When Jesus Stops By: Can I Get it Done?
When Jesus Stops By • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Today, we will continue our series, [When Jesus Stops By]. The subject of my message is, [Can I Get it Done?].
There are some jobs that we have to take on that seem so big, we might wonder, can I get it done?
We might ask, it is possible that I can really do that?
I have felt this way more than once in my life.
When I was nineteen, I felt I heard God speak to me to move to Missouri and enter into full-time evangelistic ministry. I had big dreams of traveling to different churches and seeing people saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and experiencing revival.
The problem was, I didn’t have any money, any place to live, and many invitations to preach. I thought, can I get it done?
I took the step of faith and God blessed in ways I did not imagine were possible. Then, I remember asking Pastor Davis, when you pastored your first church, did you ever wonder if it would work?
He thought and answered, I guess I figured if it was God’s will, then it would work. That helped me when I became pastor of our church.
I knew some of what God wanted us to do, but I wondered if I could really do all God called me to do. But we have operated on faith for the past nearly eight years, and God has helped and blessed!
THEN, Bekah and I had the biggest life change— a baby. It took both of us five years to get to the point where we thought we were ready for parenthood.
As Bekah carried Davis, I thought, this will be good, God will help us. THEN we ordered his crib and dresser. With a million little pieces and directions that had to have been written for experts, I wondered, can I get it done?
After hours of work, a few verbal altercations, and redoing the crib once, we finally had it finished and in place. I look at Bekah and told her, these companies make it this hard to prove a point. It is as though they are saying, you just think you can be a parent!
But, nearly two years later, we are blessed by the most wonderful son!
Every time I have started to wonder, can I get it done, the Lord reminds me of His supernatural help for us. I want us to see this through the life of Joshua.
There are few people in Scripture who were as extraordinary in their lifestyle and moral character. He was a hard act to follow. No leader until David perhaps had a reputation like Joshua.
We can read all the great exploits he did for God and think, what an amazing man of God.
But I would say he did not view himself that way. As I read his life’s story, I see an undercurrent of doubt and questioning, can I really get it done?
We know little of his background, except that he was born a slave in Egypt. From a distance he watched Moses:
confront Pharoah
unleash the ten plagues
part the Red Sea
close the Red Sea
bring water from a rock
Then, at some point, Moses made him his assistant, his right-hand-man. He had a front row seat to all Moses did.
He went with Moses to the mountain for forty days.
He was there when Moses called the seventy elders and they all began to prophesy.
He was near Moses when he went before the glory of God.
So imagine his surprise when Moses made an announcement:
22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.
23 And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
He informed everyone, Joshua will succeed me as leader. He finish what I started. What a daunting task for Joshua.
Undoubtedly he wondered, is this something I can do? Can I get it done?
Though none of us have been in the exact same situation as Joshua, we have all faced assignments from God where we wondered, can I get it done?
It is in those moments, God takes notice, and Jesus stops by. We are looking at moments when the Lord came to help people.
He spoke to Abraham face to face.
He wrestled with Jacob.
Now we will see He helped Joshua.
When we doubt if we can do it, Jesus will stop by, especially when we [Need More Courage], want to [Know the Commander] and begin to [Navigate the Conquest].
Let’s begin
1. Need More Courage
1. Need More Courage
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:
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.
Anytime we lose someone, grief begins to cloud our judgment. This was the case for Joshua. The leader he followed, the one who had all the answers was gone and Joshua had to take his place.
Moses’s death was unique. Right before he died, he climbed Mount Nebo where he saw the Promised Land.
4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.
Moses, who dedicated his life to getting people to the Promised Land was not allowed to cross over there. He saw it, but he could not set foot on the land.
As much as he wanted to, he knew the reason why. Years before, the Israelites complained and demanded water. God instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come.
In anger, he struck the rock and disobeyed God. That little act of disregard to God’s instructions led him to lose out the Promised Land.
I wonder if Joshua thought, you are calling me to lead people to pushed Moses to his wits end. And I am supposed to organize them and take them to conquerer the land.
And what was worse, he didn’t even get to attend Moses’s funeral. God had a private burial. A lot weighed on Joshua, but three times God promised him:
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.
His strength and courage would not come from himself for he had little to offer. Instead, it was to come from the promise that I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.
God will go with you wherever you go!
When we need more courage to fulfill God’s plan for our lives, we must remember, God is close to us.
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
I pray we all let this settle in our hearts, we can have courage in this life, for God is ALWAYS with us!
Can I get it done? Yes, because God gives me strength and courage!
