STRONG CONVICTION IS THE KEY TO SEEING GOD’S PROMISES FULFILL
SCRIPTURE:
“Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day, Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’ 10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb, son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, ever since because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.” (Joshua 14:6—15)
OBSERVATION:
Caleb was forty years old when Moses sent him to Kadesh Barnea to EXPLORE the land. Caleb saw the land and had STRONG CONVICTION of the land that God, through Moses, sent them out to assess. Caleb saw the exact lay of the land the other 11 spies saw. They saw that the land was filled with obstacles and promises. The spies saw that there were grapes that they had never seen before. The land does flow with milk and honey. However, there were giants and people who may have prevented them from taking over the land.
Our EXPLORATION of the world around us either develops a strong conviction about what to pursue in spite of potential difficulties or weakens our resolve to believe what God has already promised to us is ours for the take. If we DO NOT DEVELOP strong convictions that what we see is ours as God promised us, there is no way we can move forward and take that calculative risk necessary to obtain the promise. No one with weak convictions would ever take the risk at any level. The case wasn’t about the conditions at the place where the spies went to see. The case was about having STRONG CONVICTION and believing God said the land was theirs. Caleb wasn’t looking at the circumstances; rather, he looked to God, and he looked inward and believed that what he saw was his.
Lessons I take away this morning are gems that I am depositing in my spirit as I have observed God’s promises being fulfilled in my own life. God gave Caleb another 45 years to settle and see his promise fulfilled in his life. To see God’s promises fulfilled and to develop STRONG CONVICTION:
- One must EXPLORE God’s opportunities in the midst of challenges.
- One must FOLLOW the Lord WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
- One must BELIEVE in God’s timing to fulfill his promises. It took Caleb 45 years to finally see God’s promise fulfilled.
- One must NEVER LOSE SIGHT of the promise. God’s promise is not just for me but for the generation that follows after me.
- One must NEVER STOP fighting for what is yours.
So many times, people give up quickly. I know that for myself as well. I know that I need to EXPLORE not only what God says to do but also to believe in his promise. Caleb did not see what the land looked like, but he knew and trusted the Word and the promise of the Lord that the land was flowing with mild and honey.
APPLICATION:
I must learn to trust God’s word before I see results. I must believe that I can bank on what God says. All of God’s promises are true and true. I must be content with his timing and when God planned to fulfill his word in my life.
PRAYER:
Jesus, I often like the spies who see only the negative things within your promises. Please give me a heart and eyes like Caleb, who, through exploring the land, was convinced of the truthfulness of your promises. Please open my eyes to see all your promises within the challenges and obstacles before me. I ask that you open my ears to hear you clearly and trust your word always. Please help me trust your promises and let me know when you will fulfill them in my life. Please help me develop a strong conviction always to trust your word. Amen!
