A NEW BEGINNING
JOSHUA CHAPTER 1
Webster defines "Beginning " as a starting, or a commencement.
To set forth on a particular path, or course.
When you get married, you begin a new course, you begin afresh. nd I believe we as a church body are at a place of new beginnings.
Isaiah 43:19 says, "Behold, I will do a new thing: now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."
I believe that God is beginning a new and vibrant work among his people. And it’s an exciting time to be alive in the Body of Jesus Christ, to see what God is about to do in the world.
How many like new adventures? How many like sometimes to just get in your car and start driving, not knowing where you are going, or when you might return? It’s exciting!
I believe God is taking the church in a new and exciting direction. The way we begin will usually determine the outcome! (Repeat)
The way we begin a thing will often determine the outcome. It’s the difference between something succeeding or becoming a failure.
(Building a House you better get the foundation square; Football Don’t fumble in your own end of the field)
We as a church are at a place of new beginnings. We are traveling down a road that we as a corporate body have never been down before. In traveling down this road we will encounter the un-expected; We will encounter the un-familiar; Things and circumstances will stretch us and challenge us; And although there’s a sense of excitement, there’s a sense of nervousness and maybe even fear of the unknown.
How many know that falling down, making wrong decisions, getting in the flesh are all a part of growing up. You take a new born baby, and as the child grows they’re going to spill things, burp all over the place; When they try to take those first steps they will fall down, run into things, it’s a part of development. That’s all part of maturity. How many know churches are the same.
We have new born babes in Christ, and we as mature Christians must allow these to grow up and make mistakes. If you find a church where none of this is happening, you’ve found yourself a dead church that is stuck in form and ritual, and programmed to death. Why the nervousness? Our lives are being changed; Our comfort zone is being squeezed; Most people don’t like change! But, God is calling us to a new place in Him, a place of challenge, yet it’s full of obstacles.
There will be times the adversary will trip us up, and seek to discourage us, to put road blocks in this journey, seek to distract us, and we need to keep our focus clear and realize that if God has ordained this path, we must keep tunnel vision on Him. You know you can’t always believe what you see or read or hear.
*** An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation
in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day.
When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory.
Unfortunately, he missed one letter and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband has passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: DEAREST WIFE: JUST GOT CHECKED IN. EVERYTHING IS PREPARED FOR YOUR ARRIVAL TOMORROW. P.S. SURE IS HOT DOWN HERE!
And if you set back and begin to judge those who are trying to go forward, and you become critical, you will be as Peter, who got his eyes off Jesus, and began to sink in the water.
The point is, THE WAY WE BEGIN IS SO VITAL, for what God has for us. I want to look at Joshua chapter one, because here is a people who were about to enter into a place they never traveled before. For forty years they had traveled around in circles with no clear direction.
If you have no direction in life, any road you take will get you there. For forty years the only voice of authority they heard was that of Moses. Moses a man greatly used of God, who talked face to face with God, who led them thru hardships, but now he is dead, there is now new leadership. They were excited, yet they were nervous as well. So they find themselves at a place of beginnings.
I’ve found in reading this Old Testament narrative that there are things we can glean from this that will allow us to begin afresh, and start off on the right foot. God has called us as a congregation to arise and cross over into a new time and a new place. He has called us to enter into a new arena we have never been before. God has moved in the past, it’s been great, but God is not finished, as a matter of fact it’s only just beginning for Israel, and for us.
Look with me at Joshua chapter 1 verse 2
(2) Moses my servant is dead: That’s pretty matter of fact isn’t it. God is saying, that era is past, the season is ended, and then he says, "Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Now, I think that God gave Joshua specific instructions. I believe he called Joshua aside to the top of a mountain and he said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hands" "Yes Lord, I see it" The Lord says, "The land, and Jericho It’s yours for the taking" "Yes, Lord, I see it way over there, uh Lord, the key word there is OVER. I mean the city is there, I’m here, and there is a great swelling river down there, or have you not noticed that?"
God just stands there and says, "Jericho is yours, the walls are going to fall down for you." "Uh, Lord, I don’t want to be pessimistic, but what about all these things in between here and there?"
Can I tell you God operates in faith. Faith is not moved by: What it sees; Situations; Conditions; Circumstances;
Conditions do not matter; Circumstances do not matter; Situations do not matter; If God has spoken the Word, brother the walls are coming down, all it takes is obedience to the Word.
ELIJAH AT CHERITH
When God spoke to Elijah to go to the brook called Cherith and there He would sustain him.
Elijah could have got there and looked at the conditions, Sure there’s water here, but I don’t see any source of food. He could have started questioning God, God, I just don’t see how this is going to work; I can’t figure out in my mind how you’re going to sustain me in such a place; And when we begin: To question God; To look; To see; Use those five senses; Question our circumstances; Question God’s abilities, It gives rise to doubt and fear.
