Sermon Central
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Steps To Victory Series
Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 21, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: Joshsua the hebrew form of Jesus Christ's name. We are shown that God has given us victory. However as with the Israelites we must step in obedience to the direction and will of God. Merely taking the steps does not gurantee victory. Taking the steps
ntro: Joshua is a book about victory. It is not victory through superiority but through surrender. Surrender to the presence, promises and provision of God. Deuteronomy and Joshua have divisions between them but are written more like a part 1 and 2 of the same story. In Deuteronomy the Children of Israel fail to live by faith so they wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Now the generation that would not obey God is dead and a new leader has arrived. Still the obstacle and barrier of disobedience and disbelief remain. What will they do when faced with apparent impossibilities? What will we do?
There are many songs that are loved by the church that sing about across Jordan’s stormy banks, Canaan land, that speak as though this land is Heaven. But the Promised Land for believers right now is walking in godliness and righteousness with the Lord here on this planet.
Why call this study of Joshua steps to victory? Every time the Israelites decided not to walk how and where and when God told them they wandered aimlessly or found themselves in slavery. Every time you step away from God it leads to barrenness.
Jeremiah 10.23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
Psalm 37.23 “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Proverbs 16.9 “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
God wants us as His children to experience Deuteronomy 11.21 “as the days of heaven upon the earth.”
Joshua is a wonderful illustration of how we can face sin, failure, defeat, saying good bye to the old life of disobedience to God’s will and step into the victorious presence and rest of God. Paul teaches us these truths in the Book of Ephesians. Joshua tells the story of how it can be a reality in Joshua.
God had given them the land 1.3 but the people still had to step forward in faith and obedience to poses what God had given them.
I. God’s promise of victory
A) The promise of God’s presence in your daily life
This is the same promise given to Moses. Joshua has taken up the leadership mantle and God speaks to him. Understand that you have to go all the way back to Genesis 12.7 to find God giving the promise of the land to Abraham. Even though Moses is dead Gods work is not. We are all replaceable. It is never the workers that are important but the work. Joshua has already proved his skill in warfare. He was the leader of the Israelite army when they defeated the Amalekites. Raw ability and gifting is never enough when we face spiritual barriers. God promises not only Joshua but us that He will be with us.
God doesn’t only promise to be with us He promises to never leave us. The Hebrew word used here is raphah, which means slacken. God is saying I will not let loose of you. I will not drop you; I will not let you go. When we trust Christ alone for salvation God grips us. He grips our hearts and heads. This is what brings victory walking through this life knowing God has hold of us.
So why was this promise given to Joshua and to us? Mission. God had promised the land to the descendant’s of Abraham and now it was becoming a reality. God has promised His presence for us as we move forward with His mission. We are to be about the mission of making disciples. If disciples are not coming from Immanuel Baptist Church then God will remove His presence from this body. (Revelation 2.5)
Warren Wiersbe “God didn’t explain to Joshua how He would accomplish these things, because God’s people live on promises not explanations.”
God led us to begin the food pantry ministry, clothes closet and others. He didn’t tell us how to do it but he did promise to be with us. He has and will be he will not let go of us.
God is telling us to step toward obedience with the mission center. He hasn’t told us how he will provide but that He will be with us. Dream and vision of turning present building into mission building. What will it take? Trust in our father to provide, faith in our giving etc.
With God’s presence comes God providing for you needs daily.
B) The promise of God’s providing in your daily life
Read 1.2, 3, 6
God promised to give them the land. However you have to understand what that implies. All the weapons, all the wagons, all the resources they would need would be included in providing for them to take the land.
