Surrender

Today on my GE career. I guarantee you that if you have a problem with generosity.

You have a problem obeying God's commands of money is a worship problem because you cannot take your hands off of all that you have until Christ is all you need and when you say Christ to all that I need you could say I can take my hands off of all that I have because I'm clinging to you solid biblical teaching that life pastor JD Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly Witt events you please bring out something unique each year. It seems that a lot of people get interested in church because they realize that something is missing in their life. They expect that being a Christian will maybe give them that new sense of purpose or better family or comfort needed during hard time but today Pastor Jenny is challenging us to change our thinking about why we follow God today's teaching is the conclusion of our short teaching series called all in.

So if you've missed any of the previous messages you can catch up online@jv.com but right now let's join Pastor JD with the message he titled surrender by what about you take it out right now and open it to the six of the Bible which is Joshua, that is if you have a Bible to Old Testament and it the six is Joshua so it should be pretty easy to five.

This is absolutely awesome story really brings you ahead everything we talked about him with all way up to this point.

So there you go. Joshua chapter 5 verse 13. Leave the context of quick Moses has died.

Moses was the leader of the children of Israel for many years and the mantle of leadership is now falling to his right hand man Joshua. Joshua is tasked with leading Israel into the promised land.

In his first major challenge to that end is Jericho, which happens to be the most fortified city in the world at the time had walls that were so thick that you could ride three chariots across it simultaneously. So this is no easy challenge the semen Joshua five but your go out to look at takes place on the eve of that battle. Now, as you can imagine.

Joshua was pretty nervous coming war is imminent. Israel is armed in the ready to fight. Plus, this is Joshua's first true moment to show his leadership.

So understandably, he's having a little trouble sleeping, so he goes out late at night. We take a walk all by himself is killing time is probably praying. Verse 13 now when Joshua was by Jericho and he lifted up his eyes and look and behold a male cinema for him with his drawn sword in his hand and Joshua went up to him and said to him, are you ferocity for our adversaries. Verse 14 he said no, no, Joshua, ask him yes no question what your name no sorry I asked right no, no, but I am the commander of the arm of the Lord.

Now I have come no means you're asking the wrong question. Joshua, the question is not an eye on your side.

The question is are you on my side. Joshua fell on his face of the earth, and worshiped. And he said to him what does my Lord say to his servant in the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take off your sandals from your feet for the place for your standing is holy and Joshua did so okay for small business that Joshua has encountered few clues. First off, the commander of the arm of the Lord. Second of all, Joshua worships this guy without being rebuked and you could never do that with an angel or another human being. Third, if you look in the next chapter.

It could identify the strange visiting man as the Lord himself. In other words, this is what theologians call a theophany a theophany which means it Old Testament pre-nativity appearance of God in human form.

This is Jesus is to show you for incredibly crucial finding elements of what your relationship with God has to look like if your little over him or know him at all so important, I hear someone what Jesus invites us to want to surrender invites us to surrender is not someone that we enlist. Listen on to our side under RTP comes as the commander we surrender to see. Up until this point Joshua has seen himself as the commander and his hope is that God will help him.

But Jesus shows up and says this is my army question is not Joshua, I'm on your side. The question is are you on my side, my army, my agenda, I'm not here to help you use you in this process.

This is my army you surrender to me is why that is so important. A lot of us a lot about some point I realize that we need God to be a part of your lives. You realize that you can't make life work without him you need him in your marriage even your family. You want to raise your children to know God, you realize that you need him to help guide you with decisions realize that life can be overwhelming to you. You him to get you through some situation you know that you need him when you die you don't what's up to go to hell you needed to take you to heaven. You certainly don't want God to be your adversary. And so you have approach God with this question.how do I get you on my side. How much do I have to do much left to give. How many Commandments do I have to keep how often want to keep them much left to go to church. What's the amount that gets me in your good graces. So you will not be on my list by adversary, you will be much on my team that is a completely wrong way of approaching Jesus because of his universe is the commander the bumper sticker. People used to have in their cars. God is my copilot. I told you that if God is your copilot been somebody is in the wrong seat to Jesus is not come to you know that in the passenger seat of your car and to say hey you know to be here to give you some directions on me be here to make some chubby conversation in the DB premium lonely and let me be here to make sure that you get in a jam. You can get out of it to fix a call Innsbruck. That's not how he comes becomes you and says hey that's my card stolen you got your hey man, I'm sorry. I looked him in the backseat weasel take me to jail where we going when you come to Jesus. It is a moment of surrender were you saying not God. How are you going to be a part of of my universe what you come to a point where you surrender to him everything. It is the commander.