How many know God sustained Elijah. He sent Ravens in twice a day bringing meat to Elijah.
Twice a day he had air mail dinner. I’m telling you today, that Conditions do not matter; Circumstances; Situations; What your going thru; If you remember the word of the Lord!
If you forget the Word of the Lord conditions will drive you crazy. So Joshua descends down the mountain to where Israel is camped. They say to Joshua, "Tell us what’s the strategy?" Joshua says, "Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news" The good news is, Jericho is ours.
The bad news is, there’s a great river we must get across. And I believe as a church, if we are going to cross over into this place of new beginnings, we must first arise. We must get up from where we are and begin to walk towards the other side. I don’t know about you, but I sense in my spirit that God has something in store for us, and I want to begin to walk towards that other side. I want to align myself, muster up some God given courage to make myself head towards that place where he is leading us. But it’s going to take some encouragement, and that’s exactly what God does here in verse 3 (3) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
This word is not just a word to Old Testament Israel, but how many know it’s a word for you and I today. There’s a song that says: Every promise in the book is mine Every chapter, every verse, every line
That let’s me know I don’t have to cow down to the devil;
I can walk over the high places in my life;
I can tread over serpents, over scorpions,
Walk over mountains;
Devil, if you’re in the way, you better move because I’ll walk over you, as a matter of fact the only place you have in my life is under my foot. Hallelujah!
(4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Say, " IT’S MINE" Devil it’s mine! God says, "I’ve given unto you this vast land, with all the provisions therein. There’s provision, There’s wealth; There’s Milk & Honey; There’s power; Every place you walk Spiritually or physically is yours, all you have to do is arise and cross over and lay hold on it. I’ve given it unto you, and I don’t know about you, but God decreed it, I believe it, and I receive it in Jesus name!
(5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:
Hallelujah! Confrontation, yes; Challenge, yes; Discouragement, yes; Distractions, yes;
But they will not be able to defeat us! : as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (6) Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
(7) Only be thou strong ( it’s almost like a reminder, he knows human nature!)
How many times have you walked out of a service where God had just given you victory, you were walking on cloud nine, but when you walked outside you got scared?
Anybody willing to commit to that? You’ve been in services where God has poured out his Spirit upon you, you leave the service walking 10 feet tall, and the devil meets you out side and looks you in the eye and says it’s not going to happen for you. You begin to: Shake; Sweat; Question God; Doubt; Analyze the service; So, God is reminding Joshua that yes, I know it’s new; I know it’s unfamiliar; I know it’s frightening; I know it’s unchartered waters;
But, be strong and very courageous;
Can I just tell you that you cannot be strong and courageous within yourself.
Your strength is not: Your Charismatic personality; Your ability to do for yourself; In your education; In your abilities; In your intellect;
The secret is found in the rest of verse 7:Observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
Success isn’t in charisma; Success isn’t in strength;
Success is in obedience. It’s not in your dynamic personality, or your ability to get the job done.
We’ve got a lot of people within the church world that want to tackle the problems within their own strength, but God says, "I don’t need your abilities, or dynamics, I need your obedience"
God’s looking for an obedient people. One who will simply say "Yes Lord, here am I use me"
So, God here reminds Joshua that his strength does not lie in: Some great inner strength he has; Some great congregation; His vast resources; But his strength is rest solely in his obedience to God. If you’re going to cross over it’s not going to be in your abilities, but walking in faith and obedience unto God. Strength is in tears, not in dynamics; Strength is in broken-ness; Strength is in Humility; Strength is in Weakness; God goes on and says in verse 8:
(8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth:
In other words, "Don’t get distracted with human ingenuity, and human ways or abilities, remember it’s not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord." The church was born with that verse of scripture on it’s lips. This denomination was born out of prayer and those who would yield themselves to God’s Spirit. It wasn’t born by individual efforts; It wasn’t brought into existence by human ideology; It was brought in by a willingness to be humble before God, and rely on His power for leadership and guidance. And if we are going to cross over into a new frontier in the Spirit we better get back to relying on God’s direction, We better: Not exalt ourselves; Not think we’re the only ones who knows what’s going on; Abase ourselves; Come humbly before God and yield ourselves to Him; He goes on to say to Joshua in verse 8: "Thou shalt meditate therein(Tuesday and Thursday: Sunday and Wednesday): day and night:
Everyday of my life I need to be in this book. I need to let it permeate my mind and my thoughts.
Its only when I do that, that I will grow. I’ve got news for you, you can’t pick this word up just on Wednesday, and Sunday and expect to grow. Do you know what you would look like physically if you only ate for fifteen minutes twice a week? This is our nourishment; This is our food; This is what sustains us; This is our sustenance; He said, "Meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
(9) Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
If you didn’t shout there, you missed a good opportunity. This is not just idle words spoken thousands of years ago, but they are relevant to you and I, today. I will never leave you nor forsake you, but I’ll go with you..." He said in Isa 43:2, "When you pass thru the water...."
