Whose Side Are You On?

Who’s side are you on?

JOS 5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

JOS 5:14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"

JOS 5:15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Notice the question that Joshua asks of this man. “Are you for us or for our enemies?” You see Joshua saw it as you are either for him or for them. There is not neutral ground, as a matter of fact the ground which he stood was Holy ground.

With God there is no neutral ground. We are either for him or we are against him. How will we know which side we are on?

1. How do we live?

a. 2 Peter 3:11 says we ought to live Holy and Godly lives

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

b. Gal 5:16-26 tells us the living of the two are obvious.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

GAL 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

GAL 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

2. There is not neutral ground

a. Matt 6:24 we will either be with one or the other "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money

b. Joshua 24:15-24 We must choose everyday whom will we serve.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

JOS 24:16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! 17 It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."

JOS 24:19 Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you."

JOS 24:21 But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."

JOS 24:22 Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD."

"Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.

JOS 24:23 "Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."

JOS 24:24 And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him."

So I ask you today, Who’s side are you on?

To be on the Lord’s side we must

1. Believe/ Have Faith Hebrews 11:6 Mark 16:16

2. Confess our sins/Repent 1 John 1:9, Acts 2:38

3. Confess him as Lord and Savior, Mt 10:32

4. Be Baptized Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38,

5. Live Godly lives 2 Peter 3:11, Eph 4:1, Col 1:10.

Who’s side are you on?