God, Prayer and hard work
Joshua chapter 10:6-15
This sermon was gleamed out of many SermonCentral contributors and any part of it can be used because it is for God’s glory that we preach His Word.
Prayer-
Introduction-
Good morning everyone, let me get your mind thinking-
How big is your God?
How big is your faith?
How big is the biggest prayer you ever prayed?
How big your God is depends on how much you allow him to be God. Whatever you think… Go bigger!
We put God in a box and then live our lives within that box of God. He is so much bigger than that!
J.B. Phillips wrote a classic book titled “Your God is too small.”
We are always told that hard work pays off.
We are told to hang in there, never give up, to keep going.
Truth be told, most people stop way short of what God wants for their life and most never reach their goals.
Why? Because most are quitters in the face of obstacles.
We don’t look long range but for immediate gratification.
I do not think most realize that their dream was close and they never saw it to completion.
Our text this morning is a God size accomplishment fulfilled by a human being listening to God and God hearing his prayer.
Joshua’s accomplishments did not come to him because of who’s son he was, it came to him for believing God and hearing God’s voice and actively responding to the challenge.
Let me set this up
It was Moses who brought Israel out of Egypt and right to the edge of the promised land.
Moses sends 12 spies into the Promised land, 10 of the 12 spies came back and said that the land cannot be taken by Israel.
It was only Joshua and Caleb that saw what God intended them to see.
They were not sent to see if Israel was big enough to take them, but see what God was giving them.
Because of Moses decision, he was not allowed into the Promised land. Moses made heaven, but he was not included on what God was doing at the time.
Grab this-
Moses lead Israelites around in a circle for 40 years in the wilderness after his disobedience.
Anyone over 20 years old died and never saw the Promised land of God.
Only Joshua and Caleb were spared.
Joshua was appointed to take Moses leadership spot and take them into the promised land.
FUNNY how those that saw God provide a miracle in the escape from Egypt and the great crossing of the Red Sea didn’t believe God BIG ENOUGH to take them to the promised land.
A whole generation died off before another generation rose and saw his promises come to pass.
Think about that as we read the text this morning-
Joshua 10:6-10:15
That is a powerful text.
It gives us a picture of God who gives us what we need when we need it.
It is an example of a God that listens.
It proofs that God is still in the miracle business.
Picture what God wants you to do.
Communicate with God to make sure you are on his page
Understand that the same miracle God recorded in the Old Testament is the same God we serve today.
Write this down
Every generation thinks they are closer to God than the younger generation.
Think their music was better
Thinks that they experienced God and the younger generation is not.
We have the mindset that the cemeteries are filling up with the last of the spiritual giants and the next generation will lose what has been gained.
BE CARFUL- Every person that takes a stand for truth will be called a bigot, hate monger, old fashioned, out of touch, ignorant. NOT JUST THE LAST GENERATION.
Moses people forgot what God had done- They forgot the miracle God had done for them in the escape of Egypt and the miracle at the Red Sea.
Joshua dared to believed God at His Word and took a stand.
EVERY GENERATION NEEDS THEIR OWN AWAKENING OF GOD AND TO EXPERIENCE IT FIRST HAND NOT SECOND HAND.
God has been kicked out of many places in every generation.
Every generation has it hot button that caused controversy.
Every generation looks down on the younger and wants them to experience God the way they did. God is fresh and new everyday and He is able to reach a new generation in a new and fresh way! Amen.
When I read a text like this- I ask myself two questions.
1. What is God trying to tell me in the scripture.
2. What does God want me to do with what He has shown me.
Observation of the text-
Joshua and the army of Israel are mowing down nations and conquering cities.
Joshua gets word that 5 kings are getting together their resources and coming after Israel.
Gibeon is being attacked and they ask for Joshua’s help. (Gibeon had motive, but another sermon)
Joshua and his army turn around and march 20 miles in the dark of night and surprise them.
After he decides to help- “God tells him (8) “And the Lord said to Joshua, do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand against you.”
