OUTLINE
THIS MISSION:
Not for the faint of heart
Preparing for HGHF
March 5, 2006 – Pastor Tom Bartlett
When Courage And Faith Collide
Ask:
1. Lord is this what you really want?
• Know that God will always confirms His Word.
Joshua 5:13-15 (NLT) “When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in hand… I am the commander of the Lord’s army… Joshua did as he was told.”
• Understand that in God’s eyes it’s already done.
Joshua 6:2 (NLT) “the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho…”
• Be sure that advanced obedience is required.
Joshua 1:16 (NLT) “… we will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.”
When God Confirms His Word
Ask:
2. How should I do it?
Joshua 1:7 (NIV) “…Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”
• Do it exactly as God has said even if it doesn’t make sense to you.
Joshua 6:2-5 (NLT) “…march around the city once a day for six days… On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, ..Then the walls of the city will collapse,..."
Joshua 6:17 (NLT) “The city and everything in it must be completely destroyed.”
Joshua 6:27 (NLT) “So the LORD was with Joshua…”
• Be concerned about principals and not perceptions
Hebrews 11:30 (NLT) “It was by faith that the people of f Israel marched around Jericho seven days, and the walls came crashing down.”
• Stay faithful in victory
Joshua 7:1 (NLT) “But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites…”
Concerning Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flame (EVANGALISTIC CAMPAIGN)
Is this what God wants? YES
(2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 28:18-20. Mark 16:15)
How should we do it?
1. Begin preparing for the victory that God will bring
2. By faith
3. Giving all the glory to God
TEXT
THIS MISSION:
Not for the faint of heart
Preparing for HGHF
March 5, 2006 – Pastor Tom Bartlett
Have you ever read the disclaimer at the front of the line for a fast ride at an amusement park? Sometimes it will say something like, “Those with high blood pressure, vertigo, dizziness, pregnant or other serious conditions should not ride this ride.”
Occasionally you will find a ride with a simple statement such as – “Not for the faint of heart” Or a similar phrase.
I don’t know about you but when I was younger that made the ride seem ever better for some reason but now that I’m older, much older… I’m thinking twice about what those signs say before getting on them.
Living by faith is kind of like that. After a while being a Christian I’ve experienced the rush of really stepping out and doing something for God. But I have to admit as much as I enjoy that, when the next big thing comes I’m a little apprehensive it seems till I just jump off and go.
Take for instance our HGHF’s presentation. I know God is in it and I know what He did last year, I just had to work up my courage a little more for some reason.
That got me thinking… what do you do when your courage and your faith collide? What’s the process for moving forward?
Well remember courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s moving forward in spite of your fear.
When Courage And Faith Collide
Ask Two Questions:
1. Lord is this what you really want?
I think back to the day of Joshua in the Old Testament. Moses the great leader had just left and now Joshua was faced with the daunting task of leading the People of Israel into the promised property God had for them.
I’m sure he was afraid and even scared but He got confirmation about what God wanted and he moved forward.
• Know that God will always confirm His Word.
WAIT FOR THAT CONFIRMATION!
Joshua 5:13-15 (NLT) “When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in hand… I am the commander of the Lord’s army… Joshua did as he was told.”
Here’s Josh out for a walk and all the sudden this soldier dude is standing in front of him.
I don’t know if you’ve ever studied angles or not, (we’ll do that this summer) but apparently this guy was a “War Angel”. This guy was one bad dude. A war angel would stand about 12 feet tall and be the size roughly of a house!
Look at what is says that Joshua did after he got off the ground…
Joshua did as he was told.” I think I would do as I was told too how about you?
God will always confirm what He wants you to do with His Word.
You might be thinking, is he talking about the Bible? YES I’M TALKING ABOUT THE BIBLE AMONG OTHER THINGS.
It’s an amazing book. Hebrews says that it’s living and active. Now God may confirm in another way, through circumstances and situations and people – BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW HE DOES, THAT CONFIRMATION WILL NEVER VIOLATE WHAT HE’S ALREADY SAID IN HIS WORD THE BIBLE.
For instance, God will never tell you to divorce your wife or husband and marry someone else. God will never tell you to cheat on a test even to get into a great Christian college!
Rest assured that whatever God is asking you to do will never violate what’s written for all of us to do.
• Understand that in God’s eyes it’s already done.
