Same circumstances but two different conclusions 

In Numbers 13 we read about two totally different view points and perspectives on the very same circumstances. The circumstance itself is not as much of a problem as the conclusion we place on circumstances. The 10 spies see the same things as Caleb and Joshua but come to two different conclusions. Joshua and Caleb came to a completely different conclusion about the land compared to the other 10 spies. For one group the problem was bigger than God.  Faith isn’t blind, faith isn't denial, faith can admit there are giants, and acknowledge there are fortified cities. Why then such opposing conclusions. Why did Caleb and Joshua believe they could take the land and the 10 spies believed that same land would devour them? Their viewpoints were rooted in thier identity, how they saw themselves. Caleb and Joshua saw themselves as conquorers and the 10 spies saw themselves as grasshoppers.  The 10 spies projected their personal conclusion's, their self interpretation, their assumption's onto the giants. "We are grasshoppers and thats how they see us too". It created a victim mentality, not a victor mentality. How we interpret ourselves will be how we interpret the world. How we interpret ourself is how we will interpret our circumstances. They viewed themselves as powerless victims, and that’s how they viewed their circumstances.  If we want to see the World like Joshua and Caleb we must first change our view of who we think we are. Too often we consider oursleves as weak, and irrelevant, then we project that upon our community too, they think we are weak, inconsequential too.  Caleb and Joshua broke out of the pack. Had a new perspective. Caleb and Joshua had a hope mind set. They acknowledged the presence of the giants and the challenges. But they saw the fruit, the possibility and the confident expectation that victory was theirs. They saw a truth that was higher than their circumstances. God loves to partner with people who are unreasonably optimistic. King David was unreasonably optimistic when he went after Goliath. David wasn’t realistic when he said he would cut the giants head of with a sword he didn’t yet have. 

Caleb silenced the people, whatever we talk about a lot we will see more of. The ten spies painted a picture of how difficult it would be. Painted a picture of the problems, and the obstacles. Need the lenses of Joshua and Caleb. Worry is imagining your future without God. Worry doesn’t factor in God. Worry is concluding "This is what it will look like if God doesn't show up". We paint a picture of God not being there. We use our imagination to undermine faith and create negative faith. Give your imagination over to the Holy Spirit. Filter your thoughts through the word, this is who God is, this is what God does. He is really good, and really big, and wise, and loving, and trustworthy. View all your circumstances through the lens of confident expectation. (Based on LDP 2 Believing God in My Circumstances, Video Conference October 2015)