Sermon Central
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Famous Final Words
Contributed by Ken Hubbard on Feb 2, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: This message encourages listeners not to give up on God's ultimate plan, for the best days are yet to come on the other side of the strongholds.
INTRO
„o I've watched death scenes on TV
„o I've listened to dying words
„o I have to admit I've wondered what my final words would be
„X "Oops"
„X "Does this go any faster"
„o I am sure final words have include such phrases as:
„X Are you sure the power's off
„X I can make this light before it changes
„X I wonder where the mother bear is
„X Are these the good kind of mushrooms
„X I built it myself
„o Last words tell as a lot about a person
* Sir Winston Churchill
o Famous for never, never, never giving up
o Died January 24, 1965 with the last words
o "I am bored with it all"
* George Washington
o "Tis Well"
* General Douglas MacArthur
o "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away"
* Jesus
o "It is finished"
„o If today were my last days with you I would say:
* Best days are yet ahead
* You're the head / not the tail
„o I can't imagine what I would say
„o But I know what Moses said to his church
„o 40 years of leadership
* They are ready for their Canaan
EXPLAIN: the journey
„o The Jericho will be a detour
Joshua 6:1 (read)
„o In Moses' final words
* He will prepare them for their NOW moment
Moses = THEN
Joshua = NOW
1. Moses Reminds Them to Remember God's Power
* Moses knows there are some
„X Detours
„X Strongholds
„X THEN moments
* He knows his people very well
* How they can forget from one Sunday to the next how good God is
*
* He reminds them
o That with their eyes they saw great wonders
o Plagues
„X Blood
„X Frogs
„X Gnats
„X Flies
„X Hail
„X Boils
„X Locust
„X Darkness
„X Death
* They saw the power of God demonstrated...
o When mighty Egypt was brought to her knees
* They watched the power of God
o Open the Red Sea
o Swallow Pharaoh
* Moses is a seasoned veteran
o And knows that there will always be:
„X Battles
„X Detours
„X THENS
* He knows there is always a devil
* Standing in the way of your next level
* He knows there will always be:
„X A Jordon
„X A Jericho
„X A Giant
* And if they don't remember God's power they will give up
* They were on the brink
* Don't stop now
* Jericho represents a stronghold
* A stronghold is a wrong mindset fueled by hopelessness that causes us to accept things as unchangeable.
* That is keeping them from their destiny
* Many here today...
...have one stronghold that keeps you out of your blessing
* The enemy now has an upper hand because this one stronghold
„X Mouth
„X Anger
„X Victim mindset
„X Need for people to approve you
„X Bitter
„X Don't trust leadership
* You're THEN is creating a stronghold against your NOW
EXAMPLE: Have a volunteer
Grab them and don't let them advance
* One stronghold limits your advancement
* You can't get loose without God's power
2. Moses Reminds Them to Remember God's Provision
o 40 years God took care of them
o Your clothes didn't wear out
o Your sandals didn't wear out
* I turned bitter waters sweet
* I rained manna from heaven
* Ruth -- handful on purpose
* Boy -- bag lunch
* Water -- from a rock
* A drink for Samson
* They weren't sustained by planted crops
* Not their own doing
* But by the hand of God
* It's a land of plenty
* Land that flows
Egypt = limited
Canaan = flowing
* There is a flow of blessing waiting...
...for those who will break through the stronghold
* Usually the stronghold that keeps us from abundant provision is:
„X Lack of giving
„X Stingy
„X Selfish
„X Greed
„X Fear
* Note the provision in-between the lines
Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites.
Moses = the Law
Joshua = a type of Christ
* The law could never provide or get you into the land of abundance
* The law can never inherit the promises of God
* But God so loved the world that he gave (provided) his only begotten son
* Now I can have the promises of life
„X And life more abundant
„X Canaan
„o Always a 'pro' for the vision
„o There is a ram in your thicket -- Abraham
„o There is rain for your drought -- Elijah
