Knowingly or not, what is inside us determines our perspective and decision. That is why the outcome of our lives is largely determined by what is inside us.
We can learn from what happened to the Israelites. At that time they was in front of the land of Canaan (Numbers 13-14), the land that was full of milk and honey, which the Lord had promised to give to them. They’re filled with zest because soon they would enter and occupy the promised land.
Before entering and occupying, Moses sent 12 spies to see the land, each tribe was represented by one person. And as we all know they went home with a different report. Ten people gave a bad report, while two people, Joshua and Caleb, gave a good report.
“And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Num. 13:27-31).
“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not” (Num. 14:6-9).
While the 10 spies said, “They are too strong, you can not beat them.” Joshua and Caleb said, “We will go forward and occupy the land, because we surely will beat them!”
While the 10 spies said, “They are giants, we are just grasshoppers in their eyes.” Joshua and Caleb said, “Their defence is departed from them, the LORD is with us, we will swallow them up!”
Why are there differences between the two groups, whereas what they see and hear are exactly the same. The difference is “what is inside them.” Jesus said, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart…” (Matthew 15:18).
Knowingly or not, our perspective is determined by what is inside us. If inside us is filled with faith in the great God, then when we see challenge, we will look at it with confidence to defeat it. But if inside us is full of unbelief and fear, the challenge will always look too big for us.
When Goliath gave his challenge, Saul and all his soldiers were filled with unbelief and fear, that’s why Goliath looked so huge to them. But when David heard Goliath’s challenge, he said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” What inside of David is different from what is inside Saul and his soldiers. What is inside us will eventually come to the surface when we face challenges.
If inside us is full of bitterness, jealousy, and insecurity. then anything and anyone we see, we will see them from perspective of bitterness, jealousy, and insecurity that is inside us. That’s why we always have a problem in relationship. Saul was filled with bitterness, jealousy, and insecurity. That’s why when all Israel rejoiced over David’s victory, he was upset and even angry.
“And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward” (I Sam. 18:6-9).
Our perspective and decisions are determined by what is inside us. That’s why we have to really pay attention to what is inside us. If what inside us is right, the perspective and the decisions we make will be right as well. But if what inside us is wrong, then the perspective and the decisions we make will be wrong. What is inside us is formed from:
1. What and who we hear.
We have to sort out what and who do we hear. Make sure we only hear divine input, in order to form divine things inside us. If the divine is formed in us, then our perspective will be like God’s. In facing anything and anyone, we could see as God sees.
Who do we hear is also very influential in forming what is inside us. If we hear a person who is full of bitterness, we can be tainted with bitterness as well. Make sure we only hear God’s servants who is connected with heaven, then the divine will be transferred to us.
2. What we believe.
From what dan who we hear, we have to sort out what we should believe. Make sure we only believe in what is right, which comes from God. So we will be able to see things from the right perspective and can decide everything correctly.
3. What we experience.
Experience is not the truth, the Word of God is the truth. Experience that is not in accordance with the Word of God should not be considered and believed to be the truth. Many Christians make experiences of his past life as his life standard. That is wrong, because the Word of God should be the standard of our lives.
That’s why we have to sort out the experiences that will affect our lives. Make sure only experiences that are accordance with the Word of truth that shape our lives.
Realize that what is inside us determines our perspective and decision, and ultimately determines the outcome of your life. Therefore, start building what is right inside us, pay attention to what and who do we hear, what we believe, and what we experience.
Also read: Love that Makes us more than Conquerors.
