Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Arriving at God's Destination
Arriving at God’s Destination
Intro: The Israelites had a dream of being set free, that one day their deliver would come and lead them out of captivity. God sent Moses. Israelites set free, given a promise. Due to disobedience and disbelief they were left to wonder for 40 yrs.
Should of only took about a week and a half, but the people caused the delay.
Question: are you causing a delay in your own life as you travel to arrive at Gods destination for you?
Jeremiah 29:11:
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
The promise that God gave them was the land of Canaan which represents the destination of Gods people after they have been set free from degrading bondage.
This was the land over the Jordan- the promised land.
This land represents the rest and victory that can be enjoyed by every believer.
You see the deliverance from Egypt was only the preparation for the enjoyment of Canaan.
As we walk the walk we are brought out of sin so that we might be brought into abundant life.
The wilderness is never Gods permanent destination for us.
Many Israelites died in the wilderness, so many Christians have and will die in the desert of a dry spiritual life, never having to experience the fullness that God had for them.
God has already given it to us; we must do our part and possess it.
The enemy “Satan” would tell you it’s not yours; if you try to claim it he will defeat you. Sadly we listen. Satan is a liar!
Turn with me to the book of Joshua.
We read in Joshua 1:2-3:
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—
They could only possess what they claimed. But it was all given.
What promise has God given you that you aren’t claiming today?
How can you arrive at Gods destination in your own life today?
What must you do to be heading in the right direction?
To dream is to hope for things that seem unobtainable. To realize your potential in God is to see extraordinary possibilities happen in your life.
Destiny- refers to a predetermined course of events.
It has nothing to do with luck, fate, fortune, karma, big brakes or your connections.
Example from the bible of a man who arrived at Gods designation was Joshua.
As we look at his story I want to point out 3 areas that we need to focus on in our own lives if we are to arrive at our destination in God.
Point 1.Courage
Definition: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty
Joshua 1:6,7,9:
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
This charge was given to Joshua
Hx of Joshua: Field General of Israel Army
One of 2 of 12 who gave a good report of the promise land.
Warrior and a leader.
God is calling us all to be warriors and have courage in order to take procession of what is ours.
Joshua died at the age of 110. Israel turned away from God and the Israelites hit rock bottom again.
They then cried out to God and He answered and called upon a man called Gideon.
Judges 6:12:
12And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.
Now if you know the story about Gideon you know he was no fearless, courage’s man.
But Gideon learned a lesson that many of us need to learn. We just need to answer the call; God will give us the victories.
Deuteronomy 20:4:
4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
It takes great courage to step out in the things of God. To go against the crowd isn’t the easy way out. Ever try to swim upstream, not an easy task.
If we want to obtain all that God has for us we have to take a stand. We need to be full of a genuine God- confidence.
Stop hiding your light and let it shine bright.
Live a life that demands an explanation.
In order to let our lights shine we come to my second point which is :
Point 2.Character
You see courage alone won’t get you to Gods destination. Ex gang leaders…
God is calling us to be spiritual leaders
Anyone can be someone who does things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing.
Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence.
Excellence is “being all you can be”.
To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character.
You must do everything you are commanded by God to do.
Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong character.
o Honest
o Inspiring
o Fair-minded
o Broad-minded
o Courageous
o Straightforward
How do we obtain these characteristic:
Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead.
But the strategy for arriving at our destination in God Can be found in the scriptures…
Joshua 1:7-8. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
He told Joshua in order to succeed he must1. Be strong and courage’s because the task ahead would not be easy,
2. Obey God’s law, and 3. Constantly read and study the Book of Instruction- God’s Word.
To arrive at Gods destination follow Gods words to Joshua.
You may not succeed by the worlds standards but you will be a success in Gods eyes- and His opinion is most important.
In order to arrive at Gods destination we first need courage to take the first step and step out in faith and take hold of Gods promises for us, then we must exhibit the characteristics of a true leader for God. May third point is …
Point3. Cooperative
We have to corporate with God in order to arrive to our promise land.
Are you willing to do whatever he instructs you no matter how the circumstances may look?
Satan will do whatever he can to place obstacles in your path but God is more than able to overcome and hindrance that Satan would throw at us.
Joshua 3
The Israelites Cross the Jordan
1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove[a] and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. 2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile[b] behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”
5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
Before we can cross over our hearts have to be true, motives are in the right place.We need to ask for His forgiveness.
6 In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.
7 The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. 8 Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”
9 So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the Lord your God says.
I am sure the people were excited and wanted to rush right in but we need to take the time to listen to what God has to say. He knows best.
10 Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you. 11 Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River! 12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
Right before we can cross over there seems to always be that one last hurdled to climb.
God gave them specific instructions: in order to cross, the priests had to step into the water.
What if these priests had been afraid to take that first step?
Often God provides no solution to our problems until we trust Him and corporate and move ahead with what we know we should.
What are the rivers, or obstacles, in your life? In obedience to God, take that first step.
14 So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, 16 the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea[c] until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
God wants you to cross over today into your promise land. Will you corporate with His will for your life?
Joshua was a man of courage, strong Godly character and he corporate with God. Will you do the same today?