The other reason that this approach of of what must I do to get Jesus on my side never works is that you simply can't bargain your way into salvation. You can never do enough to get God on your side. You see, the gospel is that God gives you his acceptance as a gift. The only receives you by grace grace GRA CE God's riches at Christ's expense in the only right response to God, accepting you, not by your works but by his is complete and total surrender. So my question for you is have you come to the point of complete and total surrender, not where you are trying to get God onto your side. But where you have surrendered to Jesus and his mission as it relates to your money is your approach God.

How much do I have to give to you so that I can get on with my life or is it Jesus, it's all yours, all of its I need you to show me what I'm supposed to do it, pastor friend told me that he tells his congregation is a little cheesy, but it made a point is that I might have you do this is a multiple other credit cards and then we give them a black magic sharpie and he said I had them where their name was on their credit card to write Jesus's name overlearning, he said, so that everything that they use that credit card to buy, they would ask is this how Jesus would spend his money, Debbie WJ. What would Jesus debit right, it is this something that Jesus would going to that for as all his not paid him his pack to move.Everett Pease, the commander of the Army of the Lord some easy commands. Everything I have of you come to the point where you're taking your hands off of everything you have said all along she was your call what you want to do it that leads an opportunity invites us to follow, invites us to follow Joshua up to this point in thinking I'm going to fight this battle for God and I need God's help and what Jesus says is no I'll be fighting this battle is my battle.

I'm going to use you in the process. The friendless and not listen. That is a fundamentally different approach to God's work. This is so important. What does that at no point does God tell us to go fight the battle for him invites us to follow him as he fights the battle through us. We think about what happened in the story you know the story ends. God tells Joshua to get the armies of Israel and march around the walls of Jericho, seven times the Miguel let it blow some trumpets and then got knocked the walls down that some Joshua you think I was in his plans.

At this point because like all you did note that I guarantee whatever battle plenty, but did not include that the God need him to do that. God need his shout was that the missing piece of the cannot ball down no… Need anything Joshua could offer to try to show them that is rented out my battle outside it. I'm to use you in the process. That's fundamentally different than you bought out by the battle for me. Just follow me and do what I say because I can do for I can do more in a few minutes with one shout and you could do if you master the most powerful army to whatever see Jesus made this exact same point.

Listen to his disciples when he gave the great commission the great commission which was the largest assignment but he never given anybody. Jesus said, you take the gospel to all these people groups all throughout the world. And then after laying on a group of 12 guys the most extensive assignment anyone has ever received your member. His first instruction to them what to do. I want you to go wait and do nothing until the Holy Spirit comes now you know that I'm a group of 12 some of the guys had to be Taipei Rye is a memo I will wait, we gotta get going. We got conference organizer.

You started preaching toward John should write a book and I mean that they're starting to think this way.

Just a note, nope, you go away because this is not something that you were going to do for me.

This is something I meant to do through you at any point did Jesus ever say you will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Nope. He said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. So the question is not listen. How do I save the world cannot told you that question leads to constantly feeling overwhelmed. It leaves the never ending guilt deletes you always feel like you're never doing enough. You're always feeling guilty, and eventually lead you to paralysis.

I know because I lived there most of my life. The question is not how do we save the world.

The question simply was the Holy Spirit given me to do what gifts of the Holy Spirit given to me. What is he directing me to do with my talents and my resources. Listen, I realize that there are some unique things happen in the book of acts, but I am not one of those who believe that we have a fundamentally different relationship with the Holy Spirit and did those early Christians in the book of acts they depended on him. He led them in the mission.

