Follow it/ Go After It

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Review/ explain list of committee roles and responsibilities....

Deuteronomy 11:13–15 ““And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.”

Introduction…. Review of last week…

Moses is dead, we have a new leader, Joshua who is a little crazy….

We have spied out the land… NOW its time to act and Follow God

Rahab Goes from being a Harlot to a hero

God used her past and used her to save the spies and her family, and didnt ask her to change before he used her…

Scarlet Cord represented the Scarlet blood of Jesus, and just like how isreal put it on the door at the passover, and she put it in her window, if we apply the scarlet blood of jesus to our lives we will be saved.

God saves families by getting them in the house, and around the blessings and protection of the blood…

King James Version Chapter 3

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

King James Version Chapter 3

4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. 5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

How to Follow it… How to go After it…and follow God… vs. 1-6

Rise Early and Pray- VS.1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

Before Battle Pray…. World War II- Dec 1944- Before the Battle of the Bulge,

Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving, pray when fighting, pray alone, pray with others, pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather, for battle. Pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose good is oppression. Pray for victory. — George Patton

General Patton knew an army could not succeed without prayer… and Joshua knew that aswell…

Early morning prayer characterizes the faithful throughout Scripture. Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. (Gen 19:27) Moses rose early in the morning to ascend Mount Sinai as the LORD commanded. (Exod 34:4) Hannah and Elkanah rose early to worship before the LORD. (1 Sam 1:19) Job consistently rose early in the morning to offer burnt offerings. (Job 1:5)

Jesus’ Example Jesus himself rose very early while still dark, departing to a desolate place to pray. (Mark 1:35) His practice establishes the early watch as essential to spiritual vitality and communion with the Father.

Shittim —> Jordan — — 6-10 Miles… They could have traveled 8-15 Miles per day….

Take your time vs. 2 “Three days” VS 2 2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

These 3 Days were not days of inactivity… They were waiting, watching, preparing, and TRUSTING!!! (Some of the hardest work you can do!!)

God is not on our time clock….

Something special about 3 days in the Bible

Isreal took 3 days to meet God at Sinai Exodus 19

Jonah was in the Great Fish 3 Days and 3 Nights

Esther calls for 3 days of fasting Esther 4

Hosea speaks of Restoration on the 3rd day Hosea 6:2

Paul was blind for 3 Days after meeting Jesus Acts 9:9

Jesus Raised on the 3rd day

They Could have crossed immediatly… Why did they wait?? I believe God wanted them to see what he was going to take them through

3 Days of looking at the water….

James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Isaiah 40:31 “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

2 Peter 3:8–9 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

GOD IS NOT SLOW!!! HE IS PATIENT!!

Look for it… See what God is Doing …. and GO AFTER IT!!! vs. 3 3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

Ark of the Covenant

Temple Furnishings:

Alter

Lampstand

Table of Shew Bread

Bronze basins and Lavers

Curtains and Veils

Made of acacia wood, Maybe from the acacia grove in Shittim

Ch. 3&4 Highlights the ARK…. 22x => “ark” 17x “it”(Pronoun) 5x

= Presence of God- Copies of the law/ mana/ rod of aaron / light/ glory/ direction

=when its with them they expereience VICTORY, When it was removed they expereienced DEFEAT!!!

God presence would be inbetween the cheribums…

Social Distancing

Numbers 4:15 -We cant touch the holy things or we will die

Poles

2 Samuel 6:6–7 “And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.”

The most significant account involves the men of Beth-shemesh. God struck down seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked upon the ark of the LORD, and the people mourned because of this great blow. (1 Samuel 6:19 “And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.” )

Looking upon holy things resulted in death… Numbers 4:20 “but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.””

They were accustomed to following the Lords leading…. The Cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night… They were used to God doing miricles for them everday!!

!!! Help us to be accustomed to following the Lords leading and Guiding everyday!!

13X- Jesus says …. “Follow me!!” Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Church age- we are to be lead by the spirit….

