January 13th, 2025
By: Alex Fortson
Take The Hill
Have you ever lost faith and just simply didn’t feel like you could fight one more battle or climb one more mountain in your life? If so, I pray that you are encouraged after this quick little word and your faith tank is FULL.
Let’s start off in Joshua 14:7-8. This was 45 years after Moses sent the 12 spies into the land of milk and honey. Ten spies reported a word of defeat but two spies reported a word of victory. Joshua and Caleb were faith filled men ready to take the mountain at a young age, but were silenced by faithless men. For 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert. Faithless act after faithless act, this generation finally came to end as promised by the Lord. We find ourselves in Joshua 14 where the baton has been passed to the next generation.
After the death of Moses, Joshua is appointed the new leader and is finally ready to walk into the promised land that God has already given them. Caleb is now about 85 years old and look at his response after so many years of discouragement and being surrounded by faithless people. Caleb speaks, “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 him word again as it was in my heart.8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
Though the hearts of the people melted, Caleb was still full in his heart. Sometimes things do not go the way you thought they might. It is important that you respond correctly. Though Caleb had to submit to the authority of Moses, he did not allow this instance with the ten other spies KILL his faith. He kept his love for the Lord, and did not grow weary. He stood on his faith in God. Caleb was not out to follow a man, but Caleb was out to follow God wholly. Caleb did not become cynical but he stayed faithful. Oftentimes, I think ministers, christians, allow their faith to be squashed so quickly and easily. And I think sometimes it comes from us following a man, instead of following THE MAN. Jesus.
I love how God speaks to Joshua after 40 years in the desert, and the baton has been passed to Joshua. Joshua 1:9, “9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord was there ready to lead these faith filled men into the promised land.
Joshua 14:10-12, “10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”
“GIVE ME THIS HILL COUNTRY!” Caleb was just as ready at 85 as he was at 40! He never once lost faith. Can I ask you these questions? Are you in it for the long haul? Are you willing to give it all you got for your lifetime? TAKE THE HILL, live a life full of FAITH!
Take The Hill
Have you ever lost faith and just simply didn’t feel like you could fight one more battle or climb one more mountain in your life? If so, I pray that you are encouraged after this quick little word and your faith tank is FULL.
Let’s start off in Joshua 14:7-8. This was 45 years after Moses sent the 12 spies into the land of milk and honey. Ten spies reported a word of defeat but two spies reported a word of victory. Joshua and Caleb were faith filled men ready to take the mountain at a young age, but were silenced by faithless men. For 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert. Faithless act after faithless act, this generation finally came to end as promised by the Lord. We find ourselves in Joshua 14 where the baton has been passed to the next generation.
After the death of Moses, Joshua is appointed the new leader and is finally ready to walk into the promised land that God has already given them. Caleb is now about 85 years old and look at his response after so many years of discouragement and being surrounded by faithless people. Caleb speaks, “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 him word again as it was in my heart.8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
Though the hearts of the people melted, Caleb was still full in his heart. Sometimes things do not go the way you thought they might. It is important that you respond correctly. Though Caleb had to submit to the authority of Moses, he did not allow this instance with the ten other spies KILL his faith. He kept his love for the Lord, and did not grow weary. He stood on his faith in God. Caleb was not out to follow a man, but Caleb was out to follow God wholly. Caleb did not become cynical but he stayed faithful. Oftentimes, I think ministers, christians, allow their faith to be squashed so quickly and easily. And I think sometimes it comes from us following a man, instead of following THE MAN. Jesus.
I love how God speaks to Joshua after 40 years in the desert, and the baton has been passed to Joshua. Joshua 1:9, “9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord was there ready to lead these faith filled men into the promised land.
Joshua 14:10-12, “10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”
“GIVE ME THIS HILL COUNTRY!” Caleb was just as ready at 85 as he was at 40! He never once lost faith. Can I ask you these questions? Are you in it for the long haul? Are you willing to give it all you got for your lifetime? TAKE THE HILL, live a life full of FAITH!
No Comments