Overcoming the Insurmountable: Know that God Is in Control

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org KNOW know God.org it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear when we have a problem God is Pastor Greg Morris is up to us whether we follow his follow our cry really does love really does have a wonderful plan for your life force box for so you force your as we watch the main characters in great peril may wonder how the world how director for the actor talk to everyone behind the scenes know they read the script today of a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out when we are in God knows how to get us out. He knows the end from the beginning.

Today Pastor Greg is so Israelites very you way your question. Have you ever phase what seem like an insurmountable obstacle. Maybe you're facing it right now something that's okay, so overwhelming you just wish you could turn and run away and incurable illness. What seems like an unsolvable problem. A prodigal child. The marriage of this unraveling you think you will never get fixed ever.

Well, if that's what you're facing right now you have a general idea of how the nation Israel felt as they stood before the massive ancient city of Jericho, the city that God said they were supposed to conquer and his battle plan was one of the most unorthodox ever envisioned in human history. As you know already. There were the March around the city for seven days that that was the plan event on the seventh day march around it multiple times and then tell blow trumpets. That's of the craziest plan I've ever heard, but it was a plan designed by God to show his power will have big challenges in life. It might be a problem and buy me a challenge. Might even be an opportunity, but all you know is it really bad and there is no way you can do it in your own strength and you know for many of the greatest difficulty is to get to the place where they're willing to admit they need God whether willing to admit that that thing there facing is to big for them and that of God doesn't come through. They're not going to get through it. By the way, that's not a bad place to be is the great British preacher used to say Alan Redpath when you get to the end of yourself. You get to the beginning of God. Now let's sort of pick the story up. Remember that God is delivered Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. Why did he bring them out of Egypt so he can bring them into the promised land. Deuteronomy 623 says he brought us out from there that he might bring us in to give us the land which he swore to our father and just reminds us that God always has and then getting many are at a point in your life or things are making sense or seems to be a lot of loose ends. A lot of unanswered questions what God is a game plan. God is a beginning, a middle, and the eye. We don't always know what we are life.

Some of his cigarette the beginning when we may be near the end. Some of us think were near the end when maybe were near well a new beginning. So were not quite sure, but you just need to know that God has a plan and God finishes what he begins is described as the author and finisher of our faith. I don't know about you but I don't always finish what I began. I have an office at home which is really a room that I have my computers in in my books and such and it it it it looks like a bomb went off in there okay. It had so much junk because I am a pack rat okay I don't throw anything away. My wall is covered with drawing for my grandchildren and I have all these things that I think all we need later, which I really don't need later and so I got to a point where I couldn't find anything like lost my wife for a week. I thought she might be in there somewhere. So I just said this is the day so I attacked it and I got these bins and I fill them in, and I almost was completely done.

I mean, it was absolutely transform, but I didn't quite finish it. I move this stuff to another place and it was looking pretty good.

There are still a few little piles but I've noticed those little piles are now starting to grow so I did it the wrong way. I need to completely clean it. I didn't complete what I began, but God always finishes what he starts. So here's the plan for you the listener that she's not going to force the plan in your life. I know you've heard of before, but it's true.

God really does love you and he really does have a wonderful plan for your life. Having said that, you can botch the plan, you can abort the plan you can sabotage the plan or you can cooperate with the plan that is up to you. God will not force his purpose in your life. He said this to the Israelites and that some principal trooper us as well.

Deuteronomy 1126 he says behold I said before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today in the Kursk.

If you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today to go after other gods, which would not know, and of the same way we have that choice before us each and every day. We can choose life or choose the blessing by choosing to follow God or we can choose that and in effect the Kursk by not following God.

He brought them out to bring them in.

He brought us out to bring us in, he brought us out of sin, to bring this into like the apostle Paul describing what conversion looks like says we turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and the point is we go from darkness to light. He brings this out to bring us in. It doesn't say he brought us from black to gray, or from cold to lukewarm. And here's a problem. Some of the scope part of the way. Sort of like me cleaning my office. I did it. Part of the way and I might even add most of the way that I didn't do it completely. So we see I'm in a follow Jesus and Jesus can of this part of my life and again that part of my life, but there's a few little piles over here.

I'm keeping to myself I will see what those are piles of, but probably papers or trash or things you don't need, but whatever it is these are my number to keep these and then those little piles turning the big files and pretty soon you find out that you have a change is much as you should have first Peter two says they stumble because they do not obey God's word but you are not like that. Speaking to Christians, you're a chosen people, a holy nation called from darkness to light, to show others the goodness of God so he brought them out to bring the mental care of the Israelites now that they're out of Egypt, the Red Sea is parted for them and they are now moving forward. They were going to the promised land. God is giving to us the land of promise in just a moment. Mr. Greg points out how this deliverance of Jericho fits well into the pattern of deliverance we see from God toward his people more that just a moment. We love to hear stories of how lives have been changed to Greg Laurie's teachings of God's word through the years pass to Greg.

