Take The Next Step

he wants to show the great and mighty things as his desire to take you I this message is brought to you by ven moody and the worship center Christian Church where we are committed to honoring God unifying communities and building people we hope you enjoyed this message and thank you for supporting our ministry and so I want you to open up your TWC app and follow along with me because I want to talk about taking the next step and I want you to start by joining me in Deuteronomy chapter 1 and in verse number 1 in Deuteronomy chapter 1 and in verse number 1 it says this it says these are the words of Moses the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan that is in the Arava opposite tzuf between Paran and toefl Laban and his wrath in this house it takes 11 days this is important to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir Road but in the 40th year on the first day of the eleventh month Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them this was after he had defeated sea hog king of the amorite who reigned in heshbon and injury and at e3 and had defeated a king of Bashan who reigned and Ashtaroth east of the Jordan in the territory of Moab goes on and says and Moses began to expound this law saying the Lord God has said to us at Horo you stayed long enough at this mountain that's important break camp and advance into the hill country of the amorite go to all of the neighboring people in the arab ax in the mountains in the Western foothills in the Negev and along the coast to the land of the canaanites and to Lebanon as far as the great river the Euphrates see I have given you this land go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and to their descendants after them I want you to listen very very closely to me because this is more than just a message this is in many ways a declaration the God wants you to understand as you move into 2018 now many many years ago when I was a high school student I had an AP English teacher who taught me that a great research paper always at least cover the who what when where and how if you're gonna write a great research paper that you at least have got to cover those bases who the what the wind the where and the how well in the book of Deuteronomy that's exactly what Moses is doing in the book of Deuteronomy Moses is not talking to the generation that he led out of Egypt in the Exodus in the book of Deuteronomy Moses is talking to the children of those that he led out of Egyptian slavery you do remember that the generation that he led out of Egyptian slavery because of their lack of faith because of their disobedience they were doomed to have to wander for forty years in the wilderness until they all died out and so in Deuteronomy Moses is not talking to the same group that he led out of Egypt he's talking to their children as a matter of fact this is what the word Deuteronomy means deutero means second and no mas from the root word meaning law so Deuteronomy is literally a second telling of the law and so now Moses is getting ready to die Moses is not going to be able to go over into the land and this is his swan song his farewell address if you will and he opens the book of Deuteronomy talking to the children of those he let out of Egypt and in essence he is saying to them I want to give you the who what when where and how I don't want you to try to move forward without understanding what happened how it happened when it happened and what happened and one of the main things that Moses points out is he he literally tells this generation the children of those he laid out he says and I want you to understand where your parents got stuck why he says and the Lord told us we've circled this mountain long enough this is why he says and from and from Horeb which is also called Mount Sinai where Moses got the Ten Commandments to Kadesh Barnea he says it it's only an eleven-day journey meaning that from the moment that that they got the Ten Commandments that they that they understood from God how they were supposed to live in relationship with him he said that it was really only about eleven days that should have transpired and if you know your history in your Bible you know that it was when they got the K that's Barnea that Moses sent the spies and ten of them came back and said we can't do it and it was in that moment that God said okay since you don't trust me since you're gonna be disobedient you spend the rest of the time wandering the wilderness Moses says to the children it literally only should have taken about eleven days he says but your parents got stuck he says then God literally said you circled this mountain long enough but you now have the opportunity to take the next step this is what Moses is saying to the generation unlike your parents that got stuck and that happens often in life we get stuck sometimes we get stuck for a variety of reasons sometimes we get stuck because of success success can make you lazy and you spend so much of your life pointing back to your glory days and looking at your past through rose-colored glasses because if you're not careful even good things success will make you lazy and you'll get stuck sometimes failure can lead to you being stuck because sometimes failure makes us so fearful well I've tried that and it didn't work out and so inevitably we get stuck because out of fear we don't want to we don't want to try again sometimes success will lead you to be stuck failure will lead you to be stuck sometimes it's its frustrations and disappointments that lead us to just be stuck because you know I I I opened my heart I reached out or I tried to do something and I was hurt or I was disappointed and often because of that hurt or that disappointment we make it up in our mind well I'm never gonna try to do that again and we end up stuck Moses is saying to this new generation the children whose parents have died out in the wilderness he said let me tell you where where where your parents went wrong they got stuck and