What God Has Done

Numbers 23:19–23 NKJV

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. 21 “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them. 22 God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. 23 “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

God is always moving. Even when we do not or can not see it, He is moving. One of the ways that I learn to recognize it—and help others to see it—is by asking the questions, “How’s your soul?”

When I ask that question, I don’t mean, “What is your emotional state of mind?” I mean, “How is your spiritual state? Where is God in your life? What is He saying to you?”

The answers to these questions have a significant impact on the vibrancy of your spiritual life.

I want to talk to you about the practice of building memorials and recognizing the great things that God has done.

We see from Scripture, and even know from experience, that there will always be obstacles to our purpose and enemies of our promise.

What if I told you that God has given us a way to strengthen ourselves in faith so that we have the boldness to possess the promises of God and encourage ourselves to engage our purpose and to fulfill the Great Commission (cf. Matthew 28.18-20).

God Is Sovereign And...

I believe in the sovereignty of God. He is the ultimate authority and sits on the throne of heaven in eternity (Revelation 4.10, Daniel 7.9, Isaiah 57.15). The sovereignty of God is a biblical doctrine. The problem is that many people overemphasize the sovereignty of God to the point where they just expect Him to override their own responsibility and action (which, in His sovereignty He chose to give them).

This misunderstanding leads to people living live almost aimlessly and instead of trusting God it leads to doing things in our own strength and according to what we think is right.

Add to that the fact that there are things that get in the way of our promise and purpose and you see why it is easier to “blame” it on the sovereignty of God.

Instead of that, we need to learn how to make memorials.

Illustration: Pr. Nanette on Wednesday shared what God spoke to her. He said, “Why are you naming your mountains? Giving them a place and position. Instead, name your victories.”

What we really need to know is that this is a strategy that God has given us to strengthen ourselves in the faith so that we can enter into His purpose and promise for our lives.

Making Memorials

In the crossing of the Jordan we can learn principles for making memorials and naming our victories so that we will be encouraged and empowered to possess all that God has promised us and pursue our purpose.

Remember What God Has Done

Joshua 4:1–9 NKJV

1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

God instructed Joshua to set up a memorial at the place where the waters were cut off and the people walked across on dry ground (in the middle of flood stage).

The purpose was to mark the place of their miracle.

They were on the edge of the promised land with a flooding river in their way. This is a problem. How to get over a million people across the Jordan (Numbers 26.51, 63)? What is impossible with man is possible with God (Matthew 19.26).

And when they crossed over, God told them to put up a memorial. Why? So that they would remember what God had done.

Put another way…they named their victory. They labeled it and made it a signpost of the power and presence of God with them and in them.

Like Israel on that day where they crossed over into the promised land, we need to build memorials to what God has done in our lives. We need to remember how He has moved in our families and in our church and in History.

Illustration: When God revealed to me that He was Jehovah Jireh after getting out of the Marine Corps.

It’s time to start building memorials. It’s time to start naming your victories—the places where God has blessed you and delivered you and declared His promise to you.

Revisit the Place of Victory

Joshua 4:19–24 NKJV

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Joshua told the people that there would be a time where they would go back to the stones and their children would ask what happened. They were to tell their children that this was the place where God moved and made a way through the river. Their testimony of what God had done would renew their fear of the Lord…it would restore their awe and respect and reverence for God.

This is an important part of strengthening ourselves in the Lord like David did in his darkest moment (1 Samuel 30.6). We remember what God has done. We revisit the place of victory.

Illustration: When we were going to take a major step in order to follow God with an uncertain impact on our financial future I revisited where God had previously shown Himself true to His word and nature as Jehovah Jireh.

When you are facing mountains or enemies or fears that seem to keep you from moving toward the plans, promises, and purposes of God it is time to revisit the place of victory. Go back to the memorials that you have built to mark the move of God in your life.

Praise Him for what He has done and believe for Him to do it again! Testify of His works and how He has done great things and you will find faith and boldness to move forward again.

Renew Our Faith and Commitment

Joshua 5:1–9 NKJV

1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel. 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord—to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” 7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

After Joshua and the people experienced the blessing of God and set up a memorial they reconsecrated themselves, being circumcised a second time. They renewed their commitment to God and His plan for their lives.

They had to let go of the past so that they could move toward God’s preferred future for their lives.

They had to deal wit their flesh so that they would have faith for God’s promises.

They had to roll off the reproach of sin and doubt so that they could enter into God’s blessing.

Illustration: Naming the victories of God in my life and revisiting them gives me boldness and faith to believe “the best is yet to come.” Like David…lion and bear giving him confidence he can defeat the giant.

Whenever you are called by God to step out in faith—from sharing the gospel to giving to the poor to taking that job, etc.—remember the faithful works of God. Let that stir up your faith and renew your commitment so that you will believe God and move forward in His purpose.

Conclusion

At some point in our lives we will face obstacles or enemies to our purpose and God’s promises for our lives. And instead of allowing ourselves to be overcome we need to strengthen ourselves in faith.

We need to name our victories and build memorials so that we remember what God has done. Whenever we face a new challenge or are feeling shaken in our faith we need to revisit the place of victory.

This is how we encourage ourselves in the Lord and stir up our faith.

We can’t define our experience by the mountains we face or the rivers we have to cross or the giants before us. We need to define our experience by the victories we have.

When we do our lives will be marked by God’s purpose and promise and power. And people will declare, “look what great things the Lord has done!”