June 1st, 2008 — River of Life Ministries — Pastor Michael West
Series: His Majesty, His Name Part Eight
Sermon: Victory is a shout away part two of four
Scripture: Joshua 2:11
Remember, when you cross, you are making a declaration of war. You are committing to do battle and if you stop in the middle, or somewhere else, it will mean captivity again and seven times worse.
Your battle will be with every sin that stands between you and the fullness of God in your life.
When Israel arrived at the river, word traveled among their enemies that they were serious this time. Their God is doing wonders among them and they are determined more than ever to take dominion.
Israel marched on in spite of Jericho’s massive walls and possible threats. But what about your personal Jericho? Isn’t time you stopped wasting God’s time by trying to coexist with your own strongholds, wandering about in the wilderness? Fed up with the devil’s chiding and mocking your Christian walk? Done listening to his lies about how good your not? Are you ready for James 4:7?
Then call upon Jehovah Tseboaith for assistance in bringing down those walls, because the hard cold fact and truth is that you cannot do it yourself. The work of bring them down begins when you stand up and make a declaration that this is war, and you are not about to lose this time!
We are praying again as a group together and the onslaught has arrived, are we going to quit? Lay down and play church so the devil will leave us alone? Are you going to quit? Are you?
Cross the line. Make a declaration: by the help of Almighty God, by way of His magnificent Spirit, I’m crossing and not going back! I’m going to live my life today and till the Lord returns, His way!
Crossing was the beginning. The second part is to face the sharp knife of circumcision.
The first thing you need to know is that crossing over won’t put you in some wonderful place where everything is coming up roses.
Crossing won’t put you in a heavenly state and make all the bad things go away. Getting yourself into position, finally, in the right place with God might make you want to kiss the ground thinking it’s over, but what actually is going to happen is war.
The Israelites were ready for the battle and nothing was going to get them to go back into the wilderness for another forty years. Ask yourself, “Am I ready for battle? Do I want change?”
Then prepare yourself not to blow the trumpet. Not to stand against Satan and his pathetic army. Prepare your self for the blade.
Joshua 5:2-3
But why this time? It had already been done once before.
Deuteronomy 10:12-22 (emphasis on verse 16)
Circumcision is and outward act that signifies something taking place within the heart.
Romans 2:29 / Colossians 2:11-12
The soldiers at Gilgal circumcised the flesh, but it also demonstrated a spiritual commitment. In fact Moses, before he died, knew this was to happen—Deuteronomy 30 (verses 5-6 emphasis).
Circumcision has to do with spiritual warfare. It signifies the end and demise of any confidence in the flesh and self.
We get excited about battle sometimes and think we are so ready to fight and tear down the strongholds of Satan, and God sees this enthusiasm in us, but like those in Joshua’s day, the blade has to be placed against all our posturing and self-confidence. Trust in human strength, knowledge and personal thoughts have to be cut off. And I can tell you that the next day, the soldiers were not up singing, shouting and dancing around. They were groaning with pain, helpless, impotent—Joshua 5:8
When you have a moment like that, you realize how powerful your flesh really is and how weak you really are. If the enemy had sent spies to see what was up, they would have attacked. Why didn’t they? Why didn’t Satan jump at the chance to destroy Israel?
God has a heavenly force of angels. He is the lord of Hosts.
They were battling at that very moment on behalf of Israel, taking down principalities and unseen powerful forces. If they could see, if we could see, we would get a glimpse of something so mighty, as the servant of Elisha did on the top of the hill, a mighty band of angels.
God proved to them that it wasn’t their battle, it was His alone, that He was their defense. Victory will never come through your own hands. Not by your muscle, might or power, it only comes by way of God’s Spirit.
We can sing and make all the noise we want about rising up against Satan and the enemies camp, and bind him up in Jesus name, but it is all meaningless song and noise until we come under the knife of circumcision. All our skills, talents, willpower, boasting and past accomplishments are useless until we cast them on the hill of foreskins.
Philippians 3 (verse 3 emphasis)
Let me tell you, trying harder to please the Lord isn’t your answer. You can spend your whole life trying and it will be a waste of time. Determination won’t do it for you either. New resolve is not enough. Human strength and will can’t help. Getting fed up with the wilderness of sin isn’t about to do it either, all of that will of yours, has to be broken.
Like a horse has to be saddle broke to submit to the rider, you have to be broken before God, admitting that you are powerless to bring down your Jericho. Being good doesn’t make it happen, it’s God’s battle, but being submitted will. The fact is, we need an army to do it and God has one. A supernatural, heavenly force, under His command, not ours, to fight the evil powers that have dug into your stronghold.
Our confidence must be in God for our lives to change, for our homes to change, for this neighborhood to change, for our communities to change...
Think how many angels have been commissioned for our behalf and all that is required is to allow God to circumcise our hearts. To accomplish anything, God wants us to fully trust Him, turn to Him, let His resources go to work for us for every need we have. And when we rest in our healing process, we will be ready to listen to the Lord.
