Possessions of God's People

Joshua is a book about victory it is written to show us the victory that we can have

The first mention of Joshua is found in Exodus 17:1 where the children of Israelwere at Rephidim on the way from the wilderness of Sin to Horeb. The Amalekites who were wondering desert tribes attack the camp. However it was under Joshua’s command and through the intercessory work of Moses that a complete battle was won against the Amalekites.

Joshua becomes the minister of Moses and is mentored by him. He accompanied Moses to Mount and returned with him to find the camp in the midst of Idolatry.

He was one of the 12 spies sent to see the land of Canaan the promised land and one of the two who depended on God for victory and tried to persuade the camp that through God’s help they could possess the country.

We find several years of silence after this point and pick up after Moses is deceased and Joshua takes up the place of leadership under God’s direction and begins to lead the people. We begin with Joshua’s writings here.

The name Joshua means Yahweh or Jehovah is his salvation. In the Greek the name “Joshua” becomes Jesus and interesting parallel when you compare the two.

The Talmud says that Joshua wrote all but the last 5 verses and that those were written by Phineas.

Joshua was a great general, born a slave in Egypt.

40 years old at time of Exodus (one of spies),

80 years old when he received his commission,

110 years old at his death. http://www.discipleshiplibrary.com/pdfs/07001JDG.pdf

In Genesis, Israelwas born as a nation in the call and promises of God to Abraham (Electionof the nation).

In Exodus, the nation was delivered out of bondage in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, and was given God’s Holy Law (Redemption of the nation).

In Leviticus, the nation was taught how to worship in view of God’s holiness (Sanctificationof the nation).

In Numbers, they were tested and numbered as a nation (Direction and Wandering of the nation).

In Deuteronomy, the law was reviewed and reiterated and closed with the assurance that Israel would possess the land (Instruction of the nation).

In Joshua, the nation crossed over Jordan and took possession of the land (Possession by the nation). If Moses is the symbol of deliverance, then Joshua is the symbol of victory. Joshua teaches us that faith “is the victory that overcomes the world” (1 John 5:4). http://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-and-background

1. We have Possessions to Posses 1-4

a. Coming out of Egypt – Only part of the conquest

“The Bible admits the possibility of failure; it never assumes the necessity of failure” Adrain Rodgers

b. Crossing Wilderness –

i. It might be alright to be in the wilderness for a little while but there is danger in dwelling there. Some people have come out crossed over but never gone over into Canaan

c. Canaan – The promised land Not Heaven but rest Holiness

Egypt The land where Israel was kept captive, is illustrative, or a type, of the kingdom of

darkness, where all of the unconverted are enslaved.

Pharaoh, the name of Egypt's king, is illustrative of Satan, who leads the impenitent captive

at his will.

Israel is illustrative of the soul as it passes from the bondage of sin into the liberty of the

Son. The events at the Red Sea are illustrative of those which occur at the conversion of the soul.

The events between the Red Sea and Kadesh Barnea in the "Sinai Wilderness' , experience,

are illustrative of those of the true believer's life from the time of conversion until he receives the

"fullness of the Holy Ghost."

Kadesh Barnea, the place where Israel was defeated when upon the very verge of victory,

illustrates the defeat of many who were just about to receive the fullness of divine love.

The Wilderness, where Israel wandered for forty years, and all of the disobedient

perished, illustrates the life of the backslider, or the one who knows his duty and will not do it.

The events at Jordan are illustrative of those that occur at the time of entire sanctification.

Canaan is illustrative of union with Christ on earth, not of heaven as taught by some. Babylon is illustrative of the lives of those who have fallen from spiritual Canaan. -- Martin Wells Knapp http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/0401-0500/HDM0480.pdf

i. Egyptrepresents sin – under the power and rule of Pharaoh represents Satan

ii. Canaanrepresents Holiness and righteousness rest

1. Release from carnal mind – Sin shall have no more dominion over you

2. Refreshment – flowing with milk and honey corn and wine a land of abundance. Instead of manna for 3 times a day 7 days a week for 40 years. Manna in the morning, Manna in the evening and manna at supper time

a. I’m glad there is refreshment in Christ. We don’t have to go on and on dry and dusty and barren there is a land of Canaanabundance for us

3. Rest – Rest from labor not inactivity, but relaxed in Christ. Difference between burning wick and burning the oil.

4. Reality – They had heard and been told but never experienced it. Canaan meant that all they heard would be known.

iii. Victory has been given already we have to posses out possession verse 3 “That Have I Given You”

