1 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,200 We welcome you to the Via Zion Sermon podcast. 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:12,920 We are a church based out of Chennai, India. 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,160 We are thrilled that you're tuned in today and hope that you 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,680 will be refreshed, revived, and energized by what you hear. 5 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:23,800 Our desire is that you will live life with a renewed sense of 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,240 purpose that stems from a vibrant faith in Jesus. 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:32,640 The year 2025 is 1 where we will be positioned by God to possess 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,560 our promise. We are believing that God is 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,680 bringing us into our place of promise. 10 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,840 It is now time to take the land and to do so we need to get our 11 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,720 spiritual posture in place and stop looking back so that we can 12 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,240 face forward with courage and faith. 13 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,240 Let's get going and possess our promise. 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:54,760 Hi, church. It's such a joy and a privilege. 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,160 We bring God's worth to you today. 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,840 And even as we get into the second part of the series, we 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,280 are looking at this new series that we started last week called 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,280 Taking the Land. It's from the book of Joshua. 19 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,480 I know as we have titled it as Taking the Land. 20 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,960 Even as you've probably watched the sermon bumper. 21 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,080 And for those of you who are watching and listening, if 22 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,920 you've heard the last week's sermon, it might seem daunting. 23 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:16,600 You might be like, you know what? 24 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:21,240 Am I ready or am I qualified or am I in a place today to take 25 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,560 the promises God has for me? And even as we meditate from the 26 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,080 book of Joshua, we can either look at it from a point of these 27 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,160 are only meant for leaders. I'm just a follower. 28 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,040 No, but in Christ, when Christ is living within us, all of us 29 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,480 are called to lead ourselves. No longer are we looking at one 30 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,560 person. The very person who walked on 31 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,960 this earth, who led himself as an example, is Jesus. 32 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,040 We follow him. And so today, all of us are 33 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,720 leaders. All of us have influence. 34 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:52,560 All of us have the capacity to make this decision to go and 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,480 take the land today. What does taking the land look 36 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,200 for both you and me? You know, for a lot of us, our 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,480 experiences could be 1, which we've probably read in history 38 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,600 books. Or probably for some of us, it 39 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,880 could be, you know, totally muddled up looking at the news 40 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,759 and what countries are doing and waging wars against. 41 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,920 But today, as we look into this, God's asking us, there's 42 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:16,800 territory and promises that I've called and given to you. 43 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,920 You need to go and take it. You know, the promise is ours, 44 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:22,600 Yes, in Jesus Christ it's yes and Amen. 45 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,920 But as we do this Christian life, many times the enemy is 46 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,480 occupied these places and he wants us to take these lands so 47 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,400 that we'll be able to fulfill the call of God on our lives. 48 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,560 A lot of us are thinking, you know what, in the midst of all 49 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,680 this, I think I just have to live a life like this where I'm 50 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:42,960 not able to see the promise. No, you need to rise up. 51 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,960 That's what we saw last week. The ABC's of what Joshua did. 52 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,000 The first thing he did is he was called to arise after Moses time 53 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,840 he was called to arise and today you and me in Christ when we 54 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,880 received a salvation, we are called to arise. 55 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,200 The second thing, what you asked and we saw from Joshua chapter 1 56 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,000 is to be bold and courageous. You and I can't be bold today 57 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:12,360 because many a times you feel we have been closed in by the 58 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,120 enemy, we've been shamed, we've been plagued by the nature of 59 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,080 the sinful heart that we carry. But God saying I have redeemed 60 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,120 you, I've set you free. Now be bold and walk in the 61 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,920 boldness that we get from Christ's identity and not our 62 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:29,440 identity. And the beautiful thing about 63 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:35,320 following Jesus is that we get to walk because he is walking 64 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,160 with us. You and I aren't alone. 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,880 We are walking because he's walking alongside with us. 66 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,560 And the third thing we were saw with AB and CC being we chew on 67 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,440 God's word, If we have to last this time of taking the land. 68 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,400 If we have to go and take the land and occupy and be in it and 69 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,480 hold on to it and see God's fulfillment not just for our 70 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,920 generation, but for the generations to come so that God 71 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,680 will be glorified. As we keep chewing on God's 72 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,720 Word, we bring it back into meditation. 73 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,720 We think of it, We will go through trials, we will go 74 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,960 through temptations, we will go through sin knocking at our 75 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,680 door, but we will have the word of God on our lips and on our 76 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,760 hearts, and we'll be able to call onto God because I believe 77 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,440 His Word is alive. His Word is for everyone. 78 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,840 His Word is for every season, His Word is for every place. 79 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,800 And as we live in that understanding, we'll be able to 80 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,480 see the miraculous thing when we speak out His Word, what it will 81 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,240 do, and even as we continue on to the second part, I just 82 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,160 wanted to quickly go through chapters 2-3 and four because I 83 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,760 feel that that's a prelude to what 5 is. 84 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:48,400 A lot of times we can jump into 5, but I feel 234, the key 85 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,240 themes that happened in chapters 2-3 and four are a passage for 86 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,720 meditation. Today is from chapter 5 and we 87 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,240 see that many a times as we believe in this ABC. 88 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:02,040 We feel still stuck. We feel still stuck here We are 89 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,360 clearly heading in the direction of the promised land. 90 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,560 But there's something that's still causing me to doubt. 91 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,600 And I believe everyone of us have that doubt in our lives. 92 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,760 We all carry that kind of doubt. We have doubt over our own 93 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:17,640 selves. Will you be able to take the 94 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:22,600 step forward? But Jesus, like I want to see 95 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,160 things happen in and through me. God wants to see things happen 96 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,320 through me, through Geshom, who is his follower, through Tina, 97 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,920 who's my wife, his through her, his follower. 98 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,920 He wants to see us all walk in that when we clearly see Jesus 99 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,200 pattern of journey with these 12, you know, he clearly wanted 100 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:47,760 all the 12 to take God's word across the entire world. 101 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,440 He trusted them, he invested in them. 102 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,640 That's who he spent the most time with. 103 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,800 And one of the things that we see is because we've been under 104 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,720 leaders and under people. And probably some of us, our 105 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,840 parents were, you know, the ones who drew us closer to faith, who 106 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:08,280 believed and saw miracles, or probably we had spiritual 107 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:12,680 leaders or we had friends. And many times we think we love 108 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,840 being in the midst of the miracle, But many times God is 109 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:18,440 like, no, I want to start doing the miracle in front of you, 110 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:23,200 through you. And that's where we will see God 111 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,000 come through. And I feel that's the strongest 112 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,880 place we are stuck at a lot of times our, our capacity is that 113 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:34,200 we are comfortable to follow others and back others and do 114 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,880 things around others. But God saying now the season is 115 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,440 coming where you have to possess the land for your sake, for your 116 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,280 generation sake, for your name, for you to hold on to say this 117 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,960 is what the Lord's done for me. And so even as we meditate on 118 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:54,200 chapters Joshua chapter 5, today in chapter 2 and chapter 3 and 119 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,000 chapter 4, we see first Joshua, being a military man all along, 120 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,120 sends 2 spies into Jericho. He's going sending spies to go 121 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:04,920 see the land. What is it that they are 122 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,320 against? And as he's sending them, it's 123 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,000 interesting this particular verse that Rahab, who's the 124 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,760 prostitute who's housed on the city walls, who houses them, 125 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,520 says this interesting verse. And I wanted to read that to you 126 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,520 because many a times everything that we are called to do in 127 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,600 taking this land is not about us. 128 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,440 It's all about God. So let's read from Joshua 129 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,000 chapter 2, verses 8 to 13. It says before the spies laid 130 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,880 down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, I 131 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,160 know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear 132 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:44,400 of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are 133 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,800 melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried 134 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,120 up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt 135 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,880 and what you did to see on and all the 2 kings of the Amorites 136 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,640 east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 137 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,040 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone's 138 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,960 courage failed because of you. For the Lord your God is God in 139 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,520 heaven above and on the earth below. 