ADVANCING DESPITE DIFFICULTIES

Illustration: D Day Invasion June 6, 1944 (WWII) storm the beaches of Normandy, France.

TEXT: Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

Title: ADVANCING DISPITE DIFFICULTIES

The issue of Fear

(Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed)

Past Failures-

Ex: Moses running from His failures

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Present circumstances

Challenges ahead

*Fear the unknown - Psalm 31:15 “My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!”

*Don’t feel adequate!

The Problem with fear is it immobilizes Us

Exodus 14:15 “The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.”

Ex: Hiking up and getting afraid

A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear 3. Heroes and Underdogs

“If you limit what you will do, you limit what you can do.”

Hearing God’s Command

(Be strong and Courageous)

Strength is the inner resolve or the physical ability to accomplish an endeavor, influence an outcome, or prevail in a conflict.

Be Firm- Courageous and Confident

How can I be confident when I am going through all that I am going through?

God is with us!

(With you were ever you go)

“The will of God will never take you where the grace of God won’t keep you.”

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

2 Kings 6:16-17 “He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

(some of us need God to open our spiritual eyes)

EX: Going on missions and having air support

Not only is He with us but He will never leave us! You are not alone!

Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

“Footprints in the sand”

God has given us victory!

(I have given you) *Past tense

Do you understand that you already have the victory?

emancipation proclamation

Whatever victory you need God has equipped already

VICTORY OVER SIN, IN YOUR MIND, WHATEVER!

2 timothy 1:7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

Relying upon God

Do I really trust God?

Worldly strength vs Godly strength

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Psalm 121 “A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear 3. Heroes and Underdogs

The Bible is a book of exceptions and a book of examples, with one game-changing clarification: a major theme of the Bible is that when ordinary people fully surrender to God and make it their ambition to love him with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul (even imperfectly and inconsistently, as we all do), we move from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Prayer

A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear 11. Secret Weapons: Hidden in Plain Sight

Courage isn’t something we’re born with; it’s something we develop.

Acts 4:29-31 “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”