The Man Who Wanted A Mountain

THE MAN WHO WANTED A MOUNTAIN

TEXT: Joshua 14: 6-15

INTRODUCTION: Caleb was a “We Can” man! Not all of the people that I know are like that; I am afraid that I am not as much like that as I would like to be. It does thrill me, though, when I find that I am facing great difficulties and am able during that time to muster up enough faith to say, “We can do it”. That is the way Caleb was. Caleb wanted something that had been promised to him forty years earlier. For all of those years he was patient and he kept the faith. With his unwavering spirit, Caleb cried, “Now therefore give me this mountain…” Let’s look at Caleb and learn good lessons from him as we go after our mountains.

I. THE CHARACTER OF CALEB. (Vv. 8, 9, 14)

I recently read this about the way character is defined: Personal character traits are the attitudes you have toward your activities and challenges. These traits may be positive or negative, depending on the situation. Positive personal character traits lead to achievement, while negative traits can lead to failure or frustration. Most of these traits are established through training from parents, while others are gained from peer groups. (Kurtus).

May I add that the character traits of the believer may be developed through a steady diet of God’s Word.

Without knowing anything about Caleb, other than what the Bible tells us, we can only observe the certain qualities about him as it applies to the above definition of “personal character traits”. I immediately like Caleb’s attitude towards his activities and his challenges that he faced, when reading about him at Kadesh-Barnea. (Joshua 13)

A. His Character Indicated His FIGHT. (Numbers 13:30)

“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

I notice in this verse that Caleb is ready to fight for what is his. I admire that quality in people. Believe it or not, there are some things that I will “bear arms” over:

1. My faith, 2. My family, 3. My freedom, 4. My future.

Church, I want to go on record as your Pastor. “There are some things around here that we all embrace in the faith that we will fight for”. We have been doing so for over 53 years now and I want to serve notice on the devil, we will not retreat, with God being our helper. Instead, we will just “turn it up about two more notches!”

Caleb was willing to drive the Anakims out and they were giants. Are you willing to go after the “giants in your life”. Giants are “big problems” until the Lord gets into the fight. David said, “This battle is of the Lord”.

B. His Character Indicated His FAITH. (Numbers 14:8,9)

“If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”

“Faith is the Victory”, that overcomes this world. We shall continue as did Caleb to do a work of faith. Just as did the Church at Thessalonica, we want to do a “work of faith” and a “labour of love” having “patience of hope” in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father. Trusting and believing God is such a necessary ingredient in doing the Lord’s work. Without faith it is impossible to please God; I sure want to please Him…

II. THE CONTINUING OF CALEB. (Vv. 10-12).

Satan does not mind if you start the race; he just does not want you to finish the race. I only had one big rule for my sons when they asked me if they could play ball. I told them that if they started on the team that they had to finish with the team. I recall while in college how many started as compared to how many that finished. Many times I heard the expression, “Don’t start anything unless you plan on finishing it.” Do you realize that most marriages end because one or both partners decides to quit? Brother Samples said that if Donna leaves him that he was going to go with her. That is just another way that Brother Samples says, “I am not going to quit my marriage”.

I am working on my Hebrews Commentary and I have completed nearly 300 pages and have around 100 to go. Every devil in hell, it seems, crawls on my shoulders and whispers, “Quit!” The truth be known, not one devil would be necessary; my own flesh often wants me to quit. This may be the reason that I keep rehearsing in my mind: “You measure greatness by what it takes to stop you” or “How can you stop a man who won’t quit?”