140 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,200 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show 141 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,920 kindness to my family, because I have kindness to you. 142 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,760 Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my 143 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,480 father and mother, my brothers and sisters and all who belong 144 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,640 to them, and that you will save us from death. 145 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,039 The preload of this is as the spies have gone in, word goes 146 00:08:34,039 --> 00:08:35,720 around that spies have entered the land. 147 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,600 They take refuge in Rehab's house. 148 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,600 And as Rehab is, as they're lying down that night so that 149 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,440 they can leave the next day, so that they're not spotted, Rehab 150 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,680 tells them this. And I've underlined the key 151 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,320 words. It doesn't talk about Moses. 152 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,680 It doesn't talk about Joshua. If there's anything that people 153 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:59,800 will testify as there's someone who's greater, there's a God 154 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:04,440 above who's greater above you, who's enabling you to do this. 155 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,840 And that is the testimony about following Jesus. 156 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:10,160 It's never about ourselves. It's never about ourselves. 157 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,080 You know, John the Baptist says may he increase and I decrease. 158 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,320 You know, at the end of the day, when Paul says it at the end, if 159 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,760 Jesus is priest is more than enough, who am I Paul Apollos. 160 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,920 We are all these people who are doing part of the work God's 161 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,760 called us to do. And so today as we read all of 162 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,360 this, we are remind that only God gets the glory. 163 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:40,000 Joshua too is a reminder that God will be heard and seen and 164 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:42,600 will cause hearts to melt even before they encounter the 165 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:44,440 people. Just imagine this. 166 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:47,640 They have heard what happened in the Red Sea that was 40 years 167 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,280 back. They have heard what's happened 168 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,960 to these two kings that was probably around 1520 years back. 169 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,720 It's the God who is spoken of his name will last. 170 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,400 The works that he has done only he can do it will last. 171 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,240 And I love how she concludes that statement by saying 172 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,240 everyone's courage failed because of you. 173 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,960 For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 174 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,440 And so today I'm even as we are called to take this land, even 175 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,240 before we go into Joshua 5. This is not about us, it's all 176 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,040 about God. The miracle that God wants to 177 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,360 give you in the promised land is not about you, it's about God. 178 00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:32,680 So when we get into the promised Land, we have nothing but to 179 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:34,360 lift our hands and say and surrender. 180 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,200 Lord, it's all about you. It is all about you. 181 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:42,720 I'm sorry for the things that I made it, but it's all about you 182 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,880 today. What is it that is holding you 183 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,520 back? So I believe the first thing 184 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,000 that we have to keep in mind in taking the land is all about 185 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:57,080 obedience of the Israelites at that point was to bring glory to 186 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:58,960 God. And that was what was spoken of. 187 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:03,880 You know an interesting thing about when we, when it's all 188 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,120 about God's glory, no one can stand and take credit for God's 189 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,640 glory. No one can stand and take credit 190 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,440 for God's glory. And I pray and ask that if any 191 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,640 of us are actually standing after receiving a medical 192 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,200 miracle from God and saying God, this glory belongs to me, I pray 193 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,080 we would repent. I pray we would repent because 194 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,440 the glory belongs to God. In Isaiah chapter 42, verse 8, 195 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,520 I'm reading it from the passion. It says I am Yavi. 196 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:35,800 That is my name. I will not give my glory to 197 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:40,920 another God, nor my renown to idols. 198 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,080 I am Yahweh, that is my name. I will not give my glory to 199 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,440 another God, nor my renown to idols. 200 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,280 Why is this important? Because anything we give glory. 201 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,800 So at the end of the day, if I have to say Geshom, I've been 202 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,400 able to do this. All this. 203 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,440 No, this is all because of God's glory. 204 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,520 The position that I have, the wealth that I have, it's all 205 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,480 because of God's glory. There's nothing I can add to my 206 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,440 name. Even for those of us who are 207 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,000 older, in their 50s and 60s and 70s, who are thinking of leaving 208 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,240 legacy, it's all about God's glory. 209 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:18,000 Let us not take our eyes of God and set it on something that 210 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,600 we've made. That's what it talks about. 211 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,600 I will not give my glory to another God nor my renowned to 212 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,480 idols. Anything that's man made won't 213 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,680 get, can't come against God's glory in chapter 3. 214 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:35,320 In Joshua chapter 3, we see the entire nation is heading towards 215 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,640 Jordan River and we see God makes a statement there. 216 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:43,560 I love when God decides to exalt you and me. 217 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,400 We don't have to strive. You know how liberating it is. 218 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,440 You know, in, in for those of us who worked in the corporate 219 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,720 world, for those of us who've worked in places amongst other 220 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,800 people, whatever setting it is, be it in a Christian setting, be 221 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,800 it in a Christian organization, be it in a, in a parachurch 222 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,360 organization, be it in a corporate world, be it anywhere 223 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:08,240 in the world, you by human nature will always want to exalt 224 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,520 ourselves. You want to say this is what I'm 225 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,360 can do. This is what I have. 226 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,000 This is what my capacity is. This is what my skill set is. 227 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:20,640 But the beautiful thing is when we are about taking the land 228 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:25,000 God's promised us, you and I, we can be confident that God will 229 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,000 exalt us at the right time. Joshua 3 verse 7 says, and the 230 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,000 Lord said to Joshua, today I will begin to exalt you in the 231 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,760 eyes of all Israel so that they may know that I am with you as I 232 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:40,320 was with Moses. Joshua definitely had the doubt 233 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,320 of, you know, I'm filling too big issues. 234 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,360 Moses was called the most humblest man. 235 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:51,480 Moses was loved by his people. Moses was loved by God. 236 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,120 Moses carried God's glory. God, who am I? 237 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,520 But God saying no, I will lift you up, I will lift you up. 238 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,480 And I pray and ask that a lot of us are looking for validation 239 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,080 from people to be lifted up. Let God lift you up at the right 240 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,160 time. Let God lift you up. 241 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,120 May be the season we are all walking through as God is 242 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,680 testing us. Will he sustain it? 243 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,280 Will he be able to sustain? Will he be able to last? 244 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,160 Will he be able to stand if I lift him up? 245 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,680 Because if God lifts us up, it'll come from a place where we 246 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,720 rely entirely on God, rely entirely on God. 247 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:33,600 And this beautiful aspect that we can see here is we can either 248 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:38,120 be all in or we cannot be all in. 249 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,080 There's only all in with regard to obedience. 