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From Grasshopper to Giant:

Shifting to a Winning Mindsetwww.advancingthekingdomonline.org

October 3, 2009

I. Introduction.

A. Numbers 13:31-33 But the other men who had explored the land with him (Caleb)

answered, We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are! So they spreaddiscouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: The land we explored will

swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even sawgiants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt likegrasshoppersnext to them . . .

(NLT)

B. Where are you in your thinkingright now?

What is your predominant mental stateconcerning your health, finances, family, etc.

Is your thinking aligned with God? Or with the world?

Are you thinking like a grasshopper? Or a giant? Or somewhere in between?

C. The results you are getting are driven by your thoughts.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart,so is he . . . (NKJV)

D. Consider this: the first thing Eve ate was not fruit. It was a thought.

Genesis 3:1-4 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field

which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hathGod said,Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman

said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath

said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And theserpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die . . . (KJV)

II. You cant enter the promised land with an Egyptian mindset.

A. Most of the Israelites kept returning to Egypt in their mind.

1. Instead of beinggratefulfor manna, they complainedabout it.

Numbers 11:5-6 One day some worthless foreigners among the Israelites

became greedy for food, and even the Israelites themselves beganmoaning,We don't have any meat! In Egypt we could eat all the fish

we wanted, and there were cucumbers, melons, onions, and garlic. Butwe're starving out here, and the only food we have is this manna. (CEV)

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2. They took a different view of the promised land.

Numbers 13:27-28 They told Moses, We went to the land where

you sent us, and it is a fertile land! Here is some of its fruit. But thepeople who live there are strong.Their cities are walled and very

large . . . (NCV)

3. They contradicted Gods Word and brought up a negative report.

Numbers 13:31-32 But the men who had gone up with him responded, We can't go upagainst the people because they are stronger than we are! So they gave a negative

reportto the Israelites about the land they had scouted: The land we passed through toexplore is one that devours its inhabitants . . . (Holman)

4. They longed to return to Egypt.

Numbers 14:3-4 We would be better off going back to

Egypt. They said to each other, Let's choose a leaderand go back to Egypt. (NCV)

5. In the end they refused to believe God and rejected Him.

Numbers 14:11 Then the LORD said to Moses: How long will these people reject

Me? Andhow long will they not believeMe, with all the signs which I have performedamong them? (NKJV)

6. And for this they paid the ultimate price.

Numbers 14:2, 28-29 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses andAaron, and the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in the land ofEgypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! . . .As I live, says the LORD, just

as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: the carcasses of you who havecomplained against Me shall fall in this wilderness . . . (NKJV)

B. Caleb brought back a different report.

1. He focusedon the promise, not the problem.

2. He remembered what God had done at the Red Sea.

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3. He believedGod, which gave him the courage to obeyGod.

Numbers 13:30 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. (KJV)

4. Then he could see what God saw.

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Numbers 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of theland; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them,and the LORDis with us: fear them not. (KJV)

5. As a result, he inherited the promised land.

Numbers 14:24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spiritin him and has followed Me fully,I will bring into the land where hewent,and his descendants shall inherit it. (NKJV)

III. Shifting to a Winning Mindset.

We left Egypt a long time ago. The problem is,were stalled in the wilderness.(Bishop Eddie Long)

A. God has given us dominion.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image,

after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . . (KJV)

B. He said we would prosper and be in health to the degree that

our soul prospers.

3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health,just as your

soul prospers. (NKJV)

C. The process to obtain a soul which prospers is simple but not easy.

Step 1: Think like God thinks.

a. Out with the bad thoughts if you want to enter the promised land.

1.) Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and tosay, Repent: ( = tothink differently, to reconsider) for the

kingdom of heaven is at hand. (KJV)

2.) 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are notcarnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong

holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thingthat exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,and

bringing into captivity every thoughtto the obedience of Christ; (KJV)

3.) Stop meditating on your present circumstances, current results oranything else that contradicts the Word of God in your life. Stop it!

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b. In with the good thoughts.

1.) Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou

shalt meditatetherein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according

to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, andthen thou shalt have good success. (KJV)

2.) Philippians 4:8 Fix your thoughts on what istrue and honorable andright. Think about things that arepure and lovely and admirable. Think

about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (NLT)

Step2: Talk like God talks.

a. Romans 4:17 God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which donot exist as though they did. (NKJV)

b. Joel 3:10 . . . let the weak say,I am strong. (KJV)

c. Matthew 8:8 . . . speak the word only. . . (KJV)

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Step3: See like God sees.

a. Each of us is being changed into whatever image we are holding in mind.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholdingas in a glass theglory of the Lord, are changed into the same imagefrom glory to glory, evenas by the Spirit of the Lord. (KJV)

b. Hold in mind what you wantto happen, instead of what you dont want to

happen.

1.) Stop scaring yourself with your own thoughts.

2.) Most people are focused on what they dontwant, while trying desperatelyto make what they dowant happen. (Bob Proctor)

3.) Use your imagination for your benefit,not your detriment!

c. If you can see what I see,and saywhat I see,thenyoullsee what I saidI saw.

(The Lord to Bishop Eddie Long)

Copyright 2009 by Bill Fries. All rights reserved.

www.advancingthekingdomonline.org