Aug 21, 2016 - âgrasshopper mentality.â Caleb and Joshua had a very different opinion. âThen Caleb quieted the peo
Caleb: A Bold Dream
Caleb: A Bold Dream
Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks!
Dr. Brandon Park | August 21, 2016
The life of Caleb teaches us what God can do when we have a bold dream. In Numbers 12-14, we The life of Caleb teaches us what God can do when we have a bold dream. In Numbers 12-14, we find the Israelites have been delivered out of slavery in Egypt. Now they were on the edge of Canaan find the Israelites have been delivered out of slavery in Egypt. Now they were on the edge of Canaan –– God had brought them to the Promised Land. They were positioned for victory and promised victory God had brought them to the Promised Land. They were positioned for victory and promised victory by God Himself. by God Himself. Read Numbers 13:1-3. These men were not sent to bring back an opinion. They were sent to bring back a strategy. They were not sent out to decide whether or not to take the land but how to take the back a strategy. They were not sent out to decide whether or not to take the land but how to take the land. These dozen men came back with two very different reports. The majority (10), saw the reality of giants (vs. 27-28). They said, “There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). These people minimized God and maximized the giants. 13:33). These people minimized God and maximized the giants. If all you do is focus on the _____________ of giants, you will always have the ______________ of grasshoppers. When you focus on your fears and your foes instead of your Father, you will have a “grasshopper mentality.” Caleb and Joshua had a very different opinion. “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it’” (Numbers 13:30). One group saw the obstacles, but Caleb and Joshua focused on the opportunities. Instead of listening to Caleb and Joshua, the Israelites took their cue from the majority. As punishment for their lack of faith, God sent them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. After that time, Caleb was back where he started and ready to claim God’s promise to him. After 40 years, he never let go of the dream God had placed on his heart. His life teaches us these principles:
1. God will give you the desires of your __________ when He is what your heart ___________.
Read Joshua 14:7-9. Three times in this chapter, the Bible says that Caleb “wholly followed” the Lord. Caleb was a man who gave God all that there was of him. Could you honestly say that you are “wholly following” the Lord? Henry Varley said, “The world has yet to see what God can do in and through and with and for a man wholly committed to him.” Is that your ambition? God will be satisfied with nothing less than a total commitment to Him. Many never learn to conquer the giants in their lives because they are never truly ______________________.
2. Your confidence must be __________ in the _________ of God.
Five different times in this chapter, Caleb keeps referring back to what the Lord said. He continually emphasizes the promise that God gave. Caleb’s confidence was in the Word of God. He had a mountain to climb and he was going to do it with a sword in his hand and the title deed in his pocket – because he knew that God had already given it to him. What made Caleb such a great man of faith is that he simply believed the promises of God. Do you know of any promises God has given to you in His Word? Because his heart was pure, it became the fertile soil upon which the seed of God’s Word could find root. God’s Word speaks to those who are ______________ to _______________ something from Him.
3. You need to overcome the “___ ________” mentality.
Caleb’s character led to his confidence and his confidence led to his courage. Even though God had promised him the land, he still had to overcome much opposition. The door of ___________________ swings upon the hinges of ____________________. God has planned for life to work in this way. Anything worth pursuing in life will be an uphill battle. • Caleb had to overcome __________________ individuals. Read Joshua 14:2-8. Caleb reflected back over 40 years ago when he first went into the land, but the others that went with him brought back a report that “made the heart of the people melt.” Most Christians today have a “grasshopper complex” – people who sit around and say, “It can’t be done. It won’t be done. It shouldn’t be done.”
•
Caleb had to overcome _________________ problems. “We saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight” (Numbers 13:33). Wherever you go, you take your mentality with you. After 400 years as captives in Egypt, the Israelites developed a slave mentality. Joshua and Caleb developed the capacity to see things from God’s vantage point. It spelled the difference between success and failure, and this one secret will change your world.
We need to stop looking at the Devil’s picture of defeat and start focusing on God’s portrait of success.