There will be a Gap… vs. 4 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

1/2 mile away from the ark…

We cant stand in the presence of God…..

For Direction

So others can see

Social Distancing….

Isaiah 59:2 “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

Exodus 3:5 “Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.””

WE CANT HANDLE THE FULL AWESOME POWER AND HOLINESS OF GOD, the distance is for our protection, but we still need to follow….

Distance allowed for direction…

Distance allowed for everyone to see the Miricale

God wants us close, but not soo close it hinders movement and action…

You are not going to know the way…. and its going to be NEW!! vs. 4 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

HE will take you places you have never been….

Isaiah 43:18–19 ““Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Concecrate yourself/ Santifiy yourelf (KJV) vs. 5 5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

Consecration and Sanctification involves….

Washing themselves or their clothes - Exodus 19:10

Abstaining from ordinary activities - Exodus 19:15

Fasting - Joel 1:14

Prayer and seeking God- 2 Chronicles 30:18-19

Confessing sin - 1 Samuel 7:6

Putting away idols and sin - 1 Samuel 7:3-4

Cleansing things associated with worship - 2 Chronicles 29

Obeying God’s commands - Leviticus 20:7-8

Preparing ones heart - 2 Chronicles 30:19

Devoting oneself to God’s servie - Exodus 29

Separating oneself from uncleanness - Ezra 6:20-21

Consecrate — to dedicate or set apart a person, place, or thing for God’s special purpose or service.

Think: “Set apart FOR God.” It emphasizesto God. dedication and devotion 

Example: A priest could be consecrated—set apart specifically for the Lord’s service.

Sanctify — to make holy, declare holy, or set apart as holy for God. Think: “Set apart AS holy.”

It comes from the idea ofor being separated from what is common or sinful unto God. holiness 

In the Christian life, sanctification also describes the process by which God increasingly makes believers holy and Christlike.

“Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” — Joshua 3:5 (KJV)

The Hebrew word translated “sanctify” is qadash (קָדַשׁ), meaning to be holy, to set apart, or to consecrate.

Webster Dictionary: Sanctify : to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : /// to free from sin : PURIFY //// to make productive of holiness or piety

Consecrate: to induct (a person) into a permanent office with a religious rite /// to effect the liturgical transubstantiation of (eucharistic bread and wine) //// to devote to a purpose with or as if with deep solemnity or dedication

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;”

Miricales Come tomorrow…. based upon the miracle of today!! (Sanctification and consecration) vs. 5 5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

: (Colon) “What comes next explains, defines, lists, or expands on what I just said.”

!!!Many of us will never get to the miricales of tomorrow bc we have neglected consecrating ourselves today!!!

Miricales were the Norm!!! The Children of Isreal experencied miracles everday….

Mana

lead by cloud and pilar of fire

Clothes did not wear out…

They were experiencing miricles while still under judgement (Wandering in the desert for 40 years bc of disobedience)

Food alone they would have needed 2 trains each 1 mile long filled with food per day… $9 million

What about water, wood, other nescessities….

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Follow the Lords Lead…

Normally, we want God to get BEHIND what we are doing, insted of following him….

Concecrate/ kadash/ Santctify

“The church pure is the church Powerful….”

Harvest time…. April… Flood Stage (March/ April)

Stand in it…. was the instruction to the priest… “Walk in Faith” They had to put their feet in the water…

God already instructed Joshua that the waters were to be divided…

Dry Ground… 2x (Priest/ Isreal)

16 Miles upstream….

How long it will take to cross….

70>3-3.5 Million Isrealites left egypt….. >

2 people - 800 miles long line. One month…

5,000 People- 3 Mile wide and could pass in one day…

These people had heard about God parting the waters at the red sea…. but they had never expereienced it…. Now they get to expereince it!!!