they spent 40 years going in circles 40 years hanging out in one place and let me ask you this as we close 2017 and as we are preparing to move into 2018 can that be said of you I want you to be honest and reflect on your life maybe it was this year maybe maybe it's been previous years have you have you gotten stuck what mountain have you been circling over and over and over again here's another question where exactly did you get stuck where where where did did you go wrong wait where where did it happen what was it that that led you to a place where you said you know what I'm just gonna put my life on autopilot I'm not gonna I'm not gonna try I'm not gonna launch out I'm not gonna take this next step where did you get stuck be honest because more than age more than position and more than possessions spiritual maturity is really about movement let me say it again more than age you know a lot of people think that if they're older and they've they've been around Christ for some time that it means that they're mature and that's not necessarily the case more than then age more than your position or status in life and more than your possessions spiritual maturity is really about movement meaning that you continue to follow as God leads and there is no age limit God doesn't say okay you reach 62 and so I'm done with you no no no no God continues to beckon us forward and that's why spiritual maturity is really about movement as a matter of fact even a take a look at Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11 and and and this this is kind of the seminal chapter seminal verses if you will about why God established the church and and what his will is for us and it literally says so Christ himself gave the apostles and the prophets and the evangelists and the pastors and teachers why why did God establish those those positions those offices in the body of Christ Jesus says to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ notice the language about movement and growth may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and here it is again and become mature attaining the whole measure notice the language is about movement it's about growth and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people and their deceitful scheming instead he says here's an indication that you know your own move here's an indication that you know you are maturing and growing instead of being being tricked and bamboozled and and being just you know run them up by what people say and what people do he says instead we will speak the truth in love and we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head that is Christ beyond your age beyond your position and beyond your possessions in a very real way spiritual maturity is about movement in other words God don't want you to be stuck he wants you to continue to follow him and you see the symbolism all through the Bible in particular even with how God is leading the children of Israel even with the Exodus every piece about the Exodus it is God saying to the nation of Israel follow me come on don't don't don't get stuck in Egypt don't don't get in your identity as a slave that's not who you are follow me even in it even in the Exodus don't says I'm gonna provide a pillar of fire by night a cloud by day because I want you to follow that as I'm taking you someplace what is God saying follow me follow me don't don't get stuck keep moving and even as they as they exit out of Egypt God tells Moses now I need you to build a tabernacle the tabernacle is just an old testament picture of Jesus Christ even the tabernacle implies movement you have the outer court brazen Laver the brazen altar all of that represents where we start in our journey with Christ all of that in the outer Court points to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ then you progress into the inner court what do you have any inner Court you have the candlestick you have the altar of incense you have the table of showbread all of that points to developing a relationship with Holy Spirit it is through him that were guided into all truth that's what the candlestick represents the light of Jesus Christ prayer praise and worship can't effectively happen without a relationship with Holy Spirit that's not where you start but as you progress as you move you go deeper and down the fellowship of the Brethren the unity of the body of Christ that's what the table of showbread represents that that your journey in Christ ought not be one-dimensional you ought not as you grow a mat or only like to be around certain groups of people in certain races you got to understand that the body of Christ is the body it is for all people everybody is welcome to that table and then you go even further into the Holy of Holies where the presence of God is and all of that implies movement there are no chairs in the tabernacle because you were never supposed to stop moving and so the Exodus implies movement the tabernacle implies movement even the way that God feeds the children of Israel all of it implies movement he says he says I'm gonna rain manna down from heaven but here's the thing you only get what you need for that day because if you take more to hold on to it the man is gonna spoil on you because God is saying in essence I don't want you trying to live off of yesterday's stuff I want you everyday just say God where are you where's the men are gonna fall today all of that implies movement incidentally this is why our process that we want everybody in our church to go through it's called growth track what is what you don't stand on a track you you move on a track it implies growth movement incidentally we have been working behind the scenes and I'm so excited in in February the first Sunday of February we're gonna reveal a brand new system of growth track and so we're not having growth track in January because we're gonna be training and retooling and getting it ready and we're gonna roll out the red carpet on in February so so so excited that