4. The giants in your life are your greatest ______________ opportunities.
Joshua 14:12. The Anakim were the giants in land. When Caleb first saw these giants 40 years prior, here is what he told the Israelites: “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them” (Numbers 14:9). Bread symbolizes something you eat to ________________ you and to _________________ you. Caleb said, "These giants will not be the means of our defeat, they will be the means of our growth. We're going to feed upon them." We spend most of our life trying to get out of difficulty. We don’t want to face any problems. Yet the difficulties that God gives you are the very things that make you strong and make you grow. What you perceive as a difficulty is in reality an opportunity. A pessimist sees __________________ in every opportunity. An optimist sees __________________ in every difficulty. We need to learn to view our giants through God’s viewpoint. You need to stop saying, "Look how much bigger he is than I am." You need to start saying, "Look how much smaller he is than God is."
5. Age is mind over matter. If you don’t _________, it doesn’t ___________.
No one is too young or too old to dream bold dreams and take on new mountains. “And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then.” When God makes a promise, He gives you the __________________ to claim it. The God who preserved the possession for the man is the God who preserved the man for the possession. Wherever God guides, he always provides.
6. In order to receive what God wants for you, you must first defeat the giants that are ___________ ________.
What dream did God place in Caleb’s heart? It was to take possession of the mountain in Hebron: That symbolizes three aspects of what God wants for you: • God wants to give you ____________________. That’s exactly what the word Hebron means – “fellowship.” And Caleb is saying, "I want that mountain called fellowship with God." • God wants to give you ____________________. The same Caleb who “wholly followed” the Lord took the whole mountain! That represents fullness – all that God had for him. • God wants to give you ____________________. Hebron was noted for the fruitfulness of the land. That’s exactly what God wants for you. He wants you to live on the mountain of fellowship, fullness, and fruitfulness. But in order to get there, Caleb had to first overcome three giants. These represent the three biggest giants you must also drive out! Joshua 15:14, “And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.” What do the names of these three giants mean? • Sheshai means “_______ I am.” • Ahiman means “_________ I am.” • Talmai means “__________ I can do.” Those are the three biggest giants you are going to have to drive out of your life – the giant of ego (“who I am”), the giant of pride (“what I am”), and the giant of self-reliance (“what I can do”). Ian Thomas said, "You can't, He never said you could. He can. He always said He would. Why don't you let him?"
Caleb: A Bold Dream
Caleb: A Bold Dream
Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks!
Dr. Brandon Park | August 21, 2016
The life of Caleb teaches us what God can do when we have a bold dream. In Numbers 12-14, we The life of Caleb teaches us what God can do when we have a bold dream. In Numbers 12-14, we find the Israelites have been delivered out of slavery in Egypt. Now they were on the edge of Canaan find the Israelites have been delivered out of slavery in Egypt. Now they were on the edge of Canaan –– God had brought them to the Promised Land. They were positioned for victory and promised victory God had brought them to the Promised Land. They were positioned for victory and promised victory by God Himself. by God Himself. Read Numbers 13:1-3. These men were not sent to bring back an opinion. They were sent to bring back a strategy. They were not sent out to decide whether or not to take the land but how to take the back a strategy. They were not sent out to decide whether or not to take the land but how to take the land. These dozen men came back with two very different reports. The majority (10), saw the reality of giants (vs. 27-28). They said, “There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). These people minimized God and maximized the giants. 13:33). These people minimized God and maximized the giants. reality mentality If all you do is focus on the _____________ of giants, you will always have the ______________ of grasshoppers. When you focus on your fears and your foes instead of your Father, you will have a “grasshopper mentality.” Caleb and Joshua had a very different opinion. “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it’” (Numbers 13:30). One group saw the obstacles, but Caleb and Joshua focused on the opportunities. Instead of listening to Caleb and Joshua, the Israelites took their cue from the majority. As punishment for their lack of faith, God sent them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. After that time, Caleb was back where he started and ready to claim God’s promise to him. After 40 years, he never let go of the dream God had placed on his heart. His life teaches us these principles: heart 1. God will give you the desires of your __________ when He is what your heart
desires ___________.
