Joshua: The God Who Fights for Us, Part 2

JD Greer what God wanted to do them was much more significant than what he wanted to do through them. You see, as they were walking around the walls.

Nothing maybe happened to those walls but something important was happening to them. God wanted them less focused on the outcome, and more focus on obedience because outcome is God's responsibility for faithful obedience is ours another week of trusted here on life after author and theologian JD Greer. I'm your host Molly that events the question you judge success in your life is attached to your bank account.

Your job title or owning the respect of your peers.

Based on your marital status or how well your kids do at school we all have different things that we look to for validation. After Jenny reminds us that God has a different way of measuring success. This message that fights her ass and it's part of our series called the whole story we begin today by reading from the book of Joshua verse one now Jericho was shot up inside and outside because of the people of Israel, not without mom came in. The Lord said to Joshua Seelig that I've given Jericho in your hand with its king as mighty men of our God proceeds to give Joshua instructions on how to take Jericho but instructions are really odd. God tells them I don't want you to fight fellowship with the ark of the covenant which houses my presence in front of you.

I don't want you to march around the city in silence. One time each day for six days and on the seventh day. I want you to marjoram seven times in silence. The seventh time didn't shout and I'll take care of the rest. Do not lose sight of how bizarre this is.

How hard must this have been for Joshua. He wants to prove himself. But God says no fighting. I'll do the fighting. Then God says verse 18, but you keep yourself in the things about of the destruction all silver, gold, every vessel bronze either over the Lord to show back in the treasury the Lord will they do as instructed. Verse 20 and assumes the people on the seventh day of the circle.

Seven times and heard the sound of the trumpet that shot a great shout wall fell down flat. Then they devoted all in the city to destruction.

Both men and women, young and old ox and sheep and donkeys with the edge of the sword chapter 7 verse one for the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things for Aiken, of the tribe of Judah took some of the devoted things never told not to touch those things with the children in a ministry that Mangalore burned against the people of Israel.

Now Joshua has no knowledge of this.

Joshua sent out spies from Jericho to the next city AI, which is the city over the return of 7 AM. This is such a little town of Jericho.

It's nothing but is just like you know is like this is nothing, we just let two or 3000 people will bear and attack a off of people there a few 3000 men went out but they fled before the men of AI in the hearts of the people melted in the king's water before distraught like what happened, why is the power God loved us so Joshua gets on his face before God and God reveals to him what Aiken had done that they got a get out that sin before God's presence and his power will come back on them. Notice how God describes what Aiken did.

It's really important to understand everything was going on in the story. Chapter 7 verse one says it Aiken broke faith in God.

In other words, he violated Israel's posture of trust or faith in God. In other words, Aiken quit depending on God to fight the battle and meet his needs. Personally and to fill his life with meaning and happiness.

So in this one little area. He took things back into his own control pieces. I don't trust God to give me enough I don't trust God to provide for me swings one little area, take matters back in my hands and I'm going to the high bee stings in my tent. From these stories I want us to focus on three postures that God had the people reassume as they went into this new arena on the promise land for you to succeed with God in any area of your life. These three postures you must reassume in every arena there is number one surrender. What is it that you keep hidden in your tent because you feel like you can't trust God with it because Lordship is one of those words. That's gotta be total if it has any meaning at all in order for Jesus to be Lord at all in your life. He's gotta be Lord of all income to be a part of your life becomes to take the whole thing over and the good news Joshua. Joshua is he's got plans far beyond what you have are traits. CS Lewis of the coming of Jesus was. I live in is old rickety houses is totally fallen apart.

Jesus comes in and immediately Jesus goes to work on fixing up the house and are so excited about it because he's no patch on the roof and he's he's taken a mold on the walls of these fixing the pipes but then always in Jesus tears on the wall you like and what is you draw the wall.

Then you notice the ship lie behind the wall you like school in the ribs of a carpet and you're like oh that under the shot carpet. There was the slight hardwood floor in your get all excited but Manny just totally knocks out an entire section of the house. Lewis said you're like what's happening what is going on record CS Lewis. The explanation is that he's building quite a different house. The one you were expecting you thought you were being made into a decent little cottage but he is building a palace, and he intends to come and live in a palace himself. God had a better plan for Joshua but it started with surrender God's got a better plan for you and it starts with total surrender on your part as well. So the first order surrender. Here's your second posture courage courage throughout the book of Joshua.