if you haven't taken grow track if you took it and forgot about it if you think that you're too old and you don't need to take growth track you need to take girltrek look at somebody around you say you got to get in growth track you got to get in growth track so so now Moses who was a part of the Exodus Moses who was a part of building the tabernacle Moses who was there when God would rain manna down from heaven Moses who cannot take the next step is now talking to the generation of the children that he led out of Egypt and he's saying to them please don't make the mistake that your parents made he's saying to them in Deuteronomy whatever you do don't stop moving he's saying to them in other words take the next step and he goes on and says but because because what God has promised you is still available to you that that land that that promised meaning meaning I know you all feel like because you were not born as slaves as your parents were I know you may feel like you've arrived he's saying but the promise that God has for you is still a vase you were not supposed to live in this wilderness forever he says in other words you haven't attained all that God has for you so take the next step and the reason I want you to key in on this is because this is the word of God for you for you for you this is the word of God for us as we prepare to step in the 2018 to take the next step don't get stuck get unstuck if you're stuck take the next step because you haven't attained all that God has for you you haven't attained what everything that God has for you spiritually you haven't attained everything that God has for you but relationally doesn't matter if you look back on your 2017 or earlier and you see success it doesn't matter if you see failure it doesn't matter if you see frustration and hurt and disappointment the truth is you haven't attained all that God has for you spiritually professionally maritally economically you haven't attained everything that God has for you this is why the word of the Lord for you so take the next step take the next step and if you're going to take the next step therefore critically important things that you have got to do in order to take the next step therefore critically critically important things that you've got to do if you're gonna take the next step and you see Moses telling them to take the next step but you see them taking the next step when you open up the book of Joshua because Moses the most that Moses can do is go to the top of the mountain and look over and see the promise but it's that generation at Joshua Leeds that actually steps into it how did how did they do it I'm glad you asked look at Joshua chapter 1 and verse number 1 and listen to what God says to Joshua it says after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord the Lord said to Joshua son of nun Moses is a Moses my servant is dead now then you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I'm about to give to them to the Israelites I give you every place where you set your foot as I promised Moses why is this important because the first thing that is critically important if you and I are going to take the next step is that number one you got to let go of what you can't take with you you you you got to let go of what you can't take with you what are you talking about verse one of Joshua one is very very important because in that verse God is pointing out something that is extremely significant but he's doing it by being redundant he is he's pointing out something that's really important but he's doing it by being superfluous what I mean go back to verse 1 you'll see it again it says after the death of Moses the Lord spoke to Joshua and said Moses my servant is dead did I say it too fast after the death of Moses God shows up and the first thing he says to Joshua is hey Moses is dead you missed it Moses has already died but then after Moses died God shows up and says hey Joshua Moses died you missed it ok um Moses is dead and buried and after he is dead and buried God shows up and says newsflash Joshua Moses's is dead and buried God doesn't say this for information everybody already knew that Moses was dead God doesn't say it for information God is saying it because Joshua's got to let it go he's not saying that for information he's saying it because because Joshua where there has to be separation Joshua knew that Moses was dead but the issue was that Joshua had net separated himself had not let go of everything that used to be Moses and so after Moses died God shows up and says hey Joshua Moses is dead because in order for Joshua to take the next step there had to be a letting go of yesterday but please I want you to hear me in order to take the next step there has to be a separation a severing a letting go of the things of the past you got to let go in order to grasp hold to your future you got to let go of the past in order to grab hold of your future this is why letting go a separation is the most important first step in you taking your next step because if you really want something new you gotta let go of something old and hear me this is a fundamental principle of life it's fundamental doesn't matter your career doesn't matter your profession it doesn't matter your occupation none of that matters this is a fundamental principle of life as a matter of fact this is why in Deuteronomy 34 this is not in your notes but this is why if you read that later as we read through the Bible every year together in Deuteronomy 34 you will notice that God actually gives the children of Israel a time limit for them to weep over the death of Moses Moses dies and God gives him 30 days to weep and to mourn over the death of Moses and he says after those 30 days y'all got to get to steppin he gives them a time limit why because you will never be able to move forward while you're still holding on to something old and there's an interesting story even in another book of the Bible in the book of Jude it talks about how how how the art angel