He said, "Joshua, no matter what: Circumstances confront you; The conditions look like; It is that tries to stand in your way; Know this, I will be with you wherever you go, and you will have good success.
That ought to make you shout!
Say "SUCCESS" "SUCCESS"
We’re going over not under; We’re the Victor, not the victim; We’re winners, not losers. We’re the Head and not the tail; We’re the first and not the last; We’re above and not beneath;
And so they begin their journey towards the other side with these great words of reassurance, and chapter two is more preparation, and chapter three is further preparation, then it takes them to a river. A river that is overflowing it’s banks. One of the most well known stories in the Old Testament. The crossing of the Jordan. It’s at this point that we need an obedient faith. God calls us not to wait until the waters subside, but to step out in obedience, and stand in Faith when the waters are still deep. This was not a parting of the waters like the Red sea. Do you want to know why the Red Sea was parted? They were to immature to trust God at that stage in their growth.
Here was a people in bondage for 400 years, separated from God, and God was not looking for faith in them at that point. You develop trust and faith.
Some of us never grow because we’re not willing to let Him stretch us, and challenge us, test us, we want to be bottle fed all our lives. We want someone to fix it for us all the time. I don’t like the place I’m in; I don’t like the feeling I’m feeling: I don’t either, but I want to learn to trust God in the midst of those feelings. So God brings them to the Jordan and says just stand out there, and I can see them standing out there in the midst of the water, and I hear them as they call back to Joshua, "Our Daddies told us that the waters parted for them"
You know, it’s when you get in to where God wants you that things start happening. People will grumble and complain when they’re in God’s will!
Jonah did!
The disciples did!
Joshua says, "Sorry about that, but God’s got a different plan this time, he’s teaching us to be obedient." How many think that you have to have faith after the water parts? Hello! We’ve got people today who will go on the mission field when they have all their ducks in a row and enough money in the bank to get them set back up just in case it fails. The only one that had to have faith at the Red Sea was Moses. He stretched forth the rod and the waters parted, and they went across hurriedly. I don’t think they stopped to admire the wall of water on each side. But God’s working something different out here at Jordan. He said, "as soon as the soles of your feet touch the brim of the water I’ll stop the water." How many know that he did that. The only problem was it was several miles up stream. They had to stand there wading in the water, up to their nostrils, and I’m sure they thought within themselves, "I sure hope Joshua knows what he is doing! When Moses did it, it parted right away." When Moses did it, it happened right away! Are you sure we have the right leader? Are you sure he heard from God? Hear me, I’d just as soon have the waters part right now. But God is moving us in a new direction, it’s testing time, a new place, a new time, a new way.
How many know in the Red Sea they crossed flat footed. But, here they we’re on their toes. You better be on your toes when you step out in obedience because it may take a while for the water to subside. There is a powerful principle here: Someone has to get their feet wet before there is a miracle. Someone has to be willing to get their feet wet. Here’s the principle: "Obedience always precedes the miraculous"
You don’t get a miracle because you’re lucky.
A miracle comes to those who walk in obedience to Him and his instructions.
POOL OF BETHESDA
The man at the pool of Bethesda in John chapter 5. He lay there in his condition for thirty eight years. I thought, How could somebody be in the right place, at the right time, for thirty eight years and never receive their healing. Then I can see as the angel comes down and begins to stir the waters. And he says, "Somebody must have skipped a rock across the water." I can see him as he watches somebody else get up and get in the water, and he says, "They’re in the flesh, it ain’t God." Pretty soon after the pool is filled with people and the water is churning, and that one that got in first gets their healing, he realizes that is was God, but he was so busy being skeptical; God wasn’t operating the way he expected; God wasn’t moving according to his rules; Are you hearing me? What makes you think God has to move and conform to your thinking? God can move anywhere, anytime, anyplace, and in any way he so chooses. Don’t you sit and place limitations on God, or how he moves.
CONCLUSION:
Some of you here are saying, "Lord, where’s my miracle? Are you walking in complete obedience to Him? God is our father, and he’s not going to give you something and spoil you as a kid.How many know that’s tough as a parent? Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and stick to those decisions or you will build within your child a childish sense of, "Well, I don’t have to worry, Daddy won’t let me down, even if I don’t do what he says" I’m here to let you know we must be obedient unto God. You must step into the water when he bids you. As a church, we are moving into a new area, a new time, a new place. You may say, "Well. I’ve never seen it on this fashion, does that sound familiar? God is looking for an obedient people. Would you be one that would say, "God, I want what you have for me." I want to move into the fulness of God.
I want to cross over into a new walk with you.
It didn’t require faith at the Red Sea, but now it will. You’ve got to get in the water before they will part for you. Would you step out in obedience?