It is important to realize that Israel’s ownershipof the land was unconditional under the Abrahamic covenant, but possessionof the land was conditional upon faith and obedience. And so today, conflict and conquest by faith go with laying hold of that which we have in Christ;

1. Jesus said “IT Is Finished” Now is the Prince of this world cast down Satan is already defeated. We have by the power of Jesus Christ have the victory We don’t need to pray for victory we pray from victory It is our land We will have to put the foot of faith upon the promise of God

He hath given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness we are complete in Him. “The life of victory is simply walking on conquered ground, putting down your feet by faith on the promises of God and saying this promise is mine” Adrain Rogers

Dr. Jerry Falwell has said, "I counsel young preachers, when God has laid a town on their heart, to kneel by the city limits sign of that town and claim it in prayer for the Lord. D. L. Moody went even further. He actually walked around an area of downtown Chicagoclaiming every place the sole of his foot touched for a Bible school to train young people in the Word. Today Moody Bible School stands on that site.

2. We have promises to plead 5-9

a. A Conquering power – God will give us power to do anything he asks us to do

i. “Living victoriously is not your responsibility is simply your response to God’s ability” Adrian Rogers

b. A Continuing Promise –

i. Promised to Moses

ii. Promised to Joshua

iii. Promised to us

Hebrews 13:5 Amplified Bible (AMP) 5Let your [a]character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] [b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor [c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor [e]let [you] down ([f]relax My hold on you)! [[g]Assuredly not!]

3. Person to Prepare 10-18

a. Prepare Provisions – Sometimes we have to be prayed up and read up before we come to our battles

i. Preparation is often half the battle. I heard an advertisement recently for retirement funds I believe where they had a famous football player on there. He was asked how many times they just played the game throwing the ball and everyone just running toward the goal. His response was never, every play was meticulously planned out and precisely prepared for to score the goal. There is some preparation for battles as Christians too.

ii. Someone who is trying to possess Canaan the land of Promise Holiness has some preparation to go through. Sometimes this is a long drawn out ordeal others seem to be able to mind God and get it over with quickly. Either way there is a “dying” out to self a giving all to God everything nothing withheld from the hand of God, to prepare for this possession.

iii. For those who are in a spiritual battle victory is sometimes gained through preparation as well. Finding the promises of God and standing on them, feasting in prayer and devotion

Joshua At Jericho Joshua Part 1 2:1-

Spies In The city

Joshua sends two men secretly – A Secret Service

i. There is danger in getting ahead of God, and yet there is a certain amount of initiative that God expects us to have.

1. They were promised this land and victory, it was up to them to advance and take what was theirs. Sometimes we have to start moving and take what is ours.

a. Notice this wasn’t just a foolish move. Joshua used wisdom and probably had divine guidance in the matter. It was a secret mission and it was in the dark.

b. Why were they sent, hadn’t the spy thing not worked out so well the last time? It wasn’t to see if they could take the land, it was to see how they would take the land. There is a big difference.

i. Joshua 2:9

ii. Joshua 2:18

1. Notice only two spies were secretly spent, how many spies all those years ago said they could take the land with God’s help? Two

Go, view the Land – A Proper Perspective (Search out is the words the king of Jericho used in verse 2)

1. It was time to see the battle plans

a. Stayed at the Rahab Hotel

i. Not there for entertainment but for information

1. (Probably Rahab was not exactly what we think of when we see that word) However we know that her morals were a little off as she thought telling a little lie was okay.

ii. Adam Clarke “God never says to any, Do evil that good may come of it.”

iii. “her sin is understandable because she lacked a complete knowledge of the living God. That is, what she did was wrong, but she did not know any better. We must be careful to make a distinction between Rahab’s faith and the way Rahab expressed it. The Bible praises Rahab because of her faith in God, not because of her lying.” NKJV Study Bible

2. It was time to see the Promise Gained

a. Victory was so sure that even their enemies were expecting it.

