Follow the Leader, the Walls Are Coming Down!
Prophetess Tamiko Stewart
Sunday, February 26, 2006 – Living Word Full Gospel, Rockford, Illinois
Key Verses:
Joshua 1:11 – 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 you God is giving you for your own.’
Joshua 6:15-16
15) On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.
16) The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!
For over 40 years, Israel had journeyed a circuitous route through the desert, not because they were following their leader. Quite the opposite was true – with failing faith, they had refused to obey God and to conquer Canaan. So they wandered. Finally, the new generation was ready to cross the Jordan and posses the land. Having distinguished himself as a man of faith and courage (he and Caleb gave the minority spy report in Number 13:30 – 14:14:9), Joshua was chosen to be Moses successor. This book records Joshua’s leadership of the people of God as they finished their march and conquer the promised land.
Joshua was a brilliant military leader and a strong spiritual influence. But the key to his success was his submission to God. When God spoke, Joshua listened and obeyed. Joshua’s obedience served as a model. As a result, Israel remained faithful to God throughout Joshua’s lifetime.
I wonder do we have any Joshua’s willing to be faithful and obedient to God?
I not talking about the people with the Burger King mentality, wanting to have it your way!
Joshua was committed to obeying God, and this book (Joshua) is about obedience. Whether conquering enemies or settling the land, God’s people were required to do it God’s way.
In a final message to the people, Joshua underscored the importance of obeying God. “So be very careful to love the Lord your God” (23:11), and “choose for yourself this day whom you will serve……….But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord (24:15). We should make a fresh commitment to Obey God today. Decide to follow your Lord wherever he leads and what ever it costs.
See, God already predestined and ordained for Israel to take the land. God told Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promise land (also called Canaan) and conquer it! This was not an act of imperialism or aggression, but an act of judgement.
Let’s look at some of the early passages in the Bible where God promised to give this land to the Israelites and the reasons for doing so.
Genesis 12:1-3: God promised to bless Abraham and make his descendants into a great nation.
Genesis 15:15: God would choose the right time for Israel to enter Canaan because the nations living there would be wicked and ripe for judgment (for their sin would reach full measure.)
Genesis 17:7,8: God promised to give all the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants.
Exodus 33:1-3: God promised to help the Israelites drive out all the evil nations from Canaan.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8: The Israelites were to be an example of right living to the whole world; this would not work if they intermingled with the wicked Canaanites.
Deuteronomy 7:1-5: The Israelites were to completely destroy the Canaanites altars so nothing would tempt them away from Worshipping God alone.
So you see God promised it!
In Chapter 1:1-2, After the death of Moses, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun. 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. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
1:5 reads, No one will be able to withstand against you in 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.
See, previously the Israelites had an opportunity to enter the promised land, but they failed to trust God to give them victory. As a result, God did not allow them to enter the land, but made them wander in the desert until the disobedient generation had all died.
See, some people, some church folks, some leaders, some ministers, some aint’s are not going to be able to cross over to the promise land. They are disobedient, not faithful. They are wandering just like the children of Israel. You might ask how are they wandering? By fornicating, by committing adultery, be rebellious, worshipping Idols which can be men, women, cars, houses, jobs, positions, titles or being stuck on yourself. See, they have a form of godliness but denying the power there of. Look saved, act saved, but ain’t saved.
But, how many know a new generation was coming forth!!!! An obedient generation. That would follow leadership of Joshua and be lead and directed by God. The new generation was taught to obey God’s laws. They were taught that so they might enter the promised land. As the new generation children grew, they were often reminded that faith and obedience to God brought Victory, while unbelief and disobedience brought tragedy.
1:11 which is a key verse, Joshua ordered the officers of the people, “Go through the camp and tell the people, Get your supplies ready. 3 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.”
So, he told the officers to get the people ready. Get your house in order. Repent if you need to repent! Build up your faith and prayer life, if you need to! Get rid of any sins that so easily beset and entangles you. The officers are like the ministers or the five fold. Under the leadership of Bishop and Pastor we must tell the people to Get ready!! Let God clean you up so he can use you to cross over and take possession.
But, hold on! Wait a minute! How can the officers, ministers, five-fold. How can we get the people ready to cross over, if we have sin in our lives. We must be holy, purged and sanctified before we can be an effective and anointed officer!!!
So I am telling every body from the pulpit to the door! From the Window to the Wall! From the Praise team to the usher board! From the Bench warmers to Church Cleaning and Cooking Committee! From the Saint to the Aints! Get Ready! Get Ready! Repent purge your self, let God clean you up! So we can cross over!!! Don’t you want to go!!!!!!
In 1:16 – The people answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and where ever you send us we will go. The people, the officers were ready to follow the leader! They were ready to follow the Leader, because the walls were coming down!!!!!!!!!
