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Message Title:  “It’s Already Written”

(Paul – Philippians – Jail)

…Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV)

Good Report… There are a lot of bad reports. (Examples)

I want a good report… (People who only bring problems…)

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. ⁷ They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. Psalm 112:6-8New International Version (NIV)

It is possible (in fact it’s God’s plan for us), to be people who are not shaken… not driven by our emotions.

The fear of bad news – Parents of driving teenagers, emails, church volunteers, report cards,

Wives – “We need to talk.”

Transition:  We all want a “GOOD REPORT” But bad reports are inevitable…What do we do with bad news?

When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

²³ When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. ²⁸But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” ³² And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. Numbers 13:17-32 (NIV)

(What happened next…)

Transition: I believe that there are times in our life that we are missing out on what God wants to do in our life… because we don’t have the courage to trust God when the bad report comes. 

When you receive a bad report… there are 3 questions you need to ask yourself:

1.        What Has Already Been Promised?

God’s word is FULL of incredible promises… (Not a distant God… but active in out life)

Examples – ( Peace, close to the broken hearted, our sin was buried, a new mind, healing…)

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT)

Some of us hear the bad report… and immediately forget what God has promised.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. ⁸ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Exodus 3:7-8 (NIV)

Over 170 times – “The Land I HAVE given you.”

The thing they were scared of… is the thing that God had already promised victory over.

There are things in our life that happen… that we can’t control… that don’t make sense… and we allow them to steal from us what God has already promised.

Stories that are “Already Written” (Pastor / West Wing)

Some of us approach our day… situation… with a story that is already written… based on what we believe about God. (Heart – Thoughts)

He tells them to size up their situation… not THEIR ability to handle it.  (Explain)

It’s ok to size up your SITUATION, but don’t try to size up your to handle it.

If it’s your situation… you CAN handle it.

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. ⁸ The Lord gives his people strength. Psalm 28:7-8 (NLT)

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2NLT)

2.      What is My Reality?

²⁷ They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 

²⁸But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. Numbers 13:27-28

Reality = things as they actually exist

That makes sense… but many of us don’t SEE things as they actually exist!

Grapes = reality (Look at the blessing… look at what God wants to give us…)

Report = perspective

We don’t experience our REALITY… we experience our PERSPECTIVE.

Remember… WE can control the environment of our heart… WE can think different… which will alter our perspective.

You can be staring at the reality of God’s faithfulness in your life… but so afraid of the giants that you never experience the blessing.

The news is the issue… the report is your interpretation.

Fear can turn good news into a bad report.

There were 12 people.  Same reality. Different perspective.

I would if I could.  NO you could if you would!

You can claim what God has given you… but still have to fight for it.

There is STILL action involved on our part… but when we choose to see HIS reality and not OUR perspective… we will take hold of the blessings He has for us!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

3.      What Report Will I Believe?

³⁰ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” Numbers 13:30-31

All 12 saw the same reality…2 believed a different report.

The report you BELIEVE is more important than the news you RECEIVE.  

There will be all kinds of reports… from all kinds of people… sources… opinions… what will you believe?

We don’t have to have good NEWS to believe a good REPORT.

Hope this will change the way you look at your situation… YOU CAN WRITE the report… before the news comes.

…The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…

² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. ⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Isaiah 61:1-4 (NIV)

 “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27 (NIV)