James Greer (00:00):
Man, God has really been rocking the house through the Faith It series. I mean, I want you to know, as of now this year alone, do you know we’ve baptized 77 people. Woo. And you know, two more set up for today. Amen? And Miss Jean, I see you back there. Man, I tell you, so God is really doing good. Did you know they said that recently that 80% of the people are making their decisions based on emotions, not God’s word. Emotions, not God’s word. You know, that’s why, when you read the story today that we’re going to read about the children of Israel not going in and possessing the promised land that God had told them to. Even though he showed them that they could, they still didn’t go in. Because they didn’t believe or possess the promises. Now this little book right here has got at least 7,000 promises in it. Now you can have the promise and not possess it. So, first of all, I’m going to tell you how to possess the promise that God has for you. First of all, you got to know what the promise is for your problem. Amen? And God has a promise for your problem. Second of all, you’ve got to obey what the promise says, but if you know how to find the promise for the problem and you obey or fulfill the commitment for the promise, you get to possess the promise. Amen? There you go. Great. So you get the promise book, Amen?

James Greer (01:37):
Janet, good to see you. Janice it’s good to see you. I think you’re cute all bald headed back there, girl. I mean, we’ve got our girls going through that cancer and you all rocking. Hey, Hey, you know what I know. I know you got to be careful with the virus out. Amen? I just want to tell some of you all are girls that got cancer. They’re here, just saying. You know what I mean? And so a glad we’re in phase three. I’m glad things are opened up and we can do more.

James Greer (02:31):
When I say we’re doing our series Faith It, you’ve got to continue to remind what faith is. And Hebrews 11:1 talks about it. Faith is a substance of things hoped for evidence of things not seen. And by that said, the elders obtained a good testimony by faith. We understand that the world was framed by the word of God. So that things which are seen were not made of the things which are visible. So I want to talk about what faith is and then we’ll get right into the message. First of all, faith is substance of things not seen. The substance is God’s word he’s our rock, it has substance. So when God says, I have word, his promise, it’s substance. You may not see it, but you can count on it. In other words, when your faith is right you have stability, steadfastness. It has evidence. You may not see it, but you can experience it. I mean, especially these, I’m just picking on you all. You all may not see God, which you all have gotten to experience God. Evidence of God. And then it says by faith, the world was framed by the word of God, it was completed. It was restored. That was powerful. So, we’ve got to understand the power of God’s word, the power of God’s promises that it framed the word of God.

James Greer (03:28):
See, this story that we’re going to read today about the children. They had been in bondage and God set them free. He parted the red sea. They walked through the sea. They go to the desert, Jesus says, go into the promise land. I have so much more for you. I’ve got this land is full of milk and honey. And that’s where I want you to go. It’s like a Christian, if you’re saved God says, I want you to have a life and I want you to have it more abundantly. Amen? And they didn’t take it.

James Greer (04:06):
It’s just like many here that are in here and many that are online. I want you to know that once you accept Christ. He says, I’ve got this life for you. And it’s an abundant life. John 10:10 says, you can tell what kind of faith life you have, by the way you handle the problems that you face. So, let’s look at what happens when you walk by sight instead of faith. Well, Romans 1:17 talks about that we’re supposed to go from faith to faith. It says, for in it, the righteous, that’s us were right with God when we get saved. It’s revealed from faith to faith. In other words, life here is just from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. In other words, we live by faith, not by sight. The whole Christian life. It begins with faith and it ends with faith.

James Greer (04:56):
So, number one, what happens when we live by sight, instead of faith. I can tell you, we live a life of defeat and discouragement and being deceived and depressed. And when you see problems, the problems look bigger than God’s promises. But once you’re saved, God said, I want you to live by faith. Numbers 13:23, we’re going to start out and I want you to know, this is where the children of Israel have come. God said, I’m telling you to go in and possess the land. He’s telling you, this is the land is full of milk and honey. Then they came to the valley mine says, and when they got to the valley, they cut such a huge bunch of grapes that it took two men to carry them. How many did it carry to take the grapes? Two men. It was so the cluster of grapes was so big, it took two men to carry them. They also brought some of the pomegranates back with them.

