I Want What's Mine! - Pastor Clarence Jackson II

Joshua 14 becomes the hinge for a teaching about promise, perseverance, and rightful claim. The narrative of Caleb is lifted as a living example: a man who remembered God's word, remained faithful through forty-five years of waiting, and finally demanded the inheritance promised to him. The distinction between human promises and divine promises is pressed—men may intend well or fail, but God never lies and always accomplishes what he declares. From that theological foundation flows a survey of general promises—pardon through Christ, God’s presence, provision, peace, protection, and purposeful plans—followed by the sharper truth that God also makes specific, earned promises to those who faithfully complete the tasks set before them.

The message refuses sentimentalizing faith as mere entitlement. Grace is acknowledged as life-saving and unmerited, yet Caleb’s reward is framed as something earned by steadfast obedience amid discouragement, fear, and delay. The spies’ fearful report is contrasted with Caleb’s confidence: where others saw giants and walls and felt like grasshoppers, Caleb saw God’s provision and said, “Surely we can possess it.” Waiting is reframed not as failure but as preparation; even at eighty-five Caleb could claim strength and press for his mountain. The congregation is urged to remember what God has said, to refuse being defined by obstacles, and to speak with authority over what God has already assigned.

The practical thrust is immediate and urgent: stop asking permission for what God put in one’s name, run to the altar for healing, peace, or love, and publicly step into obedience—illustrated by baptisms that celebrate new life and community restoration. The final tone is both comforting and confrontational: God’s promises endure, faithfulness matters, and it is never too late to demand what belongs by divine declaration and faithful stewardship.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God's promises are utterly reliable God’s declarations carry the character of the One who cannot lie; divine promises are not mere hopes but enacted realities that will come to pass. This reliability invites patient trust—waiting is not evidence of abandonment but a canvas on which God fulfills his word. Believers can anchor their souls in the certainty of God’s “yes and amen,” even when circumstances contradict the promise. [63:33]
• 2. Faithfulness yields specific inheritance Some blessings are sovereign gifts of grace; others are rewards tied to faithful completion of assignments. Caleb’s mountain was not an unearned windfall but a promise granted because he kept faith when others failed. This reframes vocation and obedience as means by which God entrusts greater stewardship and tangible inheritance. [68:06]
• 3. Obstacles should not derail pursuit Fear-focused reporting blinds communities to the goodness God promised; walls and giants become excuses to forfeit what is rightfully theirs. The spiritual task is to reframe problems as part of the road to possession, believing God will go before, behind, and beside the one he has called. Courage to act on God’s word produces forward motion toward promised outcomes. [73:39]
• 4. It is never too late to claim Time does not nullify God’s word; decades of waiting do not disqualify one from receiving what was promised. Caleb at eighty-five demonstrates that freshness of strength and clarity of claim can accompany advanced years. The summons is to speak ownership, run to the altar, and refuse to wait any longer to take what God has declared as one’s inheritance. [77:43]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [48:28] - Community Partnerships & Gifts
• [58:47] - Call to Worship & Hug Five People
• [59:12] - Scripture: Joshua 14 Introduced
• [62:03] - Defining A Promise
• [63:33] - General Promises of God
• [67:28] - Caleb’s Specific Promise
• [68:06] - Remembering & Faithfulness
• [72:11] - The Spies' Report & Fear
• [73:39] - Don't Let Problems Stop You
• [77:43] - Waiting 45 Years: Not Too Late
• [79:35] - Claim What Belongs To You
• [81:34] - Altar Call: Take Your Healing
• [99:23] - Baptisms Celebrated
• [102:34] - Closing & Encouragement

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon about Joshua 14:

Bible Reading

Joshua 14:6-13 (ESV)
"Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, 'You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea, concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. And I brought him word again as it was in my heart. Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, "Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God." And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he promised. Here are we, forty-five years later at the time when Israel wandered in the wilderness, and now, at eighty-five years old I am still as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out. I am as strong as I was then, to go out to war and to come in. So now give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, and how their cities were large and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out as the Lord has spoken.'"

Observation questions

1. Caleb recounts his age and the circumstances when Moses sent him to spy out the land. What was his age then, and how long has it been since that event? [01:00:43]
2. Caleb contrasts his own report with that of his brethren. What was the main difference in their reports about the land? [01:00:00]
3. What specific promise did Moses make to Caleb based on his faithfulness? [01:00:11]
4. Caleb makes a bold request at the end of the passage. What does he ask for, and why does he believe he is entitled to it? [01:01:02]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon highlighted the difference between human promises and divine promises. How does the reliability of God's promises, as stated in 2 Corinthians 1:20, impact our ability to trust Him, especially during long periods of waiting? [01:03:33]
2. The sermon distinguished between general promises of God and specific, earned promises. How does Caleb's situation illustrate the concept of an "earned" promise, and what does this imply about the relationship between obedience and inheritance? [01:07:28]
3. The spies saw giants and walled cities and felt like grasshoppers, while Caleb saw God's provision and believed they could possess the land. How does this contrast in perspective, as mentioned in the sermon, reveal the role of faith in overcoming obstacles? [01:12:11]
4. Caleb, at 85 years old, felt as strong as he did at 40 and demanded his inheritance. What does this demonstrate about the nature of God's promises and the possibility of claiming them, regardless of age or the passage of time? [01:17:43]

Application questions

1. The sermon emphasized remembering what God has said. What are some specific promises God has made to you, either generally or personally, that you might be forgetting or neglecting to hold onto?
2. We are called not to be defined by obstacles but to speak with authority over what God has assigned. Can you identify a current obstacle in your life that feels like a "giant," and how can you reframe it by focusing on God's promises and presence? [01:13:39]
3. Caleb didn't ask for permission to claim his inheritance; he demanded it. Are there areas in your life where you are waiting for permission or approval for something God has already declared is yours? [01:19:35]
4. The sermon urged us to run to the altar for healing, peace, or love. What is one specific area where you need to claim God's promise of healing, peace, or love right now, and what is one tangible step you can take this week to do so? [01:21:34]
5. Faithfulness in completing assignments, even when difficult, can lead to specific inheritance. Reflect on a time you were faithful in a difficult assignment. How did that faithfulness impact you, and what might be the "mountain" God has promised you as a result? [01:08:06]
6. The message stated, "it is never too late to demand what belongs by divine declaration and faithful stewardship." Is there a promise or inheritance you have felt was lost due to time or circumstances? What would it look like to claim that now? [01:17:43]