Michael fights with Satan but the Satan is trying to get the body of Moses so on says Moses dies and God won't even allow the children of Israel to hold on to the body God is the one who performs the burial in the committal of Moses Moses dies and God takes the body why because I really believe that God knows that if we were able to hold on to stuff sometimes we would either set up a monument boy tombstone to where we've been I'm if it was good in the past we set up a monument to it I'll remember when if there was something too bad that happened in the past often we set up a tombstone and just talk about it and circle it until Moses is dead but God says I'm not even gonna lie y'all to have the body because if I let you have the body you will never move on and please hear me this is where we stumble why because we do want we sincerely want to possess the new but at the same time we want to hold on to the old and you can't do both Jesus says it this way in John 12 and verse 24 he says very truly I say to you unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed but if it dies it produces many seeds what's the point something has to die in order for other stuff to live you cannot have Joshua and Moses at the same time you cannot you cannot have the promised land and Egypt at the same time you cannot have John the Baptist this is why he was beheaded you cannot follow two heads a double a double minded man is unstable in all their ways John the Baptist has to be beheaded because you can't follow John the Baptist and Jesus at the same time you have to let go of something in order to embrace what is in front of you have you ever seen have you ever seen a trapeze artist have you ever been to the circus and seen you know a trapeze artist you know those of those artists that swing out you know and and the thing about a trapeze artists how many of you have ever been to you've been to the circus you've seen you've seen the trapeze artist to think about it is that that trapeze artist that swings out that they have got to let go of the bar that they swung out on in order to grab either the person of the bar that is coming towards them and for a brief moment they don't have anything to hold on to but if they're going to really grab the hand of the person that's swinging out to grab them they cannot grab their hand and hold on to what is behind them at the same time and here's the thing if you don't let go a trapeze artist knows if you don't let go you're gonna lose momentum because yes it'll swing high the first time but if you don't let go it'll slowly slow down and every time it swings it won't go nearly as high as it did the first time and I'm teaching to you because that that's really a picture of your life you're swinging but you're just barely moving what are the things think about this what are the things of your yesterday what are the things of your 20:17 that have no place in your tomorrow in your 2018 you know and I ask you to really key in on this because I don't want you to just say Amen I want you to really think about this because these are the question of God he's asking you these questions do you know what they are have you written them down what are the things of your yesterday that you cannot take into your tomorrow earlier this year around the beginning of the fourth quarter because what I normally do is about the six-month point of the year is when I start praying for next year right and so about the six-month point about June July I start praying and and I did I started seeking the Lord and and fasting in prayer and just really saying okay God what are you saying for for your people for the worship center for 2018 and the Lord Lord said take the next step and show me this passage of Scripture and begin to reveal things and so what I did was I shared it with our ministry team first thing I did was I shared it with our ministry team shared this is what I hear the Lord saying share it with our board and all of that and then I challenged all of them I said now here's the thing there are doors that God is getting ready to open and there are new things that God is going to call us to do but at the same time we can't do the new things if we're gonna continue to do all of the old things and so I challenge them I said so here's what I'd love for you to do let's take an honest assessment and an honest look at our ministry let's look at what we do well and what we don't do so well and then let's have the hard conversation about the stuff we need to stop doing and they had they had some knockdown drag-outs and it was a series of meetings where people were vying and said no we gotta keep doing that because we've always done that and and I'm not saying that to talk bad about them because what they came out of that with was a great plan forward but my point is just like our ministry team did that just like sometimes there there's some tension kind of conversations that you have to have that's the same thing you got to do with yourself what what is it that you cannot take in the 2018 what is the stuff in your past what's the stuff that happened and this year maybe other years that you just cannot take in the 2018 you got to do the work to figure that out because you will hold on to your history at the expense of your destiny the Lord the first time you 15 even says the same thing to Samuel its first Samuel 16 and 1 God sends Samuel to to go to David's house to anoint the Jesse's house not knowing David and Samuel is still mourning because of Saul's failure and the Lord said to Samuel how long are you gone for Saul since it says I have rejected him as king over Israel he says fill your home with oil and be on your way I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem I've chosen one of his sons to be king God shows up and says hey Samuel alright enough enough stop weeping over the old press into the new Samuel was weeping and mourning because he loves Saul Saul was his home boy and saw blew it and God shows up and says how long are