LESSONS OF FAITH FROM JOSHUA
Lesson 8 : Giants of Faith: Joshua and Caleb
8.3 The Power of Example
Faith That Lives On – The Strength of a Good Example
Introduction
Each generation stands at a crossroads. It can set out anew or remain stuck. It can inherit – or forget. But what moves generations is not merely instruction, but example. Not just words, but lived faith.
Caleb was a man who didn’t just possess faith – he passed it on. And that is exactly what we see in this lesson: how a hero of faith like Caleb left behind a spiritual legacy that shaped the next generation.
Because the greatest gift we can give to our children and young people is not wealth or fame – but the example of a life fully surrendered to God.
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Bible Study – The Power of Lived Discipleship
1. The Historical Context: Caleb’s Lineage and Legacy
Joshua 15:16–19 reveals a fascinating detail in Caleb’s life: he makes a promise that rewards courage, initiative, and faith. Caleb calls for someone to conquer the city of Debir – also known as Kiriath-Sepher. This city was strategically important, but difficult to conquer.
Interestingly, it wasn’t Caleb himself who led the assault, but someone from his own family: Othniel, son of his brother Kenaz. Othniel took up the challenge – proving that Caleb’s spirit had been passed on. Faith, courage, and resolve are contagious when they are not just preached, but lived.
2. Achsah – More Than Just “the Daughter”
After the conquest, Achsah doesn’t just ask her father for land – but also for water springs. A wise and bold request in a dry region. In the patriarchal society of the time, a woman asserting her needs with such confidence was not common. Yet Achsah did it – shaped by her father’s legacy and her husband’s mindset.
Her actions are an early testimony that spiritual courage is not bound by gender, and that true discipleship can be passed down generationally when it comes from the heart.
Achsah is not a side character. She is a direct product of lived faith – a role model especially for young women today.
3. Othniel – From Warrior to Leader
In Judges 3:7–11, Othniel appears again – this time as Israel’s first judge. After the death of Joshua and Caleb, Israel drifted into forgetfulness, serving other gods and losing direction.
But in this dark time, Othniel rises – the same man who once answered Caleb’s call. He becomes an instrument of deliverance. God anoints him with His Spirit, and under Othniel’s leadership, Israel experiences peace for 40 years.
→ This shows that courageous faith in small things can lead to spiritual leadership in great things.
Othniel had learned from Caleb – not through theory, but through experience, proximity, and example. Caleb saw leadership potential in him – and entrusted him with responsibility.
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Responses to the Questions
Question 1: What does this story teach us about the power of example?
1. Example builds trust:
Caleb wasn’t just a strong man of God – he trusted those around him. By offering the challenge to conquer Debir, he said: “I believe God’s Spirit is not only with me – but with you too.”
2. Example is passed on:
Othniel is the best proof of the influence a spiritual mentor can have. His later role as a judge shows how vital it is for young people to be challenged – not overwhelmed – and to have real role models.
3. Example gives courage:
Achsah shows that women in the Old Testament were not merely passive. Her boldness reflects her father’s courage – but also her own faith. She asked boldly for springs – and received both upper and lower springs. That’s faith with vision.
4. Example lives on:
Caleb’s descendants didn’t become passive heirs. They stood up for God’s promises. That is the true goal of spiritual mentoring: that the next generation doesn’t just know what God has done – but becomes part of His story.
Question 2: What lesson is found in Luke 18:1–5?
The parable of the persistent widow powerfully illustrates the strength of spiritual perseverance. The woman doesn’t give up – even though she has no rights, the judge is ungodly, and the outcome is uncertain.
→ The link to Achsah is clear: She could have settled for a dry inheritance. But she asked for more – for life, for springs.
The lessons:
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Faith persists – but with humility.
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God delights when we take His promises seriously.
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It honors God when we don’t settle for less.
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Young people need role models of ‘persistent faith.’
That’s why what we live out before the next generation is so crucial. They don’t only learn from our words – but from what we don’t give up on, even when it’s hard.
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Spiritual Principles
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Faith is not just personal – it is transferable.
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Spiritual heirs grow where spiritual examples have lived.
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Endurance is a sign of faith – not stubbornness.
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Women play a vital role in passing on the faith.
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The next generation looks not first at sermons – but at lives.
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Everyday Application
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Be a Caleb for the young people around you: Encourage, inspire, share your story.
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Talk with youth not only about rules – but about promises.
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Delegate tasks – even if it would be quicker to do them yourself.
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Celebrate small steps of faith – just as Caleb celebrated Othniel.
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Give them space to fail – and room to grow.
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Conclusion
Faith lives on when it’s not just proclaimed, but embodied. Caleb’s story doesn’t end with his victory – it continues through his daughter, through Othniel, through a new generation ready to move forward.
If we want faith to be alive 20 years from now, it starts today – with our example.
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Thought of the Day
“Children don’t remember our words as much – but they never forget what our faith looked like when things got real.”
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Illustration
The Daughter’s Desire
How a quiet example takes root in a young soul
Chapter 1 – A Father’s Shadow
Her name was Miriam Brandt. Nineteen years old, studying to become a primary school teacher. Athletic, smart, determined. But what shaped her most wasn’t something found in grades or résumés: it was her father’s quiet faith.
Her father, Benjamin Brandt, was not a great speaker. He wasn’t a pastor, author, or church leader. But he was present – reading the Bible in the morning, speaking blessings in the evening, and praying silently in the living room when Miriam awoke from nightmares.
As a child, she took it for granted. As a teen, she ignored it. Now, at 19, she wondered:
“What makes him so grounded in a world full of uncertainties?”
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Chapter 2 – The First Test
Miriam was in Spain for a semester abroad – a dream that suddenly turned into a nightmare. A fellow student was badly injured, and the group was in shock.
The WhatsApp messages rolled in:
“Stay strong,”
“We’re thinking of you,”
“What a shock…”
Then came Miriam – doing something she couldn’t explain even to herself.
She wrote:
“I’m praying for her. And I believe that even in darkness, God is not far.”
Two minutes later came a reply from another student:
“Thank you. I wanted to pray too, but I was scared.”
Something began to grow in her – not through theology, but through memory:
Her father’s example.
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Chapter 3 – The Decision
Weeks later, back home. It was Sabbath morning. Miriam sat in church, invisible among the rows.
The preacher spoke about Caleb. About faithfulness. About courage. Then he said:
“Those who live faithfully today preach louder than anyone holding a mic. Our lifestyle is either the greatest witness – or the greatest obstacle.”
In that moment, she didn’t see Caleb – she saw her father. Preaching through his daily life, though never on a stage.
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Chapter 4 – The Daughter Steps Forward
A year later, Miriam took over a junior group at church. Her devotionals weren’t spectacular. But they were real.
After one session, a 13-year-old girl approached her and said:
“You’re such an example to me. You bring God into everything you do – I want to do that too.”
Miriam was speechless. She hadn’t done anything special. She had simply lived – like her father.
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Chapter 5 – Looking Back
One December evening, Miriam sat with her father by the fireplace. Snow fell gently outside.
“Dad,” she said softly, “you have no idea how much your faith has changed my life.”
He just smiled. “I never preached to you.”
“Oh, but you did. Every day.”
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Epilogue – The Power of the Quiet Ones
Not all Calebs stand on stages. Some sit at kitchen tables, have breakfast with you, pray silently, and believe – faithfully, steadily.
And someday, from their example, a new Caleb grows.
Or a Miriam.
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Moral of the Story
You never know who is growing in your shadow.
Your faith is never just your own – it speaks, even when you don’t realize it.
