Where you put your foot
Do you ever get the feeling that God has more in store for you? That there is something ahead, that he has for you, but you’ve never been there before. I don’t know if it’s at work, school or home. I don’t know if it’s with your emotional, physical or spiritual health. I don’t know if its relationships with family or friends. But what I want you to ask yourself, and ultimately God, is our point for today, and really the whole series:
? Where do you, need a break thru? Ask two neighbors that right now…
All do I know is that often in the course of our lives, God brings us to critical points of break thru. Times we need to make a choice-to follow where God wants us to go. Today we’ll open a book of the Bible that is all about break thru. It’s all about following God and pursuing the promises he gives to us when we seek him.
But what happens when you don’t? how many of you learned this song when you were a kid? 12 men went to spy… ok you’re learn’n it NOW!
So the story behind the song was simply this-God took his people out of Egypt and they were to go to the promise land, but moving a million people takes time, so 12 scouts were sent ahead and so the song goes…
but here’s the point-they were on the verge of a break thru-and said NO. 10 said don’t go, 2 said do go-and the 10 won! In fact they wanted to kill the 2, Caleb and Joshua-but they didn’t and so God let them wonder in the wilderness-and every one over the age of 20 died there over the course of the next 40 YEARS-all except J and C. (in fact the winter intensive pointed out the 10 baddies got wiped out with a plague!) and now these men stand with a new generation who are sick of the same old desert, ready to trade in manna for milk and honey, and want the break thru their parents and grand parents never knew-is that you?
If you’re tired of the same old same old, ready for God to do something new with you join me in prayer as we get started…
“Lord I’m tired of going thru the motions-I’m tired of not being all you want me to be-and where you want me to be… and if there is anybody else in here who feels the same way I just pray you’d open our eyes to the Word you have for us in this book and that we like your people so long ago would experience break thru too, as we pursue the promises you have for us IJN”
Now if you would be so kind as to open your Bibles to that break thru book, Joshua 1
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord , the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide:
2"Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.
3I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates-all the Hittite country-to the Great Sea on the west.
5No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
? Blessings happen inside God’s boundaries.
Just like God was with ___________ he will be with you too.
What boundaries do you need to heed?
Pass that promise with me-the last 8 words of verse 5 say them with me “I will never leave you or forsake you” now tell your neighbor this “he will never leave you or forsake you” now turn to your other neighbor and tell them “he will never leave you or forsake you!” Somebody here needed to hear that from you-thanks for passing the promise!
Moses got the word from God that he was done, he went up into the mountains and died-and no one ever found the body-to this day. So what happens when you can’t find a body? People hold out-they say no, no he’ll be back-were not following you! Joshua himself may have been the main one-he never usurped Mo power and wasn’t about to start-but now God tells him No mo Mo-he’s dead.
And so God gives Joshua the unstoppable blessing-v. 3 where ever you put your foot! But watch this and God immediately gives boundaries-b/c God’s blessing always occur inside His boundaries. Today it’s true for us too! You want to go to the promise land of financial stability-but you won’t stay inside the boundaries of financial responsibility as God put forth in His Word? (do FPU-or listen to my sermons on money on our youtube channel). You want to go to the promise land of marriage… didn’t get one amen… but you don’t want to stay in the boundaries of Godly dating-or even Godly relationship in marriage. The list goes on but the principle remains the same-God’s blessings are always found in his boundaries-can you embrace the freedom we have in Jesus, that allows us to know in Him, we have all we need-where do you struggle to stay in the boundaries? Don’t you want the blessings?
God’s blessing are all found inside God’s boundaries -tell your neighbor that too.
I need to just give you one more v.5B as I was with WHO? So I will be with YOU. How many of you here have been blessed with a Godly mentor or example? A parent, grand parent, teacher-someone a little (or a lot) older and wiser in the faith that just showed you what it meant to follow Jesus. They weren’t perfect but you knew they were better than you.
Did you ever think “ I wish God would be as real, as strong, as faithful to me as He is to them? Here’s the deal-HE CAN BE. But will you receive it and believe it as a promise for you too?
Oh Lord help us pursue those promises! So we too can get a break thru!
6"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
7Be 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.
8Do 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.
9Have 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."
? Your success is directly tired to your study of the scriptures
God’s promises always further His purposes
How much time will you spend in te Word this week?
Why do I need to be all that strong and courageous (v.6,7,9) to get given an inheritance? This is a primary disconnect between God’s promise/provision and purpose. God has promised this land-he has provided it-he will miraculously (spoiler alert) usher them into it and go before them but guess what-there are enemies in there-they have to still fight for it-there are other gods being worshipped there so they have to still stay faithful to him in order to secure the promised provision-in fact it’s part of the purpose!
Did you know that if God gives you anything in this world it’s b/c of his love for you and wants to draw you closer to him making you both strong and courageous? Did you know that if the devil gives you anything in this world its to draw you further into yourself and away from God, making you weak and cowardly?
