Bricktown Gospel Fellowship...more about Pastor Tim
SERMON
BGF sermon 3.20.11 "The Eshcol Experience" part II
Recap: (from Num. 13 & 14)
…there was the "hill country" (higher than where we are now; effort required)
…I encouraged us all to look into our future…see all that God has to offer you…investigate the possibilities
…in Canaan there was: giant fruit, giant enemies
…God wanted to give His people a fertile land, but first they needed to conquer the giants.
…In order for Israel to receive the inheritance (the fulfillment of God's promises in their lives) they would be required to do battle against what appeared to be impossible enemies.
…The majority were afraid to try…a minority were courageous (choose fear or courage, doubt or faith)
…God's choice of leaders for His people are those who have "a different spirit" (like Caleb)
Num. 14:7-9: Joshua & Caleb said, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."
These things still remain today for the people of God:
1. God still promises greater blessings for greater obedience
2. there still is a battle to be fought
3. there still are "giants" to be conquered
4. we still struggle between fear and courage, between doubt and faith
5. we still "wander in the wilderness" when we do not fight to see His promises fulfilled
Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses…the Lord said to Joshua…2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 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."
…God still calls His people saying, "Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan…into the land that I am giving to you"
"Giants" represent any seemingly impossible obstacle that stands between you and God's best for you.
Our giants are:
1) bigger than we are
2) stronger than we are
3) more numerous than we are (too many to handle)
The giants in our lives:
…overwhelm us …overpower us …outnumber us
Our weakness in battle is not:
…our inexperience, our lack of knowledge or ability
…our limited strength, intelligence, or stamina
Our weakness in spiritual battle is:
…our fears and doubts …disobedience
We see our giants as being:
- difficult people…relationships - financial limitations
- difficult circumstances - health issues
- heavy schedules - addictions
- King David had giants:
1 Sam. 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine (Goliath), "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."
…then there was his enemy Saul
…David's other enemy was: lust (Bathsheba)
…the real giants in Num. 13-14 were: fear, doubt, faithlessness, rebellion, disobedience, etc.
- What are some of our giants? the biggest giants are our inward fears and doubts - these are our real obstacles that stand between us and the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives.
Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. (lots of giants ahead)
…God's command to Israel in the conquest of Canaan was to "completely drive out the inhabitants of the land"
- in the Book of Judges, it is shown that Israel disobeyed God by not completely driving out the inhabitants of the land and "the anger of the Lord was kindled against them"
- apparently, once the tribes had fought enough to be comfortable, they stopped fighting
…they were satisfied with conquering just enough of their enemies to be in control of the land
…God was not and is never satisfied with partial obedience
- God is faithful to hold us accountable to our calling
…If His initial calling on our lives included an obligation to conquer our giants, and giants still remain, then He wants us to resume the battle
Joshua 14:6 Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb…said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.' 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming (conquering). 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."
Keys to success:
1. fighting together, not alone
Israel did not face their giants alone - likewise, we fight together to conquer our giants.
Heb. 12:1-4 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
2. intercessory prayer
2 Cor. 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
3. commitment to the Scriptures
Eph. 6:16-17 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Recap: (from Num. 13 & 14)
…there was the "hill country" (higher than where we are now; effort required)
…I encouraged us all to look into our future…see all that God has to offer you…investigate the possibilities
…in Canaan there was: giant fruit, giant enemies
…God wanted to give His people a fertile land, but first they needed to conquer the giants.
…In order for Israel to receive the inheritance (the fulfillment of God's promises in their lives) they would be required to do battle against what appeared to be impossible enemies.
…The majority were afraid to try…a minority were courageous (choose fear or courage, doubt or faith)
…God's choice of leaders for His people are those who have "a different spirit" (like Caleb)
Num. 14:7-9: Joshua & Caleb said, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."
These things still remain today for the people of God:
1. God still promises greater blessings for greater obedience
2. there still is a battle to be fought
3. there still are "giants" to be conquered
4. we still struggle between fear and courage, between doubt and faith
5. we still "wander in the wilderness" when we do not fight to see His promises fulfilled
Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses…the Lord said to Joshua…2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 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."
…God still calls His people saying, "Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan…into the land that I am giving to you"
"Giants" represent any seemingly impossible obstacle that stands between you and God's best for you.
Our giants are:
1) bigger than we are
2) stronger than we are
3) more numerous than we are (too many to handle)
The giants in our lives:
…overwhelm us …overpower us …outnumber us
Our weakness in battle is not:
…our inexperience, our lack of knowledge or ability
…our limited strength, intelligence, or stamina
Our weakness in spiritual battle is:
…our fears and doubts …disobedience
We see our giants as being:
- difficult people…relationships - financial limitations
- difficult circumstances - health issues
- heavy schedules - addictions
- King David had giants:
1 Sam. 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine (Goliath), "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."
…then there was his enemy Saul
…David's other enemy was: lust (Bathsheba)
…the real giants in Num. 13-14 were: fear, doubt, faithlessness, rebellion, disobedience, etc.
- What are some of our giants? the biggest giants are our inward fears and doubts - these are our real obstacles that stand between us and the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives.
Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. (lots of giants ahead)
…God's command to Israel in the conquest of Canaan was to "completely drive out the inhabitants of the land"
- in the Book of Judges, it is shown that Israel disobeyed God by not completely driving out the inhabitants of the land and "the anger of the Lord was kindled against them"
- apparently, once the tribes had fought enough to be comfortable, they stopped fighting
…they were satisfied with conquering just enough of their enemies to be in control of the land
…God was not and is never satisfied with partial obedience
- God is faithful to hold us accountable to our calling
…If His initial calling on our lives included an obligation to conquer our giants, and giants still remain, then He wants us to resume the battle
Joshua 14:6 Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb…said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.' 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming (conquering). 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."
Keys to success:
1. fighting together, not alone
Israel did not face their giants alone - likewise, we fight together to conquer our giants.
Heb. 12:1-4 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
2. intercessory prayer
2 Cor. 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
3. commitment to the Scriptures
Eph. 6:16-17 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God