God’s Power in Your Life

And Graham wants from today's message God's power in your life told you to do is ask for your service told you to your neighbor you listening to living Bible teacher and Graham lots from the life of Joshua visual power now from Joshua chapter 4 chapter 4 verse one when the whole nation. I finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua choose 12 men from among the people one from each tribe and tell them to take up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan from right when the priesthood came over with you put them down at the place where you stay tonight as they crossed over they were to pick up the stones put them on the riverbank and the purpose was in verse six in the future when your children ask you what these stones mean you tell Jordan was cut off the ark of the covenant of the Lord went across the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off, the people of Israel forever. They were like rocks of remembering not wondered for weeks. When I rocks of remembrance could be just a visual proof of God's power in our lives visual proof that would cross the Jordan would surrender our lives to cry and I thought back out of this is taking it too literally.

Not only will they were little rocks of the pickup from the riverbed and when the waters came back and flowed back over it always pointed was rock something that came out of the middle of the riverbed when we crossed on dry ground and a visual reminder of the power of God and and I think the we crossed the Jordan once and for all as we give God everything we say God you can have Moloch. He takes it to a deeper level and have deeper experiences about us. He says all right you want to spend your life to me now I want this and I want to say God you can have everything in them. When we begin to know what he wants then you know the choice gets deeper and deeper and deeper and so I can say God you can have my children and one of them calls and says mom I have cancer. Then I have the choice to go deeper in my surrender right there on the phone with Jonathan, Jonathan, you know your purpose in life is not to be healthy and is not to be wealthy and problem free and happy your purpose in life is to glorify God, and you can do that if you have six weeks to live. You can do that if you have one year to live. You can do that if God extend your life until you live out your normal life span. You just live your life to the glory of God on the phone, Jonathan. I pray we getting his life to God and God took me deeper surrender.

Maybe somebody here has crossed the Jordan you given God everything but now he's come along and he saying I want what is it made it something else. Maybe it's a spouse or parent or your business or your church or your ministry are your opportunities for ministry or your goals, your desires, your dream is a lot you can have everything. He says all right but I want this you crossed the Jordan when you get and it takes you deeper and they cost with the literal proof they collected their stones of remembrance, and they crossed with living proof their lives were living proof that they across when they finished crossing that were on the other side of the Jordan and nobody can doubt the whole life where they live and live their surroundings and their lifestyle was totally there were no longer in the wilderness that they were on the Canaan side and they were living through, and the proof in their lives. In verse 10, there was no disobedience to the present. The art remain standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. They were totally obedient. Don't tell me that you crossed the Jordan, if you're disobedient to the Lord what he told you to do is ask for your service is ask your time. As he told you to go off your forgiveness. That person has he told you to witness to your neighbor told you to do.

You crossed the Jordan, if you're disobedient. One aspect of the living proof of your life that you've crossed is that there is no deliberate disobedience in your life, we all fall into it, but you don't deliberately disobey. There was no disobedience and there was no delay in verse 10, they they also knew that Jordan River parted and then you know how long it was going to be parted and so they wash through wanting to walk through that door of opportunity. While it was if you procrastinate if you think about this on my family things I want to look at my schedule and you put it off.

Jordan may flow back and never again will the Jordan River in your hearts going to be a little hard and you may never surrender to Christ, and you may never experience everything God has for you. When God opens at Jordan you cross and you hurry and you do it before the devil knows all those doubts in your mind and discourages you put your focus on the giants in the land in the fortress. On the other side and that brings me to everything. There was no disobedience, no delay. There was no solution about this in verse 13 about 40,000 armed for battle, crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for more than you promised land is not a bed of roses promised land is going to be one battle after another one on the other side of the Jordan. It was a huge enemy fortress and they were going to have to deal with that before they can even get on the next battle. Something battle after battle after battle met. Also there was a victory after victory after you, the devil doesn't bother with people in the wilderness, you know, same old same old, defeated, discouraged, going in circles going nowhere with God, they're not attractive. Nobody wants to join. He just leaves them alone in their misery and their apathy and the complacent all of their worldliness as they long for Egypt and Wednesdays worried about are the ones have decided to move out of the wilderness and cross over the Jordan because they're the ones are going to start confronting him going to take up this early start fighting the ones are going to have victory over him and you want to give the goals of antidilution member, you have the Lord's promise of victory you have his presence in your life and you have this power so the waters of the Jordan had rolled back in verse 18. The police came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant.

No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground in the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before, and there was no going back just as soon as the last little child across last bleeding sheep last wagon load of stuff in the ark came with the priest carrying it. No sooner had their feet stepped up out of the river bed then with a thunderous roar of the Jordan River came back blocking any retreat. No going back and I'll tell you something is not one person who crossed the Jordan I wanted to go back anyway. What is your life to Christ and you begin to experience everything he has for you. It is so exciting.

