We read in Judges 1:14-15, Acsah went to live with Othniel. Othniel told Acsah to ask her father for some land. She went to her father. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What is wrong?" Acsah answered him, "Give me a blessing. You gave me dry desert land in the Negev. Please give me some land with water on it." So Caleb gave her what she wanted. He gave her the upper and lower pools of water in that land. (ERV)
This same incident is also mentioned in Joshua 15:18-19, which implies that this was an important event. Acsah the daughter of Caleb asked her father to give her some land that had water in it as the land that was allotted to her was a dry desert land.
Let me give you a little background to this incident. Though Caleb was born in the land of Egypt as a slave, and was brought up in slavery, he had an unshakeable faith in God. At forty years of age when Caleb was sent to spy on the land of Canaan, of the twelve who returned after spying on the land, Caleb was the only one along with Joshua who was certain that the land could be conquered. The entire congregation of over six lakh people rose against Caleb’s advice, but nothing deterred him.
As children of God be sure that when we take a stand to speak up for the Lord, there will be a group that will rise against us. The reason is that there are those who have no faith in God.
We read in Deuteronomy 31:6,“Be strong and be brave. Don't be afraid of those people because the LORD your God is with you. He will not fail you or leave you.” (ERV)
Caleb held on firmly to the promises of God, took a stand against the majority, and God was pleased with him.
Anyone who is zealous for the Lord, and willing to take a stand for Him can be sure that the Lord’s protection will be their portion.
For forty long years the people of Israel wandered through the wilderness. These were difficult times, where the people faced many hardships and trials, but through it all Caleb remained firm in his faith. He knew that the Lord who promised him that he would enter the Promised Land was faithful, and would certainly fulfill His promise at the right time.
The bible also talks about Abraham who was another man of great faith. This is what is written as a testimony about Abraham in Romans 4:21, “He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.” (GNB)
Oftentimes, we get discouraged because of the problems that surround us, but let me assure you that God is above all of our circumstances, and faithful to His word. Everyone who has waited on the Lord has certainly seen God fulfill the same in His appointed time.
Caleb entered the Promised Land just as God had promised. However, Caleb did not seek to procure the land that was easy to conquer, but asked Joshua to grant him permission to possess the hill country of Hebron which was difficult to acquire because of the giants who inhabited them. Caleb was bold to believe that he had the strength to conquer the hill country though he was eighty five years old. This was the land that Caleb had set eyes on forty five years ago. It was the unbelief of the people, and the circumstances that surrounded him that prevented him from inheriting the land, but Caleb had faith to believe that he would certainly conquer this land with God’s strength.
Those who have faith will remain strong through all the tough circumstances of life. Let me remind you of the words of the Apostle Paul as we read in Philippians 4:13,“Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” (ERV)
So many have become discouraged, and given up on the task that is entrusted to them. Believe that with God’s strength that is granted to you that you will be able to accomplish all that God desires to fulfill through your life and don’t give up at any cost.
Caleb had a daughter whose name was Acsah. When it was time for Caleb to get his daughter married, he could have easily found a suitable person for her without much effort. Nonetheless, Caleb wanted to choose a suitable groom for his daughter who would have the same faith and courage that he had. Caleb therefore set a challenge that the man who was brave enough to conquer KiriathSepher would be the one who could take his daughter’s hand in marriage. Othniel was the brave man who conquered KiriathSepher, and married Caleb’s daughter Acsah.
All three in this incident are amazing people. Caleb is firm that the one who married his daughter should be a man of faith and courage just as he was. Caleb’s daughter Acsah trusted in the Lord, and in her father’s decision, and waited patiently for the right person. Othniel was a brave man who actually took up the challenge so he could marry Caleb’s daughter.
The place that Caleb gave to his daughter Acsah was dry and this was her request to her father as found in Judges 1:15,“She said to him, "Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water." And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.”(ESV)
Acsah asked her father for a blessing of land with water, and Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. Caleb had finished all of his responsibilities when he got his daughter Acsah married, and allotted the land to her. However, when Acsah saw that the land was barren and unfit for agriculture, she requested her father to allot some land that had water in them. Immediately Caleb gave his daughter the land with the upper springs and lower springs.
