Caleb: A Different Spirit

“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” — Numbers 14:24 ESV   

Caleb had a different spirit than the people around him. One translation calls it “a different attitude.” There was a faith and a courage in him to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and live his life like he believed God! There was a passion to do the will of God, and a determination to take territory and lead the way no matter what other people thought.

Caleb was invincible. He drove out giants from his own inheritance. Even when he was old, he had the strength and zeal of a young man. He stood out. He was different in a good way.
The name Caleb means “dog.” If you own a dog, you know that they stand out within the animal kingdom because of their loyalty. If you were to ask people to name one characteristic of dogs, I would be willing to bet the most common answer would be that they are loyal.

Dogs listen for their master’s voice. They live to please the master. They stay close by their master’s side. They may even follow their master into different rooms of the house out of their intense loyalty. They want to be where you are, and if you move from there, they move too. You lead and they follow. They love to follow your commands.

That is what it looks like to have a different spirit. You stand out from the crowd when you live only to please the Lord, when you stay close to hear his voice, and you go everywhere he leads.
When your relationship with God looks like a dog with its owner, the voices and opinions of man fade into the background as you listen for His voice. The approval or disapproval of man simply does not matter because your goal is to please your Master. He has shown you loyal love, and he is looking for your loyal love in return.

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This blog is an excerpt from Robert Presson’s devotional book, “People Of His Presence,” available on Amazon: Click here to purchase on Amazon.  Alternatively, the book is available for free when you give a donation of any amount to City Revival Ministries at  cityrevivalnola.com/give. Please indicate that you would like the book when you give.