Unwavering Faith

Pastor Joel Quick

Talking Faith • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Numbers 13:30–33 KJV 1900

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. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14:22–24 KJV 1900

Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Joshua

Joshua 14:6–14 KJV 1900

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 Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 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. And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 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. 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. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.

Despair, quitting, giving up.

When the church is working as a team is a blessing, but what if your team is not willing to work with you?

Definition of unwavering

continuing in a strong and steady way : CONSTANT, STEADFAST

Joshua and Caleb experienced this dilemma when they joined ten others to spy out the Promised Land. Even though the Lord guided the Israelites to this new land and delivered them from numerous challenges, they were now afraid to enter Canaan because of giants and fortified cities. These two stood alone against Israel and would not waver in their resolve to follow the Lord. Caleb’s leadership shows us three important principles to follow in overcoming circumstances that could lead us to rebel against God. FOCUS It is easy to be overwhelmed by negative circumstances and miss God’s direction for our lives. Even in the midst of opposition, Caleb challenged his people to take possession of the land. Caleb never hesitated in his resolve. He said they should by all means go up to this new land. He strongly believed that nothing should keep them from following the Lord. This kind of tenacity comes from unwavering focus on one’s mission. Focus is an important element to success and obedience to God’s leadership, but it is easy for us to be distracted and discouraged by our circumstances. Amidst the noise of overwhelming circumstances and the crowd of naysayers around us, the voice of God seems to grow dimmer. Satan uses the crowds to bring confusion and our circumstances to cause doubt. Caleb demonstrated great focus on the will of God because the Promised Land was their objective. He refused to allow the dangers ahead or the fears of his people to cause him to falter in his resolve to follow the Lord. We should also demonstrate laser-beam focus on the will of God. When our hearts are set on obedience, the voices around us become minimal and our circumstances have no effect on our determination. TRUST We have all trusted things not worthy of trust – frayed ropes, weak boards, or undependable cars. When God speaks, however, we can always trust His way to be right. One reason Caleb insisted on moving into the Promised Land was because it was the Lord who led them there from the beginning. Caleb trusted God and knew without doubt that God’s way was always right. He implored the people to follow the Lord, “If the Lord is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us.” Caleb was confident that the Lord was with his people and they should not fear anyone. Where is your faith? In whom have you placed your trust? states, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Our faith in the Lord must be unwavering. Circumstances often turn and people vacillate, so we cannot allow anything to determine our steps, except the Lord. Faith is essential to our spiritual victory. The writer of Hebrews said that we cannot please God without it (). In Fresh Faith, Jim Cymbala defined faith as “total dependence upon God that becomes supernatural in its working.” Caleb demonstrated total dependence upon God, and God worked supernaturally in his life. PERSISTENCE The final ingredient to Caleb’s spiritual success was a tireless pursuit of God’s best for his life. He pleaded with the Israelites not to rebel against God. Even to the point of being stoned for his insistence upon following the Lord, Caleb would not budge on his position. In the end, God honored Caleb for his faithfulness because he had a different spirit and followed God completely. While all of Israel were banned from the Promised Land, Caleb and Joshua were allowed to enter because of their persistent faith. Throughout the Scriptures, God challenges his children to persist. says the righteous fall and get back up. Paul told the Thessalonians not to grow weary in well doing () while the Hebrews writer challenged us to run with endurance (). It was the persistence of the ant that God honored () and the insistence of the friend at night that led to a response (). John Wesley wrote about his ministry challenges in his diary from May 5 through June 2. He began his entry on Sunday morning, May 5, with these words, “Preached in St. Ann’s and was asked not to come back.” The next seven entries speak to being run off and kicked out of various places. His entry for Sunday afternoon, June 2, however, read, “Afternoon service, preached in a pasture. 10,000 came to hear me.” God works through persistent people to reveal his power and his ways. God will be honored in us as we continue fulfilling our purpose and his will regardless of the circumstances. Focus, trust, and perseverance are key qualities for us to emulate if we are going to claim our own land of promise. Whether our struggles come from the voices of cynics, the challenges of parenting, or difficulties with our careers, God wants to work in our lives to show his steadfast love. Even as Caleb experienced a great blessing from the Lord for his faithfulness, we, too, can enjoy the Lord’s favor by always choosing to serve him.

https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/210872-session-1:-caleb-unwavering-faith

It means that you trust God with your life more than you trust yourself. It means that you trust his timing even when you’re running out of patience. It means that you trust his decisions even if you don’t like them. It means that you will love him with all your heart even if you don’t understand him. It means that even when you question him, you still believe in him, even when you’re tired from everything he’s been throwing your way, you sleep with your mind at ease because you know he knows what he’s doing. It means that you accept what he’s written for you even if you’re dying to change it. It means that instead of fighting with him, you fight for him. It means that instead of complaining to him, you thank him.