How many of us can as children of God approach Him boldly and ask Him for the greater blessings that He has in store for us. Today many are satisfied with leading a mediocre life of just attending church on Sunday, reading a few verses and praying. Sadly, many are not desiring the deeper relationship and revelations of God for their lives. Let us make a decision to seek God for those deeper revelations, and those well-watered experiences whereby we can live a victorious life. If we earnestly seek God we can be sure that He will give us a double portion of His blessings. It is never the will of God that we should live a life of dryness, and unfruitfulness but it is His will that we should live an abundant life.
We read in 1 John 5:14,“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (ESV)
Maybe we have faith, we have been saved, we have the assurance that we are children of God that our sins have been washed with the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross for us, and have the assurance of a place in heaven. However, we should not be satisfied with this, but desire to grow in our relationship with God, and long to do something substantial for His Kingdom. Let us not be content with all that we have received from God, but yearn for that deeper relationship with God.
Let me share three examples from the bible to explain this.
1. Ask with bold faith for physical healing
We read in Mark 10: 46-52, “Then they came to the town of Jericho. When Jesus left there with his followers, a large crowd was with them. A blind man named Bartimaeus (meaning "son of Timaeus") was sitting by the road. He was always begging for money. He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, please help me!" Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, "Son of David, please help me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Tell him to come here." So they called the blind man and said, "You can be happy now. Stand up! Jesus is calling you." The blind man stood up quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus. Jesus asked the man, "What do you want me to do for you?" He answered, "Teacher, I want to see again." Jesus said, "Go. You are healed because you believed." Immediately the man was able to see again. He followed Jesus down the road.” (ERV)
This man Bartimaeus who was blind was begging for money, and when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out to Him begging for healing. Though others tried to stop him, and even rebuked him, but Bartimaeus continued to call out even more loudly to Jesus. Jesus stopped, and asked that Braritmaeus to be brought to him. Jesus asked Bartimaeus, ‘What do you want me to do?’ The reason for this question was because Bartimaeus could have wanted several things. He may have wanted to have someone help him in his daily chores, or could have wanted enough money so he did not need to beg, and Jesus would have been able to help him too. However, Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was, and hence he asked Jesus that he should be able to see again. Though there were multitudes around him, Bartimaeus had a faith that was bold enough to ask for restoration of his sight. Immediately, Jesus healed Bartimaeus, his sight was restored, and he began to follow after Jesus. Bartimaeus lived a life of a beggar,but he was not content to remain that way. He knew that God had a greater purpose for his life, and thereby he was healed, and followed after Jesus.
Every time we want to draw close to Jesus, and desire to walk close with Him there will be those who will rise against us, and even oppose us just as people did to Bartimaeus. If you are praying for an hour, and find that troubles are heaping up more than before, don’t reduce your prayer time, but increase it. So also if you reading the bible for a stipulated time, and are finding that the troubles are increasing, don’t decrease your time with the word, but instead spend more time with God’s word. Instead of just reading one chapter a day try to read through an entire book if possible. The more you do this the more your life will be blessed.
More than physical ailments we see that there are many who have so many spiritual problems that they need to be delivered of.
2. Ask with bold faith for spiritual healing
We read in Matthew 15:22-28,“A Canaanite woman who lived in that region came to him. "Son of David!" she cried out. "Have mercy on me, sir! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition." But Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples came to him and begged him, "Send her away! She is following us and making all this noise!" Then Jesus replied, "I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel." At this the woman came and fell at his feet. "Help me, sir!" she said. Jesus answered, "It isn't right to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.” "That's true, sir," she answered, "but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their masters' table." So Jesus answered her, "You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you." And at that very moment her daughter was healed.” (GNB)
The Canaanite woman was struggling with her daughter who was demon possessed. Even the disciples wanted Jesus to send her away as she was following them, and causing a commotion. However, she did not waver in her faith, kept on pursuing after Jesus, and insisted that He heal her daughter. The woman knew that none but Jesus could help her daughter be freed from the possession that she was in.