God’s purpose is to draw His people closer to Him-he does this by providing for them-but this is where God understands promised provision or inheritance in a radically different way than we do. We line up for inheritance, ready to get the hand out/ gravy/ what we deserve so we can take it easy-enjoy a little extra. It’s like the monopoly card-free unexpected money that just makes you happy. Friend, I hope you heard this before-it is a favorite sign sermon-God isn’t nearly as concerned with your happiness as he is with your holiness-God gave his people a beautiful, bountiful land as a blessing that would make them reflect gratitude but also rely totally on him.
God isn’t sending Joshua on a vacation-rather he’s on a mission to be where God wants him to be-and that’s exactly where God wants you. Not to make you happy-but holy, not to just give you promised provision but accomplish His purpose. (where God wants Vesta-witness in dialysis).
Some of you are at a job, in a school, with a spouse or have a child that you knew was God’s promised provision for you. You waited and wanted and he brought you into the promise land of employment, education, marriage, parenthood and your going-hey whats up-this is hard-there is work, conflict and stress involved here I didn’t sign up for-God what’s going on? Why am I not happy? Can you hear God’s call to you today-Be strong and courageous! Can you see God’s purpose make you holy and not happy as part of the provision?
Maybe that’s the break thru you need-just to see God wants to take you out of the desert of temporary happiness and into a promise land of holiness.
But how do we do this? How do we stay on track? Look at v.7-8, friend how much are you in the word of God-how much is it in your mouth. How much do you actually talk about the word of God? I know it’s easy to talk about sports, the weather, whatever but do you ever engage with your mouth about what God is teaching you or what you are learning in His word? Shameless WBI plug…
Do you have regular time in the Word? What if you would trim an ½ hour off tv time, social media time, what ever time and be in the Word. This is a clear call to Joshua-read the Book! I believe Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible and entrusted them to Joshua and others to know God’s Word and be strengthened/guided by it. When the heat comes on-when the scary stuff starts to happen-God left us his word-written by his servant who made it thru and we can make it thru too!
10So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:
11"Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.' "
? God’s promises all require possession
What promises will you possess today?
So it’s time to get ready-notice it took 3 days-just like Jesus in the tomb-3 days and then break thru! Let me just be clear from the outset of this series as to why a Gospel preacher like myself takes so much time in the OT. You see I believe the OT is a prophetic parallel parable of the Christian life-we can glean from these ancient words, lessons from legends we can live out today in the light and by the power of Jesus! Remember Jesus’ name in Hebrew was Joshua! Jesus is the Greek pronunciation-that’s why in the Hebrew speaking movie passion of the Christ they called Jesus “yashua” same with our Messianic Jewish friends-go ahead and say “yashua” (bless you!)
I want you to take note of one word in v. 11 that has 4 s’s in it (and how many words do you know with 4 s’s anyways). There is the difference between promise and possession-v.11 take possession-you can have the promise but you still have to take possession. What do I mean?
Anybody want $10? Ok you can have it I promise. Is it his? Yes but can he go buy a pizza with it-not till he takes possession of it!. I gave him the promise, but the purpose was to have him move up here with courage and strength and get the $10!
God is going with us so let’s go! Are you ready to go where God is telling you to go? Can you embrace those promises-God will be with you, everywhere all the time! Friend if you are sitting here in need of a break thru-it’s time to take 3 days and ask God to prepare you to move-I don’t want you to go charging out of here today thinking-I need to do this or that-go home today find a quiet spot and ask God where do you know I need a break thru? He will show you where you need to go.
Now let me just challenge my saints who may be sitting here thinking, actually I had my break thru-years ago-I’m good with where I’m at with God-no break thru needed here, let me just read what God said to those who thought the same thing…
12But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
13"Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: 'The Lord your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.'
14Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers
15until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
16Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
17Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.
18Whoever 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!"
? V.12-18 Everybody needs help to get home-you may be that hope!
Loyalty is love’s greatest lesson/legacy.
Who do you know that needs to get home? How will you help?
Who are you loyal to?
v.12-15 calls out those who have already settled in their own promise land-and it was legit, Moses said it was theirs BUT now they needed to help the other tribes too-you see just b/c you got your place doesn’t mean you forget others. We need to get everybody home so God needs (actually commands) you to help. Now Rube, Gad and Massa could have pushed back and said that not our fight Josh-that’s not our tribe-we are all good on this side of the river-leave us alone-fight your own battles-but they said jus the opposite…
v.16-18 is the ultimate pledge of allegiance-we will do and go-what ever you say and those that rebel-we’ll kill’em. These folks took their responsibility to see everyone make it to the promise land with total commitment. Do you? Are you concerned about your brothers and sisters who need a break thru? Will you help fight the battles with them? Will you go and do what God calls you to help others arrive in their own piece of the promise land?
Are you, ready for a break thru?
God has blessings inside his boundaries-just waiting for you-he will be with you just like he was with your Moses-are you ready for a break thru?
God’s Word is here to guide you to success will you study it and learn about His promises and purposes- are you ready for a break thru?
All this will require you to act-to take possession of the promises He would have you pursue- are you ready for a break thru?
Finally, everybody want to get to the promise land-and maybe you have arrived-but is God nudging you to help someone else too- are you ready for a break thru?
If that’s true, let me pray for you…
