Sermon Central
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Another Spirit Series
Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on May 7, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Caleb is one of those men whom we seldom meet with in the Bible, but whenever we do meet him we are better for the meeting. Caleb is one of those rare individuals with “another spirit.” Caleb was a man different from the crowd. He was man made from a
“Another spirit”
Caleb is one of those men whom we seldom meet with in the Bible, but whenever we do meet him we are better for the meeting.
Caleb is one of those rare individuals with “another spirit.” Caleb was a man different from the crowd. He was man made from a different mold. He was a man with “another spirit.”
The spirit of a person is so important. John wrote about the bad spirit of Diotrephes in III John . Paul wrote about the dad sprit that Alexander the coppersmith had in one of his epistles
Korah and others are listed in the Bible who possessed a bad spirit, but Caleb had a "another spirit." His spirit caused him to stand out from the rest. What was so different about Caleb’s spirit?
Let us examine the characteristics of an individual with "another spirit."
I. "Another spirit" is seen in his COMMITMENT to
PURSUE
“hath followed me fully”- the Lord said of him in Numbers 14:34.
"I wholly followed the Lord my God," (Joshua 14:8) This was not the language of presumption, but a plain declaration that he was not daunted by the power of the enemy nor swayed by the scepticism of his brethren.
A. Followed the Lord FULLY
Caleb was whole-heartedly serving God. I like people who do things whole-heartedly. Half-hearted people depress me. I don’t like to be around anyone who is half-hearted about anything. If you’re going to do something or be for something, be for it all the way!
I heard about a preacher who was asked by a man in the community to do his brother’s funeral. Neither of the men had been church goers or showed any religious inclinations. The man offered to give $25,000.00 to the church if the preacher would call his brother a saint at the funeral. The brother had been a real sinner in the community and everybody knew it. A friend of the preacher asked, "You are not going to do it, are you?"
The pastor said that he was going to do it because the church needed the money. The word got out that the preacher had sold out to the family for money and the church was filled for the funeral. The preacher stood up and this is what he said, "The man we are burying here today was a liar, a cheat, and a drunk; however, next to his brother who is sitting here today, he was a saint!"
The preacher did not sell out after all. We must never sell out to this world or what it may offer us. Caleb was a man sold out for the Lord. He was committed. He was so committed that the Bible says of him at least seven times that he wholeheartedly served the Lord.
B. Followed the Lord FEARLESSLY
While others saw a diabolical foe, Caleb saw a defeated foe.
II. "Another spirit" is seen in his CONFIDENCE in the PROMISES
Caleb was fully confident that God could do what He had promised. He was confident that God would make good on His word. You are on sure ground when you stand upon God’s promises. Caleb was resting on the word of Him who cannot lie.
He had a faith that never wavered. Faith’s check is never dishonored at God’s bank of promises. Are you confident in the promises of God?
The Lord gave the commandment concerning the spies to be sent in the land because of the moral condition of the people. Had they been governed by simple faith, they would have acted on those soul-stirring words of Moses, "Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged," (Deut. 1:21). What does faith want spies for, when it has the word and the presence of the living God? The people evidently didn’t rest on what God said when he said, "go up and possess it.” It was called the "Promised Land" for a reason - it was a "Promised Land;" a land promised them by God.
Their request for spies revealed a lack of faith on their part. They are not trusting what He said. God had already been in and spied out the land. He knew all about it.
Caleb went to view the land because he was sent, but not for the same reason the others did. He already believed what God had said!
A. Caleb heard what the others didn’t hear
B. Caleb heeded when the others didn’t heed
III. "Another spirit" is seen is his CONVICTION of a PRESENCE
“The Lord is with us: fear them not” (Numbers 14:8).
When you have the presence of God, you need nothing more; and you should settle for nothing less.
