Just as Moses sent the twelve spies into the land on assignment, God has sent us into the mission field. Ten saw obstacles and returned with a bad report, but Joshua and Caleb saw promise and stood firm in their faith. Pastor John Hargrove brilliantly challenges us to consider what we see and calls us to remain steadfast in trusting God’s promises.
Two people can stand in the exact same place, look at the exact same situation, and walk away with completely different conclusions.
One sees impossibility.
The other sees opportunity.
One sees giants.
The other sees God.
That is exactly what happened in Numbers 13. Twelve spies entered the Promised Land. They all saw the same cities, the same giants, the same fortified walls, and the same abundance God had promised. Yet when they returned, ten focused on the obstacles while two focused on the promise.
In “What Do You See?”, Pastor John Hargrove challenged us with a question that reaches far beyond the story of Joshua and Caleb. It is a question every believer must answer repeatedly throughout life:
What do you see?
Because how we see determines how we speak, how we live, and ultimately whether we walk into God’s promises.
For families throughout Garland, Murphy, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, Wylie, Dallas County, Collin County, and Rockwall County, this message reminds us that faith isn’t denying reality—it is choosing to see reality through the lens of God’s promises.
Faith Doesn’t Ignore the Facts
The ten spies weren’t lying.
There really were giants.
The cities really were fortified.
The challenges were real.
Joshua and Caleb saw every one of those same obstacles.
The difference wasn’t what they saw.
The difference was what they focused on.
The majority allowed fear to become their perspective. Joshua and Caleb allowed God’s promise to become theirs.
We face that same decision every day.
It’s easy to become consumed by headlines, financial pressures, family struggles, health concerns, or uncertainty about the future. Those realities are genuine, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Faith acknowledges the facts while refusing to forget God’s faithfulness.
The circumstances may be difficult, but God is still greater than every obstacle standing before us.
Perspective Shapes Your Future
The report of the ten spies didn’t simply describe the land.
It shaped an entire generation.
Fear spread through the camp until an entire nation believed they could never possess what God had already promised.
Words matter because they reveal perspective.
Joshua and Caleb spoke differently because they believed differently.
Their confidence wasn’t rooted in their own strength.
It rested completely upon God’s character.
When our perspective is centered on God’s promises instead of our limitations, our words begin to change.
Hope replaces fear.
Faith replaces doubt.
Expectation replaces discouragement.
What fills our hearts will eventually come out of our mouths.
God’s Promises Don’t Expire
One of the most powerful moments in Caleb’s story comes decades later.
Forty-five years had passed.
An entire generation had come and gone.
Caleb was now eighty-five years old.
Yet when Joshua asked him about the land God had promised, Caleb’s response was remarkable:
“Give me this mountain.”
Age had not diminished his faith.
Time had not weakened God’s promise.
Waiting had not caused him to surrender his expectation.
Pastor John offered a special encouragement to the senior adults of North Cities Church: Never stop believing what God has spoken over your life.
The years may pass.
Circumstances may change.
Seasons may come and go.
But God’s promises remain just as certain today as the day He first spoke them.
Some promises require perseverance before they become reality.
Caleb teaches us that faithful people never stop expecting God to fulfill His Word.
Don’t Let Fear Become Your Vision
Fear has a way of shrinking our view of God while enlarging every obstacle.
The ten spies saw themselves as grasshoppers.
Joshua and Caleb saw themselves as people walking with Almighty God.
Fear always exaggerates what stands against us.
Faith magnifies the One who stands with us.
Every believer eventually faces moments when the voices of fear seem louder than the voice of faith.
Will we believe the majority?
Or will we believe the promises of God?
The answer determines far more than our attitude.
It shapes the direction of our lives.
Choose the Eyes of Joshua and Caleb
The world constantly invites us to focus on everything that is wrong.
God continually calls us to remember everything He has promised.
Joshua and Caleb weren’t optimistic because life was easy.
They were confident because God was faithful.
The same invitation remains before us today.
See your family through the eyes of faith.
See your future through the eyes of faith.
See your challenges through the eyes of faith.
See your church through the eyes of faith.
See your city through the eyes of faith.
God is still able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.
What Do You See?
Every day presents a choice.
We can focus on the size of the giants.
Or we can focus on the greatness of our God.
We can dwell on what is impossible.
Or we can trust the One with whom all things are possible.
Like Joshua and Caleb, we are invited to become people whose perspective is shaped not by fear but by faith.
May we never allow temporary obstacles to blind us to eternal promises.
May we keep believing long after others have stopped hoping.
And may our answer to every challenge always begin with confidence in the God who never fails.
Because what you see today may determine where you walk tomorrow.