James Greer (05:45):
Insight, you ready? When God said there’s something good, it’s good. It can be bigger and better than you ever think. I mean, when I went to Israel, there’s one thing I bought. I bought a picture of two men carrying grapes. You know why I did that? Because I wanted it to remind me. Sometimes God’s faith is right in front of me and I miss what he’s doing. It’s one of the only things I brought back with me. It was a chrome thing. It had a man on each side with a pole and in the middle, it had grapes on it. I had a picture of it, but I don’t see it. But anyway. And so what it did, it reminded me what to do. There it is. And so what I did, I keep it on my desk because if they went in and God said, that’s how big the grapes are. It took two men to carry them back from the process.

James Greer (06:33):
He was saying, I’m going to confirm how big it is. The problem is this. Sometimes you’re not going to believe God’s word is even better than you can imagine. Can you imagine, God says to go in there and it’s rich and honey. And so he proved that it was okay, but let me tell you what happened after that. Numbers 13:25, after exploring the land of Canaanite for 40 days, 12 men returned from spying out the land after 40 days. And they returned. The 12 men returned to Kadesh and the desert and Moses and Aaron and the people that had seen. They had what? They had seen their site and they showed them the fruit. And they said, look sight at the fruit. And the land that we explored is rich with milk and honey. Now see that was what God had promised.

James Greer (07:33):
Let me tell you a secret though. You ready? God, didn’t tell them to go and see God. Didn’t tell him to go check out my promise. God told them to go possess it. And see what happens is this, so many times, see faith is not seeing them believe faith is you believe and then you see. Faith is substance hope for evidence of things not seen. God already told them, I want you to go in and possess the land. No, no. They said, I want to go in and see if it’s really what you say it is. And then we’ll go do it.

James Greer (08:35):
One of the problems with faith is, that’s what people want to do today. They will say, God, you show me first and then I’ll do what you tell me. And God says, no, you go do what I tell you and then I’ll show you. I’m going to tell you later on, they were afraid and they don’t go. Insight number two is so important. When you get God’s order out of order, you have disorder. I believe we’ve got a lot of disorder going on in the world today. Amen? But it’s not just in the world, it’s in your marriage. When you get God’s order out of order in your marriage, you have disorder. When you have God’s order out of order in your finances. When you get it out of order in your church, God said, don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together. When you get it out of order in your job. When you forget, when you go to work and you forget, ultimately God’s in control of your work. When you do it in your hobby and your hobby becomes that and you get it before God, you get it out of order. And somebody said, well, I got it all out of order. And nothing’s happened to me. Be careful. It could be coming. If your blank is in disorder right now it’s probably because you’ve gotten it out of God’s order.

James Greer (09:36):
Number three, number three. When you simply live by sight and not by faith, you might see the physical truth and still not believe it. That’s unbelievable. See, they got to see the fruit. They got to see it, but spiritually, they still didn’t want to obey it. Verse 28 says, but the people, nevertheless, the people who dwelled in the land are strong and the cities are fortified and very large, more over. We saw the descendants Anak there. That’s a sentence of the giant. And besides that, the Amalekites were there also and lived in the southern desert. And the Hittites and Jebusites and the Amorites in the hills. And the Canaanites, they lived among the Mediterranean sea and the Jordan sea. They could see the problem and see what happens when you have little faith, you see the problem, but you don’t see the problem. See what happens is when a problem comes, it tells you where your faith is. See, if you’re always living in the problem. It tells you, you need to grow your faith life.

