Moses sent twelve spies to spy out the land God Promised to them. They had to find out how the land lay, if the inhabitants are strong or weak and are they many or few. Is the land good or bad, do they live in tents or do their cities have strong walls, is the soil fruitful or barren and are their fruit trees.’
They entered the Negev region to the mountains of Judea to get to Hebron that became the city of David. Then they marched to Eschol Valley and brought bunches of grapes and other fruit with them that was so large that two men had to carry it on a pole between them.
The twelve spies reported back to Moses after forty days: ‘it is truly a land flowing with milk & honey but unfortunately the inhabitants are powerful giants and their cities are protected by strong walls.’
‘C’est vrai c’est un pays qui de borde de lait et de miel. Malheureusement ses habitants sont pius gants. Leurs villes sont tres et portegees par des murs.’
But there were two men that did not fear the giants. They were Caleb & Joshua. Caleb said: ‘lets go there and take the land. We will be victorious!’
‘Allons –y! Montous la bas eb pressons le pays. Nous aurons la victoire!’
But Israel chose to believe the ten unbelieving spies’ report and began to fear. So much so that they could not enter the Promised Land. Eventually Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land and conquered Canaan. Caleb was with him. At 82 Caleb said: ‘I’, still as strong as when I was forty. I am well able to fight and take the land!’
The spirit of faith in Caleb & Joshua did not wane with age. It remained strong & kept them strong.
Mark Boucher the Proteas wicket-keeper recalls what a difference the inclusion of AB de Villiers made to the team sent to Australia. They were all over-awed by the mighty Australians but AB did not have any fear of them. He kept saying, ‘we can beat them!’ and they did! What a difference it makes to have a Caleb among you.
Someone that believes everything is possible; someone that inspires others to believe; someone that sees victory as a foregone conclusion; not defeat.
The spirit of faith is a different kind of spirit. When others are discouraged and fearful the spirit of faith rises up and says, ‘we can do it! We’ll have the victory!’
‘Nous aurons la victoire!’
Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis aircraft is the most celebrated single aircraft in the history of aviation. Care was given to streamlining and Lindbergh supervised the construction. He knew what he wanted. He installed a horizontal periscope on the left side of the fuselage to provide forward visibility. The fuselage was between the puot and the engine to keep the engine from crushing the pilot in a crash landing. (1942)
The prophet Zechariah said: ‘not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.’ The right spirit accomplishes more than power or might. Caleb & Joshua had the right kind of spirit, the spirit of faith. The Lord called it ‘an excellent spirit.’
In the 80’s the Charismatic Pastors all preached about ‘excellence of ministry’ but the Lord showed me an excellent spirit is more important. That is what I preach and pray for in all our Harvester Reformational Churches. If we have the same spirit of faith that Caleb & Joshua had victory is ours! ‘Nous aurons la victoire!’
Who will choose to be Caleb among us, the one with the spirit of faith? All things are possible to those who believe. Nothing shall be impossible to God.
Throughout the Bible we see many examples of the spirit of faith in operation. When Daniel and all the other wise sages faced extinction he said to the King: ‘there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets!’ and interpreted the King’s disturbing dream.
When David faced Goliath he said: ‘today God will give you into my hands that the earth may know there is a God in heaven!’
When Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to see whose God would rain down fire to consume their offering, he was confident that God would answer with fire from heaven.
When Paul was a prisoner on board a sinking ship in a storm he said: ‘the Lord whom I serve sent His angel and none of us will perish. I believe God it will be as it was told me.’ All the prisoners and sailors were saved and washed ashore onto Miletus a small island.
Faith is contagious. It stimulates others to believe. Let us today become a Caleb or a Joshua and say, ‘I believe we are well able to do this!’ What a difference it makes to a group of people if there is a Caleb among them.
Sermon by Apostle André Pelser
Photo by Vlad Ciule on Unsplash