2. Know the Commander
2. Know the Commander
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
God’s promise to go with Joshua gave him the courage he needed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He sent spies into Jericho who met a woman named Rahab.
She confirmed that everyone was in fear because they knew about the God of the Israelites.
Then he called the priests and Levites to carry the Ark into the Jordan River. The waters parted and the people crossed over on dry ground.
Now, it was time to begin the first battle. Imagine how we would have felt.
He is alone and looks and sees a Man in front of him with a sword in His hand. Joshua was shocked and wondered, are you are a friend or a foe?
That is a legitimate question. Joshua was alone and very vulnerable. Notice the answer of the Man:
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
The Man answered, I AM THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMY OF THE LORD.
Who was this Man?
He was the same Man who visited Abraham in his tent in the cool of the day, promising he and Sarah would have a son.
He was the same Man who wrestled with Jacob all night and by morning, He forever changed Jacob’s life.
Who was this Man?
It was Jesus! How can we say this with such confidence?
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The writer of Hebrews gives Jesus the title of Captain of our Salvation. He was also the commander or captain of the Lord’s army.
Joshua fell before the Man and asked for instructions. He told him, take off your sandals for you stand on holy ground.
This right here is amazing because it is the same words that God spoke to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3. Take off your shoes.
Joshua would have remembered what happened to Moses. Now, when he was about to enter into battle, wondered, can I get it done?
The Lord passed by and made Himself known. Jesus stopped by, when Joshua needed courage, he got to know the Commander.
God wants us to know Him! Now, it was for Joshua to...
3. Navigate the Conquest
3. Navigate the Conquest
1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.
2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
After meeting the Commander, Joshua recieved battle plans. Tell the people to march for seven days. For the first six days they will march once around the city.
Then on the seventh day, they will march seven times around and on the seventh time they will shout and God will give them the city!
They already had inside information from the spies about the feeling in the walls of Jericho.
9 and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.
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.
Israel’s reputation preceded them. Or should I say that the God of Israel’s reputation preceded them. Even their enemies knew all God would do for Israel.
So they began to march, following the Ark of God. And in obedience on the seventh time around, Joshua told the people to shout when you hear the trumpet! They did and:
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
The walls fell down flat! They utterly destroyed their enemies. Why? Because in a time when Joshua felt week and discouraged, the Lord stopped by and told Him— BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!
He also knew that the COMMANDER of the army of the Lord was with Him.
They defeated Jericho and it was on, it was time to get it done. The land that was promised to Israel hundreds of years before was right in front of them.
After Jericho God continued to give them favor everywhere they went. The only times they failed was when they did not get God’s direction before making a decision.
But when they trusted Him, they defeated their enemies. God was willing to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. In one battle, time ran short God even allowed the sun to stand still to let Joshua defeat the enemies.
After navigating the conquest...
43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.
44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.
At first, Joshua wondered, can I get it done? After following God’s direction, he navigated the Promised Land and fulfilled the conquest God had for him.
He took over six nations and defeated thirty-one kings. He conquered thousands of square miles of the Promised Land and fulfilled the plan God had for his life.
Close:
Can I get it done?
I wonder how many times Joshua asked this question. But he learned how to get it done. The focus is not on what HE did, but what GOD did through HIM!
But like Moses, Joshua grew old and at the age of 110, it was time for him to die. His life mirrored Moses:
God appeared to both of them
God gave both of them His presence
God allowed both of them to part water
God heard both of their prayers and intercession
Now, like Moses, Joshua gave Israel a farewell address. They might have wondered, can we get it done without Joshua? How will the future look without Joshua?
But Joshua showed them the secret to getting it done.
13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
IF they would put God first in ALL they did, God would never forget them, forsake them, or leave them.
The same promise works for us. I want to emphasize, we are ALL like Joshua. No, we are not about to go conquer thousands of square miles. But God does have a plan for our lives.
Notice that Joshua followed God’s plan from his youth ALL the way until he was 110 years old!
He never quit and he never stopped following after God.
The same goes for us. From our youngest age until the day God takes us home we have an assignment from God. If we do not know what that assignment is, ask the Lord and He will speak!
When we know what God has called us to do, we might wonder at times, can I get it done?
The answer is YES, when we put God first, He will help us and lead us. So this morning, just as it was for Joshua, I feel the Lord speak to all of us:
if we need more courage:
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
if we want to know Him:
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
And when we need direction navigating this life:
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
When we lift Him up, He will draw us to Him and walk with us!
Let’s get it done.
Let’s pray
read
fast
live for God
Let’s
win the lost
walk in the power of the Spirit
do all we can for the Lord
We are MORE than able to get it done!