Faith Over Fear: Standing Like Joshua and Caleb

By Dean Collins

If you choose to live by faith, then it is essential that you not give up or give in when fear begins to haunt you. Those who stand firm in their faith join the ranks of Caleb and Joshua who were led by a different spirit than everyone around them.

In Numbers 13, we find the famous story when God instructed Moses to spy on the land of Canaan. The Israelites were right there with the opportunity that God had promised, but they couldn’t imagine. So, you think God had Moses send 12 spies into Canaan because he didn’t know what they would find? Not at all. He wanted to confirm for them that the riches of the promised land were right within their reach. 

Twelve men went to spy on Canaan. Joshua and Caleb saw the goodness of the land but viewed the challenges associated with taking the land as something God would handle. The other 10 saw the same goodness in the land but instead of remembering how God had rescued, delivered, and provided time and time again, the challenges were viewed as something they would have to manage. They saw how big the opposition was and felt small in comparison. But they quickly forgot how big God was and that there is nothing impossible for God.

What happens when you read or listen to the news of bad weather, an international incident, a pending economic problem? Well, it usually stirs fear. We imagine the worst instead of remembering that whatever is ahead, God will be there and go with us through the challenges — if they are even challenges at all. The same thing happened as 10 of the 12 Israelite leaders reported difficulty. The people were seized with fear and cried and wept all night, believing that it would have better for them to die in the wilderness, or even in Egypt, than to obey God and walk into the promised land.

 There was a huge panic in the masses. Moses and Aaron, seeing the rebellion growing, fell on their faces and prayed. Joshua and Caleb continued to try and convince the crowds that God would deliver them, but they were unsuccessful. The people wanted to gather stones and kill the two who were championing faith and confidence in God!

 Moses appealed to the Lord with boldness: 

“But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Talk about a courageous and bold prayer! The end result was that those who were afraid to go forward in faith learned that they would get their wish to die in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb and the next generation would receive the promised land. Their faith in God delivered them from their fears.

How many times have we been there? Walking by faith does not mean that we won’t face giants. Jesus told us straight up that in this world there would be many problems but that he has overcome the world. Nothing has ever been impossible for God and that has not changed.

Isaiah the prophet said, “Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed, I am your God; I will strengthen you; I will help you; and I will uphold you by my righteous right hand!”  

Whatever we face today or next can be handled, even with just one hand of God.

Father, we confess that many times we let fear get the best of us and hesitate to trust that you are with us. Forgive us. Today we ask you to increase our faith as we step forward, doing the things you call us to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Numbers 13:2-3, 17-20, 14:1-24; Isaiah 41:10 ESV

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