250 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:45,240 There's no partial obedience in Joshua chapter 3 verse 17. 251 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:49,440 When we read that, we'll see when God calls us, when we are 252 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,080 obedient, He lifts us up. Joshua 317 is when God gives the 253 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:57,080 strategy to Joshua to say take the ark, let it go across the 254 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,800 camp as they go to the Jordan River, let the river, let the 255 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,320 priest step right into the middle of the river. 256 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,600 And it's interesting, as they stepped on the waters, the water 257 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,080 started parting ways. Can you imagine? 258 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:13,320 When God comes, everything has to move. 259 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,960 When God comes, he clears the way. 260 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,160 When God comes, He is right at the centre. 261 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:23,240 And this passage is very pivotal for me specifically when we read 262 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,600 from Joshua 3, verse 17, the priest who carried the ark of 263 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,600 the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and 264 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,960 stood on dry ground while all Israel passed by until the whole 265 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,160 nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. 266 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:43,080 Eight years back when we were really in this place of God. 267 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:44,800 You're calling us to plant the church. 268 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,320 How do we go about it? And I and, and, and, and This is 269 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:53,320 why I say, you know, it's always better to have two people in 270 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,800 this journey than this one. And so me and my wife are on 271 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,760 this journey. And my wife also sensed in her 272 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,000 spirit, this is a timing that God's called us. 273 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,920 I sensed it, but I was having withdrawal symptoms. 274 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,600 Do we really? Can we try something else? 275 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,920 And this is the scripture that she spoke over me. 276 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,440 Marry a wife who'll speak scripture over you. 277 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,280 Marry someone who'll speak scripture over you. 278 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,800 Marry someone who'll speak God's life giving word over you. 279 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,200 Don't marry someone who'll pave the worldly way for you because 280 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,960 it won't last. Marry someone who'll speak. 281 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:31,480 And I remember in our bedroom we were having this full blown 282 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,200 conversation. In worldly terms, it's a fight, 283 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,720 but I was like struggling. It's a spiritual struggle 284 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:42,440 because I know this is the time, but my flesh is unwilling to 285 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,800 yield to it. My spirit is willing, but my 286 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,600 flesh is unwilling. She on the other hand, both the 287 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,920 spirit and physical body is ready to step into it. 288 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,080 And I remember she said, Geshom, you can't keep one leg on the 289 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,400 water, one leg on land. You're either all on land or 290 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:05,319 you're all on water. I honestly, I didn't need time 291 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:09,000 to pray, but I just said give me a day or two to pray because I 292 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,079 knew that wrestle was just on the physical level. 293 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,040 I said God, I need strength from above to make this decision. 294 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:20,680 God gave me the strength and together we started church 2018 295 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:26,800 in August and I believe some of us are in that same space where 296 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,360 we are like God. Why would I go to the centre of 297 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:31,520 the water? The centre of the water is where 298 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,720 you'll see God closest the most. The centre of the water is where 299 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,440 you'll see His miraculous provision. 300 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,240 The centre of the water is where you'll hear God closest. 301 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:45,120 The centre of the water is where you'll be in awe and in wonder 302 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,680 of what God's doing, of what God's doing. 303 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,440 In chapter 4 we see even after they've crossed the Jordan, 304 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,840 something interesting. Joshua asks each of the 12 305 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,400 leaders to take these stones, and this is what it says in 306 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,640 Joshua 4 verses 4 to 7. So Joshua called together the 12 307 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,000 men who had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 308 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,920 and sent to them. Go over before the ark of the 309 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,320 Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. 310 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:16,560 Each of you is to take a stone on this shoulder according to 311 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,480 the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign 312 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:24,400 among you in the future. When your children ask you what 313 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,280 do, what do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the 314 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,040 Jordan was cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. 315 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,520 When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut 316 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,360 off. These stones are to be a 317 00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:42,520 memorial to the people of Israel forever. 318 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:44,880 What is Joshua asking his people? 319 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,400 As you cross the Jordan, you're taking the stones which are 320 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:53,000 right in the centre, which no one can actually see would no 321 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,000 one would actually know and take it and go. 322 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,920 Let's build a a place which will be known that God parted the 323 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:02,280 waters. Mind you, the time and they're 324 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:05,800 going to cross is when the current is the fiercest, the 325 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,200 most. So God is actually working right 326 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:13,480 when it is at its peak, the flows at its peak. 327 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:19,160 And as they take it that I believe God will use instances 328 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,760 in our lives where the miraculous has been seen to keep 329 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,680 it so that we'll be able to test for our future generations, test 330 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,080 for our future to to tell our testimony for our future 331 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,280 generations. This is what God did. 332 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,720 This is how God came through. And if he can come through then 333 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,280 he will come through now. If He did it then, he will do it 334 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,480 now. Can we lead our lives that are a 335 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:45,320 testimony to us today that the future generations have 336 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,120 something to fall back on? Many a times you are trying to 337 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:51,400 live my life, you're living my version of my life. 338 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:56,000 But can we, can I plead with you and ask you, can we live the 339 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:01,160 version God wants us to live so that we are a fall back for the 340 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,520 future generations to say if God did it for their generation, He 341 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,440 will do it today. Which means today we need to 342 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,440 make those decisions. Let's not build collapsible 343 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,160 kingdoms. Let's not build collapsible 344 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,320 structures which will just implode within us after a time. 345 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:22,560 Let's build pathways. Let's build highways where many 346 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,080 the future generations will use it for going forward and 347 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,880 propelling and taking the Kingdom. 348 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,000 God is destined for each and everyone. 349 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:37,400 Joshua 4 was 14 says that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the 350 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,360 sight of all Israel and they stood in awe of him for all the 351 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:45,080 days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. 352 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:49,280 It's interesting that when we look from the life of Joshua, he 353 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,560 didn't do anything to win over people. 354 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:53,760 And I want to come to that. I am. 355 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:58,400 I'm so confident of being in that place because I have come 356 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,040 to the placing. God, if you've called you at the 357 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,720 right time, lift our heads up. I'm not doing this for people. 358 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,520 Let not people be the one who lift you up because people who 359 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,160 lift you up will pull you down. Let it be God who lifts you up. 360 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,320 And I pray because when God lifts us up, he takes us to a 361 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,480 place to know that it's only the Lord's doing. 362 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,280 He's given it. So at the end of the day, when I 363 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:24,120 am standing in that place, I can only show both my hands to lift 364 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:26,160 other people up to say, come on up. 365 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,200 This is what happens when God lifts us up. 366 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,800 We start seeing things bigger. Even as I said, God is the one 367 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,520 who exalts us. I believe God is the one who 368 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,960 will also enable us to see what the need is and make room so 369 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,520 that others also can be exalted at the right time. 370 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:48,080 One of the things we see from Joshua's life is he set a clear 371 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:53,240 example of how to handle the miraculous and how to walk in 372 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,160 obedience. How to walk in obedience. 