A Higher Life
Hebrews 3:11-11
Introduction: Some people are content with limping along the fence. Others want to launch out into the deep.
Where true revival is taking place, Christians become interested in doing more for Christ, not less. They are not content with living the same kind of a life that they always have. They want to draw closer to God. They want to quit being ruled by the flesh and start giving in to the Holy Spirit.
I trust that there are some here today who want to live a higher life than you are right now.
Joshua gives us a striking illustration of how the promises of God are to be received and enjoyed. Canaan represents the better land, or the higher life.
Entering that “higher life” did not mean a folding of the arms and a lying down at ease. It meant hardship, warfare, and victory. It simply meant an entering into the plans and purposes of God.
The higher Christian life is a life of
1. Faith in the Promises of God.
(Josh 1:3 KJV) “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”
People who live higher lives are people that rely on and stand upon the Word of God. They stand upon the promises of God.
You will never progress in the spiritual life until you plant your feet in the sure Word of God. Jesus is the Word.
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
There will not be a closer relationship with the Lord unless there is a constant trusting in Him.
Yes, there will be Jordans in our path and Jericho walls in our way, but praise God, our faith in Jesus Christ and His Word can help us to cross over our Jordans and knock over our Jericho walls.
(Luke 1:37 MV) “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
We must continue to believe in the promises of God even when things are difficult, even when those around us act as if they do not believe them.
(Heb 11:30 MV) “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”
Let’s cross our Jordans. Let’s knock over some walls in our lives. By faith we can do it. Faith in God ushers us to a higher life.
The higher Christian life is:
2. Consecration to the Will of God.
(Josh 6:18-19 KJV) “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”
At Ai the people of God failed because they were not fully consecrated to the revealed purpose of God.
If you want to live a consecrated life you must have:
a. An understanding of God’s Word.
(Josh 1:8 MV) “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
b. An unquestioning obedience to the mind and will of God.
(Josh 1:7 MV) “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”
c. A sanctifying of ourselves.
(Josh 3:5 MV) “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
The higher Christian life requires:
3. Fellowship in the Presence of God.
The promise given was clear and it was comforting:
(Josh 1:5 KJV) “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
That promise was not just for Joshua. It started with Moses… then to Joshua… then to all Israel.
(Josh 3:10 KJV) “And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.”
They are just as good for you as they were for Joshua and the people of Israel.
We see Joshua in fellowship with the Captain, Prince of the Lord’s hosts.
(Josh 5:15 MV) “And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”
HOW did Joshua get on holy ground?
Not by accident.
Chapter 5 gives us the way.
Vv 2-9 tell us that Joshua and the people of Israel RETURNED TO OBEDIENCE TO GOD--- circumcision.
Vv 10-11 say that Joshua led the people to religious ritual – Passover.
Without the obedience the ritual was dead/ without ritual the obedience not complete.
It was by obedience and ritual that Joshua came to holy ground – true worship.
Those of you who are bold enough to go a step higher in your Christian experience will continue to climb the steps until you reach that place which is holy ground.
Do you want to go to that holy place today? Then begin to obey God and worship God. Worship will take you to a higher level.
The higher Christian life is:
4. Testimony to the Honor of God.
The whole life of Joshua was a testimony for God. What kind of a testimony are you putting out.
Is it of a consecrated life?
The twelve stones that Joshua pitched at Gilgal were to stand as a special testimony to the mighty saving power of God in opening works of faith, and others seeing them would glorify God.
The fruit of all testimony is that men, women boys and girls “might fear the Lord you God for ever.
(Josh 4:21 MV) “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?”
(Josh 4:24 MV) “That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
The higher Christian life is:
5. Warfare Against the Enemies of God.
Aggressive warfare is needed if we are to win over the enemies of God.
The world is not afraid to put much effort out for a cause. Are we willing to put much effort into winning the world for Jesus Christ? Are we willing to put our money and our effort where our mouths are?
The enemies of God are great and many.
(Josh 9:1-2 MV) “And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof, that they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.”
IF you are living the higher life, you may find that you may have enemies.
Some of them could even be in your own family.
Luke 21:16-17 You will be betrayed by your own parents, brothers, family, and friends. Some of you will even be killed. Because of me, you will be hated by everyone.
Your spiritual warfare will not be against kings and armies.
They will probably be fleshly enemies such as pride, lust, laziness, fearfulness.
Some wrestle against materialism. Others main enemy is a lack of faith in God’s ability to do anything.
Everything that isn’t pleasing to God is our enemy.
The higher Christian life is:
6. Victory in the Name of God.
(Josh 1:5 MV) “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Too many Christians act as if there is no hope. They accept every thing at face value. They act defeated and they look defeated.
Now hear this! God has not lost His power. God is not a god of defeat. God is the one and only God. He brings victory to our lives. Faith in Him is the victory.
(1 John 5:5 MV) “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Jesus has the power to go to the Father on your behalf. He is looking at you and your situation right now. He doesn’t want you to cave in. He wants you to give in and give way to Him. He is going to do things in your life that you never even dreamed would happen.
Get excited. Stop walking around with your head down. You are a child of the King. You are living a higher life.
The worldly are without hope, but Mister, you have God on your side. Sister, you have Jesus Christ in your life.
There is victory in the name of the Lord!
Most setbacks in life are caused by sin. If we suffer setback what do we do? Do we give up? Do we fall to pieces? No, we keep living the higher life. God will topple the walls in our lives and then we will shout the victory. (Josh 6:5 KJV)
A higher Christian life is:
1. Faith in the Promises of God.
2. Consecration to the will of God
3. Fellowship in the presence of God
4. Testimony to the Honor of God
5. Warfare Against the Enemies of God
6. Victory in the Name of God
Are you living the Higher Life???????
C:\Sermons\A Higher Life.doc, by Richard