you going to weep over something old says fill your home with oil get to Jesse's house because there's something brand new and exciting that I am doing see as long as you still hold on to your saws and weep over your songs you will miss the new David moves that God wants to do in and through your life okay let me see if I can explain it this way look at Romans chapter 8 and verse 38 look at Romans 8 and verse 38 many of us are familiar with this verse it's that's why I am convinced that neither death nor life neither Angels nor demons neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord now when we see that verse all those verse says often we get excited and say yes nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus okay great but hold on there's something left off that list go back over it he says for I'm convincing neither death nor life okay neither Angels nor demons neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height death nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us neither present nor the future what's left off that list the past the past is left off that list why because the past can separate us from okay joy minister joy come in fear really quickly let me explain it to you I know I asked you guys to listen very intently but I want to make sure you you've got this so so Minister joy and I hope the cameraman can get this for the other campuses come up just a little bit more so so here's here's what it looks like when the Bible says that God is the Alpha and the Omega when it says the God is the beginning in the end or even Isaiah says he is the Ancient of Days here's what it means it means then that because God is the beginning God is already he's creates joy creates his purpose for Joy's life this is what he says to Jeremiah before I formed you in your mother's womb I knew you Bible says that God knit us together so he creates joy he is the Alpha says joy I got a purpose for you I got something significant that I want you to do and that's why I created you there may be something called accidental parents but there's no accidental births right so God says I got a purpose for you this is your alpha this is your beginning but he's not just the Alpha he's also the Omega right so he runs then head and works out every detail of Joy's life even her end then what he says is I'm gonna give you my word and I want you to follow me I already know what's up here cuz I worked it out I want you to follow me that word is a lamp unto my feet and lighted to my path that the steps of a good man a woman are ordered by the Lord he says I want you to I want you to just keep following me good now here's what happens though when we obsess over the past when we obsess over the past it's not not here in the word so the word is no longer in her hand she's obsessing over the past because there was something in the past that maybe hurt her disappointed her but notice I'm God in this scenario who has she turned her back on it is not that God will ever leave us Jesus says he'll never leave us he'll never forsake us it's not that God leaves us often we turn our back to him and what you're saying is that there's some hurt some frustration in my past that's more important to me than the future you have for me so he says to Joshua hey hey Joshua turn around Moses is dead then he says I will give you every place where you put the sole of your foot meaning you cannot follow in Moses his footsteps we already know what's behind there we already know what Moses got if you following Moses his footsteps you're just gonna get what Moses got we've already been there seen the movie done that he says but every place where you put the sole of your foot that word soul literally means that that you're barefoot that means you you do have to take these steps by faith we walk by faith and not by sight but but you gotta know that God is saying what I got up here for you so good joy just keep come on come on keep walking keep moving just keep moving because what I have for you is better than anything that's ever behind you thank you so much do you understand what I'm trying to tell you let me hurt let me hurry up this is a special kind of Sunday morning service and I want you to get all of it so let me do this number one you got to let go of what you can't take with you but here's the next thing you have to see yourself differently you have to see yourself differently the very next thing that God says to Joshua is that he confirms Johnson was new place in position in life in verse 5 of Joshua 1 he says as I was with Moses so I will be with you the message version I love it the message translation says in the same way I was with Moses I will be with you so in order to take the next step first you got to let go of what you can't take with you you got to do some things differently forge different paths but secondly you got to see yourself differently see for the last 40 years Joshua was just Moses his understudy Joshua was in the background he was just his aide he wasn't out front he was behind the scenes even when the nation of Israel get to Kadesh Barnea and he sends the spies remember Joshua is is out of out of the 12 it was only Joshua and Caleb that said we can do it and the voice of the ten drowned them out so Joshua for the last forty years was in a different role it was a different season he was behind the scenes and please don't misunderstand what I'm saying there's a there's a time and a place to be in the background it's important to be a team player it's really significantly important to be a student or mentee all of that is important but if you are not careful your season will change everything around you will change but the way you see yourself won't change meaning when you don't know your value when you think that that that you are only at this place and and that the best I can do is to is to be an understudy to Moses when the season is shifted you will miss it see when you don't know your value it's really easy to recognize greatness