How to take the next step

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Intro and Tension

We are here | Final week | Ephesians - Take it back | Week one = Take it back ,every spiritual blessing | 2 = Prepared in private | 3 = everything you need | and I am excited about today | Today you will be given a chance to respond - To make a decision but first, question;
Do you ever have trouble of taking a step of commitment?
Sometimes, you just need to ‘know’ some facts before you commit;
Family BBQ’s are a great one “We are having a few people over, wanted to invite you”
Need all the details before you commit.
Today, I want to talk about what you need to know to take the next step in taking ground.
Title: How to take the next step
My Hope: You will get off the bench, you will commit.
**Prayer**
**Full permission to share** = Cruise Ship Story - Emma - she was scared we would drown.
Her issue was not her desire for the cruise | Her issue was the doubt of her safety.
Same with us in our walk | Our issue is not Desire
We desire Change
We desire a healthy marriage
We desire Healing
We desire a Spiritual Walk
Our issue is doubt that God can do it - and if we are being honest, if we are worth it.
Our problem is not Desire, our Problem is Doubt.
Eagles - See the clouds, see the storm and fly THROUGH the clouds and rise ABOVE IT.
Buffalo

Truth

So, my hope today, is that we can go through 3 things, you need to know, so that you can take the step that will help you take ground.
I want to go to a couple of different stories in the Bible, to show what we need to know, what is true, what is good, what is perfect, what needs to seep into our hearts, so we can take the next step.
Pick up in Joshua | Joshua had just been wondering around Wilderness | Appointed as the leader | and they got to Jericho and Joshua was told by the Lord (we all know it);
Joshua 6:2–5 ESV
And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”
Stupid Plan | Walk around the walls | Jericho not very big, but Walls where very high, some of us, our obstacles we are facing, are high and we feel we have been inadequatly equipped |
2 things to this story; 1. We forget what Joshua went through - 40 years in the wilderness | He went through craziness, and then he is asked to walk around the wall.
People look on success and forget how poeple got there | Marriage | Business | Ministry | Kids
2nd thing - Just before this happened Joshua had an encounter with an angel/lord look;
Joshua came to the land, an angel was standing there | With Sword
Joshua 5:14 ESV
And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”
He commiteed before he asked. Why?
Why after so much, why would he commit before?
Becuase He knew a truth and it was the same truth Moses knew;
Deuteronomy 20:4 ESV
for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’
Something happened in the preperation, in the Desert to Joshua.
Joshua knew something we need to know | write this down;
You are in a Fixed Fight
Boxing Analogy
You need to know you don’t fight for victory, you fight FROM Victory.
How do you take a step? irraticate Doubt? Know that Jesus defeated death in the grave.
1st think we have to know, you are in a fixed fight.
2nd thing; Our enemy is not flesh and blood, our enemy is the father of lies.
Let’s go to ephesians to unpack this a little bit;
Ephesians 6:10–12 ESV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Present darkness | Fallen World | Every soul that does not know Christ is worth saving | The enemy tempts us, provokes us, tries to take us out of the game, what do you think he is doing with the unbeliever? We are the LIGHT | We push back kingdom of Darkness |
It’s Not Sally who is gossiping about you | Not the enemy | The enemy, is the enemy and we must unite over that one enemy.
In fact - David in the cave with Saul, He couldn’t kill him;
1 Peter 2:17 ESV
Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
You are to know, that we love sinner, hate the sinner - If we are to take the next step.
What are we to do against this darkness? Enemy then?
Ephesians 6:13–18 ESV
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
“What does that look like practically?” = Go through what we pray for. People - take it to God - We are to love them.
So, things we need to know so that we can take a step forward in taking ground;
It’s a fixed fight
Our enemy is not flesh and blood, our enemy is the father of lies.
This is MOST important;
No matter what you will always be loved.
Some battles are not on the outside | But on the inside | Something happened, feel unloved now. Sometimes you just need to hear it, to know it - Beyond Knowledge.
I want to read a portion of scripture of a father, loving on his son. Jesus’ Baptism. Before ministry.
Matthew 3:16–17 ESV
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
God the Father, publically declares - That is my Son.
Parents - Our kids should feel unconditionally loved | They will do far more if they feel they will be loved in their failures | We will do far more if we believe we are loved in our failures.
Kids in Kids sport, we love them no matter what.
If we aren’t failing ,we aren’t having enough faith.
Your God loves you, no matter what.
John 1:12 ESV
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
2 Corinthians 6:18 ESV
and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Galatians 4:17 ESV
They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
Romans 8:38–39 ESV
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Inspo and Close

Who are we? Faith-filled, Truth-Seeking, Spirit-Lead Warriors of God.
God is calling for His Warriors to take to the battle field - To take one step.
It may be external - It may be internal, but God has put a burdan on your heart - If he hasn’t ask for one.
You have been prepared, or you might need to step into preperation - But just like David, Shephard Staff + Slingshot - You have been prepared with everytihng you need.
Standing there, you just need to take 1 step.
3 Things you need to know;
It’s a fixed Fight
Our enemy is not flesh and blood, our enemy is the father of lies.
No matter what you will always be loved
Just one step of Obedience - We need to effect the community, we need to do things that we can only do as a body.
If you want to take that one step - Stand
**Prayer**
**Altar Call**
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