Josh (10-26-08)
Oct 26, 2008
“Dying to Self” Josh 5:10-15
As Israel crossed the Jordan River we too .. came to understand that we symbolically have crossed the river too we are living our new inheritance / blessings so therefore scripture warns us .. like them don’t look back & desire .. Egypt .. or your old life style / we are to die to that
Rather .. let God satisfy you with His inheritance / blessing [1]
just as Paul states in Eph 1:3
blessed be the God & Father of our Lord J.C. who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
( that is our inheritance today as believers )
& now we shall see Joshua come face to face with “the captain of the host of the Lord”
Read Josh 5:10-15 Pray
Joshua had read .. in the Book of the Law what Moses had said to the Lord
Ex 33:15
if Your Presence does not go with us do not bring us up from here
So Joshua held on to the promise that God would be with him just as He was with Moses ( Josh 1:5 )
no man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life just as I have been with Moses .. I will be with you I will not fail you or forsake you
now .. He reaffirmed that promise to Joshua ( & like Moses ) .. Joshua will refuse to move until he was sure the Lord was with him
Imagine the great encouragement when Joshua realized that he was not alone & found out that man with his sword drawn v13-15 “was the captain of the host of the Lord”
I appreciate the courage of Joshua as he confronted this stranger v13 wanting to know whose side he was on
You see .. with Joshua there was no compromise you were either for the Lord or against Him
Joshua 24:15
if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord choose for yourselves today whom you will serve whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living but as for me & my house .. we will serve the Lord
When Joshua discovered the visitor was the Lord .. he fell at His feet in worship & waited for His orders v14
for Joshua knew what was written in John 15:5
“… for apart from Me you can do nothing”
Of course “theCaptain of the Lord of hosts” is the title for God in the O.T. [2]
& this records .. one of the pre-incarnate appearances of the Lord J.C.
( want to see a couple more .. for instance )
· To Abraham
the Lord came as a traveler
to share a meal & a blessing
( Gen 18:1–33 )
· To Jacob .. He came as a wrestler
to bring him to a place of submission
( Gen 32:24–32 )
· To Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego
they met Him / “their faith companion”
in the furnace of fire
( Dan 3:19-25 )
& Joshua met Him here ( v13-15 )
as the Captain of the Lord’s armies / hosts & the reason was to reassure Joshua … He was the Captain / Leader .. not Joshua
& that He’d see Joshua thru the battles
You see .. the Lord makes it clear to us all
that the battle is not ours .. but it is His
2 Chron 20:15
& he said .. listen all Judah & the inhabitants of Jerusalem & King Jehoshaphat .. thus says the Lord to you .. do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is not yours .. but God’s
v13-15 is the call & commission of Joshua it is the same call that came to Moses on the plains of Midian .. at the burning bush ( Ex 3:5 ) [3] when God said to Moses
do not come near here remove your sandals from your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground
The Lord’s first order to Joshua revealed that he was standing on holy ground
Watch this now .. altho Joshua was standing “in heathen territory” yet because God was with him … he was standing .. “on holy ground” [4]
The lesson is clear .. if we are obeying the Will of God .. no matter where we stand IF He leads us / we will be “on holy ground”
The main lesson of Joshua 5 is this we must be a spiritually prepared people if we are going to do the Lord’s work & glorify His Name … instead of rushing into the battle we must take time to be holy / circumcised that is .. to stand with Him in obedience [5]
Watch this now .. previously we found the people of Israel on the bank of the Jordan .. & not moving as the Lord is preparing them for battle & for .. their spiritual lives … to live under His covenant / His blessing ( but first be circumcised / set apart )
Gilgal becomes a key in the lives of the Jews & symbolically .. a key for us as well as it becomes .. a place of testing / death
There are lessons to be learned there which are not easily learned / understood
You see .. before there was a day of Pentecost / before the day of revival there was / the Cross at Calvary / death
Therefore .. before there can be blessings that comes forth from the throne of God there has to be .. death to ourselves
Jesus clearly said in John 12:24
truly, truly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth & dies it remains alone .. but if it dies / but if it dies ( what ) it bears much fruit
Before our will can be accomplished His Will .. has to be fulfilled .. ( & where ) in & thru our own lives
Listen .. I know some will say is it worth the trials .. is it worth the cost that I have to go thru to pay such a great price as death to myself ( is there not an easier way )
I can hear some ask …
· can I not just muddle thru my faith
without paying such a great price
· do I have to be so real with God
· do I have to go that far / death to myself
· can I not play both ends of my life / faith
Want the truth to that question .. yes you can it is very possible to live .. “a Christian life” without becoming .. “so hard core”
I have seen so many .. “so called Christians” that I can’t count them any more … there are .. “myriads of so called Christians” walking around today .. living “a second class existence with Christ”
In fact .. ( in my opinion ) this is partially why the church ( & Christians .. if you want to call them that ) are so incapable of marching against the forces of evil that exist within our society today
We have all the blessings of God at our disposal .. & yet we are begging bread like we are paupers
I ask you .. is Eph 1:3 true or not are we truly “blessed with every spiritual blessing” / or not
The only answer I can figure out as I serve the Lord .. & you .. is this …
There are far too many of us “so called Christians / carnal believers” who are waling around like “2nd class citizens”
Who are afraid “to die to ourselves” & have found out .. that we don’t have to & so we are .. simply existing as “carnal Christians” not living “the blessed Christian life” …
And who suffers when you & I live like this ( I’ll tell you who ) you / church / your family / your work our nation / & everyone else we come in contact with
This is why the church today / & believers are so incapable of matching the challenge of this desperate time … goodness .. we should be pouring out all the heavenly resources that are at our disposal … but we can’t .. because we don’t have them ourselves
You want to know something only people who are filled with the Spirit of God .. who are on fire with His passion & might … who are living a Holy Spirit filled life who have died to themselves could ever match the challenge of this age & satan .. who is behind this all
Who do you suppose wishes to kill off as many children as he can before they are born
Who do you suppose would wish to destroy God’s call upon marriages businesses / your integrity / your character our churches / etc
??? Is it us as Christians or is it the evil one who is at work within those of us who claim to walk with Christ .. but who decide to take the easy way out so we won’t have to die to ourselves & still keep our toes in waters of secularism so to speak
( let me ask you a question )
you going to vote .. or do you think that your vote can’t make a difference
You going to give to the church in spite of tough times .. or do you think that your giving won’t be missed & you need it more than God anyways
Are you willing to die to yourself & see the hand of God work within your life & within the life of your church & family & Nation
Joshua 24:15
if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord choose for yourselves today whom you will serve whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River .. or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living but as for me & my house .. we will serve the Lord
Verses:
Eph 1:3
Ex 33:15
Josh 24:15
John 15:5
Gen 18:1-33
Gen 32:24-32
Dan 3:19-25
2 Chron 20:15
Ex 3:5
John 12:24
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[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 5:10). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2]Auld, A. G. (2001, c1984). Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. The Daily study Bible series (35). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.
[3]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 5:13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 5:13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.