373 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,400 You know, he could have come from a place of witnessing. 374 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:03,080 So that because many a times we, I don't know about you guys, but 375 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,440 many a times I know pride creeps in for me because I've seen 376 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,200 certain things, because I've seen how things work. 377 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,920 I've seen how things are done. I kind of get this inward pride 378 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:14,920 where I think, you know, I can manage this on my own. 379 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,600 I won't need God. But looking at Joshua's life, 380 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:22,000 it's a good place to doubt what you are and whether you can 381 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,360 handle it because you're entirely relying on God. 382 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:29,080 Because you're entirely relying on God, you are able to obey and 383 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,680 ask God, God for what has to be done. 384 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,400 And so it's interesting that even as he's coming here, he 385 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,760 wants the future generations to know, yes, this happened in the 386 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,760 Red Sea. This happened again in Jordan. 387 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:46,280 But this is also a reminder that whoever fears God and does what 388 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,840 he says, he will do the miraculous. 389 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,320 He will do the miraculous and so even as we go to the second 390 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,960 part, the reason why I want to give you these the highlights 391 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:59,840 from the 2nd chapter 2, chapter 3 and chapter 4 is because many 392 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,120 a times we think because we've gone to chapter 2, chapter 3, 393 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:06,520 chapter 4, we've seen oh, you know what our name is heard even 394 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,320 40 years into it. People know who we as Israelites 395 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,080 are in chapter 3, even even though I don't feel adequate, I 396 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,280 know God's going to exalt me, but then God's asking me to go 397 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,520 into the Jordan and do this thing in that self doubt. 398 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:23,800 We see the miraculous. We in all of these things, God 399 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:26,960 has worked in US. We've seen God come through. 400 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,480 And so we have probably this lethargic thing of you know 401 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,200 what, it's OK. I think God can just do his 402 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,400 thing and I'll just be God saying no. 403 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:37,760 Today when you read from Joshua chapter 5, you're going to see 404 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:42,480 God prepares us internally so that we can take the external 405 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,520 promises and hold on to what God's called us to do. 406 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,720 So I've titled it as unlearning to move forward. 407 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,280 Many times the world talks to us about learning to move forward. 408 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,280 You learn this particular thing to move forward. 409 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:59,240 But when when we have God over us, we need to unlearn to move 410 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:05,680 forward because we unlearn the, the, the pride, the the, the 411 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:10,800 arrogance, the, the, the know it house the oh, he did it like 412 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,600 this. So he'll do ABCD like this. 413 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,480 No, we, we, the, the thought patterns, we unlearn so we can 414 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,280 move forward. God brings Joshua to a place 415 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,160 where he wants him to set the things right before moving 416 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,640 forward. God will want the same of us 417 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,720 today. God will also want us to 418 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,440 remember that everything that's happened till now is because of 419 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:31,520 God. And anything that's going to 420 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,480 happen again today, tomorrow, and the day after will be 421 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,800 because of God. So you and I can't take credit 422 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,200 you and I can only say this is the Lord's doing. 423 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:49,520 Unlearning has been a strong pillar in our journey. 424 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,680 I would say even in planting the church unlearning because many a 425 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,360 times we, we, we meet in different cohorts. 426 00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:59,800 We meet people from across the cities and across the country. 427 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,440 As we learn, we come up thinking, you know, these things 428 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,240 might work, but God's like the if your confidence is on that, 429 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:08,880 it won't work. And God, we have go back and 430 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,800 say, God, we're sorry, how do we do this? 431 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,680 And the the more we've been learning this unlearning aspect, 432 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,320 we've realized when we unlearn, he strengthens us. 433 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,160 When we unlearned, he journeys with us. 434 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:26,640 You know, even before we planted the church in 2018, 2 1/2 years 435 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,640 before that, we were going for all these once in three months 436 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,280 intensives and all that. I remember every time me and 437 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,520 Tina were driving on this highway from Chennai to 438 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,200 Bangalore to go and spend the three, three days there for that 439 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,280 training. We will go with so much of 440 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,840 questions. How will we do this? 441 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,120 How is this God? What is God asking us? 442 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:48,080 Is this the right direction? And there was this thing of 443 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:49,800 going. And in those three days, a lot 444 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,440 of unlearning will happen. We'll come back with 445 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:56,600 gratefulness because we knew God answered that, which means we 446 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,080 had to come to a place to take God and ready to unlearn. 447 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:05,680 And so today, if you and I are wanting to take steps forward, 448 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,320 we will have to let go of the past. 449 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:08,960 You might be like, you know what? 450 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:11,320 The past defined me. The past gave me a stage. 451 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,400 The past gave me a platform. The past gave me an identity. 452 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,280 But God saying, no, the past did not give you that. 453 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:20,600 I gave you that. Look to me today because I can 454 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:25,240 still work with you. I can still work through you. 455 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,240 You know, one of the things of unlearning is it's cognitively 456 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,680 very hard. You know, as a musician, when we 457 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:36,040 are learning certain songs, when I'm not listened to the original 458 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,240 right, I've unlearned, I've learned it wrong. 459 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:46,280 It takes extra effort. It takes extra, you know, time, 460 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,000 it consumes extra time for me to unlearn that. 461 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,880 You know, the problem happens is when I'm playing by myself, I 462 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,560 think I'm playing it right. But then when I start playing 463 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,280 with a band, I realize I'm not playing it right. 464 00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:59,440 And so I listen to the song and I have to unlearn and I have to 465 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,240 consciously be aware that I shouldn't make that mistake. 466 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,840 And there's this, there's this lot of these unlearning process. 467 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:09,080 And so today what we are learning from our Mondays to 468 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,080 Saturdays will dictate how we you got on our Sundays. 469 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:13,920 A lot of us are not even and reading. 470 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,840 The gods are reading God's word from a Monday to a Saturday and 471 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,000 we're trying to understand God on a Sunday. 472 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,640 You won't be able to do that. A lot of us have not held on to 473 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,640 the promises from a Monday to a Saturday and are trying to hold 474 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,400 on to a God's promise on a Sunday. 475 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:30,920 It will fail and I pray and ask this unlearning happens within. 476 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,440 A lot of us have to unlearn some of the patterns our parents have 477 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:36,360 taught about Christ and His Word. 478 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,400 A lot of us have to remove the scales and the glasses of what 479 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,440 the future people are predicting of what it's going to happen. 480 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,640 God's like, trust in me. A lot of us have been waiting in 481 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,720 September for God, Jesus to return only to find out that 482 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,360 Jesus didn't come. Jesus has said that He will 483 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:54,080 come. We won't even know He will come 484 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,320 like a thief in the night. Today, you and I, I'll be 485 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,400 prepared. I'll be preparing every day. 486 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,040 Oh, I'll be just preparing that one day. 487 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:09,040 I have to constantly listen to the right song, to the right way 488 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,520 of how I can do it. I have to practice it slowly and 489 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:16,760 correctly so that it commits to memory, so that whatever I've 490 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:20,360 learned wrong doesn't go into my muscle memory, so that I'm not 491 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:24,840 making that same mistake. I'm keep doing it till I learn 492 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:30,920 the new one of the things even as I was just for the fun of it. 493 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:37,240 I just typed into the ChatGPT and I was asking why is it hard 494 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,360 to unlearn? And these are two things it gave 495 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,400 it gave. There's brain resistance 496 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:48,840 neurosciences where brain depotentates old neural patterns 497 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,160 and prioritizes new ones instead of erasing old connection. 