James Greer (11:16):
I can tell you, the girls here with cancer, serious cancer, and you can tell where their faith life is. They’re walking through it like most of us only hope and pray that we could one day. And your problems tell you where your faith is. The problem with the children of Israel. They had already seen God. They’d seen him part the red sea. They saw him carrying grapes that took two men. And now they start focusing on how big the enemy was versus how big God was. In fact, insight number four was, when you’re living by sight, you always see the problems bigger than God. You can tell where your faith is by how you handle your problems. Verse 30 says it, but Caleb, Caleb quieted the people before Moses said, let us go up at once and take possession, for we can overcome it.

James Greer (12:19):
How was his faith? His faith was saying later on 40 years later at 80 years old, he gets to go into the promise land. Him and Josh were the only two that got to go in the promised land. But see, it was only two people out of everybody else that said, they go, I’m going to give you an insight. The majority is not always right? In fact, the minority is often, right? And if you live in the minority as a Christian, people will ultimately make fun of you. And it’s going to get worse, not better. That’s what they were saying. They were saying, surely go up. We can take it. We can do it and said, I’m going to my live. Philippians 4 says, we can do all things through Christ. See, they were saying, my promise is bigger than my problem, but yet most people, 80% of the people today are living by sight. They’re living by emotions and not God’s word. So they live a defeated life.

James Greer (13:12):
Six, verse 31 says, but the men who had gone up with him. Do you know what they said? Same men saw the same thing two people come to church, hear the same message. We’re not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than us. How come two people, three people come to the same church, same service. One person gets saved. One person gets their life changed, the other one can’t. See these two people. Same people. See the same thing. One says, man, we can go. We can win. We can overcome. The other said, we can’t. See ones believing in God’s word and God’s promise. Then one isn’t. One has strong faith and one has weak faith. One is walking by sight and one is walking by faith. How are you walking? I can tell you how you handle problems. Those who live by sight. They’re continuing to say and what they can’t do. They’re actually saying what God can’t do in their lives. Those are walking by faith. Say, God can do all things. So, you know, let me tell you whatever God calls you to do. He’ll equip you to do it and supply it for you.

James Greer (14:24):
Verse 32. And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land. We say what’s a bad report? The fruit was so big or they said the men were big. The land though which we have gone in spite it’s land that, Oh man, it devours all inhabitants. And all the people who we saw in it are men, and were giant. They really were giants. Let me ask you all a question. Was Goliath a giant? Yes or no. When David came against him, did he fall? Yes or no. Do you think that when God told the whole army, the children of Israel to go in and possess the land. Do you think the giants would fall? Yes or no. Do you think that giants in your life, if you take God’s word and his promises, do you think they will fall? Yes or no. Absolutely. Do you understand, this is a picture or illustration of you coming against things and God says already got a word. I got a word for you. I got a promise to you and I want you to do what I say, not what you see. I want you to act by faith. Amen?

James Greer (15:31):
And they gave a bad report. Can I tell you something about giving a bad report? Many times, those people that are giving a bad report against you, that are talking about you is because they’re not doing what God called them to do. Many times we give a bad report about you because they’re jealous of what you’re doing. Did you know that Romans 8:37 says you’re more than conquers than Christ. So some people say, they say, well, man, they’re just gossip about it. They’re just talking about me. They’re talking about me. They’re talking about my marriage. I talk about my church. Many times the reason they’re talking about you is because you’re doing what you should be doing and they’re not and that’s making them feel guilty and they’re trying to make themselves look better. Quit worrying about what other people say and start worrying about what God says for you. And you do it. Amen? God will take care of them.

James Greer (16:26):
Verse 33 says, and they saw the giants, the descendants of Aiken. They came from giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight. In who’s site? Our own site. How do you see yourself? And so we were in their sight. Let me give you all an insight. They saw themselves as grasshoppers and they thought that other people saw them as grasshoppers. They had grasshopper faith. What is grasshopper faith? Number one, grasshopper. Faith is when you fall asleep, believe that your problem is too big for you and God. You see yourself as a grasshopper, as grasshopper faith. So first of all, when you believe anything or anybody problems too big for God, that’s grasshopper faith. Number two. When you believe any people, any project, any group, they came from the wrong side of town. What they look like, they’re too weak. They can’t be used by God. That’s wrong. In 1Corinthians, God says, listen, I took the weak things. God take the foolish things and the base things. And I turned around, I used them to confound the wise. Ezekiel 4:10 says, don’t despise small beginnings because the Lord uses them. Do you understand why they had grasshopper faith? Do you understand why they saw themselves? And they said, we see ourselves as grasshoppers. And they see us as grasshoppers.

