. You’re looking for a blessed relationship with someone that you love and care or for your family members, between husband and wife or your parents, the devil is sitting on it. And whatever the… or deliverance for your teenage daughter from drugs or whatever. The devil is sitting on it. I want to tell you this: the devil has no right to be there. God didn’t give that land to the devil. God didn’t give the land to the giants, to the Anakims, to the Hivites, to the Jebusites, to the Girgashites.

They were all there in that land. That land was meant for God’s people, and God says, «I will evict them. I will kick them all out,» okay? «And I’ll bring you into the land. You will eat from vineyards you didn’t plant. You will drink from wells you did not dig». Isn’t that good news? God says, «You will dig brass from hills and mountains». In Egypt, you eat backbreaking kind of food. All the food of Egypt mentioned by God were melons, leeks, garlics, onions. Nothing wrong with the physical one. It’s the meaning of it. They are all food of the ground. They are food that you must bend over to pick. Melons, garlics, leeks, onions. But the food of Canaan, the food of God’s people in the land, is figs, pomegranates, vines, olives. They all easy picking, easy picking. No bending, you know, no hard, backbreaking work. Just plucking and eating.

How many know that Christian life is easy? Doesn’t mean there are no trials, but it’s easy inside. If you say it’s very hard, all right, the Bible says, «The way of the transgressors is hard». Amen. But Jesus says, «My yoke is easy, and my burden is light». Amen. So we need to understand that first. So what is God asking them to do? Go into the land, what? A lot of problems, a lot of quicksand, a lot of places where they have to plant, and by the sweat of their brow and hard, backbreaking work. Did God ask them to do that? No! God is telling them to come into a land full of blessings. In fact, God calls the land flowing. I love the word flowing. Not the land has, the land flows with milk and honey. And yet, they cannot believe God is that good. Most Christians today cannot believe that healing is for the believer. God wants you well more than you want to be well.

3 John 2 says, «Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers». Then we have groups of Christians arguing why it’s not God’s will for people to be well, until their child falls sick, and then they go to the doctor trying to be well, when all the time they are saying, «Maybe it’s God’s will for you to be sick». And yet for their child, they don’t believe it’s God’s will, because they are bringing their child to the doctor to be well. Something is warped, something is wrong with this kind of reasoning. God wants you well. God wants you blessed. God wants you to have joy, big grapes in your life, amen. God wants you to enter into a life of rest. Can I have a good amen?

So they sent 12 spies in, and they spied the land for 40 days. They came out, and all these are leaders of the 12 tribes. And ten of them said, «Oh no, there’s no way we can go into the land. Listen, look, it’s good, okay? You see these two guys»? And I believe, I have my personal opinion that Joshua and Caleb were carrying the grapes. They are the ones who want to carry the grapes because they are blessing conscious, amen?

Now, they said that «We spied the land,» but instead of talking about how good the land is, they said, «We saw the…» they saw the squatters. «We saw the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Anakims. We saw the giants there. The enemies are huge. They are so tall. Their walls are fortified. It’s thick». And God never talked about the walls and the enemies. God says, «Go, I have given you the land». And then Joshua and Caleb say, you know what the ten said? «We were in our own eyes like grasshoppers in their sight, and so we were in their sight. In our sight first, we looked like grasshoppers, and then we were in their sight». Very sad. Joshua and Caleb, the two, said, «Hey guys, if God delights in us».

They are conscious of God’s heart and God’s hand, God’s love and God’s power. The rest are conscious of what the enemy’s power is, the enemy’s size, the enemy’s this, the enemy’s that. But they are conscious of God’s heart. «God delights in us. God loves us,» amen? And they say, «Since God delights in us, come on, guys, let us go up at once right now and let us possess it». And the Bible says they pick up stones to stone them. What a sad thing. Joshua and Caleb, both are men of faith. And Caleb rose up, and Caleb said, «Guys, listen, guys,» and the Bible says the whole night, they were crying because they believed the majority. I’m here to tell you, in this case, the minority is right. Are you listening, people? Amen?

And here, Joshua and Caleb says, «Let us go up at once,» and the people wept the whole night. And then the next day, Caleb stood up before them, and Caleb says, «Guys, listen,» and this is what… let’s follow the story here. Caleb said, he said, «The land we pass through,» verse 7, «to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If,» or since, «the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us to this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread». «The enemies, these giants, they are our bread».