The primary thing that derails obedience is fear that one theologian said this, you write this down in the book of Joshua fear equals rebellion, fear equals rebellion which brings us to perhaps why God did things away that he did them in the story know it is okay when you reach toys like this one to just ask why why God do it this way, not put yourself if you will, in the place of an Israelite warrior, you're ready to fight, but instead God tells you not to fight intelligent on March but he never tells you why, or even how long you're supposed to March. It never says a Joshua relay that information to them.

And while you're marching so literally nothing is happening is solid. The brick slowly start the quick is you know they fall down one by one about basics you get there and they're not on day six and look exactly like you did on day one.

Not a single things happen know I don't know about you but I thought I need to see a little progress in what I'm doing in order for me to stay motivated. Are you like that minimizing these men going on the night to their wives and I'm sure the men and women were not that much but different.

By then your wife ask you how was your day I got you know what that means. This is not a straight recounting of the facts. This is lots of details and what you thought about what happened and how you thought about what you thought you thought about how you thought about what you thought you just got over talking about is a 90 minute conversation that involves a lot of words a lot of facial expressions. A lot of nodding flutter. Grunts you've been there right so your wife says how to go in your like we walked around. I think Joshua had a vision trip or something. I don't know day to come back home and seems like so baby how was the battle big warrior man you did you slay the bad guy for me and you're like now. John walked around again. Minnesota walked around to do this for six days. Can you imagine how describing what you say what you say.

Meanwhile, the people on the wall or taunting you.

You know that was happening there throwing stuff out yeah making fun of you walking around why did God do it that way because what God wanted to do them was much more significant than what he wanted to do through them God was preparing them for a promise. They were about to receive.

You see, as they were walking around the walls. Nothing maven happening to those walls.

Something important was happening to them. God wanted them less focused on the outcome, and more focus on obedience because outcome is God's responsibility. Faithful obedience is ours. You see, God does not really need you or them or any of us to accomplish anything for him. Does he know Inc. speak the world into existence. You need your money.

God is not need us for anything so what we do for God is not nearly as important as who we become in God told you reminds me of the story about the you're the proverbial for the little woodpecker that's definitely the telephone book that that that that that that that another having a developable is he's in the middle, tapping all the sudden lightning strikes the pole from heaven and splits the note.

Telephone pole into a little bigger like you gonna euro looks at it. Many spruce flies often gets his friends and he brings about you like. There she is, boys. There she is on what I did not his tapping had nothing to do with that pole splitting.

It was heaven. Fear the lightning that split the bowl. What you God is you got obedience. It often feels like that would back is just tapping away and then God sends the power.

It's not like your tapping caused it, but your tapping was the faith expression day after day that God can do what God said he was going to do. So here's my question. Where you right now where you right now feel like you're in the place of that woodpecker babies in your parenting. He's plugging away. The job maybe was faithfully praying for sharing Christ with somebody, none seem to be listening to me like is not doing any good again you all there are two things that I feel like I need from God. Whenever I obey.

I need to why and I need to win how my God, I will go to anything.

I'll go to anything. I just gotta see it working and I got to know when it's over, here's the thing.

God rarely gives us either the Y or the with. Rarely does in the greatest danger is that you're going to quiet. One of these people would start on day six.

I would limit today six on a bad day. I guess I I everyday on the my Fitbit things one off every day and get my 10,000 that that's the only thing that's happening. That's it I'm there's no way I would admit to day six Wesleyan stop. Today six. What if you stop a day six. What if you stop a day, six and say is not working.

Courage is the ability to keep going even when you can't see the results because you know that God is faithful. Courage is the ability to keep going for a long time, even when you don't see any progress, because you know the God who would do what he said he cannot do that right is down. Endurance is what courage looks like. Over the long haul. Endurance is just courage repeated day in and day out because God is faithful. What derails most of us in obedience. What derails most of us is a lack of courage.

So Matthew wears fear keeping you from obedience this weekend. Maybe there's a relationship that you know you need to end, but you're scared you know God wants you to in this relationship that you're scared of what life is good to be like when you do maybe maybe it's impressing for a relationship that's where you're afraid, but you know God wants you to press through and it maybe it's maybe it's it's an coming clean with the sin admitting your problem. Maybe it's in obeying God with your sexuality and you got lighthouses, were telling even know how this will work. Maybe it's in obeying God in your finances and in being obedient like you told you, with the firstfruits of what is given you are making a financial sacrifice. Maybe it's and having a hard conversation with somebody maybe telnet person about Jesus or her confronting them with hard truth and you're not sure how they're gonna react for some of you ladies baby is quitting the job and stay home with your kids for some of you ladies maybe us to go back to work on your basement judge you for doing that. I don't know about the Holy Spirit.