Jesus replied her in a strange way when He told her that it was not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. Sometimes these words could be misunderstood, but the reason Jesus said this to her was to explain the fact that His primary goal was to help the people of Israel understand that He was the Messiah and Savior who had come to save them. Jesus was therefore explaining to the Canaanite woman that any father in the home would first be concerned about the welfare of his children, before he took care of the pets in the home. When the woman understood the message, she replied to Jesus that the dogs could still benefit from the leftovers that fell from the master’s table. This woman’s faith truly astounded Jesus. While some others who heard this kind of a response may have walked away, not this woman. Jesus honored her faith, and at that very moment her daughter received the healing and deliverance.
There are many who are under the oppression of the evil one. They hear strange sounds, are unable to sleep at night, and have all sorts of disturbances. Don’t ignore these, but pray to the Lord, and ask Him to deliver you. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross defeated Satan, and his schemes. Ask the Lord to free you from the entanglements that you are in, and you will surely be delivered.
There are some who come to Jesus, but when His words are hard to follow they get offended, and walk away from Him. If we keep our eyes fixed on men we will surely stumble. We should therefore keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Lord only, because Jesus will not send those who come to Him empty and unfulfilled.
Let me share something that the Spirit of God prompts me to say. I also know that many have been hurt by men, and have gone away, and isolated themselves. As human beings everyone will have faults, but don’t give up going to church and worshiping the Lord with other believers just because of your experiences in the past. When you rejoin a fellowship you will receive the bountiful blessings of God. There are those who carry bitterness and un-forgiveness in their hearts which had led to divisions and disunity. Heaven is a place for all God’s children, and if we desire to be there, we have to live as God instructs us to. Many are harboring hatred, bitterness, anger and strife in their hearts, and have thereby given room for Satan to have a foothold in their lives. Once the devil has gained entry we will only have tears and anxieties. We will also further be drawn away from the close relationship we have with God. Let us ask God to be gracious, and plead with Him to bring the needed changes in our lives, and He will bring deliverance. For this deliverance to happen let go of all bitterness, hatred and the Lord will do the miraculous in your lives. Be willing to forgive, and let go of all the bitterness that is preventing you from having that intimate relationship with God. When you do so the Lord will intervene, and bring about the speedy deliverance that you are longing for.
3. Go forward in faith – for a deeper relationship with God
The prophet Ezekiel had a vision recorded in Ezekiel Chapter 47 in which water was flowing out from the threshold of the temple. Before Ezekiel had this vision we read that there was sin, wickedness and wrong decisions that the people of Israel were caught in, that made them forfeit their relationship with God. There were so many hardships and barrenness in their lives. God told Ezekiel that He was going to restore the people back to himself, and it was in this context that Ezekiel saw this vision.
As Ezekiel is made to pass the water initially we read in Ezekiel 47:3, “The water came only to my ankles.”(GNB)
Just as the water was ankle-high all of us as children of God have an initial stage where we begin this journey with the Lord, but we are not supposed to stay content in that place.
We further read in Ezekiel 47:4 that “water came up to my knees - the water was up to my waist” (GNB)
As we read further in Ezekiel 47:5,“Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.” (ESV)
There are many believers who have become content to just stay in this place where there is ankle-deep water, and have not ventured into the deeper experiences that God has in store for them.
Let me conclude with an illustration. When we take a toddler to the sea for the first time, most of them will be fearful to take the first step in the water. Most parents would never give up, but will encourage the child to overcome the fear. Once a little water touches the feet, the child is excited, and wants to go in a little further. What started off at just the ankle will now go up to the knees, and the child begins to enjoy the experience. Many like a fearful child have let fear rule their lives, and have not been willing to go deeper to receive the blessings that God has in store for them.
Acsah received a dry land, but she was not content with it. She boldly approached her father Caleb, and received a double blessing when he gave her the upper and the lower streams. Bartimaeus ran to Jesus, and the Lord restored back his sight to him. The Canaanite woman was a Gentile who was shunned by the Jews, but she approached Jesus, and received deliverance for her daughter.
You may have started off well, but if for some reason you have gone away from God, the Lord is calling you to experience the fullness of His power and blessing, not just ankle high or waist high, but to full and overflowing.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by Sis Esther Collins