You see, the thing is this: God wants you to see all the difficulties in your way right now, all the stresses in your way, as food for your faith. Food for you to feed on. And God says if you feed on stress, you feed on difficult situations, when you see a situation, you say, «Oh no, not again. Oh no, not again». But God says, «Hey, this is a fight of faith». God didn’t send it, but God allowed it so that it becomes bread for you. And the enemy, in fact, the ten that spoke negatively, they said, «We’ll be devoured by the giants». But Joshua and Caleb, they said, «These giants are our bread. They are our bread». «Their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them».

Look at the response of the congregation. «And all the congregation said to stone them with stones». But let me tell you this: these two are the ones that God was pleased with. And they are the only ones that entered the land. And this is what God said about Caleb. God is speaking here. I’m dropping down, verse 23. «They certainly», God says about those who didn’t believe, «They certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it». «If you don’t believe the land is ready for you, the blessings are there, you cannot believe that I am that good. You cannot believe that I am that good. And I’m here to tell you,» God says. Because they said to God, «We wish that we died in the land, we died in Egypt,» or, «We died in the wilderness,» God says, «As you have spoken, it will happen to you. You will die in the wilderness».

And the first ones to die are the ten spies that brought fear and unbelief to the entire camp. And then God said this: «But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him,» and, you know, the word different is, one of the derivatives of this word is the word follow. He has a following spirit. «He has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I’ll bring into the land where he went, his descendants shall inherit it». In 2 Corinthians 4, it says, «We, having the same spirit of faith, I believe, and therefore I speak». We also believe, and therefore speak. The spirit of faith is, «I believe, and I speak,» not, «I see, then I speak». No, I believe even before I see, then I speak. Are you listening? It’s a different spirit.

God looked at all of them, and God looked at Caleb, God says, «This man Caleb, I will bring him into the land. He has a different spirit». So now they enter the Promised Land seven years after. So 38 years, they wandered, because 38 from the time of Kadesh Barnea to seven years here is 45, all right? So seven years after they were in the Promised Land. At this time, Caleb was 85 years old. He was 40 years old when he was sent as a spy in Kadesh Barnea, when all that story happened just now. Now he’s 85 years old, and he’s in the Promised Land already with Joshua. They are the only two from that generation. And this is what he said to. by the way, there are still areas to possess. There are still possessions to possess. All right? There are still enemies around in the land after seven years. And this is what Caleb told Joshua.

Joshua 14, «I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have fully followed the Lord my God.' And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, this forty-five years».

So, he was 40 years old, now the 45, he’s now 85, right? «Ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old,» Caleb said. «As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in». He says, «I am as strong». And by the way, he’s a man of God. He’s not lying, amen. They already received the Ten Commandments, «Thou shalt not lie,» through Moses, and he’s a man of God. He says, «I am as strong today as I was,» 85, «when I was 40 years old. I am as strong». This man stopped growing old because he believed God. Somewhere in that wilderness at Kadesh Barnea, the moment he believed God, he stopped.

God says, «You won’t grow old with the rest, all right? Because the rest is judgment, but you are going through because of love for them, or I’ll bring you as if you are still 40 years old». Even though your age is 85, as far as God is concerned, God can keep you young. «I am as strong». Now, you think that is a spiritual strength, no! «Now is my strength for war»! Hallelujah. All right, go back to God’s command on Caleb. Go back 45 years, he has a different spirit. «My servant», look at God’s hear, «My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit». I wish God can look down at some of you here and God can say, «Joanne, she has a different spirit from all her colleagues. Lawrence, he has a different spirit from all his pastors». Amen.

I wish God can just say, «Look at that guy. Look at Gabriel. Look at Pastor Gabriel down there. Look at him. Look at his spirit. Look at what he’s saying. Right now, he’s going through a trial, and he still has a good opinion of me. He believes this trial is only temporary. In fact, he’s feeding off this trial. He’s saying this trial is food for him». More food, more strong. Obviously, Caleb ate a lot of giants, amen? Amen. He ate a lot of difficulties. He feed off difficulties, and he is strong, praise God. Faith is having a good opinion of God. When God tells you to do something, it’s always for your good. You understand? He’s not, trust me, God is not asking you to do something so he becomes richer. Without you, he’s already rich.

So it’s always for your good. I’m not only referring to wealth, material things. I’m referring to the rich in the spirit. It’s for you to become rich spiritually with wisdom, with understanding the ways of the Lord. The spirit of faith is missing. Everything in the media is telling you about terror, about this, about that, the bad things happening, stock market, this and that kind of thing. Who will rise up and say, «God will provide. My God will provide,» amen? And God loves it. God will say, «Look at that boy! Look at that girl! Come on, send the answer, angels»! God loves it. «No, no, Pastor Prince, nowadays, you know, at the age of 45, we all feel tired already, you know? We all are…» what excuse do you have?