After God confirms it, it’s important to know that from his vantage point of looking back on our lives it’s already done!
Joshua 6:2 (NLT) “the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho…”
He didn’t say, I’m going to give you Jericho, He said, I have given you Jericho.
WHAT KIND OF COURAGE WOULD YOU HAVE IF YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT GOD SEES IT AS DONE? TONS!
God wants us to mature to the point that we begin to see things through His eyes, to take His perspective on matters.
• Be sure that advanced obedience is required.
Before we begin what God asks us to do, before He begins providing for the thing He’s called us to, before we can figure it all out ourselves and make it happen, God wants us to rely on Him and to commit to Him first.
Many times God’s will come with a special task and we say OK God I’ll do it, but first provided everything I need to do it. Our we’ll say God, I’m waiting on you…???
GET THIS STRAIGHT – God will move and God will provide after we’ve committed ourselves to what He’s called us to and not before!
Look at what Joshua said!
Joshua 1:16 (NLT) (To God) “… we will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.”
This is what Joshua said before God asked them to march around Jericho.
I promise you, that kind of obedience brings Walls down!
Now after you’re sure of what God has said…
When God Confirms His Word
Ask:
2. How should I do it?
This is extremely important. Many people have heard from God and have missed God because they only got half of it.
God says do this thing and that’s all they heard. There’s usually more information concerning what God’s called you to do.
For Abraham it was start walking till I tell you to stop. For Noah it was get started building a boat. For Israel it was march around a city.
Joshua 1:7 (NIV) “…Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”
Circle the words, “be careful to obey”.
• Do it exactly as God has said even if it doesn’t make sense to you.
God comes to Joshua with the information concerning how to take the city of Jericho.
Joshua 6:2-5 (NLT) “…march around the city once a day for six days… On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, ..Then the walls of the city will collapse,..."
How ridiculous is that? March around the city? Shout praise, proclaim God’s name and shout victory?
This doesn’t make sense, this is not the way I would do it.
Often the way God’s asks us to do things doesn’t match with what we would do. The Bible says that His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are higher and His thoughts higher than ours.
There’s more…
Joshua 6:17 (NLT) “The city and everything in it must be completely destroyed.”
I’m sure some people thought, “destroy it all? What’s that? There’s tons of great stuff and we can get slaves for ourselves. We were in slavery for 430 years, paybacks would be great!”
God says destroy it all. He gave specific instruction for them to follow March and destroy everything!
LOOK AT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:
Joshua 6:27 (NLT) “So the LORD was with Joshua…”
Do we want God with us? Do you want God with you? Do what He says the way He says!
• Be concerned about principals and not perceptions
Today many people are more concerned about how they appear than actually being who they are supposed to be.
There’s a principal here. A principal is a timeless truth. The principal is this. God’s Will always requires faith. I can’t worry about how this will appear to others, my concern is tied to a principal of pleasing God!
Hebrews 11:30 (NLT) “It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho seven days, and the walls came crashing down.”
Many of us have been living our lives more concerned about perceptions. We want to look as if we are living by faith, doing the “church thing” saying all the God bless you type words.”
God’s not interested in your appearance! He’s interested in your heart. STOP FAKING IT AND START FAITHING IT!
Now there’s one other concern even after you’re living by faith…
• Stay faithful in victory
For many the greatest test is not failure but success.
How well do you handle the successes of life? How close to God do you stay when all is good? Do you trust God when money isn’t a concern or all your health issues are cool?
God wants you to move from one victory to the next but all too often we forget who’s brought us this far. It’s not our power and strength it’s God’s.
You can fall into the trap of saying “LOOK WHAT WE DID”
Look at what we did during HGHF’s, look what we’ve done at the building and all the things that are happening.
THAT’S A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. We must recognize what God is doing an give all to Him
Israel did fine except for one family. One guy decided he wanted some of what belonged to God. And because of it, it cost Israel in their next battle.
Joshua 7:1 (NLT) “But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites…”
I’m sure you’re like me. I want God’s blessing on this church. I want to see people born into God’s family and grown to maturity.
It’s important to remember who called us to this, to remember and do what He’s asked us to do exactly.
Concerning Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flames:
Is this what God wants? YES
(2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 28:18-20. Mark 16:15)
How should we do it?
1. Begin preparing for the victory that God will bring
2. By faith
3. Giving all the glory to God