They were since it is sensitive to him. They followed him. Are you following him when the last time I was for it spoke to you was on Sunday got you in the mission because he doesn't show up in a fun and only different way than what we see there are few examples you don't talk about unacceptable Evan Peter has a dream.

His dream God tells him that he should be quickly some Gentiles doesn't know. And then there's a knock at the door and Peter present. Open it and it some soldiers in acts 11, 12 watches and the spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them during now that the soldiers there that would certainly frighten him in the spirit holding in his spirit. Don't hesitate here. Don't doubt I'm doing this acceptor 16, here's the other side of Luke recounting how the gospel spreading throughout Europe at 16 as they went to the region of Galatia to the strangers versus the book back they go to the reasons of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel in Asia. What the Holy Spirit stop them from preaching the gospel somewhere yup designed you go to Galatia because I did Paul write a book about the place I can get familiar with it, so I want to go there for a while. Verse seven and when they come up to Missy and they attempted to go there in the Bithynia of the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to know what the level of the porn allowed to live to say curse word note and allow them to preach the gospel in a certain place. You see what happened.

The Holy Spirit is guiding is still in the middle hesitate here and here is to say that is that how you relate to the Holy Spirit. Do you follow the spirit of the.spirit of God is he the is he the commander that your following receipt to help, but you try to enlist because in whatever ways we execute the mission of God.

If we are not following the spirit will not be doing it effectively.

Parents as you disciple your children you following the guidance of the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Do you really think you're going to be able to raise a kid who knows and loves God in this day and age. If you are not following the impulses and the promptings of the Holy Spirit really if you knew anything successful in ministry. You have to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit you have to get up each day and say, Holy Spirit, I need you to guide me. I need you tell me what to say when I need you to help me speak about you. I need you to help me be effective. I need you to guide me because I'm following you are not doing this for you is that how you approach life. Throughout this series. I've asked you are you following the Holy Spirit in your giving that's ultimately question in what's he putting in your heart even asked the question.

I'm not the Holy Spirit for you. I don't know what is telling you would have you ever disliked it all before God and ask them how to guide you. How you would give it.

God doesn't need your money. But God spirit guide you and says this is what I want. This is what I want. You gotta at least ask the question, follow the impulses putting in your heart. Now some of you I will have one knows the Holy Spirit. Maybe it's like the devil or you know some women are listen, I am not sure what is on the official list of what Satan prompts you to do, but I'm pretty sure sacrificial giving is not on that list. Therefore, whenever something is in my heart to give it to somebody I always assume that is from the Holy Spirit, and I try to obey it and by the way, you should notice that the apostles are not waiting on the spirit to tell them to get into the mission there. Turning on the spirit guide, and as there in the mission reasonably got clarification as we get a lot of people sit around when I got to tell them to do something. He's only told him to do. I can guarantee you if you are not sacrificially porn yourself on a mission. If you are not using your spiritual gifts. If you're not telling other people about Jesus. You are not walking with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit steers moving ships so I waking spirit ship, you gotta start moving it you move it by your obedience to God steers you as you go what that looks like is this Jesus, I am going to give sacrificially show me where and how Jesus I'm going to tell other people about your want to make disciples show me where and how the question is no longer whether you should be involved in the mission question is where and how and what is the role you want to be in the mission had you ever begun that process with obedience and then let him guide you your to surrender your to follow his number three. Jesus invites us to worship invites us to worship. When Joshua sees Jesus immediately hits the deck. He verbalizes absolute surrender that he takes off his shoes, which is an Old Testament side of the perspective something that's holy. This lesson is God's first and primary agenda for us to be prostrate before him and worship. See you worship whatever you put ultimate value on whatever you feel like you absolutely must have in order to have life and happiness and security. Throughout this series of explained to you that for many of you that one thing that you absolutely must have life and security is money. That's what you fall on your face before. That's what you fall on your face before all your life. That's what you claim to that's what metaphorical you take your shoes off in front of and what you say, hey, where are you leaving to go that's wrong to go to the biggest factor in my decision making Jesus first call for you. Listen is to replace money with him because he is such a better God than money and I wish I could commit some of you that because he gives a joy and peace and security that money can never touch some of you have fallen on your face. Prostrate before money all your life and you don't have peace and security. Enjoy. That's why because money makes a terrible God. I guarantee you that if you have a problem with generosity. You have a problem obeying God and his commands are money, I guarantee you it is a worship problem because you cannot take your hands off of all that you have until Christ is all you need and when you say Christ to all that I need you can say I could take my hands off of all that I have because I'm clinging to you. The invitation is for you to get off your face for the first time in your life and not worship money and get off your face before that I get down on it before Jesus and the state prostrate before it started to worship was Harper worship him. What is the God that you serve and what does your giving say about the God that you serve. Number four surrender to follow the worship is the best one to win to win when Joshua encounters Jesus see this Jesus had a sword raced Jesus raises a sword, it's because he intends to fight my friend, there has never been a time and effort were Jesus raised his sword and lost. Matthew 28 the great commission that you may commission starts was first really great commission to go go write your question, go comes after the first thing which is all authority given to me in heaven and earth. Therefore go all authority has been given to me in heaven and earth is basically Jesus raising a sword is the same think is right sword say this is the battle going on. I want you to join me, tell you what you're supposed to do it. Victory is assured. The great commission begins and is fueled by the great announcement of his ultimate victory. Great sacrifices for the great commission, from great confidence in our great Savior, and the fact that he is raised his sword that it is been wrong and that he will certainly build the kingdom that he is said he will build. Do you believe this, do you believe that does what you do with your money. Show that you believe that his sword has been drawn and that's the only kingdom he's building some church I want you so badly to think about your life from the perspective that you will have five seconds after you enter eternity you not at that point. Look back on your life and wish that you had leveraged everything you possibly could to be a part of building the kingdom to doing the mission that God had given us to do. Don't think about your investment counselors tell you, only three years from now think 30 years. That's how you should invest your money. Jesus, the ultimate investment counselor is only 30 or six 30 million years from now and leverage what you have, for the kingdom, you can't lose.