498 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,520 So what happens is your brain just causes it to sit on top of 499 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:57,920 it, but the old one is still there. 500 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,240 And that's why in this faith journey, we constantly have to 501 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,680 be unlearning. A lot of us are trying to 502 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:09,320 resolve the anxieties of our heart by just placing a post of 503 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:13,280 it or by placing someone else's version of overcoming anxiety. 504 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:17,400 God's like, I want to deal with it, take my word and leave on 505 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,560 it. Unlearn the patterns, unlearn 506 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,600 the patterns. Ask God, what is it that I need 507 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:27,920 to do to be an overcomer? It involves letting go. 508 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:32,320 And so even as I was going through this, I realized Joshua 509 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:36,200 was in this pivotal place where God was so kind to him to say, 510 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,760 I'm going to work with you, unlearn certain things so that 511 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,480 from here you are a changed person. 512 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,680 You know, in our Wednesday Bible study last week, as you were 513 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,680 studying, the speaker was talking about this. 514 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,800 He says man's natural gravitational pull. 515 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:52,800 What is our natural gravitational pull? 516 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,320 When I throw something up because of gravity, it will come 517 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,400 down. Man's natural gravitational pull 518 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,200 is more towards preservation, selfishness and passivity. 519 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:07,320 And so today our natural order is 1 like that because of sin in 520 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,960 this world, because of incompleteness in this world. 521 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:14,120 And so God's like I am wanting to change the spiritual order 522 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:15,920 within. So which means I need to 523 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,280 unlearn. I need to unlearn today. 524 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,520 I can tell it to you that a lot of us are thinking Jesus and the 525 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:26,880 church is out of convenience. No, it is out of necessity. 526 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,480 Every Friday we record these sermons on a Friday for you to 527 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,480 listen and to hear and to watch. And every Friday we meet here as 528 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:37,440 a church to pray. It is out of a necessity we are 529 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:38,840 meeting here. Necessity, Why? 530 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:40,840 For God to do something. Necessity. 531 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,400 Why? Because for we want God to move. 532 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:43,400 Necessity. Why? 533 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,000 Because you want revival to keep burning a flame. 534 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,400 Necessity. Why we want generations change. 535 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:50,360 Necessity. Why? 536 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:55,200 Because we want the strongholds to be pulled down and I pray and 537 00:30:55,200 --> 00:31:00,240 ask that we will not give in to the natural gravitational pull, 538 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,920 but rather we would give in to the natural spiritual pull that 539 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,120 happens in our lives. I believe God is wanting to 540 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,520 unearth so many things in our life. 541 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:15,600 We can have coping mechanisms, but do we have God mechanisms on 542 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:20,240 our lives to get things right? Do we have God mechanisms in our 543 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,360 right? Today you have a coping 544 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:25,920 mechanism to handle the minute the slightest irritation of your 545 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,240 throat happens. But today, are you able to 546 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:32,240 handle the slightest demarcation of sin that comes across in your 547 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,360 body where you're able to see God? 548 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:37,320 This is God. This area in my life needs you 549 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,840 overhauling for far too long. I just plastered it. 550 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:44,200 Would you come dig it deep? Show me what has to be done? 551 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:45,800 What is this pattern that I can break? 552 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:47,960 Should I bring an accountability partner in? 553 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,360 Should I be more accountable to my spouse about this particular 554 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,680 sin pattern that I want to indulge in? 555 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,800 Bring it to God and He'll help you. 556 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,600 There are two things which I wanted to quickly address from 557 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,520 Joshua chapter 5. The first thing that we see, 558 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,640 what God asks Joshua to do, and I believe in this day and age is 559 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,440 our circumcision of our hearts for God. 560 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:15,160 He wanted to reestablish the people who are going to occupy 561 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,800 the land because there was a covenant that was spoken early 562 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:20,880 on to Abraham and God wanted to establish that. 563 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:24,800 Again, saying that what I promised Abraham, we'll stick to 564 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,800 it. And by then if you notice the 565 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:32,360 culture of the land was every male was being circumcised into 566 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,760 adulthood, be it a cross, you know, with Ishmael coming in, 567 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,200 that became like the following of that particular land and 568 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:44,120 every culture in so context when you look being circumcised was 569 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:45,640 for male to enter into adulthood. 570 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:50,440 But the very thing that God asked Abraham to do was to make 571 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:54,840 sure that the covenant in law is the fact that he is God and we 572 00:32:54,840 --> 00:33:00,160 are his people, that He is the one who is to be followed, 573 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:03,040 obeyed and trusted. And so when you read in Joshua 574 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,240 chapter 5 verses 2-3, this is what it says. 575 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,080 At that time the Lord said to Joshua make Flint names and 576 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:12,480 circumcise the Israelites again. So Joshua made Flint knives and 577 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:17,040 circumcised the Israelites at Gibeah Harlot. 578 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,440 As we continue on verses 4, it goes on to say now This is why 579 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,880 he did so. All those who came out of Egypt, 580 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,080 all the men of military age, died in the wilderness on the 581 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,720 way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had 582 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,000 been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness 583 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:36,960 during the journey from Egypt had not. 584 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,680 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness 40 years until 585 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,400 all the men who are of military age, when they left Egypt, had 586 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,720 died, since they had not obeyed the law. 587 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,840 For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the 588 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:52,800 land. He had solemnly promised their 589 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:56,520 ancestors to give us a land flowing with milk and honey. 590 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:01,160 So he raised up his sons in their place, and these were the 591 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,920 ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised 592 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:07,000 because they had not been circumcised on the way. 593 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,120 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained 594 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:14,800 where they were in the camp until they were healed. 595 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,280 You know, as I was meditating on this, God was telling me, I'm 596 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,600 going to circumcise the hearts of our men, of our women, of the 597 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,760 church today so that they will be mine. 598 00:34:27,639 --> 00:34:31,880 It's interesting when Joshua was talking about this, the men were 599 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:34,679 their fathers, were all men who were circumcised. 600 00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:36,800 They knew what the covenant law was. 601 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,719 They knew what the promise of God was over their life, that 602 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,159 they will go into their promised land which will be flowing with 603 00:34:42,159 --> 00:34:44,960 milk and honey. But it's interesting because of 604 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,560 their disobedience, because of their grumbling, because of them 605 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:51,679 bowing before idols, because of them probably knowing that their 606 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:56,040 generation won't see the promise they had given up on bringing 607 00:34:56,040 --> 00:35:01,760 their children up. And today, this is a word I want 608 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:05,600 to speak to many who are listening, who are waiting to 609 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,880 just give up on faith because it didn't work for them. 610 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:15,600 Parents, faith will only work when you allow God to work his 611 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,440 way through you. A lot of us are wanting it to 612 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:20,320 happen on our terms. And faith doesn't happen. 