There is so much peace there so much joy for so much of venture is trying to solve conflicts in battle and hardship. You know you're going to experience the strength and the power of God in you fresh way and after the battles that can come times of peace. You read the Joshua.

There were times of rest in peace, and fax almost harder to experience everything God had for them when there was peace and prosperity.

And when there was battle after battle after battle, sometimes peace and prosperity can be a dangerous place to be in your Christian life where they did achieve it after a measure of time, but they were the literal proof when those waters went back that the literal proof of the rocks that taken up from the riverbed and they were living proof themselves because they were now on the other stuff was also lasting proof in verse 19 on the 10th day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan Canton Gill gal on the eastern border of Jericho Joshua set up a Gill gal the 12 stones. They taken out of the Jordan and he said to the Israelites in the future when your descendents ask their fathers what do these stones mean, tell them Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground in the lasting proof that you've crossed is that you tell people what God has done for you and you go home you tell your family and your friends. God is in your own testimony to the power of God to change your heart and change your life. Your children and as we tell our children not only just what we say.

But the way we love our lives you know, we can say all day long Camry and our children watch us much more carefully than they listen to and we tell our children. By the way we live when they see us getting up early for prayer.

This is on her knees in prayer. This is getting answers to prayer is winning about was Mrs. being obedient bobbles and they see us serving the Lord leading a Bible study in getting involved in the message and the message they get is that you cross the Jordan and the reason your cost is because of the greatness of God.

Verse 23 for the larger God taught the Jordan before you crossed over in the larger God just is done to the Red Sea. When he dropped it up before we crossed over, and you tell them about the greatness of God.

The same God delivered you from your sin Egypt is with you in the world and this is taking across the Jordan your life with blasting units for his glory is done. All peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful that you might always fear the Lord your God people looking alive in your learning proof in your lasting proof the power and the greatness and the glory of the Lord your God, now believe if there's one thing our world needs to see his Christians were on the other side of the Jordan Christians were living in power and victory here. I think the one thing that I see missing in America. More than anything else. All this mess going on in Washington all the stuff the talking heads on TV all the things you read the newspaper. The one thing that so glaring. There is no fear of God. They talk about what they can get by talk about what the political pull and talk about what the people will accept and body, except maybe faithful pastors in the churches but not all is saying anything about what does God say there is no God isGod because Christians have lived in the wilderness and is not afraid of it was when the children living lasting literal proof the power of God in their lives. Look at chapter 5, verse one. That's when the enemy west of the Jordan and the Canaanite kings on the seacoast dropped the Jordan before the Israelites until we crossed over there.

Thank you had the courage to face life. They were afraid of Israel because they had fear of Israel's God. Maybe our world would get back a healthy fear of God. If you are not get out of the wilderness, cross over the Jordan surrender our lives just be available to God. Everything letting use you anyway you want things to fill your life and his Holy Spirit, giving you peace and joy and purpose and meaning in the impact this world for him and the world stands back and takes the fight against and these people came against the Israelites and they can attack you. But in their hearts. There's a respect and there is a fear of your God, God will give you victory God gave them victory.

They had crossed over the Jordan with literal proof they had the rocks of remembrance, people would say what's rocks over there may would have told you about the day after we've been in the wilderness for 40 years.

We left Egypt demonstration of God's power and we can send went in circles for 40 years living the same old same old going nowhere with God and then Joshua said it's come time were going to break camp to cross over and and God will hold back the waters of the stage waters and they were all back and we crossed the Jordan on dry ground. It was with picked up stones in the middle of the riverbed and those of the stone proof that we crossed the Jordan. I'm on the West Bank. I'm living proof and let me tell you what God's done for me and give lasting proof lasting proof really is the next generation is what our children see and I can tell you as a child of parents across the Jordan is contagious.

You say your parents across the Jordan you see them living a life of surrender and you see them praying and get answers to prayer and you see them reading your Bible and being obedient using them, serving the Lord a cost of their lives. You want to cross the Jordan to SR lasting proof that we pass on to the next generation.

So would you choose to experience everything God has moved out of the wilderness crossover majority enter into the promised land Israelites in chapter 5. Enter in and this surprised me because they would enter in with celebration and you have a party all night and be so excited to finally end. Instead, when the interim, the first thing the experience is conviction of sin.

So don't be surprised if you make the decision to surrender your life to Christ and he says all right and he pinpoints something in your life that you need to confess that you need to correct something you need to repent of concern. Verse two at that time the Lord said to Joshua that this is the very first order of business promised land makes let knives and circumcise the Israelites again. So Joshua made flint knives and circumcise the Israelites and he goes on to explain why this was necessary. I want to explain to operate in my own words.

When God called Abraham out of the Chaldees is Abraham. If you follow me, a life of faith.