What should you see here?
God uses people
He uses the old generation and he uses the younger generation.
(7) He uses all the people of war and valiant warriors
He uses people who dare to trust him.
He uses people that are sensitive to hearing his voice and respond
He uses people that don’t drag their feet and wait for the enemy to attack them but attack for the cause of Christ with all the tools of the arsenal of God.
All the whiners and complainers stay in the camp.
The soldiers packed up their stuff and followed Joshua in the dark to a place they were unsure of because they knew that Joshua had heard from God and though they could not see the light, they had his blessing.
When you are praying for a miracle, don’t expect God to do it all-
You may have to fight for it.
You may have to give up a weekend
You may have to spend some money
You may have to get out of your comfort zone.
You may be inconvenienced.
You may have to listen to someone from a younger generation.
You may have to try new things
We can today learn a lesson from Joshua and his army-
I don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds the future.
I know that if you do the same old thing the same old way, there will not be change.
I know that God is big enough to do things in fresh and creative ways that does not take away from the last generation and how they did things.
I know that a church of just old people will not be around very long and that God raises up people everyday for tasks that are too big in themselves but not too big for God.
Rosedale- this church that sits on the corner in Lower Swatara will do great things for God because He has told us to not fear the enemy but take the hill at full charge and in the power of God. Amen. Amen.
One thing to remember- God uses people (young and old)
II. God still does miracles-
(11) “As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you moon, over the valley of Ajalon. So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies.”
Observation-
You don’t want to be on the wrong side of God.
He killed more with the hailstorm than the sword of Israel. (That you keep you humble)
His aim is so good no Israelites were killed fighting with ice balls flying.
On the day he saw God do this- He asked God to let him finish the task.
It is obvious here that God does miracles and it is also obvious that God does not need our help but chooses to use His people to accomplish the tasks of God.
In all our smartness, we know that the sun does not rise and the sun does not set. The earth rotates around the sun. The God that created this universe can certainly stop the rotation of the earth for a day for Joshua to get the time needed to fulfill his assignment. If God never does it again it is His choice! He is God!
Back to the beginning of the sermon-
How big is your God?
How big is your faith?
How big is the biggest prayer you have ever prayed?
In the movie “It’s a wonderful life” which is one of those movies you watch a 1000 times- Jimmy Stewart says to his wife, what is it you want Mary? You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it. It is a big request.
Corny- but that is what Joshua was expecting from God.
He was expecting Him to do what he could not do and was not going to let his limitations stop him from asking his God who could do it.
Daniel in the lions den- He closed the mouth of hungry lions.
Jabez prayed that God would enlarge his territory- He said yes.
David prayed he could bring down the Philistine Giant- He did with a stone and a sling shot.
Our own Darlene Stiffler has beaten life threatening infections and cancer and she is still here worshipping God.
I have a dream, and my name is not Martin Luther King Jr. I have a dream that God gave me and I look forward to the day that it will come to pass. He said it, I believe it.
When God makes a promise, He keeps it! It may take me until I am 100 years old like Abraham, but God will keep His promises and His anointing on those that He calls to a task.
Closing-
I will ask the worship team to move forward. In a minute I will have you stand and we are going to pray together. I am going to ask you to do something crazy. I am going to ask you to pray your impossible prayer to the Lord this morning.
Some of you need healing.
Some of you need a financial blessing.
Some need to restore a relationship that has been broken a long time.
Some of you have been given a task from God and you are scared to step out in it.
Some have waited a long time and you have given up on the dream God gave you. (His dream for you)
Joshua asked God to stop the sun- is there anything that the creator could not do that lines up with his word? Our God is too small. We keep him in a box. We pray prayers that we ourselves could do and we do not ask Him for the impossible.
What is it this morning you want to ask God-the sky is the limit!
Albert Einstein said
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.”
Which one do you pick this morning? Would you stand.
Let’s pray and then remain standing for the closing song.