We know we he wins. We know his kingdoms. Only thing that's eternal are you all in you all in with that kingdom you come to a point total surrender. Are you following is he really want you worship you taking her hands over things that you're all earning and you living in the confidence that his kingdom is the one that will last one every area of our lives to God truly leaving out his mission for all.

Have you told him recently that he's everything that you need any encourage you today.

This is been a powerful conclusion to the teaching series called all land from Pastor JD Greer.

Remember if you missed any part of this series, you can find all the messages free of charge@jdgreer.com Jenny we only have a couple days left for our listeners to reserve their copy of your latest study guide. Can you tell us about it yeah it is a little different. Molly, this is sort of the here and now book that's got a study guide about joining God and what he's doing right now with us you want the most profound experiences I had was years ago I was in college which years ago. I think W is get on the stand, and it was Henry Blackett is experiencing God and the basic idea was, you find what God is doing and join him. And while that's a great study, but it's a principle that I've tried that we try to put in. So what we put, we teach and preach nothing but certainly true of all of what we got for you this this month.

Yet the summa church. Our mission statement is that we want to follow the Holy Spirit to create movement discipling disciples is an obstacle. Brush over that all in Holy Spirit heart because you dislike LOL Christianity is I'm going out to do a bunch of things for God. I can tell you that is an exhausting way to live, not you have some most people listen to us in the light like you never do what you do. Molly and I Dragon I can never do what you do JD and teaching, but it it's it's there is a disciple making capacity that God calls each of us to and this will show you how you can have a role in it and how you can live that out reach disciples and that's what God is called the earliest disciples to do. It's what is called you and I to do, and that's what this study is all about. It's about God's movement, and you preceded him every penny goes to covering the cost of producing and distributing these messages so that more people can dive into the gospel with. In addition, we also take 10% of every gift and help plant churches across the country and around the world. That means that your gift is helping spread the gospel on the radio, TV and read as well as reaching communities through God's mission to be a part of. Join with us.

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Forget and request the study. Look online I Molly benefits and be sure to tune in tomorrow when it begins to sound a lot like Christmas here will explain the story the other day on my prayer ministry