and other people while at the same time overlooking the greatness of God has placed in you God says I am with you Joshua not less than I was with Moses not kinda like I was with Moses he says just like I was with Moses I'm with you see a real big barrier to taking a next step for many people is that we pray prayers like like this Lord mm would you bless me like you bless so-and-so would you do it in my life like you've done for someone so anybody have a pray prayers like that oh we think things like man if I could have what they had Oh or we think well you know they they didn't have the hurdles that I had if I didn't have all of these hurdles then I could have been just like them I could have accomplished what they accomplished and whenever you pray that way whenever you think that way what you end up doing is discounting and undervaluing who is with you please understand that who you are and what you have is good enough because God is with you you can take this next step whatever your next step is you can take it because God is with you and kind of tell you something you absolutely have to know that God is with you because as you take your next steps moving into 2018 there will be some times when it will feel like nobody else is you got to know that God is with you because there will be sometimes trust me on this as you move into 2018 and what's in front of you and and where God is leading you as you take these next steps you've got to know that God is with you because there will be some times when you feel like there's nobody else with me there's a reason why some of you can't find leaders in the area where God is calling you is because you are the leader and let me tell you something the view the view is different from the front the view as a whole okay I wish I could teach this like I feel it how much time do I have the view is different from the front it's different from four I remember I remember one time we were taking our kids we've gone somewhere and and it was one of those times and we got on the plane and and the cockpit door was open and the stewardess you know our kids were really young then they're so young now but real small and the stewardess said would you like to come into the cockpit and meet the pilot and so sure enough eating anythin went in there and and then you know they had to look out the little wings or what have you and and then we know we found our seat and we sat down and I said to Ethan I said hey man how was it oh it's so cool man he could just see the pilot you know I'm just pumping it up I said how was it but he said dad was different up there so what he said that looks different up there and I just dismissed it Holy Spirit reminded me of that see what mint was he was used to sitting in a search section of the plane when he could look around and look behind him he see people around him you know and get peanuts and stuff but in the cockpit the cockpit is small its small and it's not really much to look around that because the biggest thing is the windshield in front of you and the cockpit you spend more time looking in front of you instead of looking looking around you and while it may be small and tight and you're the only one in there maybe you and another mate what you doing there affects everybody else I used to think there's a scripture there's a scripture in Luke 9 and verse 62 this says no one who puts their hand to the gospel plows one translation one translation says the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom and I used to think I used to think that only meant that if if you get started with what God has called you to and you just walk away in then you're not fit for service right but but that verse also means that when you put your hand to it it's not necessarily that looking back only means you give up it also means that sometimes we can look back when we put our hand to it and we want to make sure we have everybody's approval do it is this right you like what I'm doing here this is good this is good you see that you see you see how I got this you see that you show God says nobody who puts their hand to the plow and looks back even for approval you see me is this good you like I do this you you applaud me here patting me on the back because I'm doing this nobody who does that is fit for service in the kingdom what does that mean you cannot be addicted to the approval and the applause of people if you're gonna take this next step I'm almost done number three live courageously live courageously you got to let go of what you can't take with you got see yourself differently but you got to live courageously Joshua 1 in 6 notice what God says he says be strong and courageous because you're gonna lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them didn't notice what he says in verse seven hey be strong and very courageous be careful to obey all the law that my servant Moses gave you do not turn from it to the right or to the left that you may be successful wherever you go now he says that in verse six he says it in verse seven then he comes right back again in verse number nine and he says have I not commanded you be strong and correct do not be terrified one translation says another says do not be afraid or do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go why does God say it three times because God is aware of how important courage is to Joshua's mission to your mission to your ability to take the next step God is also aware of how destructive and devastating discouragement can be he had a front-row seat watching Moses become disqualified because of discouragement got so frustrated and so discouraged that he got outside of the will of God struck the rock when God just said speak to it guy had a front-row seat the man that he called and sent to do a task he had to disqualify him because Moses got discouraged you know what discouragement is discouragement is like the leukemia of the soul see just like leukemia kind of attacks our life-giving power of the blood that's