613 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,760 Even as we started the series, many came and said, you know 614 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:24,280 what? I think we are in a time of 615 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,760 possessing. But the truth is, the possessing 616 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,640 will look like the mundane. The possessing will look just 617 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:34,480 like any other day. The possessing will look like 618 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:38,160 another day where the sun rises and you will feel the same. 619 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,680 It's what's happening internally that causes you to change. 620 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,240 The mental and the spiritual script changes internally 621 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,520 because you no longer are circumcised. 622 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,240 You no longer are having your heart aligned to yourself. 623 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,960 Rather it's being shaped and cut to be aligned to God. 624 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,640 It's no longer being going to receive direction from your own 625 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,840 inner man which is full of sin, which is which is has got its 626 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,040 own gravitational pull towards preservation and thinking 627 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:06,840 selfishly about themselves, but it's going to be looking towards 628 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:09,480 God. God, what is it that you're 629 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,440 calling me to step into? What is it you're calling me to 630 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,760 do today? What is it you want me to rise 631 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:18,600 about today? This apathy that the generation 632 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:21,880 showed in the wilderness was because you can see selfishness 633 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,360 reeking all over. And I pray that we won't do 634 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:26,240 that. You know how many? 635 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:29,520 When I remember having this conversation with the pastor 636 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,440 leader who was at that time mentoring me, saying, guess what 637 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:33,720 do you want to do 10 years from now? 638 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,400 And I said I want to journey with friends of mine who are 639 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,840 giving up on faith, who are giving up on faith because they 640 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:42,640 have a family, who are giving up on faith because they feel like 641 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,160 things aren't working their way. They're giving up on faith 642 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:46,680 because they feel like they're on a shelf. 643 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:48,400 They're not useful anymore for the Kingdom. 644 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:54,200 They forgot that man doesn't dictate how God has to use them. 645 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:58,280 God sets them up to use how they have to be used in this Kingdom. 646 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,120 God is the one who sets them up. It's on man. 647 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:06,120 And so today, you and I, when we call to God and me, I love him 648 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:08,240 and we say, Lord, I'm ready to unlearn. 649 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:11,320 He will circumcise our hearts. He will circumcise our hearts. 650 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:15,280 He'll use Flint lives to shape it, to take out those posters 651 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:20,640 that are heavily ingrained and made it all about myself to say 652 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:26,320 God, I'm ready, I'm ready. What happens when we allow God 653 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:30,680 to circumcise our hearts, our heart idols, Whatever thing will 654 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:34,560 shape me, whatever will make me comfortable, whatever will cause 655 00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:38,400 me to do things my way, whatever will enable me, that is where we 656 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,760 see it. A lot of us today are wanting to 657 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:45,560 see things and that is where the circumcision will happen within 658 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,040 our hearts. The second thing, the affections 659 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:50,480 of our hearts. Many a times the affections of 660 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:54,960 our hearts are more towards what will enable me to be me and 661 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,400 build me. But that is a lack of love and 662 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:00,600 God will change that in our lives. 663 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:03,760 God will change that inside out. The third thing we see is 664 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:05,600 unwholesome words will stop coming. 665 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:07,800 We'll stop speaking death into things. 666 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:13,080 We'll stop start speaking life. These things which are happening 667 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,440 inside will start changing suddenly. 668 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:19,440 We will learn to be quiet among people because you, like the 669 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:20,840 Lord, is not allowing me to speak. 670 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,200 The Lord wants me to observe. The Lord wants me to see. 671 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:26,200 It's not about being safe. But you start valuing your 672 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,400 words. You know, when God's cleansed 673 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:31,960 you inside, you don't want any unwholesome talk to start coming 674 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,600 out. So I pray and ask that we will 675 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:36,760 listen to what God's asking us to do. 676 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:39,880 We will step into those spaces. Philippians chapter 3, verse 3. 677 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:43,320 And the Passion says, for we have already experienced heart 678 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:47,600 circumcision and we worship God in the power and freedom of the 679 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,960 Holy Spirit, not in laws and religious duties. 680 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:56,160 We are those who boast in what Jesus Christ has done and not in 681 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,600 what we can accomplish in our own strength. 682 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,440 The circumcision of our hearts is 1. 683 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,840 Where we say, Lord, I'm aligned to what you are saying because 684 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:11,000 without this, the bed of what is built on if even if we take 685 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:13,960 land, it will all be about ourselves. 686 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,200 God wants to say no. God, what is it that you're 687 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:18,720 wanting me to do? You know some of the things 688 00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:20,720 that's happened in the last couple of years. 689 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:24,240 I would say ever since we moved into this place is I've been 690 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:27,120 starting to ask God, what is it you want me to do for next year? 691 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,640 What is it you want me to do? What is it you're calling me to 692 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:31,880 do? Because at the end of the day, 693 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:35,600 we can put a lid and say enough, but till God says it's enough, 694 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,400 it's not enough. And so I'm asking God, God, what 695 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:40,160 is it you want us to do? What area you want to step us to 696 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:42,240 step into? God will give us the right 697 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:43,560 direction. God will give us the right 698 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:45,400 place. God will give us the right word. 699 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:53,120 You and I have to rise above you and I have to rise to a place of 700 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:57,320 seeing things happen. So I pray that as Joshua went 701 00:39:57,320 --> 00:39:59,720 into that place, you might be like, but we witnessed the 702 00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:02,960 miracles, we've seen everything. We know how this works. 703 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:06,440 We know how this you know, we know the we know the structural 704 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:09,040 way of how God will do. Don't be fooled. 705 00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:15,200 Our ways are not similar or even close to what God's ways are. 706 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:18,120 God's ways are higher. Our ways are way different. 707 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,840 God has distinct ways of doing things in our life. 708 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,720 Maybe yield to him. The second thing we see is a 709 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,600 shame is rolled over. One of the things when we do in 710 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:34,640 this place is with with guilt and shame being something that 711 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:38,240 we carry, God is trying to say from no longer you're going to 712 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:40,480 carry the guilt of previous generations. 713 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:42,880 No longer you're going to carry the guilt of something, your 714 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:46,200 shame is rolled over. In fact, as we are talking, it's 715 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:49,680 in this place called Gilgal that God changes things. 716 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:52,280 Joshua chapter 5 verses 9 to 12 says, then the Lord said to 717 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:56,280 Joshua, today I've rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. 718 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:59,120 So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. 719 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:02,920 On the evening of the 14th day of the month, while camped at 720 00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:06,160 Gilgal, the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the 721 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:09,080 Passover. The day after the Passover, that 722 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,560 very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened 723 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:18,080 bread and roasted green. God wants to remove the reproach 724 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,440 of our past. I don't know what your Egypt 725 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:22,200 looks like. Your Egypt is one of the views. 726 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:26,320 Your Egypt is 1 of staleness where you've not seen growth. 727 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,720 Your Egypt can be one of death. Your Egypt can be one of you've 728 00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:31,720 been a cheater. The Egypt can be one of where 729 00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:34,200 you've been a liar. Egypt can be 1 where you've been 730 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:37,400 untrustworthy. God's saying once you've allowed 731 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:42,200 me to circumcise your hearts, once you've made me yours, once 732 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:48,280 I have access to it, I can turn your identity around no longer. 