Text: Jos 14:6-12
Introduction:
Have you ever climbed a mountain? Imagine yourself shivering in -60° C (Mt Everest), feeling nauseous and battling a crashing headache from the altitude? No way!
Sir Edmund Hillary (29 May 1953 reach summit of Mt Everest): “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
Jesus told us that we can conquer mountains when we have faith in the Lord, and it's in accordance with His will. Matt 17: 20
Most people would never have any desire to risk their lives climbing a mountain but we all have those figurative mountains in our everyday lives.
Discussion: Caleb Joshua 14: 6-12
A. Who is Caleb?
One of the 12 spies sent by Moses. Num 13: 6
Only Caleb and Joshua had faith to defeat the Anakims. Num 13: 30-33; 14: 1-10
Caleb said: "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."
45 years later, Caleb said: “Give me this mountain.” Josh 14: 12
B. Caleb has a faith that conquers mountains. How did he attain it?
Conviction - He wholly followed Jehovah. Josh 14: 8,9,14; Heb 11: 6 a. Half-hearted Christians will not get things done. b. Half-hearted Christians will never believe that all things are possible to them that believe. Mark 9: 23 c. Caleb believed whole heartedly that all things are possible.
Confident – “I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said” Josh 14: 12; Phil 4: 13 a. The pessimist says it cannot be done. Num 13: 31 b. How many good works failed to take off because someone said it cannot be done?
Commitment – No retirement: “I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me” Josh 14: 11 a. When others said, “We can’t”– Caleb said “We can!” b. When others said, “Let’s turn back” – Caleb said “Let’s go forward” c. When others said, “The best is behind us” – Caleb said “The best is before us” d. When others said, “Give me the good old days” – Caleb said, “Give me this mountain” e. Convenient Christian will never have the same commitment as Caleb.
Courageous - Many would say that 85 years old is too old to still be going out to war and climbing mountains; but not Caleb. a. 85 years old wasn’t too old for sis Baby to go on Mission trips and attend personal work. b. When others said, “Take it easy” – Caleb said “Give me this mountain.”
Constancy – 45 years is a long wait for the promise to be fulfilled. Josh 14: 7, 10 a. When others said, “It is enough; let the younger ones do it.” Caleb said, “Give me this mountain.” b. Caleb will not rest until God said so.
C. How do you conquer mountains?
Conviction – No Conviction = No Commitment. Half-hearted Christians are faint-hearted Christians and they never learn to conquer the mountains in their lives.
Kill the Grasshoppers. Num 13: 33. Stop saying, “I can’t.”
Slay the Giants – Num 14: 8-9 – We are more than conquerors. Rom 8: 37
Make Preparations –Put on the whole armour of God. Eph 6: 13-17 a. Knowledge – Have you grown in knowledge? 2 Pet 3: 18 b. Godliness – Have you drawn closer to God? 1 Tim 4: 7 c. Christian Graces – How is your Christian Character? 2 Pet 1: 3-10
D. Many mountains are not what they seem.
Punctuality – 9.30am is too early! Is it??
Children – Are they blessings or cursing? a. They can’t wake up. Can they wake up on weekdays? b. They have homework. Who doesn’t?
Hospitality/Benevolence – I have children; I cannot ferry the speaker/an elderly brother to church.
Dressing – Is it too much to dress up for worship? Your dressing speaks volumes about your attitude. Heb 12: 22-24
Work – I’m busy. Do you serve the internet, shopping, and vacations, read the newspaper and watch TV?
E. Real mountains to conquer.
Self – Anger, hatred, selfishness, impatience, addiction, pride, divisive spirit, and etc.
Eldership – Will you be an elder in the Lord’s family? There are costs to pay: a. Physical Cost – It will drain you physically. b. Emotional Cost – Leading in the church is one of the most emotionally draining things you will EVER do. c. Spiritual Cost – The more influential you become as a leader, the greater the intensity of spiritual attack on your life. d. Personal Cost – It will affect you as a person. All your energy, thought and time will be centred on this work.
F. With God we can conquer these mountains:
Mountain of Indecision – I wait. 1 Kings 18:21
Mountain of Indifference – I don’t care. Phil 2: 20, 21
Mountain of Insecurity – I can’t. Phil. 4:13
Mountain of Inoperativeness – I won’t. Matt 21: 28-30
Mountain of Iniquity – I sin. 2 Tim 2: 22
Conclusion: ''Lord, Give Me This Mountain!'' Josh 14: 12
A. Will You Ask For the Mountain?
B. It is not too late to conquer mountains.
C. Caleb was a faithful servant; few men have ever done their work so well.
D. Our conviction affects all our other relationships. True Faith will lead to commitment.
E. Convenient Christians lack commitment. Convenient Christians will never give God their whole heart. They will not sacrifice their personal comfort for the common good.
F. Caleb is a very good example of one who is totally faithful and committed to God. He served God when he was young. He served God when he was old. He desired mountains and not plains.
G. Let us follow in the example of Caleb. Can you say like him: “I wholly followed the LORD my God”? Will you ask for the mountain? Or will you remain in the plain?