Going All The Way With God - A Sermon For All The Oddballs

Sermon preached 4/05

Byron K. Maynard

GOING ALL THE WAY WITH GOD

A Sermon only for the "oddballs" in their journey

Scripture: Numbers 32:1-15

Joshua 1

INTRODUCTION:

For a Christians to desire to go all the way with God, to be fully surrendered, he is identified by the world as an oddball. When a normal person lives in a world full of oddballs he begins to think he is odd.

God calls you to complete your Journey with Him. He want’s you to go all the way so He can fulfill His promises through you. THIS STORY REMINDS US THAT GUIDANCE FROM GOD IS A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE FOR ALL BELIEVERS. The Bible teaches us that God does have a will for us.

What does "going all the way" with God entail?

Going all the way with God means...

1) CATCHING A CLEAR VISION OF HOW GOD WANTS TO USE YOU

AND THEN MOVING FORWARD FOR GOD.

Most people fail in their journey with God because they don’t have a clear understanding of how God wants to use them, or what God’s plan for their life is.

The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe Manasseh THOUGHT GOD’S PLAN for their lives WAS COMFORT AND ACCOMMODATION.

"...the land the LORD subdued before the people of Israel — are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan." Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?" Num 32:3-7 NIV

The 2 1/2 tribes wanted to enjoy the "good life". It seems that they did not cross Jordan because they did not want to endanger themselves or risk the comfort of what they had.

The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh were willing to stay on the wilderness side of the Jordan River. The wilderness experience depicts believers who live in unbelief and disobedience and don’t enter into the rest and riches of their spiritual inheritance.

Like the two and a half tribe of Israel, do you come to a crisis place, but refuse to obey the Lord and His claims for your life? They were delivered out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in their hearts. The wilderness march was an experience of delay, defeat, and death. But their experience in Canaan was to be one of life, power, and victory.

Like the two and one half tribes of Israel, do you want God’s blessings but desire to stay in your old life of sin?

"It’s ok to look back as long as you use it to help you leap forward."

God wanted the entire nation of Israel to cross over into Canaan. Canaan represents the Christian life as it ought to be: gaining victory through conflict, faith and obedience, spiritual riches and rest. It’s a life of faith, trusting Jesus Christ, our Joshua, the Captain of our Salvation (Heb. 2:10). The victorious life isn’t a once-for-all triumph that ends our problems.

The victorious life, as pictured by Israel in the Book of Joshua, is a series of conflicts and victories as we defeat one enemy after another and claim more of our inheritance for the glory of God.

Life is a string of difficulties, and how we tackle each one determines the quality of our life.

"The cross is the key (to victory). If I lose the key I fumble. The universe will not open to me. But with the key in my hand I hold its secrets." E. Stanly Jones

WHEN CHRISTIANS ARE BLESSED BY GOD, THEY ARE VULNERABLE TO BECOMING LESS DEPENDENT ON THE SPIRIT OF GOD. SPIRITUAL VICTORIES CAN PROMPT SATAN TO ATTACK.

An old time preacher used to say that the victorious Christian life was a series of new beginnings.

Going all the way with God means...

2) FOCUSING ON GOD.

Everyone will come to a place in their life when they will have to decide whether or not they are going to cross their own personal Jordan River. They will have to decide whether they are going to move forward or if they are going to quit moving in their journey. When you move forward for God you’re going to come under tremendous spiritual attack. That’s why you need to keep your focus on God and His Word.

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth: meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Why is it important to focus on the God and His Word? Because Israel’s strength and courage would come from meditating on the Word of God, believing it’s promises, and obeying it’s precepts. That’s also where your strength and courage will come from.