in a sense what leukemia does and how it replicates these bad leukemia cells ends up crowding out and choking out the life-giving power of your own blood well that's what discouragement will do if you allow it if you're not careful discouragement will attack the life and choke the life out of your god-given passions and pursuits I've seen so many people give up on what God called them to because of discouragement I've seen more people disqualified and destroyed by discouragement than anything else this is why courage is so important courage is like the anchor for every other aspect of your life when in Hebrews 6 and 19 when it says we have this hope that's an anchor for our soul that's what encouragement does courage is it anchors your life when you have courage everything else is easier it's easier to step out when you've got courage it's easier to hang in there and not give up when you've got courage because it anchors you this is why God says it three times be strong and courageous be strong and very courageous have I not commanded you be strong and courageous the word of the Lord for you as you move into 2018 be strong and courageous be strong and very courageous have I not commanded you be strong and courageous and you know what I realized we read through the Bible every years of church and you know what I realized the more and more we just read through the Bible I realize that God is drawn to courage God loves courage you know that list in Hebrews that that we call the heroes of the faith you know by faith Enoch and by faith Abel and by faith Noah and it's just this is by faith Abraham and Hebrews 11 just list all of these people that did all these things by faith you know the truth of that is yes they they they lived by faith but these are individuals that didn't live flawless lives these are individuals who were not perfect but but instead of them being perfect and flawless because they live fluor lives by faith Abraham I mean you know I mean he lied about his wife flawed life but the reason they make that list is because all of them live by courage as flawed and it is imperfect as they were they lived by courage you know many of the people listed in Hebrews 11 wouldn't even be accepted in many churches today Moses killed a man I mean Tamar Rahab form a prostitute there on that list but even though they probably wouldn't be accepted in many churches today I accepted them God favored them why because they were courageous I've met people who live perfect lives I've met people who fixated on crossing every T and dotting every I and the sum total of their life was that they lived off of the stale bread of yesterday well at the same time I've met people who who were as flawed as the day was long but they were courageous and the hand of God was upon them in an indescribable way not because they were perfect but because they were people of faith and they lived courageously it interesting that we serve the lion from the tribe of Judah yet so many believers look like the lion from The Wizard of Oz we serve the lion from the tribe of Judah but yet many believers live like look like act like the lion from The Wizard of Oz you know he looked the part on the outside but on the inside he had no heart he had no courage where is the courage of real believers who know that that all things are possible to them that believe what where's the courage of real believers who know that nothing is impossible for our God where is that courage and if you can't say man I hope that I make you so uncomfortable that you get unstuck I hope that I make you so uncomfortable that you take the next step because you got to live courageously and as I'm closing now here's the fourth and final thing we're gonna close in a special way today and then I'll hand it off to our campus leaders make the commitment to see the commitment so how do you how do you take your next steps what are the four critically important things you got to do to take your next step you got to let go of the things you can't take with you you have to see yourself differently you have to live courageously but here's the last thing you got to make the commitment to see the commitment got to make the commitment to what see the commitment drop down to verse 16 of jostle which after one and note what it says then they answer Joshua then they answer Joshua then they answer Joshua whatever you commanded us we will do and wherever you send us we will go this is the nation then the very last thing that happens that's why it starts off with then the very last thing that happens is that the people coming to Joshua and they say we're with you you tell us where to go tell us how to do it well with you lock stop and barrel it only happens though in the end they don't say this in the beginning they don't say this chapter 1 verse 1 they don't say this until Joshua has let go of what he can't take with him they don't say this until Joshua begins to see himself differently they don't say this until after Joshua begins to live courageously and when he makes the commitment ultimately he sees the commitment because the people say all right we got you let's go see another big reason why we often get stuck and we fail to take the next step is we make we kind of make these conditional statements so we live conditionally well well okay pastor I hear what you're supposed to say you know what you're saying and I know what I'm supposed to do but you know when I see it in my husband then I'll then I'll do it well when I see it in my family then I'll do the same thing when I when I when I see it in my small group when I experienced it on the job then I'll do it we live this conditional reality like like when somebody else does it then I'll do it no no you have to make the commitment in order to see the commitment you have to do it you have to demonstrate it you have to make the commitment and when other people realize that you are taking the next step that you are committed to demonstrating that consistently then what will