Read Joshua 14:7-9. Three times in this chapter, the Bible says that Caleb “wholly followed” the Lord. Caleb was a man who gave God all that there was of him. Could you honestly say that you are “wholly following” the Lord? Henry Varley said, “The world has yet to see what God can do in and through and with and for a man wholly committed to him.” Is that your ambition? God will be satisfied with nothing less than a total commitment to Him. Many never learn to conquer the giants in their lives because they are never truly surrendered ______________________. 2. Your confidence must be __________ in the _________ of God. rooted Word Five different times in this chapter, Caleb keeps referring back to what the Lord said. He continually emphasizes the promise that God gave. Caleb’s confidence was in the Word of God. He had a mountain to climb and he was going to do it with a sword in his hand and the title deed in his pocket – because he knew that God had already given it to him. What made Caleb such a great man of faith is that he simply believed the promises of God. Do you know of any promises God has given to you in His Word? Because his heart was pure, it became the fertile soil upon which the seed of God’s Word could find root. expecting receive God’s Word speaks to those who are ______________ to _______________ something from Him. I can’t 3. You need to overcome the “___ ________” mentality. Caleb’s character led to his confidence and his confidence led to his courage. Even though God had promised him the land, he still had to overcome much opposition. The door of ___________________ swings upon the hinges of ____________________. God has opportunity opposition planned for life to work in this way. Anything worth pursuing in life will be an uphill battle. • Caleb had to overcome __________________ individuals. Read Joshua 14:2-8. grasshopper Caleb reflected back over 40 years ago when he first went into the land, but the others that went with him brought back a report that “made the heart of the people melt.” Most Christians today have a “grasshopper complex” – people who sit around and say, “It can’t be done. It won’t be done. It shouldn’t be done.”
•
giant Caleb had to overcome _________________ problems. “We saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight” (Numbers 13:33). Wherever you go, you take your mentality with you. After 400 years as captives in Egypt, the Israelites developed a slave mentality. Joshua and Caleb developed the capacity to see things from God’s vantage point. It spelled the difference between success and failure, and this one secret will change your world.
We need to stop looking at the Devil’s picture of defeat and start focusing on God’s portrait of success. growth 4. The giants in your life are your greatest ______________ opportunities. Joshua 14:12. The Anakim were the giants in land. When Caleb first saw these giants 40 years prior, here is what he told the Israelites: “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them” (Numbers 14:9). Bread symbolizes something you eat to ________________ you and to _________________ you. strengthen enlarge Caleb said, "These giants will not be the means of our defeat, they will be the means of our growth. We're going to feed upon them." We spend most of our life trying to get out of difficulty. We don’t want to face any problems. Yet the difficulties that God gives you are the very things that make you strong and make you grow. What difficulty you perceive as a difficulty is in reality an opportunity. A pessimist sees __________________ in every opportunity. An optimist sees __________________ in every difficulty. opportunity We need to learn to view our giants through God’s viewpoint. You need to stop saying, "Look how much bigger he is than I am." You need to start saying, "Look how much smaller he is than God is." mind matter 5. Age is mind over matter. If you don’t _________, it doesn’t ___________. No one is too young or too old to dream bold dreams and take on new mountains. “And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then.” strength When God makes a promise, He gives you the __________________ to claim it. The God who preserved the possession for the man is the God who preserved the man for the possession. Wherever God guides, he always provides.
6. In order to receive what God wants for you, you must first defeat the giants within you that are ___________ ________.
What dream did God place in Caleb’s heart? It was to take possession of the mountain in Hebron: That symbolizes three aspects of what God wants for you: fellowship • God wants to give you ____________________. That’s exactly what the word Hebron means – “fellowship.” And Caleb is saying, "I want that mountain called fellowship with God." fullness • God wants to give you ____________________. The same Caleb who “wholly followed” the Lord took the whole mountain! That represents fullness – all that God had for him. fruitfulness • God wants to give you ____________________. Hebron was noted for the fruitfulness of the land. That’s exactly what God wants for you. He wants you to live on the mountain of fellowship, fullness, and fruitfulness. But in order to get there, Caleb had to first overcome three giants. These represent the three biggest giants you must also drive out! Joshua 15:14, “And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.” What do the names of these three giants mean? Who • Sheshai means “_______ I am.” What • Ahiman means “_________ I am.” What • Talmai means “__________ I can do.” Those are the three biggest giants you are going to have to drive out of your life – the giant of ego (“who I am”), the giant of pride (“what I am”), and the giant of self-reliance (“what I can do”). Ian Thomas said, "You can't, He never said you could. He can. He always said He would. Why don't you let him?"