3. The faith of the Gentile woman – Similar to that of Abraham

a. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe

b. Going only on what was said, didn’t have tv or internet in those days to pull up the footage of what people were saying to see if it was true or not.

i. Verse 9

ii. A beautiful picture of redemption as well. Strict instructions given

1. Scarlet thread must be put in the window

2. Only those in the house under the protection of the scarlet thread would be saved

3. the word translated “line” (here and in Joshua 2:21), which has its first occurrence in the Bible at this point, is never translated “line” anywhere else in the Bible. Its usual meaning is “hope.” For example, “thou art my hope, O Lord God” (Psalm 71:5). Defender’s Study Bible

c. Not only is her faith an inspiration her presence is an encouragement

i. It should inspire us to think that even though the whole city by God was condemned to death even the animals and property nothing was to be taken yet there was one family who wanted to follow God.

ii. So in the world around us there are people out there who really want to follow God. It is up to us to be in the place to point them to the scarlet thread to hang in their soul’s window. The Blood of Christ that alone is able to save.

The Spies Report – Fortified Deliverance 23-24

1. Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands

2. All the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us

Achan and Rahab one trying to get out of Jericho the other getting involved with Jericho

Joshua At Jericho P2 Joshua 3:1-

A River To Cross And Mountains To Climb - There can be no victory without battle, no battle without opposition, no opposition without an enemy,

Watch the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God –

1. The Ark represented God’s presence among the people. They were to watch it to know which way to go So they could see which way to go

a. Because they had not passed this way before

i. We are on a journey and have never been this way before it is so important to have the mind and will of God in all that we do.

2. I’m Glad God sends his presence before us to guide us and direct us. Its up to us to watch Him and move when He moves.

3. Leaving a space between the ark and them showed their reverence and fear of God. We truly are losing our fear and respect for God today. The fear of God the writer of Proverbs tells us is the beginning of wisdom.

Sanctify Yourselves 3:5 – I could spend the rest of the lesson on just these two words. What was God trying to tell the children of Israel? Take a look at these words

1. Sanctify – “to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate to be set apart to keep oneself apart or separate[i]”

2. Yourself – Take care of your sanctification, look at your heart, not your neighbors.

While the idea of sanctification is not explicitly taught in the Old Testament because of the Law it was expressly shown in types and shadows and this is one of the most prominent. Let’s explain;

a. Salvation is simply this – God for Christ’s sake forgiving your sins delivering you from committed sins. Letting you know that it is done by the work of the Holy Spirit in what we call the Witness of the Spirit. That is a wonderful work of Grace and of God. However that is not the end of the Christian journey but rather just the beginning.

b. Sanctification – A cleansing work of the Holy Spirit by the blood of Jesus to cleanse not committed sins but the sin nature that resides in the heart. Purifying your heart making your motives pure, your thoughts pure, your heart pure, not by anything we have done but because of the work of grace and of God.

a. However salvation is always preceded by repentance a turning away and Godly sorrow for the sins that you have done and a looking to Jesus in faith believing him for atonement.

b. Sanctification is preceded by what we call “dying out” or consecration or whatever term you want to apply there it is doing what we can by God’s help to separate ourselves wholly unto God, to present ourselves body and soul to God as a living sacrifice.

c. Notice these are again preparations for victory,

i. The walk of faith is met constantly with battles onslaughts to our faith, to our integrity, thru temptations and suggestions by Satan. But victory is ours if we take the steps necessary to pursue it.

ii. God has already given them this land, it is up to them to go in and possess it. So is the case with us.

iii. I like how 3:5 says it “…sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

Take up the Ark and Walk in Faith

Flood stage verses faith – You know tests to our faith are going to come, but are we going to take God at His word or give into the flesh. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding.

i. I grew up next to the Mississippi River who floods usually at least once a year, it is not always as bad as 93 or 2008 or other times but still it gets to flood stage nearly every year. In the 93 flood when my Aunt and Uncle lived in town a block from the main four way and rail road crossing we went to see the water. We didn’t have to walk very far it was creeping up the other side of the track and within hours would reach their home. Now this is a couple miles from the actual banks of the river. I can’t imagine someone saying to me, okay we need to get to Illinois God’s going to help us when you get up to the water just keep on walking.

ii. Yet that is what they were told to do, to walk even when the water was at flood stage, when there seemed to be no way they were to keep Going. Remember they weren’t going alone they were watching and following the Ark, the Presence of God. That is our key, keep your eyes on Him, your ears tuned, your heart sensitive to his impressions, let Him go before you, mountains will move, waters will roll back, walls will fall, enemies will flee, you have nothing to fear, not because you are something, but BECAUSE GOD IS IN THE LEAD!!!

Building Memorials Passing Torches 4:1-

[i] http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6942&t=KJV