733 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:51,440 So Gilgal is where things are rolled over, shame is rolled 734 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:52,920 over. Shame of what? 735 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:57,560 They were all known as slaves of Egypt, but now they're known as 736 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:02,360 a nation of God's people. Just imagine for 40 years they 737 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:06,360 really were identifying by their past. 738 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,480 We had better things in Egypt. We were, we had greater things 739 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:12,080 going there. Why did you bring us to here? 740 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:14,640 We had a roof over our head. We didn't have to move around. 741 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:16,480 Their comparison was always Egypt. 742 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:20,400 But today, as they're standing in the borders of their promised 743 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,000 land, God is saying, I am turning the shame around. 744 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,120 Your identity is no longer that, but your identity is going to 745 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:30,760 God of Israel, God, God who's created the heavens and earth 746 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:34,960 for us today. The identity is God of Israel, 747 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:38,280 who is Jesus Christ. We have a name who's walked 748 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:42,480 before us and today are you willing for him to roll over 749 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:47,920 that stone in our life that identity we've we've blasted 750 00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:50,720 over ourselves God saying I want to turn it around to say 1 of 751 00:42:50,720 --> 00:42:56,560 redeemed restored my child, my son, you are mine beloved. 752 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:02,200 And so today you can love God to do that. 753 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:06,880 You know one of the things when God allows shame to roll is that 754 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:09,040 he gives us honor. He gives us honor. 755 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:11,840 You suddenly are going to take a land. 756 00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:14,720 He gives you possession of it. You suddenly are owning it. 757 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,600 This what does that look like? You are owners of certain 758 00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,440 things. You are overcomers. 759 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:24,760 He places honor over us, identities that were known for 760 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:32,800 generation changes, territory to be given over to us, happens 761 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:38,040 only when we allow God to change our identity even before he 762 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:40,080 gives it to us. He changes our identity and says 763 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:44,960 that is yours, that is yours. And so today when we trade our 764 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:46,800 shame to Jesus, he turns it around. 765 00:43:47,120 --> 00:43:50,080 What happened, Gilgal was two things. 766 00:43:50,080 --> 00:43:52,960 He established the covenant again between man and God. 767 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:57,760 He established and he said you no longer are anyone else 768 00:43:57,760 --> 00:43:59,640 separate. You are mine. 769 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:04,480 You are my children. You have for far too long looked 770 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:08,880 to Egypt and to things of what man can create. 771 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:12,720 No, but you are mine. And we also see it's the same 772 00:44:12,720 --> 00:44:15,880 place where they have the Passover. 773 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:20,440 And today you and I get to have the Passover because Jesus died 774 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:23,640 on the cross once and for all. We don't have to sacrifice a 775 00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:27,400 lamb again because the perfect lamb was sacrificed on the cross 776 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:30,000 for you and me. So today with all this, you and 777 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:31,320 I can participate in the same thing. 778 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:35,720 He's like, I can turn it over. So when we look at that Gilgal 779 00:44:35,720 --> 00:44:39,600 moment, it's the cross for us where he's turning it, where 780 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:41,080 he's turning it for both you and me. 781 00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:45,160 One Corinthians chapter 5 verses 6 to 8 goes on to say boasting 782 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:48,480 over your tolerance of sin is inappropriate. 783 00:44:48,600 --> 00:44:51,600 Don't you understand that even a small compromise with sin 784 00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:54,920 permeates the entire fellowship, just as a little leaven 785 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:58,000 permeates a batch of dough? So remove every trace of your 786 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,880 leaven of compromise with sin so that you might become new and 787 00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:04,320 pure again. For indeed you are clean, 788 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:08,240 because Christ, our Passover lamp, has been sacrificed for 789 00:45:08,240 --> 00:45:10,880 us. So now we can celebrate our 790 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:15,120 continual feast, not with the old leaven, the east of 791 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:20,040 wickedness or bitterness, but we will feast on the freshly baked 792 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:25,040 bread of innocence and holiness. Innocence and holiness. 793 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:28,320 Today, if you're wanting the Holy Spirit to work in and 794 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:33,400 through us, we need to be innocent of evil and we need to 795 00:45:33,560 --> 00:45:38,720 be willing to abide and stay in holiness. 796 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:44,480 A lot of us today are struggling with being innocent in with God. 797 00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:47,960 We want to be innocent among people who have influence so 798 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:50,120 that we favor and carry their influence. 799 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:51,440 But God saying, be innocent with me. 800 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:54,920 I will work things out and we see holiness. 801 00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:57,320 God saying, would you make this a place where you'll decide 802 00:45:57,320 --> 00:46:00,400 because I can have constant communion with you. 803 00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:03,160 So today, what is our Gilgal experience when we encounter 804 00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:05,840 Jesus? When we encounter Jesus, it is 805 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:07,760 one of innocence. It's one of holiness. 806 00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:12,120 No longer are we aware of patterns of sin. 807 00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:15,560 We late and say, Lord, you've washed it away once and for all. 808 00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:19,120 Now I want to be with you. Teach me what to do. 809 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:25,360 Help me overcome our worldly wisdom and our street smartness 810 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:28,120 won't go, but God saying if you have the innocence of Christ, we 811 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:31,880 leave more room for God to work because this is a sign of our 812 00:46:31,880 --> 00:46:35,600 hearts being circumcised. The holiness that God's asking 813 00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:38,760 with innocence and holiness is where we ask God to dwell. 814 00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:43,440 May our hands be right and our hearts be pure, Pure for God's 815 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:47,240 glory to dwell. God won't share His glory, but 816 00:46:47,240 --> 00:46:51,800 He will dwell in us, which requires us to have our hands 817 00:46:51,800 --> 00:46:56,480 ready to be right, do what God wants and our hearts to be pure. 818 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:01,800 Can it be that God wants to work on these two areas before we 819 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:04,920 start conquering, even before we start seeing the different 820 00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:08,720 chapters of Joshua, God will want to set right this area for 821 00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:11,200 us because all glory goes to God. 822 00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:15,240 We are taking every step out of obedience to Him. 823 00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:19,440 It's interesting as they were ending that part with the 824 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:21,640 Passover. There's a couple of things which 825 00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:23,840 I wanted to read from that. There was a miraculous thing 826 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:27,880 that happened, and I believe a lot of us today are struggling 827 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:31,800 in this area where we want the miraculous, but God's like the 828 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:35,160 miraculous is going to happen because your hands are blessed. 829 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,520 If we allow these first two things to happen, we'll be able 830 00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:40,880 to experience the shift that happens. 831 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,280 Joshua 5 versus 11 to 12 the day after the Passover. 832 00:47:44,600 --> 00:47:47,760 That very day they ate some of the produce of the land, 833 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:49,440 unleavened bread and roasted grain. 834 00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:53,920 The mana stopped the day after they ate this food from the 835 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:56,080 land. There was no longer any mana for 836 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:59,960 the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan. 837 00:48:00,360 --> 00:48:05,320 When God changes the identity, he also changes the very way he 838 00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:08,320 gives his children. No longer is God feeding. 839 00:48:08,600 --> 00:48:12,680 He's saying eat of the land. He's telling them as owners, you 840 00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:15,080 can eat of this kind. This land is yours. 841 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:17,600 Make taking territory is hard work. 842 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:20,640 When God gives mana, you know it's easy. 843 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:24,600 You know it's easy for us to pray the prayer of manna. 844 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:28,320 But I believe God with Jesus coming in, he's saying I'm 845 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:30,400 reciting in you. Jesus is in us. 846 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:33,800 He's given us the Holy Spirit this day and age, which means he 847 00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:37,640 will enable us to do things when we have to take territory. 848 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:41,640 We will have to give off time. We'll have to carve off time. 849 00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:45,120 We'll have to carve off intentionality to be there to 850 00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:49,360 press on to see it happen. To enjoy the produce of the land 851 00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:54,160 requires the work of our hands. If you want to see barren wombs 852 00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:56,640 turned, you will have to go back and ask God. 853 00:48:56,640 --> 00:48:59,160 God, give me this miracle. I need it. 854 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:02,960 Generations are to be born. If God wants you to rise about 855 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:04,800 debt, you need to ask the Holy Spirit. 856 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:08,880 God give me a deep heart of contentment so I know how to 857 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:11,200 handle money so I won't be in debt anymore. 858 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,960 No point asking for mana to come so that your debt will be 859 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:19,280 cleared because if that comes, you still will be swimming in 860 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:23,240 your own evil desires. God is saying many of you have 861 00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:28,480 to change this perspective of living in this tension of the 862 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:32,880 mana and doing the work that's called God will provide. 