LIVING GODLY

Bible Text: Joshua 10:15-26

Subject: Yokes

Title: Living Godly Means Breaking The Yoke That Holds You Back

INTRODUCTION

Biblical Orientation:

No man tells me what to do, I am my own person. How many times have we heard this from someone who is obviously a slave to a habit? In ourselves we may think, ‘huh, that would not keep me in bondage.’ Yet, that may not always be true. We find that our lives have more bondage than we are willing to admit

Sermon Orientation:

Joshua reveals how to break a yoke in his actions with the rest of this battle. He gains an understanding of the problem, he then sets about the tasks to vanquish the enemy, and he brings the problem to a final solution. There is much to learn here!

EXPOSITION/MAIN TEXT

I. THE FIVE KINGS IN A CAVE (THE PROBLEM) V 15-18

A. They Regrouped To Decide What To Do Next

1. The troops had vanquished many in battle, but there was more to do

2. Joshua brought everyone back to Gilgal and told them what they would do next

3. This is always a great way to deal with a problem

a. Make sure you understand the situation

b. Then make godly plans to deal with it

c. If you have not prayed about the problem, you may not even understand it until God’s light is shed upon it

B. Joshua Kept The Troops Focused On The Main Problem

1. The five kings had gone and hidden themselves in a cave

a. He had them place a guard on the cave

b. They would not escape, but 5 men were not the main issue at this moment

2. Joshua reminded the troops they were to vanquish the armies of the kings

3. This is why understanding the problem is key, then you know where to focus

a. In the Christian life the Bible determines our focus

b. Table Mountain Baptist Church has simplified it to a motto: loving God, loving one another, and loving those around us

4. Side issues can distract you from the main tasks of life

a. Make sure you keep your focus

b. Sometimes this means putting other things aside until there is time to deal with them

c. Prioritize your life according to God’s emphasis

d. Here are a few ideas about what God’s emphasizes

ü Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you

ü Mark 12:30 … thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment

II. SMITING THE ENEMIES (THE TASK) V 19-20

A. Joshua Gave Instructions As To What Needed To Be Done Next

1. Go get the armies, to live godly you must make sure you are achieving that which is necessary to accomplish God’s plan

2. No matter how many things you try to accomplish, usually, only a couple of things have to be done

B. Joshua Had The Troops Finish The Job

1. They vanquished the armies as much as time allowed, while the sun stood still

2. What do you do with the extra time God gives you

a. What do I mean by extra time?

b. Every moment you have had since you were saved

c. It is a blessing from God

3. To live godly we must make use of each moment God gives us

4. A task never started is a task never completed

a. Make sure that you are completing God’s will for your life

b. Finish the tasks He has given to you: relationship, family, job, church…

III. DEALING WITH THE KINGS (THE SOLUTION) V 21-26

A. A Good Solution Leaves Nothing To Be Said V 21

1. No one had anything bad to say, the men just waited for what was next

2. Living godly deals with problems God’s way

ü Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him

ü Not that these were enemies, but how much more would they be pleased

3. Base your solutions on God’s view of the problem, God’s method of dealing with the problem and a solution that is obviously from the Lord; you will find that there is little said by detractors and what they do say will be discounted

B. A Good Solution Comes Back To The Problems That Can Wait V 22

1. The kings had been sealed up, now it was time to deal with them

2. It is not that they were not important, it was that they were not important right then

3. Some people live their lives in crisis mode

a. One, it is unhealthy

b. Two, your crisis does not always translate into a crisis for someone else

c. Three, God knows! It is never a crisis for Him

C. A Good Solution Brings You Face To Face With The Problem V 23-25

1. The kings are brought out, he wants everyone to see there was no reason to fear them

2. Joshua tells the men of Israel to put their feet upon the king’s necks

a. To place your foot on someone’s neck reveals your mastery over them

b. It symbolizes total defeat

3. Notice that Joshua reminds them, when they have a problem that they should follow God’s plan and that God’s solution will always result in victory over the enemy

a. Joshua’s words are for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight

b. God is able to vanquish our enemy!

4. It is a blessing when God reveals His truths

a. God has given us His method for seeing our enemy

b. It is the Bible

ü James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was

c. The Word of God is a mirror of truth

D. A Good Solution Brings Real Resolution To A Problem V 26

1. Joshua killed the kings and then hung the kings

2. Overkill, no, it revealed that they were powerless

3. God will defeat your enemy until he is powerless

LESSONS IN LIVING GODLY

THE PROBLEM

Sin Is The Problem

1, Sin is what separated us from God before we were saved and is what causes most of our problems after we are saved

2. Thus, the Bible becomes the mirror of our lives to bring us face to face with our enemy

3. As you read God’s Word, His Holy Spirit reveals your sin and brings it to your remembrance

4. That is when it becomes time to pray

a. God can show you the depth and breadth of the problem

b. God can make you aware of its origin and the things that break down your defenses

c. Until you understand the problem as God sees it, your enemy will continue to win

THE TASK

Prioritize The Fight

Deal with the real pressing issues, those that harm your relationship with God

Work on those things that will cause you to grow in the Lord

Read your Bible, pray every day, tell others what Christ has done for you

Focus On The Main Task

Do not let side issues stop you from growing in God

Usually that is Satan trying to side track you

You may wish to state it many ways but as a Christian, your main task is a personal, vibrant, growing relationship with Jesus Christ

THE SOLUTION

Break The Yoke Of Sin

Prioritizing will allow you to do this

Not all sin, but the one(s) God is currently working on in your life

ü Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy

This verse tells us there are two tasks to the solution of overcoming our problem of sin

The verse both prioritizes and focuses us on the main task to be done

Had Joshua left the kings in the caves, he would have just been covering sin and not dealing with it; therefore, he brought them out face to face

We must do the same, bring out our sin

First, Confess Your Sin

This means naming the sin and all of its problems

Confessing is hard because we do not want to directly confront sin or come face to face with it

If you do not name the problem you cannot deal with it or come to the place of a solution

In prayer, confess to the Lord the sin and its effects

Second, Forsake Your Sin

The word “forsake” is a very strong word

It means to abandon, leave, leave behind and to fail to obey

The thought is that once it is put away you do not pick it up again

Like our cares, we often do not forsake them, we pick them right back up at the altar where we should have left them

On the cross, God forsook His Son for your sin

Jesus cried, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me

He was forsaken so that He alone would be the payment for your sin

To truly deal with a sin it must be forsaken

When you confess your sin, God will cause you to see it as He sees it, you will realize how bad it is

Ask God to change your heart and attitude; that will enable you to leave it behind

Forsaking sin means you will find yourself made free

Then, You Will Have God’s Mercy

CONCLUSION

Therefore, is it not time to get your foot on the neck of sin?

God will vanquish your enemy

The problem is sin

The task is to gain victory

The solution is to confess and forsake

Living godly means breaking the yoke that holds you back

Today is the day to break the yoke of the sin that God is dealing with in your life

Come to the altar

Confess and forsake it

Gain His mercy in this matter