Step Across the Threshold
Tony Schachle
Thresholds • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 40:11
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· 55 viewsGod is up to something. There is an atmosphere of anticipation. There is an environment of expectation. God is getting ready to lead us into deeper spiritual waters and depths of His promises. We are standing on the threshold of something great. It's time to Step Across the Threshold!
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SCRIPTURE
SCRIPTURE
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
OPENING
OPENING
I believe we are standing on the threshold of something great.
God is up to something.
I can feel it.
And I feel like there are some of you who can feel it as well.
There is an atmosphere of anticipation.
There is an environment of expectation.
We’ve gotten just a little taste of it here recently.
But we haven’t seen anything yet.
It’s about to get better.
God is about to do exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or even think.
God is trying to lead us into deeper spiritual waters.
God is trying to lead us into deeper depths of His promises.
We are standing on the threshold.
And it is time to Step Across the Threshold!
Israel was standing at a threshold.
They were standing at the entrance to the Promised Land.
A place where they had first stood 40 years earlier.
But the first time they stood there, they refused to Step Across the Threshold.
Moses sent out 12 spies into the land of promise. 10 came back with a bad report. They said, “we can’t possess this land. The sons of Anak are there. There are giants in the land. And we are like grasshoppers in their sight.”
Only Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report. They said, “this is truly a land flowing with milk and honey. There are vineyards we did not plant. There are houses we did not build. And we are well able to take possession of this land.”
But the people listened to the word of the 10 spies who brought back an evil report.
And God said, “this generation shall not enter into the promise because of their lack of faith and obedience.”
Hebrews 3:19 “19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
So God said, “I’m going to make them wander in dry places in the wilderness for 40 years until all those 20 years and older have died.”
“Only Joshua and Caleb shall enter into the Promised Land.”
They could have made the trip from Mt. Sinai to the entrance to the Promised Land in 11 days.
Deuteronomy 1:2 “2 It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.”
11 days turned into 40 years because of their unbelief and disobedience to God’s Word.
All because they refused to Step Across the Threshold.
LACK OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE WILL POSTPONE THE PROMISE!
Now after 40 years of wandering, Israel finally stood once again at the threshold of the Promise. Would they be obedient and step out in faith this time? Or would they fail to Step Across the Threshold again?
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
The Promise
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
You will never possess what you do not claim!
In other words, you’ve got to Step Across the Threshold!
Faith and obedience are intrinsically linked!
In other words, obedience is essential to faith!
There is ultimate victory in Jesus over our enemies!
God never walks out on His promises!
The Requirement
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
It takes strength and courage to possess what God has promised!
The assurance of victory is linked to obedience to God’s Word!
Speak it
Meditate on it
Do it
Focus on the promise that God is Emmanuel!
The Step of Faith
10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:
If God be for us, who can be against us?
God never fails!
God will completely drive out the enemy!
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”
It was the Ark, the presence of God, that went first.
It wasn’t the warriors, it was the worshippers!
We enter the place of God’s promise through His presence!
14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
The flood waters did not recede until their feet touched the water!
When the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise a standard up against him!
It is harvest time and it is time for us to take a step of faith!
CLOSING
CLOSING
Step Across the Threshold!
Where is God calling you?
What are some of the promises God has given you?
Three Points
Pursue the Promise
You will never possess what you do not claim!
Remember the Requirements
It’s going to take strong faith and courageous faith!
God’s Word
Speak it
Meditate on it
Do it
Walk the Walk
God is with you!
Take that step of faith!
God is waiting on you to Step Across the Threshold!
ALTAR CALL
ALTAR CALL