unstoppableBooton
Title: Unstoppable
Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Introduction: I am here today talking to a remnant of people who have been diligent and faithful in trying to achieve a certain level of success and victory in their lives. But the results of your efforts speak otherwise. You were the one who worked hard on your job not for recognition but just to be treated with fairness and respect. Yet, you have been treated like a dog. You were the one who loved unconditionally but you still have not received love back. You were the one who has been there for everybody but nobody has been there for you. You were the one who gave your money to help somebody but now you find yourself in debt and nobody is there to help you.
But despite of it all, you still love God and faithful to Him. And God is pleased by your faithfulness and He is about to reward you for it. It is your commitment and tenacity despite your circumstances that make you an unstoppable force amongst others. You are unstoppable! You can not be held back. You can not be detained any longer. Your mission will not be aborted. Your victory is promised. Your destiny is secure! You were able to stand while others gave up. The devil may have tried to ruin God’s plans for you but you kept the faith and you are still standing! Your wilderness did not kill you but made better. You are better “praiser” because of your heartache. You are better worshiper because of your issues. Your prayer life is better due to the strength that you developed in your struggle. In spite of the abandonment you may have felt while you were in your storm, you are still here to testify that you are a survivor! I am here to tell you because of your past ups and downs and in and out’s, God was just getting you ready to take you to the next level and manifest the promises you are suppose to have! Nothing can stop you from getting what God has promised you! You are unstoppable!
Relative Question: But what makes you unstoppable?
I. Your Preparation makes you unstoppable vv. 1,2a
God revealed something to me in these first couple of verses. The person who I believe Joshua loved and served faithfully is now gone. Moses is now dead and God now speaks directly to Joshua. One thing I learned about God’s preparation process is that some thing in your life may have to die. Moses’ death is a metaphor for things that may have to be removed before you receive the promises of God. A certain relationship may have to die. Your need to do certain things may have to die. Some of your personality traits (i.e. pride and arrogance) my have to die. No matter what it is, it may have to die so you can hear God for yourself to be prepared for the blessing ahead.
Here we have Joshua who was apart of the old generation of the Israelites that Moses led out of captivity. The text tells us that he was Moses’ minister, his assistant. He was faithful to Moses leadership and served him obediently and exclusively. He was born in Egypt. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and was the commander of Israelites at their great battle against the enemy. He accompanied Moses half of the way when he ascended up Mount Sinai to receive the two tables from God. He was also one of the twelve who were sent out by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. And before Moses death, God transferred the authority to Joshua to be Israel’s next leader. All this tells me that Joshua was ready for success due to his preparation.
I am here to speak to all the Joshua’s in the house tonight. All that you have been through was not in vain. Your experiences were for your development. All the mistakes you made and the hardships you went through were just to get you ready.
Also, Joshua seen God work through Moses. He had seen God’s glory displayed. But he has also seen the consequences of a rebellious people. Children of God, you have seen God work. You have seen miracles. You have seen people delivered but you also have seen or experienced the judgment of God due to disobedience and rebellion. However, God allowed you in the midst of hard times to develop and give you some tools, wisdom and gifts to handle what may come your way. Nothing will be able stop you from the blessing of God because you have been prepared for victory!
II. Your purpose makes you unstoppable vv.2b,6
God gives Joshua an assignment to lead the people into the land of milk and honey. He tells Joshua to arise and crossover of this Jordan. My beloved, it is time for you now to rise up because you have been prepared by God. You have to step up! You got the “know how”. You got what it takes. You went to the school of hard knock and came out a survivor. You took a licking but keep on ticking! Now you have to arise to the occasion. And nothing is going to keep you down. Not only do you have to arise from where you are, but you have to cross over the Jordan rivers of life. Jordan in Hebrew means “descender”. The river flows down hill from north to south. What God is saying here is that you are going to have to cross over people, places and things that are going down that have the potential of bringing you down. Everybody is not going up where you are going therefore, you to have cross over them. Cross over negative and evil people. Cross over bad relationships. Cross over complacent people with no vision. You have to cross right over them and be determined that nothing is going to stop you! But cross over into a new life of blessings and promises of God. And when God brings you to a place of blessings, you have something to do because you have a purpose. Part of that purpose is to possess what God has promised you. You must take hold of that promise! Joshua’s purpose was not only to lead the people into the promise land and to divide the land amongst them but he also had to possess the land. And because God had a plan for Joshua, the enemy tried to stop him. In order for Joshua to possess the land, he had to fight. Joshua killed 31 kings and their armies. My beloved because you have been chosen by God and know your purpose, the enemy is going to try to stop you. But all he can do is try to distract you with a fight. But he can’t stop you because he is already defeated. So when the attacks come, be strong and be of good courage knowing every battle you fight is not yours, it is the Lord’s! And He will give you victory over your enemies! My beloved your purpose makes you unstoppable!
