THE QUESTION has never been, God not willing to do what he promised; the issue is whether we are eager to submit in full obedience to Him and believe His word?
The Narrative
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL had continued their match to Canaan, and Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land.
Are the inhabitants strong or weak? Are they many or few? Do their cities have fortifications, or their camps opened all around? Is the land good or bad? Is its soil rich or poor? These were his words to them.
But when the spies returned, they went beyond the guidelines of the assignment.
The land is fertile, prosperous. It flows with milk and honey, and here is some of the fruit.
It's highly desirable, but their people are strong. Their cities are enormous and secured. We can't do it; the people are too strong for us—said the spies. (Numbers 13:1-31)
They made cutting comments; they changed the mood of the people. Faith gave way to doubt, and fear rushed in.
The majority believed themselves; they sucked faith out of the people.
Do you suck faith out of people?
Fear or Faith
DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF or do you believe in God?
Do you suck faith out of people or give it to them? God wants you to give hope wherever you go.
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Caleb was in the minority when he spoke the heart of God.
And God said to Moses, "But, because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." (Numbers 14:24)
What distinguished Caleb from the ten spies?
HE HAD A DIFFERENT SPIRIT—Caleb had the right attitude, the right approach and the proper anticipation.
God's Spirit shaped his Spirit, and he behaved accordingly; where others saw challenges, he saw possibilities.
Caleb saw with the eye of faith. He believed God wholeheartedly and did not rely on his power.
He knew they'd be successful because they were on the Lord's side. He stood on the promises of God that never fail.
He understood that faith anticipating anything from the Lord would endure—hope that will possess will sign up for the long haul.
He had a conviction that every word of God is a promise to keep. Caleb couldn't get the vision of God out of his mind.
This understanding led to his commitment to God. He proceeded with single-heartedness and set the bar high.
Caleb knew that the starting point wasn't as vital as the finishing line. He did not give in to lesser values.
His commitment to God led to his confession.
"Let's go up and take it over! We are surely able." (Numbers 13:30)
For him, this moment was a defining one.
No wonder when the time came, he stood before Joshua and said, "Give me the mountains that the Lord promised." (Joshua 14:12-15)
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
THE JOURNEY took a detour, but Caleb never wavered at God's promise.
He gave faith a fighting chance and did not fear the mountain from a distance.
You cannot afford to lose the sense of awe for God.
And you can never know what God will do through you until you completely abandon yourself to Him.