How do we know god is among us.??? we will be fighting and God will do something special…

Joshua knew what God was going to do before the People knew it…Joshua 3:8 “And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ””

2000 cubits = 2/3 Mile

Flood plain… 200 yards to 1 mile wide…

This was not a placid Stream but a raging torent… probably 1 mile wide converging with a mass of tangled brush and jungle growth…

Yahweh delights to show his might in the face of our utter helplessness, apparently so that we cannont help seeing that we contribute nothing to our deliverance…. Judges 7:2 “The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”

Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

God’s Exaltation of Joshua… Joshua 3:7 “The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.”

Dont we want to know that God is with our leaders….??

God is confirming to the people God’s blessings upon Joshua and his leadership.

Joshua Commands the priests what they should do…. STAND STILL in the middle of the roaring river…

Joshua gives them the word of the lord.

Here is how we can know God is among us…

We recognize his soverinty…. We see he is in control of everything

We rec. he goes before us...

He fulfilles his promises

He gives us identity

Maps=> Lions and Dragons= uncharted areas of the maps….

100 feet => 1 mile Across during harvest time

3 million Jews

God loves to put us in situations where it is visually evident that we are powerless to succeed without him….

Cross over= go from the unknown to the known

3 Days lookin at the water…

Facing uncharted territory…

1st time iron is implamented in warefare…

God goes BEFORE US & Behind US… he crossed through the waters first, and stayyed there till it was over….

Sanctified= Set apart/ make totally HIS!!

We have to get in the water first before God Acts!! We have to put our faith into action…

I do not know what God is going to do…. But i konw what he has Done!!!

Here are some questions I think fit your message especially well:

Where is God leading me that I have never been before?

What is thestanding in front of me right now—the thing I cannot overcome in my own strength? Jordan River 

Have I become so focused on the obstacle in front of me that I have forgotten the God who goes before me?

What has God already told me to do that I have been delaying?

Joshua “rose early.” Do I have that same urgency about seeking God and obeying Him?

Am I willing to follow God when I cannot see where He is taking me?

Am I willing to trust God's direction simply because He has never failed me before?

What do I need to consecrate to God today?

Is there a sin that needs to be confessed?

Is there an idol that needs to be removed?

Is there an area of my life that I have never completely surrendered to God?

Am I asking God for the wonders of tomorrow while refusing the consecration He is asking of me today?

If I prayed Psalm 139:23–24 sincerely—“Search me, O God”—what might God put His finger on?

Am I waiting for God to remove every obstacle before I am willing to obey?

Am I standing on the bank asking God for proof, when God is asking me to step forward in faith?

Do I believe God can do what I cannot do?

When God brings me into a situation where I am completely powerless, will I panic—or recognize it as an opportunity for His power to be displayed?

What has God done in my past that should give me confidence to trust Him with my future?

Israel had heard what God did at the Red Sea, but now they were going to experience His power personally. Am I living on stories of what God has done for others, or am I personally walking with Him by faith?

If God is leading, am I willing to follow?

For the whole church

Your outline also lends itself to a strong corporate invitation, because Israel crossed together:

Where is God leading our church that we have never been before?

Are we asking God to bless, or are we looking for where our plans He is already leading?

What might God do through a church that was completely consecrated to Him?

Are there traditions, preferences, fears, or comforts that we would allow to keep us on the wrong side of the Jordan?

Are we willing to follow God's presence even when following Him takes us somewhere unfamiliar?

What could God accomplish in our community if His people said, “Whatever You want, wherever You lead, we will follow”?

A strong final sequence

Near the end, I would slow down and reduce everything to four questions:

What is your Jordan?

What do you need to consecrate to God today?

Where is God asking you to put your feet in the water?

And when God moves—are you willing to follow Him somewhere you have never been before?

Then your line from the outline would make an excellent conclusion:

“I do not know what God is going to do…but I know what He has done!”

And you could follow it with:

You don't have to know what is on the other side of the Jordan to follow God. You just have to know Who is going before you.

Consecrate yourself today. Keep your eyes on Him. And when He says move—put your feet in the water.

That ties together the major movements you've developed: rise early → follow the Ark → consecrate yourself → face the unknown → step into the water → watch God do what only God can do.