Resource Three - A Courageous Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Resource - 5 weeks
Process - 5 weeks
Sober mind
We are decisional and depend upon God for the next steps
Pure heart
Emotions + Desires + Logic + Best guess = wrong decisions
Wisdom (truth, reality, understanding) + purpose + obedience (is this is a decision in which I am obeying or disobeying God) = right decision
Confess known sin
Cleanse heart with the Word of God
Grandma - parked car in her garage - ice storm
Here garage is for storage - when the windscreen fogs up or has a bit of ice on it, what do we do?
Drive with a patch defrosted that the size of a pound coin?
Some come at major decisions like this, emotions are all over, desires are here, there, and everywhere, best guesses are up, down, left, and right, and confusion
A pure heart is seeing it like God sees it - objectively
Major change in Joshua’s life
Moses’ helper
Now he was leading the whole nation of Israel into a land he had only surveyed at this time to defeat, what others had called giants in the land, and possess this whole new land
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua dealt with fear
Timothy dealt with fear
Paul had moments of fear as he came into Corinth
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
This a great reason to get decisions right
Knowing the presence of God is with
Married without fear? FOOLISH
Conceived a child without fear? FOOLISH
Decisions that take you forward is unfamiliar territory will naturally give us reason to pause
Stepping into the unknown
When we take the step that God wants us to take, God gives His promise of presence
Paul gives instruction on living a Christ-like life with Spirit-led relationships
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Strength, tenacity, boldness
The reasons we don’t take steps forward is we are afraid of successful steps
What if I don’t want the spotlight?
What if God’s call pushes me into a role that I’m in front of others
What if doing what God wants me to exposes me to more criticism?
Waiting becomes fear
God has given us all that we need to make the decision
What if I obey and I fail?
What if moving forward turns me into something I don’t want to be?
What if I’m laying down freedoms?
Joshua could identify with these
Moses gets the angry emails
Joshua gets to help
Now, God says, you step into the spotlight
This is so Joshua can lead the people to where God wants them to be
This is pre-decision that needs to be accessed throughout the process
Courage Decides Forward
Trapped at the Red Sea, Israel panics,
Ex 14:10-14
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Fear is irrational
Ex 14:15
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
What do you do when God says Go forward and there is a body of water?
Our tendency is to stand still until everything is in place
It’s not mine to direct my step, it’s mine to step, and it’s God’s to direct my steps
Boys climbing on a playground - they don’t know the ladder is right under their foot - all they have to do is step - I take their foot and guide to the step on the ladder
God tells Israel to walk into the sea, there was no bridge, or boat. They did not have total understanding of what was going to happen
Pro 16:9
A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the Lord directeth his steps.
Pro 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Looks the direction God is pointing and trusting God that He is going to clear the path
If
What
Where
When
How
Courage Avoids Indecision
Play a mental game of waiting - waiting on God, waiting on clarity
Waiting on greater clarity - HS convict our conscious
God says go forward - Israel says no - stepping into disobedience
After you have clarity - the moment He gives clarity
Spiritualise waiting or indecision
Not deciding is a decision - Deciding not to decide is a decision
Young person - grand intentions - but wastes time, and kicks the can further down the road
Passive disobedience - know the decision, but not willing to make it
Ps 37:23
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way.
2 Tim 1:6-12
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
God is indicating directional movement
Employ couarge to move forward
Courage Confronts Its Enemies
Apathy - I don’t care VS BE STRONG
Josh 1:6
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Fear - VS COURAGE
I don’t want to grow up
Ignorance VS BOOK OF THE LAW
Josh 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Rebellion VS TO DO
I want to DO the will of God
Distraction VS DISMAYED (knocked down or flattened)
Josh 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
God holds the responsibility of directing our steps
WORLD - Our desires, our emotions define us - I’m powerless over my desires
Can’t change how I feel - THAT’S THE LIE
GOD - Take charge of our desires
You do not want your desires or emotions to control you
2 Cor 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We have the capacity to be courageous in the step God has led us to