Strong an couragous 4

Preparing for Battle

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 5:1–15 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. 10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. 11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. 12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year. 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Intro: They have crossed the Jordan river. But, now the fortified city of Jericho stood in their way.

It was time for them to prepare for battle.

It wasn’t going to with swords and spears. That have been what some of them were thinking.

God is going to prepare them for battle.

If you’ve been around church, you know the story of the Battle of Jericho.

Seems like a strange way to win a battle.

I believe one of the reason God does it this way is to show what can be done when they (we) follow His commandments.

God wants to prepare us for battle. We all face battles.

It could be a sin problem. An anger issue. Money battle. Dealing with people who are against you because you are a Christian.

We prepare for our Battles by.... “Remembering past blessings”

Remembering past blessings. 4:19-24

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.”

Once they had crossed the Jordan river, they travailed to Gilgal. About 20 miles from where they crossed.

One man from each of the 12 tribes where to carry a stone. (I believe they where pretty big.)

12 stones where placed in the river where the priest had stood. 4:1 (read 4:1-18)

12 stones taken to Gilgal and build monument,

Why take some rocks and pile them up? Look at VS 21-24

Last part of VS 22-23

It was a memorial .

When next generations would ask about the stones, the story would be told of the great things God had done for them.

For the Israelite’s, God wanted them to remember what He had done for them.

Must of us a good at forgetting. Even things God had done for us.

We face battles (obstacles) we freak out, worry, panic, when all along we forget how God has gotten us through the same thing or even something worse

Remember, we are preparing for battle everyday. God is with you everyday, everywhere, in every situation. And if you will remember how God has always taken care of you, it will help to remind you that He will take care of you today.

Tell story of bungee cord.

C-141 story.

Keep a journal. (My journal)

Write down things that God has done to bless you. How He has gotten you through a situation.

In verses they were to tell their children about what God had done for them. Young parents need to tell their kids about how great God is.

Grand parents are to tell their grand kids how great God. Tell stories about what God has done for you.

Watching my moms faithfulness.

Not just our family, but our friends, co-workers, everyone we come across.

If you are a follower of Jesus He has done great things in your life. Share that experience with others so too can experience the same.

We have the Lords Supper as a memorial of what Jesus did us the world. “Do this in remembrance of me”

Baptism is a memorial of the Death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

We need to reaffirm our commitment to God. 5:1-2,8

Joshua 5:1–2 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.”

Joshua 5:8–12 NKJV

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. 10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. 11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. 12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

VS tells us that the Kings of the land were fearful. :Hearts had “melted”

What God has done brought fear to the ungodly.

VS 2

40 years in the wilderness. All those over 40 at the time they had left had died. Only Joshua and Caleb.

So the younger generation had not been circumcised.

Genesis 17:10 (NKJV)

10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;

This is a renewal of the covenant. The covenant that had made with Abraham. A mark that they were to be a separate people.

God had promised them the land. He had made a covenant with them. Be fore they could move on, before they could go into battle, they had to reaffirm their covenant.

Circumcision was a mark to remind them that they were a separate people. All others were the “uncircumcised”

1 Samuel 17:26 NKJV

26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

Circumcision in the Bible has a spiritual significance. It was more then just a ritual.

You can be baptised and not be born again.

New Testament circumcision of heart.

Romans 2:29 NKJV

29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Colossians 2:10–13 NKJV

10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

When we are saved it is a spiritual circumcision. Salvation is a covenant with God, which means we belong to God. Our body belongs to Him.

Everything about you belongs to God.

This was also a test of their faith. Who was to be circumcised? The men, the solders, with a battle to be fought. Elab on this.

“What you are is more important then what you do” Pastor John Miller.

Before you can go into battle you have to get right with God. Circumcise your heart. You have to have faith.

It took faith for Joshua and these men to do what they did.

VS 9

They had spent 40 years in the wilderness without crossing over to the promised land. How did that look? God had taken them out of Egypt but not into the Promised Land.

People watched them.

Now they were there, not longer under reproach of Egypt. God rolled it away.

People are watching you and me.

No more manna.

They able to have the Passover meal.

The circumcision, the passover meal, (looking toward Jesus). All that were to do to take the Land God had promised them, would be a battle. They needed faith. They needed to be right with God.

To prepare for battle, we need to hear from God and obey His word.

Obey Gods word. VS 13-15

Joshua 5:13–15 (NKJV)

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua by himself goes near Jericho.

Praying, seeking God guidance for a battle plan.

D day, there was a battle plan.

Iwo Jima there was a battle plan.

Invited Bagdad there was a battle plan.

Joshua didn’t want to go and fight Jericho without a battle plan.

As Joshua is praying, he must have heard something because VS 13 says

“he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

Here is a man with his sword in his hand. Joshua dosen’t run, he walks up to the man.

Are you with us or against us? Look at the answer he gives Joshua.

No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 5

“No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.

This is a pre-incarnation appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joshua went to the mountain alone to pray, but he was not alone.

Joshua at a battle ahead of him, he is seeking the Lord, and He shows show up with a plan.

Look what Joshua does.

Joshua 5:14 (NKJV)

14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

When preparing for battle (everyday) when the Lord to be present in our lives. We need to worship Him.

Joshua was the leader now. Leadership can be a lonely place. He had to get the people ready for battle.

The Lord had told Joshua. As I was with Moses I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

When you are facing battles, you to know that God is with you. There is nothing greater then to feel God presence in your life.

I want to feel Gods presence in my live. I want you to have that.

I want Pine Grove to know that God’s presence is with us.

Shed, Mesac, Abengo.

Daniel 3:25 NKJV

25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Whatever you are going through, whatever you are going to go through. Jesus is with you.

Even though Joshua was the leader, the Lord was in charge, Joshua was 2nd.

When Jesus left this earth He told His disciples He not leave them alone. He left the Holy Spirit. He is with you to guide you, to comfort you.

Preparing for battle means seeking the Lord first. We can do all things through Him. But we can do nothing without Him.

John 15:5 NKJV

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.