James Greer (18:24):
Numbers 13:33 says this, we saw the giants, the Anak which they were giants. And we were like grasshoppers in our own site. And so were they in their site? So first of all, you got to understand. They said, we saw ourselves as grasshoppers and they see us as grasshoppers. When you get saved, you don’t need to see yourself like you were in your past. So, the number one problem, children of Israel, they had been in slavery. They had been in bondage. And even now that God had delivered them, God said, you go in and go into the promise land. So first of all, they kept seeing themselves in the past instead of the present. One of the reasons you don’t have the abundant life that you have today, if you’re not careful and you are saved, God has forgiven you. And you keep seeing yourself as you were in the past, instead of the present and the future. They saw themselves as slaves, instead of the son of God. They saw themselves as still being beaten down instead of free. They still believe what they had heard instead of what God’s word says. They saw themselves as sinners instead of saying they saw themselves in bondage, instead of freedom, they saw themselves as slaves instead of sons and daughters of God. See what happens. Satan wants to define you as what you used to be, instead of who you are. You know what? Satan’s a liar. He wants you to believe you’ve got to live in the past. God’s promise says, I got a wonderful future.

James Greer (20:02):
Listen to this. You have to repeat to delete. Listen to this. You have to repeat to delete. And many times you have to repeat more to delete. You’ve got to repeat to delete, repeat more of God’s promises to delete more Satan lies. And you’ve got to do it over and over again. In other words, you’ve got to repeat that you’re chosen from God. You’ve got to repeat that you’re forgiven. You’ve got to repeat that you’re at peace. You’ve got to repeat that you’re a child of God. You’ve got to repeat that you are a new creation. You’ve got to repeat that you’re a royal priesthood. You’ve got to repeat that you’re reconciled with God. You’ve got to repeat that you’re able to give your worries to God. You’ve got to repeat that God is with. You’ve got to repeat that God works all things out for the good. You’ve got to repeat that you’re prepared for good for God. You’ve got to repeat to delete. Amen?

James Greer (20:50):
The second reason they saw their selves as grasshoppers is because they begin to lessen God’s word. In verses 27 and 28. It says this, then they told them, he said, we went to the land where you sent us. It truly did flow with milk and honey and fruit. In other words, you know what they’re saying? First of all, I want to tell you congregation, God’s word is just like it is. It said it was, he did what he said. It’s just where he did. Nevertheless. That’s what gets you in trouble. God’s word has saved your life. God’s word can change you. But nevertheless, nevertheless, the people who dwell in the land are strong.

James Greer (21:44):
God, didn’t say they weren’t strong. God said, go in and possess the land. God said, it’s a land full of milk and honey. God said there there’s, the grapes are so big. It takes two people to carry them. They said, but nevertheless, the city is fortified. He didn’t say it wasn’t fortified. It’s very large. More where we saw the descendants of the giant. He didn’t say anything about that. What happened was this, they said you have taken God’s promises. But nevertheless. I just gave you a promise book. Did you know there’s 7,000 promises in that? Anything, everything from worry to anger to sickness, you name it. You can go there. It has a title and you can take it and you can take God’s promise and you can fulfill the promise. How are you going to say that’s what God says. But nevertheless. God says you don’t have to worry.