happen is they will join you they will support you and they will follow you because what's in your heart is in the hearts of other people too but the truth is they need to see strength in order to find strength this is this is so good what's in your heart is in the hearts of other people too but the truth is they got a see strength in order find strength oh ok let me explain it this way my wife and I are committed to healthy eating healthy living notwithstanding the cakes and pies and stuff over the holidays yeah all right but but we're committed to healthy living but here's the thing she never has to twist my arm about eating healthy and working out and I don't have to twist her arm why because when I get up at 4 a.m. time my time with the Lord when I'm at the gym or doing my run at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. she knows that she hears me getting up out of the bed and and and when I do it consistently not when I just talk about it when I do it consistently it plants a seed in her that God waters and ignites so so my behavior the commitment that I make plants a commitment in her and likewise there days that I don't want to get out of the bed there early and when I when I'm tempted to roll over and just and sleep in she gets up at a certain time 5:00 a.m. and she she does her run and so and so when I want to sleep in and she gets up to do her thing what does it do for me it convicts me it challenges me because you got to make the commitment in order to see the commitment does anybody hear me this won't affect everybody there are some people whose hearts are hardened and God will have to deal with him another way you don't have to worry about trying to convince him did you hear what Pastor Dan said you know you know no you know no you don't have to you don't have to worry about doing that this will impact the people though that you're called to walk with it will absolutely do that the people who are called and a sign to walk with you and label with you it will it will impact them why because people don't commit to weakness or instability they commit to strength and they commit to courage and strength and courage can I tell you something doesn't need to be communicated you're not saying I'm really strong oh you don't have to come okay strengthen courage just demonstrate it when you demonstrate it other people will follow think about think about Abraham for a second Genesis 12 God says leave your family your father's house leave everything behind go to a place where I'm gonna show you where am I going God I'll show you just pack up and leave Abraham says to his wife hey so it's been great being here dad's house and around his land and stuff but the Lord said we got to go we got to take the next step imagine what Sarah said he said what I'm sorry where are we going oh you don't know you don't know Abraham you think I'm just gonna follow you and you even though you don't even have a plan boo but he packs up he said you know you decide what you wanna do but I got I got I got to do this packs up everything and he rolls out who rolls with him well I don't want to stay here by myself she rolls with him the Bible says that as they went he became exceedingly wealthy did there's not a day that that went by when when Sarah didn't look around and say well my goodness when we left we didn't have a whole bunch but look at the Lord Bible says God shows up one day and says to Abraham about this time next year I'm going to return and your wife is gonna have a child Sarah's in the tent cooking over here is gone speaking with Abraham and laughs so whatever God approaches Sarah and said why did you laugh all I did laughter I said don't don't lie yes you did yes she did he said everything that I said is gonna come to pass she's like okay all right God Abraham comes into bedroom one night cuz she's old doctors have said that they have well past their years Abraham comes in the room one night and says all right now can you can you imagine what she was thinking oh Abraham now you know come on now I know you know God and all that but you know how old I am whatever but as he continued to unroll what what did she do well okay if you insist what happened Isaac was born what am I trying to share with you you got to make the commitment to see the commitment hundreds of years ago there was a British preacher who was on the revival circuit and he was preaching and he made this declaration to the church and the crowd that was in front of him he said this he said the world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the person who was fully and wholly committed to him in that congregation was a young man by the name of DL Moody I don't know if we're related or not I don't know but DL Moody was sitting in that crowd and those words pierced his heart as I'm hoping that this message will for you and he made a commitment that day that he was going to commit everything to the Lord by the late 1800s do Moody's preaching was a part of the catalyst that brought a Great Awakening and a revival not just to Britain but to the world and centuries later millions of people are still impacted by his commitment through Moody Bible Institute by Moody Radio Moody publishing the moody church in Chicago centuries later millions upon millions of people around the world are still impacted by his commitment God used him in an amazing way but it started with him making this commitment here's my question for you why not you we hope you enjoyed this message for more resources visit the warships NRC Seaborg and been moody horn you will also find been moody on all social media platforms again we thank you for your support

Channel: The Worship Center with Van Moody

Views: 21,496

Rating: 4.7037039 out of 5

Keywords: worship, faith, word of God, HUB, community, unify, build people, salvation, resurrection, van moody, Pastor Van, The Worship Center, TWC, Jesus

Id: rwM0Km6kBfU

Length: 59min 46sec (3586 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 09 2018