I'm just telling you that you have to listen to him and him to shut out the other voices you have to act without fear.

Maybe God's been telling you in the season to quit the job or start the business, but you're just so scared because of the only security you never know when you got so many questions God has so much for you and it starts with obedience. Maybe it's going on your first mission trip and there are a thousand reasons you think of what you should not go. But there's one reason you know what you should go and that is God told you to go for some of you maybe it's actually go out you guys and by the rain and get down on one knee and asked the question you been dating her for seven years. Homicide.

You don't need to know anything else right she knows you're not doing it is you're scared you know you're not doing it because you're scared right now. You sit beside each other. You both feel awkward because you both know it is called you out.

You need to add in fear get you back but not your mom's purse and do what you know God wanted it right whatever it is, whatever it is you need to act with faith.

I promise you that when you do when you say, do this was her well-being. He was fear. It was fearsome to Christ. Do you know what is the most often repeated command in the Bible, not based on the context. You should be able to figure this out. The most often repeated command of the Bible is fear not.

366 times. Always look about as one for every single day of the year, including a leap year. There's not a single day you will ever live. The God does not look at you and say you're not look at it from the other side is a very disconcerting line of the book of Revelation is a variant of the book when God describes all the people that are to go to hell is what he says this but cowardly, the unbelieving, the file, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars. They're the ones will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur now but a lot of things in a list.

I would expect liars and violent, sexually immoral and idolaters, people practice magic people we think Harry Potter is for real.

When they try it.

I get that but you notice the very first one but cowardly. What leads off the list are those who do not bet here. They didn't know what they were supposed to do is that they didn't have the courage to actually act on it.

Fear equals rebellion is rebellion to delay doing what God has told you to do today.

Number three the faith to wait the faith to wait and Joshua. The people ready to fight in the book of Joshua the question of faith is not. Are you ready to fight the book of Joshua. Is he ready to wait.

I hates waiting.

I think it is the source of mine troubled relationship with Time Warner Cable.

Why do you need my phone number again do not have caller ID software on the computers why my reentry.

My phone number to you again.

Hey, I hates why he find Moana on what it is about that city with their airport and I'm like why are we circling the did you not know that we were coming. Why is there a traffic jam. Just let us come. I can see the airports gimme a backpack and prayers you Kyle jump out right here know what I want to go.

I hates her I hate it whenever God calls people to do something in the Bible. Always I can think of an exception may be, one but always there is this time of circling any drives you crazy. Moses is called deliver Israel 40 years in the desert for 40 years, exist between the call when needed. Paul the apostle member. This more than the book of acts between the time that the apostle was always called him of the masses road to the time he was actually commissioned in a ministry 17 years 17 years exist between the call and ask nine week commission. In acts 13 as a lot of circling.

That's a lot of reentering your phone number. King David King David is anointed to be the next king of Israel.

What happens, you run off to the palace and prime roads are overly will rent no because back to the pasture where he shovel sheep dung for seven years. That is some standard in the Bible. I would say it is par for the course that when God is going to call you what he's going to do first is he is going to begin to prepare. You can have your circling because he didn't really need to do that much for him because he's God what he wants to do is something in you and it is to teach you to trust and obey to where you circling this weekend. Are you circling.

Don't give up you might be on lap six of the hardest faith of all y'all.

It's the hardest faith of all to the faith. The weight the time of circling the timer you can't see what God is doing is that circling pattern. For example, sickness or poor health that circling pattern of singleness that circling pattern of the loss of a job you got passed over for a promotion. Maybe the mission board turned down your application.

The circling the circling pattern of infertility. The circling pattern to be a student or an intern want to be doing some significant circling pattern of praying for a loved one to come to faith God says don't give up because I'll fight for you, but I want you to obey what Joshua leads him through this and many of the conquest of the book of Joshua that he ends the book this way will globally lash average of 24 measure this roadway jump 24 Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel. Shechem sums all the elders, the heads of judges. The officers of Israel may present themselves before God. Joshua gives his farewell sermon reminding them of everything that God said in all the things got it done for them and then Joshua closes his farewell sermon like this. Now therefore, fear the Lord, the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness to the way there's God to your father, sir.

