Joshua 3: 1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp,3 giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it." 5 Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." 6 Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
Introduction:
When we are going to a new and important place, we get cleaned up and put on new or clean attire. The year 2013 is new and I am sure we are all excited and look forward to not only seeing it but also entering and going through it successfully.
Joshua told the people "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." I believe we all want to experience amazing things in 2013. If this is so then let us see what and how we can get cleaned up or consecrate ourselves today.
Consecrate – solemnly dedicate something or someone for a special purpose or service, usually religious.
Each time the Lord wants to do something wonderful or meet with His people He demands that they perform a consecration ceremony.
Why consecrate?
• Because He is holy and if we are to enjoy his presence, we must be holy,
1Pet 1: 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.",
• His name is Holy; His abode is Holy, He associate with holy people and things.
Ezek 36: 22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name , which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.
LK 1; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
Hab 2: 20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."
• God demand that we be holy,
Lev 11: 45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
19: 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ’Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
• Without holiness no one will see the Lord
Heb 12: 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord
What are the things we need to be cleaned of and how:
• Sin
For as long as man live on earth the church will never stop talking about sin and repentance from sin and its consequences. The whole essence of God coming to earth in human is to teach man how to avoid sin and its consequences.
o Sin of disobedience/partial obedience to God’ s law, stealing, fornication, adultery, backsliding, backbiting, failure to do God’s work, failure to read and obey Gods word, etc
o Sin of inheritance, committed by our parents and grand parents
o Exo 20: 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
o Num 14: 18 ’The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’
o Sin of man brought into the world, dis-ease, dis-order, dis-appointment, dis-agreement, de-pression, etc.
Isa 59: 1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
How to get over sin
o Admit, confess and repent your sins; it is not only sinners that need repentance, even believers for sin of ignorance, for partial obedience to God’s Law.
1 John 1: 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Prov 28: 13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
o Surrender your life to God
o Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord,
Rom 10: 9 that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
o He is the one that can make one holy,
Exo 31:13………….. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
Isa 1: 18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
• Unbelief/ not trusting God
o Putting your trust in self/ability,
Prov 3: 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Isa 5: 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
o Putting your trust in man,
Isa 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.
o Putting your trust in your God-given riches,
Isa 42: 7 but those who trust in idols, who say to images, ’You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.
o Put your trust only in God. Blessed are our when you trust in Him,
Psm 1: 1 blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
The Israelites believed and trusted the ark that is ahead of them.
• Fear/Discouragement:
o Fear is not of God,
2Tim 1: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Fear not, Fear Not the Lord said over 300 times,
Joshua 1: 6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. 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.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!"
o To overcome fear desire and be baptized with the Holy Spirit,
Acts 1: 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;…….,
Acts 10: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
As you get baptized with the Holy Spirit, He will also baptize you also with power to help overcome fear and discouragement.
With the ark ahead of them there was no fear or discouragement.
• Stop procrastinating; it is lazy people that procrastinate.
o Do not boast of tomorrow,
James 4: 13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
o Do not be lazy – lazy people will always be disappointed,
Prov 13: 4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
Prov 20: 4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
o Do your work while it is day time, you will not be disappointed at the time of harvest, John 9: 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
o Remember the wise and foolish virgins Math 25: 2-13
Remember also the ants -
Prov 30: 25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
• Conclusion:
Joshua and the Israelites consecrated themselves as commanded by God and they experienced the His presence and mighty power. As we are going into a New Year; Let us not go there dirty, let’s drop all the baggages that could weigh us down in the year. The Lord bless us.
Prayer Points:
Lord unto you I come this morning. I recognize I am a sinner and I must not go into the New Year a dirty person, therefore Lord, forgive me all my sins, all my iniquities. Cleanse and purify me of their effect and consequences.
Lord Jesus I renew my covenant of your Lordship over me this day, please remain my Lord and Savior forever.
I recognize that I cannot go into and through the New Year by my power, wisdom, experience and ability, therefore Lord I put my hand into your hands, lead and direct me so that I will go through the Year successfully
Lord I promise to put my trust on you and you alone, so help me Lord.
Lord let the fire of your Holy Spirit burn through and refine me and remove every dirt in me.
Let me not enter the New Year a dirty person.
Lord empower me with your Holy Spirit, so that I will not be afraid and will be able to face and overcome all the challenges that I will face in the year. Thank you Father for answering my prayer!
