THE FAITH AND FITNESS OF AGED MINISTERS FOR A MOUNTAIN-TOP MINISTRY

Text: Joshua 14:6-14; 15:13-20.

The report that Caleb gave to Moses when he returned from spying on the land of Canaan was based on his personal faith. In life, we hear many things that many people say, and sometimes, even the body speaks to you, but the secret of still moving on when your body, sight, and members of your body are telling another story is for you to live and walk as the Lord said. The word of the Lord will be final in our lives in Jesus’ Name.

1.      THE FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS OF A STEADFAST, AGEING CALEB

Joshua 14:6-14.

pastor Kumuyi general superintendent of Deeper Life

  • The Foundation and Conviction of a Word-Saturated Messenger Joshua 14:6-7; Numbers 13:30; Psalm 11:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:19-21. The word in your heart and the condition of your heart is what brings conviction. “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.” (Numbers 13:30). The word in our heart is the foundation of what is going to follow, the victory we are going to have, and the triumph we are going to have. The promise, precept, purpose, and passion in our heart is the foundation on which the rest of our lives will be built, and that foundation is very important. The foundation of God is not destroyed because God is eternal and He has the same conviction, thought, and word. As we hear the news and see the attitude of the people and the fear on their faces, we must be determined to have a foundation different from theirs and have the conviction of a word-saturated messenger, knowing that we will overcome by His grace, and in His strength.
  • The Faith and Consistency of Willing, Settled Men Joshua 14:8-9; Numbers 14:69; Jeremiah 32:39-40; Acts 9:31. Time changes people’s comportment and conviction, and it affects their hearts too. It takes the word of God in the heart for a man to remain settled and consistent in the faith of yesteryears with the passage of time. “Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.” (Joshua 14:8-9). Caleb and Joshua were like lilies in the mire, they were unaffected by the rottenness, unbelieving attitude, murmuring, weaknesses, complaints, and unwillingness of the children of Israel. The man or woman who is settled by faith does not look, hear, think of, or meditate on what other people say.  The Lord wants to give every one of us the heart of Caleb so that we will have one heart, one purpose, one desire, one direction, and one commitment to the Lord. This one heart is included in the second work of grace, sanctification.

 

  • Faithfulness with the Courage of a Well-Set Mind Joshua 14:10-12; Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51; 1 Corinthians 2:16. Our minds are very important, and they can give us away if they become weakened, unstable, unsteady, worried, fretful, or anxious. The condition of the mind will regulate the activities of the body and tune up every part of the body, therefore, we need to have a mind that is strong because as the inner man gets strengthened, we are able to go on and pursue. “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” (Isaiah 50:7). You will not be ashamed. “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,” (Luke 9:51). It is what you have in the mind that affects what you do. What mind do you have as you face the charge and commission that the Lord has placed in your hands? “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16). As you pray, more of the mind of Christ will be given to you and you will have the mind of the overcomer, the mind of the conqueror, and the mind that makes us set our face like a flint going to the place the Father has appointed.

2.     THE FOCUS AND FITNESS OF A SANCTIFIED, AFFECTIONATE COLLEAGUE

Joshua 14:6-14.

(i) The Humility and Holiness of an Age-Long Companion Joshua 14:6, 12-13;

Hebrews 7:7; Micah 6:8; Hebrews 12:14. “Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.” (Joshua 14:6, 12-13). Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him what he requested because he knew Caleb was talking from his heart and not in arrogance. Caleb had the humility to ask Joshua for possession, although they were colleagues before God appointed Joshua to lead the children of Israel. If there is no humility, there is no holiness. The humility of the heart is the very foundation and the beginning of holiness in our lives. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8). God wants us to come to the realisation and ask ourselves: Am I humble? Am I proud? Do I brag? Do I boast? Do I give myself away as a proud achiever? Am I walking humbly with the Lord my God? Whether we are strong, high, bold, or confident, God wants us to be humble.

 

  • The Health and Happiness of an Active Compatriot Joshua 14:10-11; Proverbs 17:22; 14:30; Acts 27:34. Our health is affected by what we eat, the news we hear, and how we sleep. As we believe in healing, we should also believe in health. As we grow older, we must protect our minds, sleep, and life so that we remain healthy. Prevention is better than cure; it is better to avoid falling sick than to fall sick and start praying and fasting for healing. Happiness contributes to health and holiness, while sorrow and sadness contribute to breaking down our system. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22). “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30). “Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.” (Acts 27:34). Fasting improves our health, makes us stronger, and gives the digestive system some time to rest. After fasting, you must pay attention to what you eat, how you eat, how slowly and gradually you take the food, what you start with, and what you continue with because they affect how health. We ought to pray and claim the promises of God so that we can be healthy, but our food and diet, and their timing contribute to our health. Our food, exercise, mood, and state of mind, contribute to our physical fitness. We need to look at our surroundings and everything we need so that our health will be guaranteed until old age in Jesus Name. The Lord will keep you, His word will keep you, and what you eat will not eat you up.

 

  • The Hope of Heaven in Heirs Abiding in Christ 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 3:1-3;

Hebrews 10:34-39; 11:14-16.  The Lord sees very good things that you do, and that you think of, and every good step that you take, and rewards you partially here on earth, but He has reserved a lot of reward for you in heaven. When you know you have rewards and treasures in heaven, you will not be bothered by whatever is going on here on Earth.

 

3.     THE FELLOWSHIP AND FRUITFULNESS OF A SPIRITUALLY ADVANCING CONQUEROR

Joshua 14:11-15; 15:13-20.

 

  • Caleb’s Strength for Warfare and Active Service in Old Age Joshua 14:11; 15:13-15; Deuteronomy 34:7, 10-12; 2 Timothy 4:17-18. “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.” (Joshua 14:11). Caleb retained the spirit of exploration and adventure and the passion he had at old age as he had when he was younger. “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.”

(Deuteronomy 34:7). Most people who die at old age die of old age disease, but the Lord preserved every part of the body of Moses until he died. The Lord will preserve you until old age.

 

  • Caleb’s Subjugation of the Wicked in his Assigned State, in Old Age Joshua 14:12-15; 15:14-20; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Jonah 1:2; 3:1-10. “Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.” (Joshua 14:12). The Lord will give you the power to drive out whatever is coming into your life that you don’t appreciate, whatever is eroding into your family that you don’t appreciate, and whatever is coming into your local church and ministry that is not establishing holiness.

 

  • Caleb’s Steadfastness, Willingness and Absolute Surrender till Old Age Joshua 14:8, 9, 14; Deuteronomy 1:36; Matthew 24:11-14; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14. “Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.” (Joshua 14:8-9). As we arise, move to get what the Lord has ordained for us, we will possess in Jesus Name. There are many promises in the word of God, but it is our reading them, meditating on them, claiming them, and internalising them that makes them ours to possess. We will not leave any space between us and the Lord, but we will follow Him wholeheartedly. We will follow where He goes, and good things will happen to us as we do. As you follow the Lord, good things good life, abundant life, joy and peace, achievement and success will follow you in Jesus Name.

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