I grew up listening to you whenever we were in my moms car driving somewhere my first concert was in the fourth grade to see Sally Gurley Riverside campus recently had been overcome with anxiety and fear in regards to the coronavirus end of the world.

Staff started listening to your sermons again and you helped me so much your voice and teaching is one that really calms me. The Lord is drawing nearer and closer to him when I had unknowingly been distanced. Thank you for the wake-up call and for your continued ministry. I find myself tearing up because I'm so blessed. Thank you so encouraging when we hear that listeners are growing by hearing the studies you have a story to tell how Pastor Greg's teachings have impacted your life.

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Call us 1-866-871-1144, 866-871-1144 now. Pastor Gray continues his message called overcoming the insurmountable must listen.

So let's go back historically. Now the Israelites have been delivered from Egypt and they came in short order, to the point of entry of the land of Canaan, the promised land which would ultimately become the nation of Israel.

As a point of entry was a spot called Cadiz Barney. So instead of marching in, they said bullets. Let's check this out.

Send some spies in the 12 spies when it two of them.

We know by name Joshua and Caleb, Joshua and Caleb went in along with 10 other spies when they came back there was a majority report and there was a minority report then said there's no way we should go in there. The people are really big. In fact, we were like grasshoppers in their sight. Joshua Caleb came back and said yeah things are big in the new lab. Check out this cluster of grapes we product these grapes are so big it took two of us to get them out of the place. Let's go for it, but the people of Israel said no, they were filled with unbelief is that we do not want to go in.

The problem is they had a small God. Thus, they had big problems and that unbelief cost them 40 years of needless wilderness wandering unbelief says let's stay backwards, say, in contrast thing says let's go forward or God is working well. Here's the problem. They didn't go forward. They went around in circles because God was going to weed out all of the daughters and so now 40 years of just going around and around and around again and then they were whining, complaining about the food God gave them called manna I mean granted. Every day they have met so it's a breakfast today that almost half lunch manna meatloaf K dinner manna pizza and every day with some version of manna they started complaining. They said to Moses were worse, the cabana weave. We tried every version of manna we could eat. We've had but manna splits we've had manicotti. We just we we don't want anymore manna.

They said we remember the good old days back in Egypt where we used to eat garlic and onions and leaks men their breath was a stock right okay. And best of all, we remember the means we want fresh me. So the Lord said they want me them at a given tilt of the Bible says God bring quail on them and these people were so hungry for me.

They keep the birds before they were even dead. What the Bible says it turned bitter in their mouth.

The Scripture says he gave them what they wanted, but he sent leanness to their soul careful what you ask for.

You might get it. I think that way it's always a good thing in prayer to say, not my will but yours be done.

Lord I think this is what I need and I think this is what I want but you know better than I do. And for some reason this request and I am not praying is outside of your will. Please, I ask you overrule it as a good way to pray what we want because as you sure yes. Go they got what they wanted. So now there numbers shrunk and there are no longer the great multitude they were in fact the older generation is gone. Now we have all new generation their young people updating both of the Red Sea.

They just heard the stories they would go whole life eating manna. The only likely known as a life in the wilderness. These other people.

Now I get to go into the promised land. God was going to lead them in, but they needed their own encounter with the Lord, you know what every generation needs her own encounter with the Lord over 40 years ago we had the Jesus movement and a whole generation was impacted but were all grandparents now if we were there for that and were praying for another Jesus movement for our young people today that they can encounter God in their own way and see the Lord. Were we should be praying. Now there's a big barrier keeping this new generation ready to enter into the promised land from getting in and it was called the Jordan River. Granted, it wasn't as big as the Red Sea, but hate was still big enough enough to keep them out.

I've seen the Jordan River. It's a powerful rushing river so they come to the bank of other they look out of. There's no way they can get over it. So the Lord does a special miracle just for them and the waters part sort of like a mini Red Sea and they went in and got their feet wet. What's interesting about the Jordan River as the Lord said walk in the end it was still moving and it didn't open up until they got into the water. Sometimes the Lord will say take this little step of faith in you have to first get your feet wet and it doesn't happen right in front of you. You have to be willing to take that risk and that's what they did. So the Jordan River opens up. They walk through it now. And now they're facing what appears to be an insurmountable obstacle. The first city that they are to conquer the promised land, the city of Jericho. But before they go when a mysterious visitor comes to them. You can read about it later.

In Joshua five, a massive strapping soldier with a very large store. Joshua looks at him and says excuse me, are you friend or foe. Anything we say friend please. A friend and that massive soldier says I'm Cmdr. of the Lord's army. Some believe this was an angel. Others believe this was a Christ often the Christ often is an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. I sort of lean toward the latter. I think this may have been an appearance of Christ himself, and here's why think that because this messenger says to Joshua, take off your shoes you're standing on holy ground building an angel would say that that would be more trying to worship Angels they would rebuff the but of course this reminds us of what happened to Moses at the burning bush is God spoke to him.

