Walking On New Ground

Walking on New Ground

Theme: Principles of walking on new ground

Text: Joshua 3:1-5,13

God brought us to an “anything you ask” moment.

Mt 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 "Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before." 5 And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

Introduction

Joshua was about to lead Israel into the promised land. The crossing of Jordan was the last step into the promised land. Surely there are going to be some more fighting, but that is always true when receiving from God. But this is a symbolic step into a new journey for the Lord.

Notice verse “for you have not passed this way before” In other words you are about to walk on new ground. You are about to go in to new territory. You are about to go to a place that you have never been before.

I believe that this is the direction that God is leading our church. We are going to walk where we have never walked before. We are going to see things that we have never seen before. We are going to do ministry as we have never done before.

Principles

I. Follow the Ark

We mentioned this last night as we talked about seeking the face of God. Not seeking his hand but seeking his face.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

The ark represented the presence of the Lord.

The Israelites had went to war against the Philistines. They had taken the ark as “their protection”. Yet they were defeated and the ark was captured. Eli’s daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife named the child Ichabod.

1Sa 4:21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father–in–law and her husband.

If we don’t have the presence of the Lord in the place we might as well name it Ichabod. Put it over the door. Mans methods won’t work it must be of God.

II. Stay in reverence with the Lord “Don’t let the uncommon become common”

Joshua 3:4 "Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it

1. Keep God out front so you can see him clearly

2. Don’t become too familiar with the Lord and his glory.

When we become too familiar and think that we have this “line” to God and he is our puppet then we start doing crazy things. Like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus. They were the sons of Aaron the high priest. God had chosen them to keep the fire going in the tabernacle. Yet they had become too familiar with the Lord and the sacrifice. It had become common to them.

Leviticus 10 Death of Nadab and Abihu “strange fire”. Nadab and Abihu had become familiar with the things of God.

III. Sanctify-set yourself apart

Joshua 3:5v "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

“Prepare yourself for tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.”

Cleanse yourself and make your self holy. In other words comform in character to the Lord. Purify

AV-sanctify 26, hallow 2, be holy 1; 29

To make holy, consecrate, sanctify

1) to dedicate, separate, set apart for God

1a) Of things {#Mt 23:17,9 2Ti 2:21}

1b) Of persons: Christ {#Joh 10:36 17:19}

2) To purify, make conformable in character to such dedication