"Then the spies came to the valley of Eshcol. The fruit was so abundant that they cut off a grape branch which had a giant cluster of grapes on it, but it was so large and heavy that it took two men to carry it back on a pole between them."

Have you ever seen a cluster of grapes that took two men to carry? Not me. They’re looking and saying:

"this really is the land of milk and honey. This is the land of great bounty, of great opportunity."

There are opportunities that come our way in life but it will take a great fight to achieve them! I will either have to move ahead or give up! Financial opportunities, relational opportunities, vocational opportunities, ministry opportunities, rebuilding opportunities, there is no end to these opportunities but they come with a fight to be had!! Listen to the rest of the story.

They also brought samples of beautiful pomegranates and figs. "Here is the majority report of the valley of Eshcol. It is indeed a magnificent country rich and fertile, and here’s some fruit as proof. But the people living there are powerful and they are stronger than we are and they look like giants to us. In our own eyes, we felt as small as grasshoppers next to them."

Speaking of valleys, it was in 1985 that as a young church we found the piece of land that our current building sits on, overlooking the beautiful Bear Creek Valley, now across from the new hospital and in a prime location. In those days we were looking for land without any money, seriously no money. It really did seem like a foolish thing to be doing, but God has His ways of nudging us forward when he wants to give us something. We looked at several pieces of land, but when we stood on this land, and looked over the valley I knew this was our valley, this was what God wanted!

I contacted the real estate agent who I happened to know from being on some sports teams together and began to negotiate with the seller. After negotiation, we settled on what seemed like a very fair price, but really without money it wouldn’t of mattered. So after praying for wisdom, I came with an offer that we would put only $10,000 down on the purchase price and then make monthly payments for five years interest-free and then pay out a balance of 15,000. The purchase for the entire land was $125,000, which added up to $14,351 per acre. This was a steal of a price but it was the terms that were unusual as we were asking him to carry us for five years. Boy, did we pray! The realtor wasn’t too optimistic on the acceptance of a deal and after we met to receive the decision there was nobody more surprised than him in the room that it was accepted. We got our Eshcol! That which God had set aside for us, the promised land!

You have a promised land for your relationships, finances, etc.. BUT it will require a fight! The valley of Eshcol is where the odds seem stacked against you and you don’t see yourself as very big against that mountain. The valley of Eshcol is how you see yourself in the face of the challenges!

The two spies, Joshua and Caleb said, “Let’s go at once to take the land,’’ he said.’’ We can certainly conquer it!’’

How do you know if you are in an Eshcol right now?

Tell me how you see what you are looking at right now. Do you see it as an obstacle or do you see it as an opportunity? Two of the 12 spies saw an opportunity, let’s go for it, we can do this. You may need to say that in your marriage or a myriad of challenges. 10 of them saw an obstacle and they failed the test of the valley of Eshcol. They then spent their life dying in the desert, they never got into the promised land! ONLY THE TWO, READY TO FIGHT, ENTER THE PROMISED LAND!!

Scripture:

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me."

- 2 Timothy. 4:6,7,8a (NLT) Apostle Paul

Meditation: In silence and stillness consider this; what kind of fear has kept you from the best that God has for you in your life?

Prayer: LORD, put a fight back in my soul for what matters the most.