So what the burning bush was to Moses, this soldier is Joshua. It's his own encounter with the Lord God is preparing them now for Jericho, which by the way comes from an original Hebrew phrase it translates out to the big enchilada and I made that up.

But it was bit and so now here comes the battle plan for conquering the big enchilada.

Here's the plan for bringing down the mighty walls of Jericho and the inhabitants Joshua chapter 690 Marie verses 1 to 5. Bring along with me reading from the new living translation of the gates of Jericho were tightly shot because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go in a row, but the Lord said to Joshua, I have given you Jericho, its king and its mighty warriors, your entire army is to march around the city once a day for six days seven free to walk ahead of the art, each carrying a ram's horn and on the seventh day you march around the city seven times with the priest blowing your warrants and when you hear the priest come one loud blast on the horns. All the people should shout, then the walls of the city will collapse and the people in charge straight into the city wanted a notice of battle was already decided.

God said in verse two. I've given you Jericho. The king and its mighty warriors.

Did you know the battle urine is already one you don't fight for victory.

You fight from victory Satan is a defeated foe at the cross of Calvary.

Jesus dealt a decisive blow against the devil and his followers, his minions, if you will, and he conquered them.

So when we face the devil we stand in the Lord and of the power of his might not in our strength and history go about senior not to be tempted not to say you will be harassed and I'm not saying the devil is not powerful.

What I am saying is you'll never be tempted above your capacity to resist and your God is greater then your adversary, so this battle is already decided just as it was for Israel.

We just need to do. Would God tells us to do for them. March around the city in silence once a day for six days and on the seventh day march around seven times, then scream blow trumpets ever feel like God is just messing with your mind a little bit what kind of a crazy battle plan is this it seems as though Lord goes out of his way to come up with plans to cause us to be dependent upon him, whether it's Israel with their trumpets or Gideon with this torch is a look at that next time God loves to use human weakness to show his strength.

But understand this, there's always a method to the madness. This is not madness of all. But God had a plan God had a purpose and a reason for having them do this but it seems to me that the Lord will find in usual way to lead us all will realize it is from Greg Laurie great insights today into God's plan for Joshua in the battle of Jericho. And there's more to come. As the study continues and Pastor Greg will have a closing comment just a moment, but for a permanent copy of the full message you heard today here on a new beginning get in touch with a study called overcoming the insurmountable will pass along ordering details when you dial 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 hour number to call right now.

1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and I were so happy to make available a new resource for the holiday called the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection by gifted children's author Sally Lloyd Jones joining us today.

She has such a wonderful way of making Scripture come alive for kids.

Pastor Greg cell if you were to just sum everything up about telling a child a story. What is the secret for apparent listening right now of engaging their child and sharing a Bible story with them in a particular the Christmas story when assessing a comes to my mind is to be together with the child in one day before the story because where will God's children went away to over 92, and I think a child really responds when you treat them as with respect and you don't you know talk down to them. Especially when you come to them with them before a Bible story in your best canopy spy continue with the expectation that God can speak to both of you. So I think that's a really good way of doing it when you just to gather reacting in the moment to the story and getting how I wonder what that would have been like, rather than coming with some kind of agenda that you got to teach the child saying otherwise I'm giving you permission not to come with any kind of sense that we've got to have it all together. You just come with the child and see what God does excellent advice from Sally Lloyd Jones, a prolific children's author who knows what she's talking about and you can order this resource to look at with your children with on wonder as you rediscover the story of Christmas. The story of the birth of Jesus's arrival on planet Earth. It's called the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection featuring story songs and reflections for the Advent season. I will send it to you this month for your gift of any size to help us continue to teach God's word and proclaim the gospel through new beginning try to such a rich resource. The artwork is beautiful. Sally's text is engaging in its interactive plus you press one button and hear sample of Christmas music and you can press another in your shirt reading from British actor David Touchet. Everything was ready.

The moment God had been waiting for was here last.

God was coming to Lily, glad to send you the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection to thank you for your donation. You choose the amount. Our mailing address is a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time or from Pastor Greg study of Joshua and Jericho. But before we go. Pastor Greg reiterates how the Lord will sometimes work in unusual ways. Look at the different ways that Jesus healed people ever notice to each case was different to one person he would speak the word and they would be healed to another, he would touch them and they would be healed to even another they would touch him and they would be healed and the one guy who was blind, he spit on the ground.

Rub it in dirt and put it in the guise here buddy hers mud your I mean can you imagine if you came to me for praying. Would you pray for me because her journey how to do, we would need to. Why did Jesus do this so people would not get hung up on the technique it is God that heals. He can heal them anyway he can heal you to the prayers of believers he can heal you with the elders of the church pray for you and anoint you with oil. He can heal you through the guided hands of a gifted surgeon as many ways he can touch you, but ultimately we say will that was from the Lord God intentionally changes his method so will continually look to him possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org