Caleb was under the blood of bulls and goats. We are under the blood of Jesus. They were under Law. We are under grace. All right? Many years after Kadesh Barnea, Joshua, before he went to the Promised Land, he sent two spies. And the spies hid in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. And Rahab says, in essence, she didn’t say this exactly, but this in essence what she said: «We heard how God dried up the Red Sea. That was 40 years ago. And when we heard, all the inhabitants, plus the giants in the land, all of us were trembling». Israel was trembling at their enemy that were trembling at Israel. Always remember this: your enemies, your difficulties, may look big in the natural, all right? Compared to God, it’s puny. Can I have a good amen? Amen.

I mean, our God is the giver of life. Our God is a God of resurrection. Even if something is dead, he resurrects it. Now, the spirit of faith acknowledged the problem is there but compares the problem with God. There is something about us, we all are naturally inclined to the visible, to the palpable, that which can be touched, that our five senses can take in. And that’s why the people of God wanted a golden calf. They want something they can touch and feel. When God says to Israel, «I’ll be your King,» they say, «No, no, we want to be like other nations. They have a king they can see». God says, «I’ll be your King». «But you are invisible. We want visible,» you know? It’s our flesh. Our flesh craves for that which is visible, for that which is palpable, for that which is something they can touch, you know? But God lives in the invisible realm.

So the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4 that «Our light affliction,» whatever you’re going through right now, God calls it light affliction, «which is but for a moment». Whatever difficulties you’re going through, it is only for a moment. I said it’s only for a moment. But it’s «working for us,» what? It’s working for us. Listen, whatever difficulty you’re going, those of you who have an easy life right now, no problems, don’t listen. This is not for you. Nothing’s working for you. This is for people who are going through difficulties, through afflictions. It is working for you «a far more,» like the cluster of grapes. «A far more exceeding and eternal,» not temporary, eternal, permanent. Not for a while. «Weight of glory». The blessing is where you are.

So even your trouble is working for you a far more and eternal weight of glory. Amen. That your words will carry weight. I’m gonna give you right now a key, all right? It’s the word in Hebrew called lechem. You find this in Bethlehem, Bethlehem. Every time there’s a beth in front, it’s a house. Bethesda, house of mercy, amen? Bethlehem, Bethlehem. Lechem is bread, house of bread. Jesus, the bread of life, was born in the house of bread, amen? Lechem is spelled like this: lechem. And it also means bread or feed. But lacham also means fight, to do battle, war. The spelling is the same, Lamed, chet, mem. Same spelling, the only thing is, the punctuation, the little, little dots, you know? They put different dots at different places. One is lechem, one is lachem. Lechem is bread or feed. Lachem is fight, but it’s also to feed.

So why is it that God put feeding, bread, and fighting as the same word? Why? Write this down somewhere: when you feed, you fight. Feeding is fighting the enemy. We don’t fight by fighting. We fight by eating. We eat God’s Word, and the enemy is defeated. That’s what you’re doing right now in church, people. You are feeding, and as you are feeding, when you go back, you find the enemy is defeated. Many a times, when you go back, hallelujah, God takes care of the problem. You took time to be in God’s house. You took time to be with the Lord. And when God feeds you, God is fighting for you. That’s why in Psalms 23, it says, «The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not lack». And then it says this: «You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies». It’s a spread, hallelujah.

And notice, not «in the absence of my enemies». «You prepare a table before me in the presence». While the symptoms are still in your body, feed. While the difficulty is still there, feed. While the addiction is still there, feed. Feeding is fighting. Feeding is winning. And that’s why the only fight for us to fight is fight the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6:12, «Fight the good fight of faith». You see the word good fight? It’s actually, the word in the Greek, that’s kalós. Literally, it’s not the word eû for good. It is the word kalós. Kalós is this, the first definition of kalós. Kalós is either beautiful or handsome. In other words, it’s, «Fight the beautiful fight of faith».

God is saying when you’re in a battle, in a difficulty, your only fight is to stay in faith. Fight to remain in faith. Fight the good fight of faith. In other words, the difficulty is there, but you say, «Father, I thank you. This battle is yours. Thank you, Father, my eyes is on you. Thank you, Father, you have overcome this problem for me». And devil yells, «You can still sin»! «Lord, my eyes are on you, Lord». Amen? You listening, people? That is your fight, and it’s a beautiful fight. And I suspect God says it’s beautiful because you win. And God loves it. You know, every time we are using faith, God loves it. God loves it. It’s like, «Come on, angels, look at that. Look at that guy. Look at that girl». Hallelujah.