Being Fully Persuaded (Conclusion)
Being Fully Persuaded • Sermon • Submitted
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Are you ready for the word?
Let’s pray.
Today we conclude the series Being Fully Persuaded - lessons from the book of Joshua.
Let’s review what we have discovered over this series. You can go to our YouTube page to see the complete messages.
Being fully persuaded means to be “All in,” to have complete, “Buy in,” to completely, “Lean into,” the plan and purpose that God has for your life.
Persuaded - to convince someone to believe something and to act on the basis of what is recommended.
Abraham was fully persuaded.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
In chapter 1, Joshua received his commission from God.
He displayed a “Faith that Acts,” which was the title of the message.
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.
He told the people to prepare themselves to enter into God’s promise.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”
We learned that true faith requires action on our part.
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Message 2 was titled “I’m All In.” We discovered i chapter 2:
Rahab the Harlot was fully persuaded to hide the spies Joshua sent to Jericho - (explain)
She risked her life to see the plan of God unfold.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
I asked the question, “What are you willing to risk to see God’s plan happen in your life?”
Message 3 was the second part of “I’m All In,” and we learned that Rahab heard of the victories God gave His people against Sihon and Og .
10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
I asked, “What have people heard about your God?
What do people see that says God is in your life?
What God given victories can people see in you?
Message 4 was Fight for our Family - we learned from Rahab how to intercede in prayer for people in our family.
12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
I asked the questions:
How do you pray for your children, grandchildren?
Who would you like to see in eternity with you?
Who would you like to see experience God’s activity in their life?
Message 5 , was called “Preparing for God’s Wonders” when in chapter 3 Joshua encouraged the people to sanctify themselves.
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
There are times when you and I must prepare ourselves to receive the things God has promised. We do this by sanctifying ourselves.
I described three aspects of sanctification:
1. Positional Sanctification - based on theology - done by God
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
2. Relational Sanctification - as we walk in relationship with God living by His word.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
3. Practical sanctification - things you and I can do or practice to keep ourselves clean.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
I asked the question
What is God telling you to rid yourself of - or to stop doing?
In our last message number 6 was “Stepping Out in Faith” Its when Joshua receives instructions as to how to cross the Jordan.
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.”
Stepping out in faith means acting on what we believe God says or wants, we can visualize the outcome, but we cant see the next step.
We learned that God will never let our foot slip.
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
The widow in Zarepath trusted God and made a cake for the man of God first - God sustained her and her family supernaturally.
15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
I asked the questions
Are you willing to do what God says, regardless of what it looks like?
Are you willing to trust God’s outcome as your outcome?
Are you willing to forsake your will to do God’s will?
Here in chapter four, we discover God encouraging his people to erect a monument or memorial that introduces their children to the God who delivered them through the Red sea and the Jordan river.
Memorial Stones
Memorial Stones
1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
God is telling His people to show their children about Him and His wondrous works - through the stones.
These stones represent miraculous experiences that God’s people had with Him.
Memorial stones come out of your walk with God - they are things and events that show others that God is with you.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Ananias told by God to minister to Saul
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
Paul begins to erect memorial stones.
20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
The disciples resisted Saul
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Memorial stones come out of your walk with God - they are things and events that show other God is with you.
I remember objects that remind me of my mother’s God.
Waiting for My Child - song my grandmother used to play - she relied on God for her son - it is a memorial to me.
I remember my mother’s transition from being the president of the Road Runner Motorcycle Club to becoming a Sunday school teacher at the Richmond Rescue Mission.
Christian believers buildings - 23rd street, 4th street - memorials to the power of God through my mom
Memorial stones are erected as you live - they point others to the God of your salvation.
They are visual image of what God has done or is doing in your life!
What memorial stones are you erecting?
The greatest memorial you can erect is your life.
How are you living as a believer?
What memorial stones have you erected throughout your lifetime.
The Dash
the poem by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth
and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash.
What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.
To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…
remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?
How you live your dash reveals how you live with God.