Identity in Christ: Joshua and Caleb

Welcome to today's episode of the Reflective Spaces Ministry podcast. I'm Tammy Toney-Butler, host, but we all know who the host of this show is, and that's Christ by way of his Holy Spirit. By way of his Holy Spirit. So, let's look at what he has for you today. We're talking about identity in Christ. And we're talking about two very different yet strong and mighty men of God, Joshua and Caleb. Remember, there were 12 spies sent to spy out the land of Canaan. And we see that in Numbers 13 1. The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel." So remember, there were 12 spies that were sent. And we hear of two spies, Joshua and Caleb, who had a different spirit. And Caleb, it's even mentioned about Caleb's spirit. When we look at numbers uh 14:24, but my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. Caleb had a different spirit. Remember him and Joshua came back and of the 12 spies, they were the only two that said, "We can conquer the land." Remember, the land was flowing with milk and honey. And they knew that they could conquer the land and that God had given them the land. And they knew it because they had a spirit of faith inside of them, a different spirit. Whereas the other 10 had a spirit of fear. They had a spirit of fear. And you either have a spirit of fear or you have a different spirit, a spirit of faith. And we as children of God, knowing God is a God that keeps his promises, we get to have a different spirit, a spirit of faith. We get to walk in the promises of God's word because we are children of the most high God and we find our identity in Christ Jesus in his work done on the cross. He gave us the keys to the kingdom and we have the power over fear and we can conquer the giants in our land because God is with us. Emmanuel is with us. He's in us. And when we look at second Corinians and we go to second Corinians 4 and we read 2 Corinthians 4, the light of the gospel. Therefore, having the ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced disgraceful underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word. But by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord with ourselves as your servants for Jesus's sake. For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And that is how we find our our being and our identity is that we are ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Sons and daughters of God. You know, Christ is our brother. We we are part of the kingdom of God. Co-airs. We sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We have the keys to the kingdom of God and we have power to bind and loose and to change our circumstances. And we don't cater to a spirit of fear. We have the spirit of faith which was a different spirit that Joshua and Caleb possessed. And we see it mentioned in the scriptures about Caleb. And they inherited the promised land. And the other people perished. My people perish because of lack of knowledge. And so today, I'm giving you the knowledge,

that you are a son and daughter of the most high king, that you belong, that you matter, that you have the spirit of faith and not of fear. And you don't have to fear the giants, the bullies in your land. You get to draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Christ that's within you. The spirit of God that's within you. And you get to speak Jesus and plead the blood of Jesus over every situation in your life. For it's his death on Calvary that gave us victory. You already walk from a place of victory. No matter what battle you face, no matter where you walk, you and you step, you take that territory for the kingdom of God. So you speak to the bullies in your life and you speak the word of God. You use your sword of truth. You use your sword of truth and you rebuke that spirit of fear and you say, "Satan, the Lord Jesus rebukes you. I don't have fear. I have power, love, and a sound mind. I had the spirit of Caleb inside of me. I'm a Joshua. I'm a Caleb. And I know I can take the land. And I know victory is mine. And we skip down to where it talks about since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written. I believed and so I spoke. We also believe and so we also speak knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God. We have our identity in Christ. We have the spirit of faith. We have the spirit of Caleb. We have a different spirit and we have access to the promised land and we walk in it because we don't wage war as the world does. And we get to say, "Satan, the Lord Jesus rebukes you. We have power, love, and a sound mind." And we can soar like an eagle. Run and not grow weary. Walk and not faint. Like it says in Isaiah 40:31. So you walk in power and strength and might this day and step out as children of the most high God. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus.