Act Bravely, Ask Boldly
Two Ways to Trust God’s Promises
Aaron Lee | Joshua 14:6-15; 15:13-19 | FCBCW Youth Worship | March 15, 2026
Introduction
How can I be a strong and courageous Christian? And does it really matter? I’m not a leader of a nation like Joshua. I’m not tasked with carrying the Ring like Frodo. Why should I care about being a strong and courageous Christian?
We’ve already preached about Joshua being a faithful follower of God, but this Sunday we’ll hear about two lesser-known characters who may not be as famous, but are just as faithful.
Context
The setting of our stories today are dealing with the difficult situation of tribal allotments. A little bit political. A little bit personal. Most of Canaan has been conquered, and the big land must be broken up and divided amongst the twelve tribes of Israel.
We’re going to hear about Caleb—a spy who helped scout the land and encouraged the Israelites to conquer it, even though they were afraid. In our passage, we meet him in his old age, and he remains just as faithful—ready to be brave once again, win the battle, and claim his inheritance.
We’re also going to hear about Achsah—a young woman who was given away in marriage. Yet she was bold enough to make her requests known, asking for blessings and securing provision for her family.
Sermon Preview
I’m glad I get to hear from these saints. They are real people with real stories who had a real effect on history and on the story of salvation. I can’t wait to tell you their stories. We’re going to see two traits of faithful believers:
Brave to act (Caleb, an old man who must claim his inheritance)
Bold to ask (Achsah, a young woman who must save her family)
1. Brave to Act
The first trait of faithful believers is that they are brave.
We’re going to see Caleb claim his inheritance. Caleb is best known for being a spy, who scoped out the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14). When he was 40 years old, he inspired the Israelites to have courage when they were scared – the text having said their hearts were melting with fear. In our text today, it has been 45 years since he spied out the land. He’s now 85 years old, and still, he wholly followed the Lord. Here is Caleb, a leader of the tribe of Judah, talking to Joshua and claiming his inheritance of land. There are still some Anakim people there that need to be driven out of the land. Caleb, at 85 years old, is going to be brave and believe God’s promise that the land is his, and gets it by driving out the Anakim as the Lord is with him:
12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” 13 Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. (Joshua 14:12-14)
Explanation
Faithful believers trust God’s promises by acting with bravery.
When the text says that Caleb wholly followed the Lord, it means he was unwavering. And in our text today, Caleb didn’t flinch when it came to claiming back the land. He was brave to trust God’s promises and act upon them. To wholly follow means to have wholehearted service and steadfast loyalty. Notice Caleb is 85 years old. He is old, yet he still is brave to wholly follow the Lord. Notice Caleb is said to be the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. He is an outsider, yet he still is brave to wholly follow the Lord. This story of Caleb echoes the story of Abraham – who was also a brave old man in demonstrating faith in God’s promises. Caleb is not as famous as Joshua, but he was just as faithful, by bravely acting upon God’s promises.
Application
So, will you act on God’s promises with steadfast bravery and loyalty?
My doctor gave me medicine for my skin. He promised that if I used it consistently, it would help clear things up. If I really trust him, I don’t just say, “I trust my doctor.” I actually use the medicine he gave me. Trust shows itself in action. Caleb trusted God's promise, so he acted.
Once upon a time, Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 25:14-30 about a master who gives his servants talents. While some spend and invest their talents, one servant simply hides it away, burying it in the ground, because he said he was afraid. He gets rebuked by the master, being called wicked, slothful, worthless for not taking action. And then he was cast into the outer darkness. The issue wasn’t how much he produced — it was that he did nothing with what the master entrusted to him. This should wake us up to the reality of the work we are called to do for the kingdom.
The themes of inheritance are huge here. As Christians, we have our greatest inheritance in Christ. But think about all the blessings God gives us. Christians today don’t claim physical land like Caleb. But we do advance Christ’s kingdom. We fight our sin, we stand against evil, and we proclaim the gospel to win souls.
Act and Trust
Caleb was acting out of a total devotion to follow God no matter how difficult it is and no matter how long it takes. He followed through. Here in LA, we’re a fast-paced culture that wants instant results, but spiritual maturity and growth takes time. Christians, we need to challenge this. Fight hard for purity. Fight your feelings of anxiety and despondency.
Serving in VBS, or youth worship, or missions – these are good things. I’m glad that you can do them as young people. But I know that some will just do it for their college apps and say your service is done. One practical tip is to see your time here as training. Serve in a variety of areas and see where you excel. When you go to college with more freedom, when you are a young adult with more money, that’s when you can really step up your serving to another level. For now, treat these years as training—so you’re not just serving for the next four years, but for the next forty and beyond.
I want to challenge you now to start these habits of acting and serving with steadfast bravery and loyalty. Memorize Psalm 20:7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” With every difficult or challenging situation that comes your way, say a quick prayer: “God, I trust you.” And then go in God’s power to do the work he has called you to do.
Act with an Attitude of Humble Courage
You can’t miss the fact that Caleb is older. There is something special about an older man of faith. For Caleb, he has trusted God before. He has been tested and proved true. Notice that Caleb acknowledges that the Lord has kept him alive and strong to claim and receive his promise:
10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. (Joshua 14:10-11)
Everything that God wants you to do, that God wills for you to do, he will keep you alive to do it and he will give you the strength to do it. We can play a part by preparing our hearts, knowing that God has prepared good works for us beforehand, so that we should walk in them.
Isn’t God so good, isn’t God so kind, that we can go out knowing that he is on our side? That he is for us and not against us? Nothing can touch our lives unless God allows it. Before we move on, let’s gaze upon Christ who is constantly acting on our behalf. He holds the world together – all things were created to him through him and for him – and he works all things together for the good of those who love him.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
2. Bold to Ask
The second trait of faithful believers is that they are bold. In our second story, Caleb asks for a man to conquer the city of Kiriath-sepher, offering to give his daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who will conquer the city. Caleb’s brother (some say nephew Jdg. 1:13) Othniel captures the city and marries Achsah. Achsah urges her new husband Othniel to ask her father Caleb that he would give them a field for their new home. Caleb gives them the field, but now Achsah goes directly to her father Caleb to ask that he would give her a very specific blessing:
19 She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. (Joshua 15:19)
Explanation
Faithful believers trust God’s promises by asking with boldness.
When the text says that Achsah asks that Caleb would give to her, it means she petitioned. She’s making a formal request here. She takes the initiative. She knew that only Caleb could supply what she needed. She has a confident expectation that Caleb could grant her her requests. And in our text today, Achsah didn’t hesitate to ask the giver. She was brave to trust God’s promises and ask accordingly. The springs of water are a precious resource for the people – and Achsah provides water for them to live. Notice Achsah is of marriageable age. She is young, yet she still is bold to ask her father. Notice Achsah is a woman. She is considered vulnerable and weak in biblical times, yet she still is brave to ask her father. This story of Achsah echoes the story of Abigail – also a bold young woman who demonstrated faith in God’s promises. Achsah is not as famous as Joshua or Esther, but she was just as faithful, by boldly asking according to God’s promises.
Application
So, will you ask for God’s promises with humble boldness and confidence?
I remember asking my mom to take me to the music store to buy some drumsticks. I wanted to join the drumline and I needed some sticks. This was before Amazon, so it would take some effort on her part to drive me. I didn’t demand, but I knew she was going to say yes. How much more can we ask our Heavenly Father!
Jesus tells a parable in Luke 11:11-13 about a son asking his father for a fish and receiving a serpent, or asking for an egg and getting a scorpion. He says at the end that if sinful humans know how to give good gifts to our kids, for sure our Heavenly Father knows how to take care of his children. This should wake us up to the reality of God being generous and good.
The theme of family shines through here. There’s a relational togetherness and taking care of your kin. At church, FCBC is family. Christians don’t have a human leader over all Christians like how Caleb provided for his family. But it’s the church that acts as God’s agency in the world, doing his work, coming together and carrying out tasks of caring that one single person cannot. Operation Christmas child. Adoption. Fostering. Christians take this upon ourselves to do it.
Ask and Trust
Achsah was asking for her family and her people. She was asking on behalf of others. We can pray for others. In our culture, we respect hard work. We value productivity and efficiency. Prayer seems like a waste of time. Christians, we need to challenge this. Prayer must be our priority.
Small group sharing is good. I’m glad that you can go deep in conversation. But how deep do you go in prayer? Exercise your spiritual prayer muscles. One practical tip is to set a prayer time. When my family spends the evenings home, I have a standing prayer appointment with God. I go to pray at 9pm. Jess knows this. The kids know this. It’s a habit I started this year. Get specific. Jess and I as well as my small group have seen God answer specific prayers. God can handle it.
I want to challenge you now to start these habits of asking and prayer with humble boldness and confidence today. Memorize Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” With every opportunity that comes your way, say a quick prayer: “God, I pray for your glory – may your will be done.”
Ask with an Attitude of Humble Confidence
One thing about Achsah is that she is a young woman. Being young. Being a woman. In Bible times, these often represented the weak and the vulnerable. But Achsah does not act weak or vulnerable. She takes matters into her own hands. She provides for and cares for her family by being a bold young woman. Notice that the text says she dismounted on her donkey. This is a sign of politeness, respect, and humility. There’s a way to be bold without being brash. It makes sense that someone making a request would do this, coming down to talk, and Caleb knows this because he responds to her action by asking her what she wants:
And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” (Joshua 15:18)
Proud people do not have the heart posture of humility to ask God. She was not presumptuous, and postured herself accordingly. Will you humble yourself, and just come before God and ask him? He is ready to hear and listen and give. In fact, Jesus often made it a point and went out of his way to show special love and care for women and children, the weak and vulnerable, to those who knew they needed him most.
Isn’t God so good and kind, knowing that we can ask, knowing that we can approach him with confidence. He is a Father who wants to bless his children. Before we move on, let’s gaze upon Christ who is constantly asking his heavenly father on our behalf:
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
The Gospel
Caleb from the tribe of Judah bravely wholly followed God and is exalted and honored. In an even greater way, Jesus from the tribe of Judah bravely wholly followed God is also exalted and honored.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (Philippians 2:8-9)
Achsah from the tribe of Judah boldly asked her father for a blessing of water, and her request was granted. In an even greater way, Jesus from the tribe of Judah intercedes for us before the Father. And the Father answers by giving us to him and keeping us as his own:
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. (John 17:9)
Conclusion
How can I be a strong and courageous Christian? The lesson is not that we are strong and courageous, brave and bold, because of ourselves. Our confidence is in Christ. We can be brave because God is faithful to keep his promises. The reason why we can act like Caleb and the reason why we can ask like Achsah is because of God, not ourselves.
Why should I care about being a strong and courageous Christian? Caleb and Achsah are not as famous as Joshua, but they are just as faithful. And God uses them to accomplish his purposes. The Bible is filled with stories of lesser-knowns. It reminds me of The Lord of the Rings. Frodo is probably the most well-known character. But there are other characters who are equally strong and courageous: Samwise and Aragorn. The story is richer, and victory could not be achieved without them. To be strong and courageous doesn’t always mean one big dramatic act of bravery. Often, it’s many small, simple acts of faithfulness—with a few big ones in between. For the Christian, Christ is always the hero and the main character of the story. Yet it’s amazing that we are given roles to play. And in Christ, even the supporting characters are more than conquerors.
Big Idea
Christians act bravely and ask boldly because God keeps his promises.
God Make Me Brave, God Make Me Bold
To the tune of Be Thou My Vision:
God make me brave and to act on your word
Cause me to love you and help me to serve
Make me like Jesus, to follow in faith
Trusting your promises, trusting your name
God make me bold and to ask you in prayer
I know you love me and I know you hear
Make me like Jesus, to seek you in faith
Trusting your promises, trusting your ways
References
The ESV Expository Commentary by Crossway
The ESV Study Bible by Crossway
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary on Joshua by Richard Pratt
Joshua (Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary) by David G. Firth