What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart?
Intro: The Israelites had a dream of being set free, that one day their deliver would come and lead them out of captivity. God sent Moses. Israelites set free, given a promise. Due to disobedience and disbelief they were left to wonder for 40 yrs.
Should of only took about a week and a half, but the people caused the delay.
Question: are you causing a delay in your own life as you travel to arrive at Gods destination for you?
Jeremiah 29:11:
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
The promise that God gave them was the land of Canaan which represents the destination of Gods people after they have been set free from degrading bondage.
This was the land over the Jordan- the promised land.
This land represents the rest and victory that can be enjoyed by every believer.
You see the deliverance from Egypt was only the preparation for the enjoyment of Canaan.
As we walk the walk we are brought out of sin so that we might be brought into abundant life.
The wilderness is never Gods permanent destination for us.
Many Israelites died in the wilderness, so many Christians have and will die in the desert of a dry spiritual life, never having to experience the fullness that God had for them.
God has already given it to us; we must do our part and possess it.
The enemy “Satan” would tell you it’s not yours; if you try to claim it he will defeat you. Sadly we listen. Satan is a liar!
Turn with me to the book of Joshua.
We read in Joshua 1:2-3:
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—
They could only possess what they claimed. But it was all given.
What promise has God given you that you aren’t claiming today?
How can you arrive at Gods destination in your own life today?
What must you do to be heading in the right direction?
To dream is to hope for things that seem unobtainable. To realize your potential in God is to see extraordinary possibilities happen in your life.
Destiny- refers to a predetermined course of events.
It has nothing to do with luck, fate, fortune, karma, big brakes or your connections.
Example from the bible of a man who arrived at Gods designation was Joshua.
As we look at his story I want to point out 3 areas that we need to focus on in our own lives if we are to arrive at our destination in God.
Point 1.Courage
Definition: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty
Joshua 1:6,7,9:
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
This charge was given to Joshua
Hx of Joshua: Field General of Israel Army
One of 2 of 12 who gave a good report of the promise land.
Warrior and a leader.
God is calling us all to be warriors and have courage in order to take procession of what is ours.
Joshua died at the age of 110. Israel turned away from God and the Israelites hit rock bottom again.
They then cried out to God and He answered and called upon a man called Gideon.
Judges 6:12:
12And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.
Now if you know the story about Gideon you know he was no fearless, courage’s man.
But Gideon learned a lesson that many of us need to learn. We just need to answer the call; God will give us the victories.
Deuteronomy 20:4:
4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
It takes great courage to step out in the things of God. To go against the crowd isn’t the easy way out. Ever try to swim upstream, not an easy task.
If we want to obtain all that God has for us we have to take a stand. We need to be full of a genuine God- confidence.
Stop hiding your light and let it shine bright.
Live a life that demands an explanation.
In order to let our lights shine we come to my second point which is :
Point 2.Character
You see courage alone won’t get you to Gods destination. Ex gang leaders…
God is calling us to be spiritual leaders
Anyone can be someone who does things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing.
Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence.
Excellence is “being all you can be”.
To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character.
You must do everything you are commanded by God to do.
Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong character.
o Honest
o Inspiring
o Fair-minded
o Broad-minded
o Courageous
o Straightforward
How do we obtain these characteristic:
Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead.
But the strategy for arriving at our destination in God Can be found in the scriptures…
Joshua 1:7-8. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
He told Joshua in order to succeed he must1. Be strong and courage’s because the task ahead would not be easy,
2. Obey God’s law, and 3. Constantly read and study the Book of Instruction- God’s Word.
To arrive at Gods destination follow Gods words to Joshua.
You may not succeed by the worlds standards but you will be a success in Gods eyes- and His opinion is most important.
In order to arrive at Gods destination we first need courage to take the first step and step out in faith and take hold of Gods promises for us, then we must exhibit the characteristics of a true leader for God. May third point is …
Point3. Cooperative
We have to corporate with God in order to arrive to our promise land.
Are you willing to do whatever he instructs you no matter how the circumstances may look?
Satan will do whatever he can to place obstacles in your path but God is more than able to overcome and hindrance that Satan would throw at us.
Joshua 3
The Israelites Cross the Jordan
1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove[a] and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. 2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile[b] behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”
5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
Before we can cross over our hearts have to be true, motives are in the right place.We need to ask for His forgiveness.
6 In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.
7 The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. 8 Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”
9 So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the Lord your God says.
I am sure the people were excited and wanted to rush right in but we need to take the time to listen to what God has to say. He knows best.
10 Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you. 11 Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River! 12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
Right before we can cross over there seems to always be that one last hurdled to climb.
God gave them specific instructions: in order to cross, the priests had to step into the water.
What if these priests had been afraid to take that first step?
Often God provides no solution to our problems until we trust Him and corporate and move ahead with what we know we should.
What are the rivers, or obstacles, in your life? In obedience to God, take that first step.
14 So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, 16 the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea[c] until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
God wants you to cross over today into your promise land. Will you corporate with His will for your life?
Joshua was a man of courage, strong Godly character and he corporate with God. Will you do the same today?
What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