James Greer (22:31):
He said, cast all your cares on me. And you say, cast all your cares on me. But nevertheless. I’m not going to do it. I can do all things through Christ, but nevertheless, I’m not going to do it. And so what they started doing instead of start doing what God said, God said, you go in and possess the land. Greater is he that’s in me. I’m going to give you the power. I’m going to give you the strength. I’m going to provide for you. I’m going to delete it. I’m going to defeat the enemy. And he says, but nevertheless. What do you, nevertheless than? What’s the problem are you facing right now? What problem did you think is too big for God? What are you saying the problem? What problem are you saying is bigger than God’s promise?

James Greer (23:13):
Let’s see you can tell your faith today, by the way you handle the problem. We don’t do a little different today. We’re going to have you stand not now. We’re going to have you stand in a minute. And after I close, I’m not close yet, but after I close and we’re going to have next step cards like we always do, but I’m going to have Daryl and Mike and Scott up front and they’ll have their mask on. If you feel like you need to come and have somebody pray with you, you have to stay at arm’s length away and you have to have your mask on. But if you have your mask on and you want to come to the front and stay at arm’s length away, they will pray with you. Okay? Not now.

James Greer (23:57):
Because I want you to remember that God’s word is always true. Even if it looks too good to be true. You know why I say that? When they went in and they had a cluster of grapes that took two men to carry them out, that almost looked like this is too good to be true. When I tell you a God can meet your need, your greatest needs. Some of you are saying that looks too good to be true. When God can handle my problem, that looks too good to be true. There’s no sin that God cannot forgive. That looks too good to be true, but that’s not true. There’s nobody that God cannot and will not save. You say, well, you just don’t know what I did or where I came. That’s not true. I need a fresh start. Sounds too good to be true.

New Speaker (25:02):
I’ve got a habit. I just need somebody to pray with me to break the habit. We had a testimony last week and Kevin had that habit broke. So, that’s not too good to be true. You’ve got a financial need and maybe God’s not going to instantaneously take care of it, but he’s going to give you a new direction and that’s too good to be true. I’ve got an emotional, physical problem that only guy can take care of that. And you’re saying that’s too good to be true. I think we’ve got to quit saying, nevertheless. I think we got to take God at his word and his promise. Maybe you’ve never truly given your life to Jesus Christ. You’ve come to church, but you’ve never invited Jesus into your heart. And you’re saying, you mean, all I have to do is come and tell Jesus. Listen to this.

James Greer (25:57):
Do you understand to get saved? You only have to admit that you’re a sinner. Believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins and ask him to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart. And that sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Maybe you’ve never been publicly, biblically baptized. Maybe today’s the day you want to say I want to do that. Maybe you’ve been visiting the church and today is the day you want to make it official. Whatever it is God’s laid upon your heart, but I don’t tell you if he didn’t lay anything else on your heart, there’s no problem too big for God. Maybe you have a problem and you need to come to the front and pray and let one of these people help you find a promise. If we can’t find the promise we will borrow the promise book back, because God’s got a promise for your problem. Would you stand? Let me pray for you.

James Greer (27:14):
Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for your promise. God, we know that you spoke the word and you frame the world. There’s not a problem in here. That’s too big for you. God, you’re good God. Whether it’s salvation, who has a problem, or just need somebody to pray with somebody. We’re going to have people down front for a moment. If you need somebody to pray with you, maybe you need to come and join the church. Maybe you need to give your life to Jesus Christ. We’ll have Mike, will be down here and Daryl will be down here. We’ve got to just give you a few minutes. Come to the front. After that we’ll close and you’ll have a next step card in your name. We pray. Amen.

James Greer (27:54):
On behalf of Pastor James. We’re so glad you joined us today at worship. If you still in need of prayer, we have people on standby right now, waiting to pray with you and for you just click the link below. Hey, because of your generosity journey. Church has been able to win people to the Lord, baptize. We’ve baptized over 77 people already, all because of your willingness to give. So, if you want to give to the ministries of journey church, click the link below and give whatever the Lord has laid on your heart. Join us next Sunday. As Pastor James continues with our series Faith It.

Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.