I give you descendents like the stars of the sky, I give you one descendent through the nations of the earth would be blessed. Speaking of Jesus I give the promised land and Abraham agreed he followed God, life of faith in God made a covenant with Abraham and from God's point of view if it could never be broken. God would never break his covenant with his people and the sound of the covenant was circumcision.

Abraham, the circumcise all of his promises went to Isaac. He was circumcised.

All this promises went to Jacob, he was circumcised. His 12 sons to save the promises they were circumcised and after that all of the Jewish or the Israelite males were circumcised. It was a sign that God was there God they were his people is coming a relationship but I listen to me when we left Egypt, Moses at the mall circumcise all men. The boys circumcise and that was a sign they were claiming God's government. And then God took them to the promised land and they rebelled against him is that we go in the Giants there. Now, when Moses gave me a line worshiping God they want a calf in a God like the Egyptians had and they went in circles rebelling against his back to Egypt and the taskmasters. We just got your people will be our God and the circumcise their children. They refuse to give a sign of the covenant, and it was in the fact they refuse to be circumcised, was a sign of the rebellion against God and God says all right just come into the promised land is time to be circumcised is time to cut away the rebellion in your heart.

Is there somebody here is harboring rebellion against God against his authority in your line against something he's asked you to do against something he's allowed to come in your life, and he says now that you've made the choice to crossover you got to cut away that flash cut away that self cut away the rebellion deprived cut away the selfishness when they cut away the rebellion, God's all right, I'm going to cut away the reproach verse nine, the Lord said to Joshua today.

I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you about the reproach of Egypt and Israelites have been in slavery down Egypt.

Moses they come and told Pharaoh let my people go. Pharaoh would lasting thought it was a joke and I got showed he was serious that all those planks and forests. Pharaoh's hand in that titanic demonstration of power. Finally, Pharaoh was broken. He said you can let us people going get out of Egypt and 2 million Israelites streamed out of each they came to the Red Sea and got open at the Red Sea may pass through on dry ground in his army chased them in the Red Sea and the rest and collapsed on them and destroy you know God isn't the plaintiff forced people from slavery say to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, knowing group of better no purpose not going to defeat grumbling and complaining.

They were a joke. The world been impressed with their gods and fear of their God. When you deliver them from Egypt solving the wilderness. They held God's name and reproach. Now tell you something in the world today despise halfhearted Christian somebody who you know toxic doesn't walk it somebody who says they're out of Egypt with their living in the wilderness longing for Egypt and that's a joke. So God says you cut away your rebellion, I'll cut away the reproach I give you back your testimony. I give you back your reputation. I'll give you back the respect in the eyes of the world. I'll give you back your defecation with me after the conviction of sin, the circumcision of themselves. They came this operation of their salvation.

Verse 10 on the evening of the 14th day of the month.

While camped at Gill gal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover and they were member back in Egypt, the lash of the taskmaster and they remembered their affliction, and they remembered when Moses succumbed and told Pharaoh to let God's people go and they remember that night when the angel of death swept through Egypt and hear the cry and the screen of the Egyptians as their firstborn died household in the angel of death passed over an escape they would escape the judgment of God that fell on Egypt member in the middle of the night, excitement, and the terror as they packed up their things quickly grab their brand of jazz around unleavened bread to charting their belongings and they stream out of Egypt is the sun rose up over that desert. They were leaving Egypt Red Sea parted in the past on dry ground and they were finish with Jewel the Passover since that night in Egypt because when you're in the wilderness.

It's hard to get excited about your salvation. You are safer major from them so you can talk about your salvation doesn't mean as much to you is not as much joy in your salvation when you going in circles. Nowhere with our experiencing the phone in your entering into everything, God, I'm so thankful you saved me from Egypt's purpose is to get you Egypt through the wilderness into the promised land that you might experience everything that he has when you're in the promised land.

And you look back.

There is such short in your salvation you can. How long is that you truly bring your salvation you wilderness you cross over the Jordan you enter in everything God has the joy of your salvation will be back. Now here's a man with this final word. So what's keeping you from entering into the promised land. Is it just that you haven't made the decision to do so because you haven't settled in your own heart and mind what you really want in life for myself. I want more than just enough to escape the fiery hell to be saved from God's wrath to call myself a Christian to manage my guilt to get a ticket to heaven along for more than just the bare minimum. God has to offer along for more than what the average Christian seems to settle for I long for everything God wants to give me along for God's power in my life.

I long for more than enough to bend my will to awaken my conscience to break my heart to transform my mind to overcome my prejudices disorder in my spirit to be conformed into his glorious image along to be saturated in Genesis.

You been listening to living in the light and when you go to Engram Lodge.org your free resources to help you in your study of God's word and's desire is that you embrace a God filled life step-by-step choice by choice living in the light