I want this!
Courageous Followers • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 2 viewsbio of Joshua and the command to be strong and courageous
Notes
Transcript
You and I are the beneficiaries of the courage of our ancestors. It took courage to lean over and take a sip of water at that water fountain marked ‘whites only;” it took courage to sit down at the lunch counter and order food.
One of the things that Joshua teaches us is that you and I are the beneficiaries of the courage of our ancestors. It took courage to lean over and take a sip of water at that water fountain marked ‘whites only;” it took courage to sit down at the lunch counter and order food.
It took courage to stand up and cross the Edmund Pettis bridge. It took courage for Martin Luther King Jr. to preach in Memphis after all the death threats he received. It took courage for him to keep going after they bombed his house and threatened his family.
It took courage for him to keep going after they bombed his house and threatened his family.
Everything we have and all the advantages we enjoy with a result of someone else’s coverage.
Bishop T. D Jakes convicted me with a powerful statement he made on courage.
“Do you have the courage? To act outwardly on what you see inwardly.
Or will you die a dreamer? Will you die on the verge and on the edge in the land of could of, would of and should of?
Do you have the courage? It takes courage to be successful. It is far easier not to be successful.
It takes courage to be successful. It is far easier not to be successful.
Misery will always have company. Success breeds contempt. If you don’t want to make waves, be mediocre. Be normal and fit in.
If you are more concerned with people than you are God, then neutralize everything he put in you. Just fit in with everybody else.
Dress like them, walk like them, act like them, eat like them, go where they go, think like they think and do what they do.
Once you have neutralized your uniqueness, you don’t need courage. It takes courage to be different. It takes courage to go where you’ve never gone before. It takes courage to be successful, it takes courage to win. People don’t talk about people that don’t win. If you win, they are going to talk about you.
Do you have the courage to stand there though the storms keep raging and the people get to talking and you stand there and say, “I’ve come too far to turn around.”
It takes courage to be successful, it takes courage to win. People don’t talk about people that don’t win. If you win, they are going to talk about you.
It takes courage to be exceptional, it takes courage to be wise, to be rich, to be educated, to be knowledgeable. It takes courage!
In this weak watered down mediocre society that we live in today, in this reality TV world we live in today. Is there anybody left to say, after all I’ve been through and all my ancestors have been through and all my parents have been through; I didn’t come through all of that just to fit in with normalcy.
I have the courage to go after my dream!”
It takes courage to be successful, it takes courage to win. People don’t talk about people that don’t win. If you win, they are going to talk about you.
YOU NEED COURAGE TO CONVERSE WITH GOD.
You need courage to even have a conversation with God.
Before we can even talk about what God declared to Joshua, recognize the importance of the conversation.
God’s call to Joshua represents a new chapter in the life of Israel...
The people’s wanderings would be over. Now they would take possession of a new life God promised them. I cannot tell you how long the duration of time is between the promise in the possession, but I can tell you God will keep his promises if you will keep your desire and strive to enter into God‘s promises.
God’s declaration to Joshua is enormous.
You and all this people get ready to cross the Jordan River. I will give you every place you set your feet, from the Great River Euphrates to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand up against you. As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you.
Joshua would lead a million people into Canaan. He would have to allocate the land, settle all the clans, No one would possess more authority on earth than Joshua. No one would be closer to God than him.
Why was Joshua a the obvious successor for Moses? He wanted it.
Why was Joshua a the obvious successor for Moses? He wanted it.
This whole message shifted when God called me to look again at verse one.
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide:
The Lord spoke to Joshua, Moses’ aide. Joshua wanted what Moses had.
Joshua wanted this responsibility. He wanted to lead the people.
THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN COURAGE AND DESIRE.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
There is no reason to have courage is there is nothing to fight for. Your courage will be equal to your desire. If you don’t have the desire for something greater than yourself, you will never have the courage to do it.
There is no reason to have courage is there is nothing to fight for. Your courage will be equal to your desire. If you don’t have the desire for something greater than yourself, you will never have the courage to do it.
Our ancestors was freedom more than their own safety. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to realize a dream of equality more than his own life.
Our ancestors was freedom more than their own safety. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to realize a dream of equality more than his own life.
Joshua wanted this responsibility. He wanted to lead the people.
These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.)
When Moses went to receive the tablets of Stone, Joshua went with him. He remained there until Moses came down the mountain.
Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God.
Whe
When Moses raised his arms against the Amalekites, Joshua won the battle.
So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
When Moses set up the Tent of Meeting outside the camp, the people would stand at attention at their tent doors while the glory of God met with Moses.
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Joshua was Jealous of the anointing on Moses. He did not want anyone else to have it.
Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”
When Moses sent out 12 spies, Joshua, along with Caleb, was the only one to come back and encouraged the people to believe God.
and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
There is no reason to have courage is there is nothing to fight for. Your courage will be equal to your desire. If you don’t have the desire for something greater than yourself, you will never have the courage to do it.
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The Lord spoke to Joshua, Moses’ aide. Joshua wanted what Moses had.
There is no reason to have courage is there is nothing to fight for. Your courage will be equal to your desire. If you don’t have the desire for something greater than yourself, you will never have the courage to do it.
Our ancestors was freedom more than their own safety. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to realize a dream of equality more than his own life.
In Conclusion,
You said to yourself, I really want God. How badly do you want him, do you want him enough to sell all you have and give it to the poor, do you want him enough to take your only child to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him to the Lord? do you want him enough to leave all that you have and follow Jesus Christ?
You say you want a new job, you want to get married, you want to finish that book, you want to start that business, you want to be financially successful.
Do you want it badly enough to go to school and educate yourself and become a master in that field, do you want it badly enough to learn everything you can know about it? Do you want it badly enough to change your lifestyle and become an apprentice and not make the money that you can to put yourself in a position to succeed? How badly do you want this.
THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN COURAGE AND DESIRE.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Jesus wanted you badly enough to come down from heaven to suffer the Scrooge in the shame of being falsely accused, he wanted it badly enough to die on the cross for you and me.
Jesus wanted you badly enough to come down from heaven to suffer the Scrooge in the shame of being falsely accused, he wanted it badly enough to die on the cross, Hebrew said looking onto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross and despised the shame.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Look where Jesus is, at the right hand of the throne of God. If you want God enough and have the courage to go after it, you will reach that place in God.
The Bible calls Moses the servant of the Lord. This is a special designation… Joshua was Moses assistant… Scripture.
The Lord told Joshua, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
declares two things… Joshua was filled with the Holy Spirit just as Moses. And the people listen to him as they did Moses.
The impartation of the Holy Spirit comes by studying the example. Paul says “the things that you have seen and heard of me do.”
Moses’ aide:
Who is Joshua? His family,
his ministry to Moses,
his personality... Joshua was a man of faith and Joshua was the commander.
In the spiritual life, those who have, God gives even more. Those who do not have, God takes away even what they have. Scripture.
Joshua would not have led the children of Israel if you were not devoted to Moses, a man of faith, and a fighter.
Bishop, what if I am none of these things? God is given every person a gift scripture… God is also giving you and every person a measure of faith. The artist is not the doctor the doctor is not the engineer the engineer is not the governor the governor is not the singer. Some have the gift of health, discernment of spirits, speaking and interpreting tongues, the gifts of administration and faith and healing.