863 00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:37,720 The beautiful lesson that Joshua learnt is God will provide, but 864 00:49:37,720 --> 00:49:40,720 when God gives a land to provide, God's not going to be 865 00:49:40,720 --> 00:49:43,200 giving him manna. He wants me to do the toil that 866 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:45,920 God is asked. A lot of us are struggling to 867 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:50,280 walk in this journey of doing what God's called us to ask. 868 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,440 That's why I said this. Taking the land will look like 869 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:56,480 your everyday. It looked like your everyday. 870 00:49:56,720 --> 00:49:59,480 It looked like being right to your boss everyday. 871 00:49:59,640 --> 00:50:02,920 It looked like showing up to office every time correctly on 872 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:05,360 time. It looked to being sending your 873 00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:08,000 deliverables as freelancers sending your deliverables on 874 00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:10,240 time. It looked like doing the things 875 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:14,920 mundane everyday. But in that is where we will 876 00:50:14,920 --> 00:50:16,840 start enjoying the promised land. 877 00:50:19,320 --> 00:50:23,480 Milk and honey is not for us to sit on a beach at and enjoy the 878 00:50:23,480 --> 00:50:27,640 waves. Milk and honey is where we are 879 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:30,120 relying on God. We are communing with Him. 880 00:50:30,520 --> 00:50:32,560 Even as Pastor Vasu talked to us. 881 00:50:32,560 --> 00:50:38,880 We are enjoying the delight that God has over us and who He has 882 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:42,800 created us to be. The beauty of God's Spirit is at 883 00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:48,400 work that as Joshua was taking these steps, you and I can take 884 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:53,960 this and experience God. So I pray today that as we take 885 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:58,480 this land, it will require us to be people of hard work. 886 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:01,960 For those of you who prayed for a job, for those of you who are 887 00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:06,000 seeking that spouse, you might think, oh, the spouse will just 888 00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:09,680 drop in from heaven. No, it'll require you to also 889 00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:11,440 constantly. That's why for those of you who 890 00:51:11,440 --> 00:51:13,600 are wanting to get married, I pray you'll circumcise your 891 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:18,240 hearts with what God's asking you because a lot of it has your 892 00:51:18,240 --> 00:51:20,080 own desires. God saying no when I want to 893 00:51:20,080 --> 00:51:23,680 bring a godly spouse to you, let me carve out things so that you 894 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:28,760 know what a godly spouse is. Be willing to allow God to work 895 00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:31,080 in and through. A lot of us have to allow God to 896 00:51:31,080 --> 00:51:34,200 change our identities before we get into it because we think our 897 00:51:34,440 --> 00:51:37,600 spouse is our savior. No, your spouse is not your 898 00:51:37,600 --> 00:51:39,560 savior. Jesus is your savior. 899 00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:43,280 A lot of you have given so much importance to all the emotional 900 00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:46,560 feelings that you felt. Only Jesus cares for that. 901 00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:48,840 Jesus can only handle all of that. 902 00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:52,880 Take it to Jesus so that he'll make sure you'll be in the 903 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:55,960 identity he is created to be. He's not called you to be in an 904 00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:59,840 emotional balloon. He's called you to be in the 905 00:51:59,840 --> 00:52:04,040 identity God's called you to be. Feel the things, but feel it 906 00:52:04,040 --> 00:52:08,720 with Jesus so that you'll be able to walk as people who are 907 00:52:08,720 --> 00:52:11,240 here on earth who are ready to take the land. 908 00:52:12,760 --> 00:52:16,600 You're ready to take the land. You're not walking discouraged. 909 00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:20,200 You're not walking disabled. You're not walking confused. 910 00:52:20,720 --> 00:52:22,360 You're not walking like you're betrayed. 911 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:24,480 You're not walking like someone has let go of you. 912 00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:27,560 You're walking in confidence. You're walking in strength. 913 00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:31,160 You're walking in a surety. You're walking knowing that God 914 00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:37,480 is walking with you. Mana is God's provision. 915 00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:43,880 Taking the land is where we see faith within being exhibited, 916 00:52:43,880 --> 00:52:45,640 where God is calling us to take that step. 917 00:52:48,360 --> 00:52:53,000 And I pray As for some of us, it could be hard, but this is where 918 00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:59,440 God's asking us, will you be able to trust God with this? 919 00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:04,240 This taking the land is a season shift, is a provision shift. 920 00:53:05,160 --> 00:53:09,200 A lot of us suddenly will see things work differently now, 921 00:53:09,240 --> 00:53:12,040 wanting to work that way in and through us. 922 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:14,880 So I pray even your financial systems will change, your 923 00:53:14,920 --> 00:53:18,320 emotional support systems will change, things around will start 924 00:53:18,320 --> 00:53:22,480 changing, but keep and be alert to what God is doing. 925 00:53:22,920 --> 00:53:24,600 I pray you'll be so close to him. 926 00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:27,800 As I said, innocence and holiness will be the key pillars 927 00:53:28,040 --> 00:53:32,160 for you to experience the power so that you'll be able to take 928 00:53:32,600 --> 00:53:35,200 the land that God's called you to take today. 929 00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:39,680 So even as we pray and close, I just want to ask you, as we 930 00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:42,200 unlearn to move forward, will you allow God to walk in and 931 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:46,000 through you that the circumcision of our hearts will 932 00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:49,320 happen so that God will be front and centre of everything. 933 00:53:50,120 --> 00:53:55,200 Shame is rolled over and God wants you to walk in honour 934 00:53:55,200 --> 00:53:59,160 knowing that he is with you. Can we pray and ask God? 935 00:53:59,200 --> 00:54:00,560 Lord, I just thank you Lord for this time. 936 00:54:00,560 --> 00:54:04,040 Thank you for all those who joined online, who are watching 937 00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,040 and who are listening to it. And I just pray even right now, 938 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:10,680 Lord, as they listen to the ABC's last week, I prayed this 939 00:54:10,680 --> 00:54:14,080 week, Lord, we would unlearn, Lord Jesus, to move forward, 940 00:54:14,560 --> 00:54:18,480 unlearn things that we've built as our support systems, that you 941 00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:22,600 will be our everything. Lord, as we sing that song, you 942 00:54:22,600 --> 00:54:25,720 are my everything, You are my all, You are our everything. 943 00:54:25,720 --> 00:54:28,840 And I pray that will be the focus through which we will see 944 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:32,000 things happen, the focus through which we'll see you come 945 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:35,000 through. Lord, would you be glorified? 946 00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:36,640 Would you be honoured? Lord Jesus? 947 00:54:36,920 --> 00:54:39,720 I pray even right now, Lord, people will start walking in the 948 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:43,640 into the promised landlord, not half equipped, but fully 949 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:44,960 equipped. I pray their hearts will be 950 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:49,840 circumcised to see you more than we see ourselves. 951 00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:52,560 To see you more. I pray innocence and holiness 952 00:54:52,560 --> 00:54:55,400 will be etched a lot. I pray even right now, Lord, for 953 00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:58,640 those who for long have been dwelling, Lord Jesus, in these 954 00:54:58,640 --> 00:55:01,320 situational things, circumstantial issues, that 955 00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:04,000 Lord, you will roll that they'll have their Gilgal moment right 956 00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:07,200 now, Lord, they will have the cross before them to say you've 957 00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:10,080 traded it once for all. The Passover lamb has been 958 00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:13,200 crucified and today you've traded it to give us freedom 959 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:15,840 that we will live in the freedom that you've called us to live. 960 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:20,480 Experience you so that when we possess our lands, Lord, our 961 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:23,520 generations will know. The God who did it will also do 962 00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:26,520 it again. For that, Lord, go before us, 963 00:55:26,720 --> 00:55:30,480 strengthen us, take charge. I pray especially, Lord, in the 964 00:55:30,480 --> 00:55:32,960 season that you will be glorified, you will be honoured. 965 00:55:33,800 --> 00:55:36,640 But I pray that, Lord, we will not give in to the lies of the 966 00:55:36,640 --> 00:55:38,760 enemy. I pray we'll take encouragement 967 00:55:38,760 --> 00:55:41,520 from the people who have been surrounded in US, Lord, in your 968 00:55:41,520 --> 00:55:45,080 community, that we'll be able to lean into prayer, lean into 969 00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:48,480 praise, lean into worship, lean into Thanksgiving moments. 970 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:52,120 Lord Jesus, we will, Lord, abide in your word and find 971 00:55:52,120 --> 00:55:56,800 nourishment and rest. Our hearts will find rest in 972 00:55:56,800 --> 00:55:59,280 you. Lord Jesus, be glorified. 973 00:55:59,280 --> 00:56:00,960 I pray you will give us journey mercies. 974 00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:04,680 Bless the work of our hands. Strengthen us Lord, your most 975 00:56:04,680 --> 00:56:06,520 holy name we pray. Amen. 976 00:56:06,920 --> 00:56:10,360 Amen. Thank you for joining us online 977 00:56:10,360 --> 00:56:15,160 and I pray that even as you step into this week that you will 978 00:56:15,160 --> 00:56:19,200 unlearn to move forward. I believe God has honour for you 979 00:56:19,840 --> 00:56:23,200 and as you take these lands, he wants to set you up so that you 980 00:56:23,200 --> 00:56:26,400 will be a lighthouse for him in this world, so that many others 981 00:56:26,400 --> 00:56:28,320 who are following generations are coming behind. 982 00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:30,840 You will know that our God is alive. 983 00:56:31,560 --> 00:56:35,320 Our God is in the is in the business of overcoming and 984 00:56:35,320 --> 00:56:38,480 giving things to us because we trust him wholeheartedly. 985 00:56:39,040 --> 00:56:42,320 I pray even as you step into this week, you will step in with 986 00:56:42,320 --> 00:56:43,920 boldness knowing that God is with you. 987 00:56:44,440 --> 00:56:47,440 God is there to walk with you as he did with Joshua. 988 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:51,160 Every step of the way, in close communion, you'll be able to 989 00:56:51,160 --> 00:56:54,760 find him, hear from him, and do what he's asking you to do. 990 00:56:54,760 --> 00:56:57,400 And remember this, that whoever finds Jesus finds life. 991 00:56:57,720 --> 00:57:01,000 God bless you all. Thanks for listening to this 992 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:04,120 message. We hope you were blessed to hear 993 00:57:04,120 --> 00:57:07,840 more messages like this. Make sure to subscribe and check 994 00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:10,520 out our podcast channel for past episodes. 995 00:57:10,960 --> 00:57:14,320 If you like what you are hearing, consider rating us, 996 00:57:14,440 --> 00:57:17,440 subscribing and even sharing it with friends. 997 00:57:17,800 --> 00:57:22,160 That would really help us. For more content from Via Zion 998 00:57:22,480 --> 00:57:26,640 and to connect with us, go to Via Zion dot in. 999 00:57:27,200 --> 00:57:30,800 Remember, whoever finds Jesus finds life.