Beyond the river in Indonesia.

My question is, what I still have them serve the Lord if it's evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, then choose this day whom you will serve make up your mind is of the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now dwell. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord, then the people answered. Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. Joshua said of evil you are not able serve the Lord talk about it.Indy imagine at the end of a political rally where you can use Fiona think of the coaches locker room at halftime you Roy Williams in there with the team you like because we got we got 20 minutes we had 20 minutes in front of us there bigger there stronger there faster. There better shooters, which is lower than a loose as you guys and got it there. It is better and you are so we might as well hang it on going out there and endured. It will be over soon. My speech is that that is exactly the way Joshua ends this book Joshua was unlike Moses has been unable to lead the people to be courageous.

This book of the Bible ends like every single book of the Old Testament. Another Joshua, another Joshua can have to come this Joshua was going to give you the courage to actually obey all the way because this Joshua is going to show you an even clearer ways that he was fighting for you. Because the real city that stood in our way was not Jericho.

It was the city of our sin and the curse of death was upon us and Jesus, by the way switches is the Greek version of the name Joshua yes you are. Jesus Jesus when he shows up. He says you can't lift a finger to take the city down. I get to do it for you. There's nothing you can do, I'll do it for you. So I went to the cross and the Bible tells us when he dies he shouted with a loud voice, he lifted up his voice and he shouted when he did so he knocked down, not walls of brick-and-mortar buddy, not down the wall of eternal separation from God.

The sword of our judgment that he carried in his hands. He turned on himself and placed in his own heart, and they said just watch. Just watch and believe and shout and worship is just what it means to be a Christian dizziness shout.

I believe I believe that you did what you said you dear when you not down these walls. I believe Jesus when he died, not down this wall of separation and when you shout. I believe the walls of separation between you and God fall down immediately and then for the rest of your life. You just keep shouting. I believe, listen, listen, you keep shouting. I believe that if you won that battle for me. Then you will also give me the power to live the Christian life you give me the power to be a good husband or to be a good dad or good mom you give me the power to accomplish your will in my career to be a faithful witness overcome temptation to face vent cancer victoriously to endure this season with patience and joy in victory because of you, not down the biggest city of all my condemnation, then surely you will take care of these lesser cities like cancer.

I'm sure that she'll do it because of either the burial to the lesser of the Christian life is not used for Jesus is Jesus for you and and Jesus in you and through you. We obtain victory in life not by superior battle techniques, but by constantly declaring our belief that he overcame the greatest battle of all.

For us, and that he will continue to do so through us as we let them fight for us.

All it takes for you to succeed in this season of your life in any arena of your life is for you to surrender for you to have the courage to obey and not give up. And for you to have the patience to wait on God. That's what it takes to cultural message but it's needed truth from God's word you're listening to Pastor JD Greer on Summit life. Today's message was titled the God who fights for if you'd like to listen again. You can find the full program online.

JD Greer.com well were in the middle of the teaching series called the whole story and we hope this series has been helping you see these Old Testament ducks in a whole new way. The Bible is such an incredible back and we hope you're getting a new taste of all that God has to offer, as through its pages. This meant Pastor JD released his newest book on the topic of prayer. So were thankful to offer it to our faithful supporters. I was recently able to sit down with him and asked why he named this, but just in this is what he had to say you are willing to capture the simplicity of prayer Molly because a lot of people really have a complicated relationship prayer because like they they they have a questions about it is changing God's mind and what about the sovereignty of God, and I must say in the right thing and using the right phrases when the driving analogy you find out Jesus is teaching in the Gospels is that we come to God like children to appear in a loving parent and a loving parent in my kids when they come to me.

They don't think about anything.

They just asked, they asked, whatever is in their heart and what we want to grow in our maturities, we pray. We also once you have that childlike dependence that will rush toward our heavenly father. That's the heartbeat of true prayer helps hope that you donate to Senate right your helping us stay on your radio station and online so that more people can die deeper into the message of the gospel every single day. I like to personally ask you to consider giving a gift to support this ministry today just suggested getting level is $25 or more, 866-335-5228 335 T-20 or you can get online to be clear that only benefit I am so happy with that piece you listen again teasingly dictating your walks us through the story. Everything security mission. Even in the darkest season he needed us to help listen Tuesday to Senate life by JD Greer ministry