ANOTHER SPIRIT

#1) Joshua and that other guy.

A) Today I’m going to preach to about you and your SPIRIT.

- I’m going to cause us to look at our spirit in light of another mans spirit.

- Today we will be looking at a man who is better known for who he was acquainted with then for WHO HE WAS HIMSELF.

- Numbers 14:24 It’s very rare that Caleb is the one preached on in a sermon.

- Caleb, not Joshua is noted for having another spirit.

- But first let’s identify who Caleb is by blood and name.

- Caleb was a Kenezite, he wasn’t even a pure Jew, Caleb is more Gentile than Jew.

- If we were to go to Genesis 36 we could read and see that Caleb is of the Edomites not an Israelite.

- Caleb is not a Jew by blood, birth or name.

- His name means “DOG”, no Jew would ever name their child a dog, Caleb is one of those gentiles who fled Egypt with the Jews.

- Yet as we will see Caleb had another spirit with him.

- By the way Dogs are characterized as being faithful to their master.

B) Lets take a look at how this other spirit manifest itself in Caleb’s life.

- Numbers 13:25-30 “And Caleb stilled the people.”

- “Let us go up at once and posses it”

- This spirit caused Caleb to stand and encourage the Israelites.

- It caused Caleb to believe in faith that God had already delivered the land into their hands.

- Numbers 14:6-8 Caleb realized all that was needed to posses the land was to go and take it.

- One spy set out to reassure the nation of Israel.

- Caleb’s spirit was different from that of the other spies.

- Caleb’s Spirit tried to reassure the people while the other spies tried to discourage the people from possessing their land.

C) Lets get right down to what it was that Caleb possessed.

- Numbers 32:10-13 Caleb unlike the rest of the nation of Israel possessed a heart set on wholly following God.

- Six separate verses of scripture mention Caleb WHOLLY following God.

- So when the scriptures say that Caleb WHOLLY FOLLOWED GOD what does that mean?

- God wants us to understand that Caleb followed universally, that He followed the Lord in all things.

- In doctrine, in duty, in worship, in good times and in bad times.

- Yet we need to also see that in Verse 11 that the other 10 spies “have not wholly followed the Lord.”

- Numbers 14:6-10 Caleb WHOLLY followed even in times of danger.

D) When I started this sermon I said that we would look at our spirit in light of another mans spirit.

- Lets do just that lets compare Caleb to us.

- But first lets look at Caleb and those in His day.

- Numbers 14:24 Caleb is said in our text to have ANOTHER SPIRIT.

- This other “SPIRIT” is the exact same Spirit as that seen in Genesis 1:2 “And the spirit of God moved”.

- Caleb was a saved man who allowed Gods spirit to move in him.

- What God means by saying that Caleb had “ANOTHER SPIRIT” was that a different spirit moved Caleb.

- This truth doesn’t mean that Caleb was the only one saved and the others were lost....

- One day the child of God may have a spirit of obedience and the next day a spirit of rebellion.

- The spirit, which moved Caleb, was a spirit of faith and obedience.

- How do we know this? Because God says Caleb “WHOLLY” followed the Lord.

- The spirit, which moved the other spies, was a spirit of doubt and fear.

- Remember as we continue to compare your spirit with that which Caleb’s was moved by.

- One thing I must make clear is that Caleb as well as all other OT and NT servants of God had no supernatural abilities.

- If you want to be as victorious as they were you can be.

#2) The victory is to only be taken.

A) We all claim to believe God and His word yet when the time comes to move by faith we don’t.

- Caleb believed God when He said the land is yours go take it.

- Back in Numbers 13:30 when all the spies gave their report Caleb simply replied “Let us go up at once and posses it.”

- Caleb had a disciplined spirit, which caused him to WHOLLY BELIEVE IN GODS WORD.

- He heard the promise of victory from God’s messenger and was ready to take it.

- Caleb didn’t let anyone stop him from possessing what God said he could have.

- The ten spies saw mighty giants yet Caleb saw victory in God.

- What the ten spies saw is exactly what they got.

B) Those spies seen giants who would kill them with no effort at all, thats exactly what came to pass.

- Numbers 14: 36-37 Their fear of dying at the hands of those giants is what caused the death of those Israelites who fled Egypt.

- Their rebellious spirit that brought a desire to WHOLLY DISOBEY GOD was their defeat.

- They received their just reward.

C) We see just the opposite in Caleb.

- Caleb realized that the God of Israel is a God, which can be taken at His word.

- Caleb was told He and Joshua would possess the land and he believed that God would keep His promise.

- Joshua 14:6-13 V9 “Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance.”

- This is Caleb recounting what Moses said and then in verse 12 Caleb says, “Now therefore give me this mountain.”

- Caleb believed the promise and is now ready to receive the promise.

- Caleb at 85 years old attacks and defeats the Anakims, giants, and takes the land God promised to him.

D) All of this because Caleb WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD.

- How many of you think it’s possible to wholly serve the Lord?

- Only raise your hand if you honestly believe that you can both desire to wholly serve the Lord and actually do it.

- Regardless of your answer are you living wholly for the Lord?

- THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS IN WHICH YOU CAN SAY THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, IT IS POSSIBLE.

- You can follow Christ wholly and completely.

- You can wholly follow in good and bad times.

- Caleb was flesh and blood just like you and I.

- You and I can be exactly like Caleb, we can have the victory, we can live a life of faith dedicated to God.

- If you want that joy and zeal take it like Caleb took what God promised him.

- Will you like Caleb put your trust in Jesus today?

- Jesus has fought the battle for you just take the victory.

- If you’ve already trusted for salvation you can serve God more fully today.

- Do you have a valid excuse for not following more fully?

- Put away your fear, come forward and take what God has for you, A LIFE OF VICTORY IN CHRIST.

- Don’t let GIANT FEARS kill the promise of God for your life.

- What will you do with Jesus today?