She Is Not The Girl She Used To Be Series

SHE’S NOT THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE

JOSHUA 2:1-24

Story of rough uncultured man who fell in love with beautiful vase in shop window--------------gradually the whole room was transformed

It is this kind of transformation we witness here in these verses

-----as the Israelites were about to enter Canaan and claim their promised land-----the first city they were to face was the great walled city of Jericho

When these two spies entered Jericho they went to the home of a harlot?----why----probably because the sight of men entering into a harlot’s home would not attract too much attention

-------------also because this would be a good place to gather information

-----------but the ultimate reason was because of the divine appointment given them by God

You see as they went into this home -----they found someone out of amazement-------Rahab was not the girl that she used to be

What we will see today is how the Lord takes sinners who will place their faith in Him and change them by His power and His grace

Now I want you to understand that believers should be aware of satanic strongholds

--------Jericho was satanic stronghold for Israel----it stood in their way of receiving what God has for them

----------same is true for us----as we cross over into our Spiritual land

There are many strongholds in our lives-----(define strongholds) ---------but in the world in which we live today there is one major stronghold in our lives--Materialism

How many blessings are we missing because of the strongholds in our lives

II Corinthians 10:3-6

Folks—Satan knows what God has in store for His people when they cross over into that Spiritual promise land----and he wants to keep us out-------and he uses those strongholds to keep us from experiencing all that God has for us

But praise God----He has those Rahab’s out there to help us to overcome those strongholds

----Who would have ever thought that God would use Rahab

Folks—God has always got a plan-----all we have to do is trust Him

-----but so often we think it has got to be done our way----not God’s

and folks God is not into tradition-------near as much as we are

I)—Rahab the Call girl—v. 1

A)—Her Spiritual Condition

Rahab was a harlot-----she was engaged in this wicked and evil lifestyle whereby she sold her body for money

Folks I want you to understand that Rahab is a picture of every person who is lost in sin this morning

Romans 3:23-----------Ephesians 2:1-3 & 12

B)—Her Spiritual Condemnation

She lived in a city that was slated for destruction-----God had already determined that Jericho would fall---------You see God had already passed sentence upon them and they were doomed to destruction

Folks understand----that is the same way it is with the sinner this morning--------The Bible tells us that the lost are condemned already

John 3:18 & 36

C)—God’s Spiritual Compassion

Notice v. 10-----expound

Rahab had experienced the grace and patience of God in giving her time to come to faith in Him

II Peter 3:9----“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for nay to perish but for all to come to repentance”

How many years has the Lord given you?------How many times has He knocked on your hearts door?

Isaiah 55:6 & 7

Folks it is a dangerous thing in delaying coming to the Lord-----or coming back to the Lord

II)—Rahab the Converted Girl—v. 2-11

A)—She Heard the Word–v. 10-11

Rahab had heard about the God of Israel-----It was a message of judgement that she heard but it introduced her to the true and living God

—the message that she received was the message of life

She heard that God can take any sinner and make them a new creation-----------You see that is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ -----that He can take any sinner and make them a new creature------II Corinthians 5:17—“Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”

This message tells us about a God who loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on a Cross

You see—this message is the only message that will bring eternal life to a person dead in sin

B)—She Heeded the Word—v. 9-11

Not only did Rahab hear the message, but she heeded it as well

-----this message produced a response of faith in the heart of Rahab

-----the fact that she believed the message is proven by what she says about God—v. 9------“LORD”----she used the covenant Name Jehovah

Notice v. 11----Notice what she says about the Lord

Notice v. 12----She calls on God to witness the pact she is about to make with the spies

Notice Hebrews 11:31