Jul. 24, 2022

“STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD”

“CHARACTER FOR A LIFETIME”

JOSHUA 14:6-15

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Are you willing to take the initiative and are you willing to pay the price?

Caleb was a great soldier, who refused to fade away until all of his passions had been fulfilled.

Two Qualities Of Caleb’s Character:

1.   He Was Willing To Take The Initiative.

Joshua 14:6-15

“Hebron”-means communion or fellowship.

This mountain represented the pinnacle of Caleb’s life’s desire.

Caleb had a vision that produced a consecration to God to totally, wholly, completely follow God.

God is giving a testimony of Caleb:

Numbers 14:24 “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.”

Can God say about you, “they have a different spirit?”

1 Corinthians 12:31 “But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”

Paul is talking about spiritual gifts.

Galatians 4:17-18 “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.”

“Zealous”- means a burning within.

What is your passion? Or do you have one?

What are you really passionate about?

Joshua 14:12 “Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day…”

If you don’t have initiative and courage to act, you don’t have a vision, you have a fantasy. Are you willing to take initiative today to fulfill those visions God has given you” or are they fantasy?

Romans 5:2 “Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

2.   Are You Willing To Pay The Price.

2 Timothy 4:16-18

This is the type of character Paul had, he was willing to stand alone. That is character.

D.L. Moody said, “Character is what you are in the dark, true character is what you are, when no one is looking in the secret chambers of the heart.”

“Excellence is the result of caring more than others, risking more than what others, not playing it safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible.”

Character is strength to stand alone, even when no one else sees it.

Caleb was willing to fight the fiercest foes.

Joshua 14:11-15

Realize that nobody but you can consecrate yourself to God.

Psalm 18:29 “For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall.” I can do it through God’s help.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Are you willing to pay the price?

Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”

What are you passionate about? What is it that drives you to get out of bed everyday? What is it that keeps you going when someone offends you?

Matthew 6:19-21

Will you take the initiative to move forward to take the mountain today?

How do you do that?