See if everyone had tried to conquer the promise land his own way, chaos would have resulted. In order to complete the enormous task of conquering the land, everyone had to agree to the leaders plan and be willing to support and obey him. If we are going to complete the tasks God has given us, we must fully agree to his plan, pledge ourselves to obey it, and put his principles into action. Agreeing to God’s plans means both knowing what the plan is (as found in the bible) and carrying it out daily.
Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!, Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!, Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!
How many know sometimes we need to spy out the territory, the promised land. Joshua sent the spies to Rahab’s house. Rahab was a prostitute. He sent the spies to go, look over the land. Joshua knew, he would be attacking a heavily fortified city using conventional warfare tactics. He needed strategic information about the city for the upcoming battle. He didn’t want to move ahead without information and a strike plan.
He sent them secretly!!!! He didn’t want to cause the people to stumble and question his ability to lead and his wisdom!
Leaders, sometimes you need to spyout the land secretly. You don’t need to reveal everything the Lord is giving you to lead the people. Don’t let the enemy or the people see you sweat. Don’t let the people see you weak. Go to God in your secret closet and talk to him about it. If the people see you weak, confused, doubtful or that you are struggling executing the vision, it will cause the people to begin to doubt your ability to effectively lead the people to the promised land.
Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!, Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!, Leaders, Be Strong and Courageous!
See, God directed the spies to Rahab’s house because he knew her heart was open to him and that she would be instrumental in the Israelites victory over Jericho. God used a ho in Jericho! God often uses people with simple faith to accomplish his great purposes no matter what kind of past they have had or how insignificantly they seem to be, Rahab didn’t let or allow her past to keep her from the new role God had for her.
In 3:2 – After 3 days after the spies returned, the officers, went throughout the camp, 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 of your positions and follow it.
I believe in 2004, I heard the Bishop preach when I move, you move just like that. The people were told when you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God move! Move out of your positions, move out of your comfort zones! Where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty! When you see the spirit moving, Shut up! Stop Hating! Stop complaining! Stop mumbling and move just like that!!!!!!!!!
In vs 5, Joshua told the people, Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do exploits, amazing things among you. Living Word consecrate yourselves. For the Lord is going to do amazing things through you. Be Holy for God is Holy! Get sin out the Camp! The Lord wants to use you to cross over. The tail is going to be the head! The beneath is going to be above! The borrower is going to be the lender! Somebody shout Glory! High five 2 people and say Get Ready! Get Ready! We about to Move!
When they crossed the Jordan, the Lord dried up and cut the flow of water of the Jordan river as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge! Before they could cross the promised land, they had to take the first step! They had to step into the mighty Jordan! They had to put their faith in action!!!! God chose the spring of the year when the Jordan was overflowing, in flood stages! To demonstrate his power! How many know when the enemy comes in like a flood, God knows how to use you to swim!!!!!!!!!!!! He will lift up a standard!!!!
We about to close!! We about to possess the land!!!!! Bare with me a little longer!!!!
In 5:2 , the Lord told Joshua to make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again. See the old Israelites had all died. This was the new generation, they had not been circumcised. The rite of circumcision marked Israel’s position as God’s covenant people. The covenant God made with Abraham about circumcision was a sign of cutting off the old life and beginning a new life with God.
See, God is going to spiritually circumcise us. He has to cut off the old man, so the new man, the new generation can begin a new life with God. We can’t cross over until we have been cut. We must be purged. Behold old things have past away and all things have become new.
You can’t cross over with adultery, fornication, backbiting, be rebellious and sinning! You can’t cross over with the wrong attitude. You must be cut.
5:8, says after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. We can’t move or crossover until we are healed. Until we are processed. Until you are healed, until you are processed, sit down and stop defiling the temple with unclean hands!
Now! Now! Its time to cross over, move, possess the promised land!
In Chpt. 6 vs to, the Lord said to Joshua, “See I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with it’s king and fighting men.
vs 3, March around around the city once with all men. Do this for six days.
vs 4, Have seven priests carry trumpets of ram’s horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.
Vs 5, When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpet, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.
Church, we fixen to move. Everybody all over the building stand to your feet! If you believe you are in the presence of a prophetess of God, If you believe the word is true! I want you to get ready to move out of your position, out of your seat and comfort zone! When you see the spirit move, I want you to get ready to follow!!!
I am going to lead you, marching around the city (the church) on the seventh day, seven times. Seven is a number of completion.
Leaders line up behind me, five fold next, members next. Musicians, sound the organ, hit the cymbals as we march! After the seventh time! When we reach the altar. After I command, I want everybody to shout and cross over to your promised land!!!!!!!!!