III. You are unstoppable because of God’s promises vv. 3,4
He promises us provisions. God not only takes you to a new place but as Jehovah-Jireh, it will be a place of provision. Provision means prepared beforehand. God knows what you need and has already set it up for you! God is taking Joshua and the Israelites into the land of milk and honey which is symbolic of rich pastures and comfort. It is a good environment, abundant and fertile. Moses had the revelation of this promise. But Joshua had this promise manifested. I am speaking to a nation of Joshua’s who God has spoken and revealed His promises of a better place than you are right in now. You will have better and you will be better! Despite what your current situation is things are going to get better! God is going to supply all your needs and then some! And now time for the manifestation and possession of that promise. Somebody shout now for what Jesus has for you…!
In verse 3, God promises Joshua everywhere that the sole of feet touch, it is yours! God is not a man that he should lie! So if God said it, that settles it and I believe it! So I am going to start put my foot down on some things He promised and claim its mine! Put your foot down on some peace, on some joy, on some freedom! Just like when you were a little kid walking down the street. When you saw a dollar on the ground you put your foot on it to claim it is yours and nobody else was going to take it away!
My beloved, you can have what God says you can have. You can go where God tells you to go. The problem is that you are trying claim stuff God has not promised and you get messed up! As believers, we have to work in the boundaries that God has ordained for us. It is also important to remember that everything that is good we see ain’t God. That is why you seek and stay in the will of God. Tell your neighbor stay in your lane!
IV. You are unstoppable because you prosper thru His Word vv. 7,8
The Lord is telling Joshua in verse 7 to not only be strong and courageous but obey the law, the Word of God and focus on it and you will prosper. In verse 8, the Lord is telling Joshua to meditate on the word, meaning the words in the Pentauch, the first 5 books of the Bible. Meditate is an important word in the text to look at exegetically. When we hear the word meditation we think of mystics and chants but biblically it has a rich meaning. Its means to ponder, give serious thought and consideration to the selected information while speaking in a low tone reviewing the material. You got to speak the word to yourself and digest it in your soul. As a result of mediating of on His Word you will prosper and have good success when you obey it. David in Ps. 1 tells us that if we meditate on His Word, we will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and bring fruit in season. That season is now if you obey His Word, you will prosper making you unstoppable! Joshua only had 5 books to mediate on the promises of God. How much better are we since we have all 66 to draw from?
V. God’s presence makes you unstoppable. vv. 5, 9
In verse 9, God tells Joshua, “Have I not commanded…”God seems to change his tone with Joshua not for reprimand but to give him assurance. For the third time he tells him to be strong and courageous. Then God tells Joshua not to be afraid or distressed in where I’m taking you. First Tim. 1:7 states that God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Therefore, fear is not an option where God is taking you because it is not from Him. You have power, love and sound mind because you have faith in risen Savior whose perfect love cast out fear! Furthermore, the text says “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”. This is the main reason why nothing can stop you. His presence is with you and you are unstoppable! With God on your side, what can come against you? You are saved and unstoppable because God is with you! Look you neighbor and tell them He is with you!
Celebration: I don’t know about you but I am ready to cross some “Jordan Rivers” to enter into my promise! And I got a heavenly Joshua that’s going with me that makes me unstoppable because He is unstoppable! My heavenly Joshua had a “Jordan” to cross also in a place called Calvary. At Calvary He crossed over from sorrow to joy. He crossed over from death to life. He crossed over from the temporal to the eternal. He crossed over from the mortality to the immortality. He crossed over with me on His mind. And my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is with me right now! Does anybody know about the God who is with me? He is the God who is unalterable in His form, unmovable in His position, unceasing in His movement, unlimited in His power, unconquerable in battle, unequal in comparison, unfathomable in His wisdom, unparalleled in His depth, unusual in His ways, undeniable in His truth, unforgettable in your memories, unquestionable in His teaching, and so unpredictable in His plans! And because of the blood of Jesus, my relationship with God is unbreakable! And I am unstoppable! Since he makes me unstoppable I am going to give him an unstoppable praise for being prepared, for my purpose, for my promise, my prosperity, for his presence, for power! And I am unstoppable!