Note: I used notes from Max Lucado's book Glory Days
Title: A Different Spirit
Theme: To show the importance of us being different.
Text: Joshua 14:6 – 15, Numbers 13, 14
Introduction
Last Sunday we looked at Joshua 9. Here God wrought and amazing miracle. We learn that it is ok to go boldly to the throne of Grace and ASK God. This is big challenge of our faith.
For the next few chapters we read of Joshua’s conquests, the kings he conquered and the land they possessed. In Joshua 13 God tells Joshua to begin to divide the Land. There is a plan here. It was now their purpose to take the land God has given them and if there was any resistence to conquer the people.
In Joshua 14 we are reintroduced to Caleb.
Joshua 14:5-15 As the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land. (6) Then the children of Judah (This is interesting because in chapter 7 of Joshua we learned of another man, Achan (selfishness, faithless, independence) , who was from the tribe of Judah. Yet as we will see his character was totally different from that of Caleb’s). came to Joshua in Gilgal.
And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: "You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. (7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. (He was not speaking something to get the attention or favor of others, this was in his heart. You could not have convinced him of anything differently. This is true faith. Not just in the head but in the heart.)
Grasshopper Mentality
I. We are as strong as our faith will allow ourselves to be. (V.11)
Num 13:26-33 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. (28) Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. (29) The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan." (30) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." (31) But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." (32) And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. (33) There we saw the giants [17](the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
“If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’” —Numbers 14:8
“Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” —Numbers 14:9
1Jn 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Full Heart Toward God – No wavering
Nine times in this passage alone while speaking to Joshua he uses the phrase “the Lord”. He knew it was not on his own that he would accomplish this.
(8) Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
Numbers 14:24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Holding to the Promise – Spirit of Endurance
(9) So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.' (10) And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.
IOW – I have outlived my enemies.
The best way to conquer your enemies, and to be victorious over your critics is this- outlive them! (V.8)
(11) As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.
Romans 5:3-4 ESV / 601 helpful votes
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Hebrews 10:36 ESV / 321 helpful votes
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
James 1:12 ESV / 252 helpful votes
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 178 helpful votes
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Romans 12:12 ESV / 177 helpful votes
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV / 162 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Give Me This Mountain - Aggressive not Passive
(12) Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim (Anakim the giants, he wanted the hard tasks) were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said." (13) And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. (14) Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (15) And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). Then the land had rest from war.
I could picture in my mind Caleb’s tenacity. 40 years earlier the Lord through Moses had promised him this land. The land of Kadesh-Barnea. This mountain the mountain of Hebron. I could imagine as they way were wandering through the wilderness and Caleb would see the mountain. Maybe it is just my imagination but I could see him talking to the children and saying, see that mountain, I will have that mountain one day.
God’s Promise to Caleb
Greater – stronger, larger
Rom 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Conquerors – anchor, stay or safeguard,
Tense: present Voice: active Mood: Indicative – stating fact
Zechariah 4:6 – “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel {Maranatha}: ’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.’”
Caleb’s Spirit
A. Spirit of Courage – Numbers 14:1 – 10 To stand against those who were speaking against the Lord
B. Spirit of Faith in God’s promises
C. Spirit of Endurance – He made it through the 40 years of wilderness
D. Spirit of Faithfulness – Joshua 15
E. A continuing Spirit – Passing on the Heritage
We need a different Spirit.
We need a spirit of Faith that says my God is bigger.
We need the spirit of hope that says, my God has a promise and I will get to that destination.
We need a spirit of love that says