Because faith doesn’t change anything around you but it changes everything within you. Faith doesn’t always shine and sparkle but it helps you live through the darkness and through the pain. Faith keeps you going when everyone else is giving up, faith keeps you dreaming when everyone else is waking up and faith teaches you the meaning of life and ultimately teaches you how to live. Faithing It

Faith. What does faith mean to you? Faith is something that is easily taken for granted. You had faith the chair you sat down in this morning would support you, but what if it didn’t? What if you came crashing down to the floor as you went to take a seat? You would inspect the chair thoroughly the next time you went to sit, wouldn’t you? I admit, that chair has come crashing down beneath me in my own life. Unfortunately, the primary object of my faith was not Jesus Christ at the time. There were so many unanswered questions that took place when my stroke occurred. How did this happen? What is the purpose of this, and would I ever walk again? Since then, hidden away in a tiny corner of my mind, I have thought that after surviving the stroke, I had filled my quotient of pain and suffering. However, as I seek to understand God’s plan for myself as a child of His, I know that there will be moments were my faith will be tested. What about you? You may not have suffered a stroke, but I’m sure your faith has been tested. Do you continue to call out to Jesus like Bartimaues, the blind man? () Even though you are not blind, it is sometimes easy to focus on the trying circumstances that engulf you. This leads to worry, anxiety and frustration. God never promised that serving Him would mean living on “easy street”, but He does ask you to trust Him because He has overcome the world. () I tell myself that I don’t want the so called “easy street.” There is a part of me that would prefer more moments of comfort. I do not know of many people that enjoy pain, but it is the painful times that drive me closer to Jesus. The first half of this year, has been quite painful for me physically, and it has prevented me from doing the thing I love most…writing about my Savior. I’ve asked myself what God is seeking to teach me through this very uncomfortable process. I came across a verse I had memorized a few years ago, but God wanted to give me a reminder. Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect, complete, lacking in nothing. () Perfect? Now that is a daunting word indeed. As long as we live on this earth we will never be perfect like Christ. The good news is… He continues to mold us to be more like Him. You are continuing to mature as a Christian as God equips you for His purpose. Even the disciples who followed Jesus would sometimes forget the blessings and miracles of Christ they had seen with their own eyes. Look at what Jesus said to them. Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand? Or the seven loaves and the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up? () Your faith will continue to be tested. Satan is always on the prowl, but God instructs you to resist him. () He is relentless in his efforts to destroy you and your testimony for Christ. He even tested Jesus three times while He was here on earth. The trials and tests can strengthen your faith, but it all depends on your response to those trials. Do you dive into God’s word and seek Him in prayer during these times? It is only with God’s power that you can overcome the enemy. There is a very insightful verse at the end of Jesus’s testing by Satan, and if you are not careful it is easy to miss. It is not mentioned in the version of Christ’s temptation, so I want to illuminate it for you today. When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him for an opportune time. () Wow! What a reminder to dress ourselves in the armor of God every day. Satan is roaming about looking for the perfect opportunity to attack, but God has left us with the necessary tools to equip us for the spiritual warfare that exists. When you dress yourself in God’s armor, you are confirming your faith in Him. RECOMMENDED: Top 10 Powerful Prayer Quotes Another path you may travel on your journey to unwavering faith is by being tested by God. Remember Abraham and the tests God placed before him? God instructed him to leave his family and go to an unknown country. God promised to bless him and his wife, Sarah with a child at an advanced age. However, He then asked Abraham to sacrifice that same child, Issac, on an altar. What I love most about the story is that Abraham believed God’s promises. There were moments of doubt and consequences for not waiting on God, but his faith grew as God showed Himself faithful. Look at Abraham’s response to his son as they were headed towards the altar. Issac questioned his father about the sacrifice. God will provide for himself a lamb for the burnt offering, my son. So the two of them walked on together. () Having unwavering faith is a process. You don’t just wake up one day and it magically appears. Just like with the chair I mentioned earlier. You sat down in it because it has held you up over the months and years. You don’t walk up to it and inspect it before you sit. God should always be the object of your faith because He will never let you down. I absolutely love this promise from God. Do not fear for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you. Surely, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. () I was just sharing this verse with my mother the other day as we were encouraging one another. What a wonderful promise from an omnipotent God! Can you think of anyone better to put your faith in? He is promising help and strength and imploring us not to live fearful. I am going through God’s training to not live anxious. He wants me to lean into and trust Him. I may not be able to see His complete plan, but my faith in Christ continues to grow because I remember all He has done and continues to do in my life. If you want to experience God’s indescribable peace, allow your faith in Him to grow during times of trial and testing. The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. () So, as you travel on your spiritual journey to unwavering faith, there will be testing along the way. Remember this my friend, God is sovereign, and nothing takes place that is not His will. You will encounter potholes,detours,and there may be times when you feel you’re drowning in quicksand, but it is all part of God’s plan to continue growing you up in Him.

Faithing It is not about pretending away your problems—it’s about facing circumstances with confidence because you see them measured to the miracle working power of God. By Faithing It, you will discover how to take the very storms that tried to destroy you and turn them into pathways to promotion and divine purpose!