MEN OF “ANOTHER SPIRIT”
NUMBERS 14:20-24, 30
Introduction:
Israel was standing on the threshold of entering the promised land. Moses had sent out 12 men to spy out the land that God had promised to give to Israel (13:17-20). Ten of those men returned with a negative report saying that it was impossible to take the land because of the giants that were there. They saw themselves as grasshoppers (13:33).
Caleb and Joshua had a different opinion. They saw what God could do. They were men of “another spirit.” We need men of “another spirit” today in order to carry out God’s orders to His church. What kind of a spirit do you possess or perhaps I should ask, “What kind of a spirit possesses you?”
I. MEN OF ANOTHER SPIRIT.
A. Caleb was a man of “another spirit,” Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
1. He loved God with all of his heart, Proverbs 23:26, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
2. He sought the Lord with all of his soul, Deuteronomy 4:29, “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
3. Caleb sought the Lord with all of his strength, that is, Heb. –greatly, exceedingly.
B. Joshua was a man who “wholly followed the Lord,” Joshua 14:8, “Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.” Numbers 32:12, “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.”
1. At times a man has to take a stand when everyone around him does not agree or does not have the courage to stand with him.
2. These are men who have “purpose of heart,” Acts 11:22-23, “Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23-Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”
a. The idea is to set themselves apart before God to be used.
b. The same Greek word is translated “shewbread,” that which was dedicated to God every Sabbath day.
II. MEN OF A SOUND HEART
A. These were men of a sound heart in the statutes of God, Psalm 119:80, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.”
B. These were men who kept the statutes of God, Psalm 119:145, “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.”
C. These were servants of God, Ephesians 6:5-7, “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6-Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7-With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
1. These were obedient servants of God.
2. Their service was not “eyeservice,” Matthew 6:5, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Matthew 23:5,-7 “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6-And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7-And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.’
3. They were not “menpleasers,” Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
4. They were “servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,” Psalm 135:1-3, “Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. 2-Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God, 3-Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”
These were men of “another spirit.” They were not ordinary men, but rather, men of courage and conviction. They stood for the truth and were examples of faith among their peers.
What kind of spirit do you have? Is it the same spirit or conviction that motivated men like Caleb and Joshua or are you one who goes with the crowd and has little or no conviction regarding serving the Lord who died for your sins on Calvary.
It is time we become the men God intends that we should be, however, this not something for the faint of heart. This takes the grace of God in your life.
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