Introduction: Do you agree that the people we hang around influence us? Sometimes, more than we are willingly to admit! This can mean negatively, as well as positively. How can believers in Jesus Christ overcome influences that are contrary to God’s will and God’s Word? One way is to look beyond people and look to Jesus. Joshua and Caleb did just that. Moses writes that 12 spies were sent from outside of Israel at a place called Kadesh Barnea to check out the promised land. While resting under a shade tree in what appeared like a desert (actually the Negev desert), this Pastor thought about that event recorded in the book of Numbers. 

Here is a lesson on how we need to exercise Faith in the God of the Bible: Will you today?

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.” (Num 13:1,2)

1. Did you notice the words in verse 1?

God said He ALREADY gave the land to them!

” …..the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel.” (Num 13:1)

2. Did you notice what the 12 spies were instructed to do?

“And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land.” (Num 13:18,19,20)

This was a test! A test of FAITH!

3. Did you notice what happened after the 12 men spied out the land, what 10 reported?

“And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.” (Num 13:27,28)

We are influencing others by our decisions and actions.

4. Did you notice what (1) Faithful man – Joshua, said, standing in opposition to the other 10 men?

“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (Num 13:30)

One plus God is a majority!

5. Did you notice the Negative report by the Faithless crowd?

“But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (Num 13:31-33)

Were they telling a lie? No. What then was their problem? They were responding in the flesh instead of the Spirit. In other words, they were walking by “sight” and not by “faith.” Faith is taking God at His Word.

4. Did you notice how the Negative report influenced the rest of the congregation?

“And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!” (Num 14:2)

Negativity breeds negativity! Others are watching and listening to what we say and how we act.

5. Did you notice how (2) godly men, Joshua and Caleb, stood strong in FAITH?

“Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”

Sometimes you have to stand alone. Persecution and opposition will inevitably come. But when you are approved, our Lord will pour out BLESSINGS!

Conclusion: Did you notice how our Lord honored their FAITH in Him and judged the others who rebelled.

“37Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. 38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.” (Num 14:37,38)

Where is our Lord testing your FAITH in Him?

Let’s trust Him!