Lutherans, Catholics, Methodists, Reformed, and Anglicans “drawn into deeper communion”

1. Lutherans, Catholics, Methodists, Reformed, and Anglicans “drawn into deeper communion” “An agreement between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches, which settled one of the historic disagreements at the center of the Reformation, was the focus of a special service at Westminster Abbey on October 31, 2017.” Ted Wilson: “This is a definite sign of the times, pointing to developments which we have studied in Scripture and talked about for years. The next huge event is Christ’s coming…”

2. The Battle Belongs to the Lord

3. “Joshua, with great anxiety, humility, and self-distrust became the next leader.” PP482 “Be courageous for I will go with you. Make sure that this Law that I gave you will not depart from you, and then you will succeed.” Joshua 1:8

4. “Joshua knew that whatever God should command, He would make a way for His people to perform, and in this faith he began his arrangements for the advance.” PP 482

7. They were never to go alone, but only with God, only in His presence.

8. “When the priests dipped their feet into the waters, then suddenly the tide above was swept back, while the current below flowed on, and the riverbed was laid bare.”  PP 484

9. “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, the Lord will do wonders among you.” Joshua 3:5 Gilgal – strategically worse possible idea Joshua goes to a secluded place to pray and seek God’s presence

10. “‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither, but I came as commander of the army of the Lord.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’  And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:13-15

11. J E R I C H O “This city was the key to the whole country, and it would present a formidable obstacle to their success.” PP 482

12. Jericho - the city of palm trees (about 10 acres size) Originally the name comes from the word Yareh, that means the goddess moon. Located 825 Ft below sea level, 460 Ft above the Dead Sea. (Dead Sea - 1285 Ft below sea level, the lowest point on Earth. Mt. Zion - 2500 Ft above sea level) Strategically located, fortified, center of commerce and trade, greatest city in the country, key to the whole country.

13. Walls 12 Ft tall 8 Ft thick

14. Joshua realizes their complete dependence on God, so he prays seeking God’s presence, help, and leading.

15. “Are you with us, or against us ?” “Neither, but I am the commander of the Lord’s army, and I came now, because you called Me.” “What does my Lord want his servant to do ?” “Take your shoes off for this ground is holly”

16. Seek God’s presence, worship God Joshua realizes their total dependence on God, so he goes to pray seeking God’s presence and leading. There he sees a man with a sword… The man says, “Take your shoes off for this is holy ground” ??? Don’t focus on the battle, focus on God, don’t look for solutions or plans, look for God Worship God in the middle of your battle

17. “No assault was to be made. They were simply to make the circuit of the city, bearing the ark of God, and blowing the trumpets… They were not to conquer by their own skill and power, but by obedience and faith in God.” PP 489

18. You don’t fight the war by fighting the war, you fight the war by calling God’s presence

19. Seek God’s presence God is in the middle of your battle Often we are so focused on the battle that we don’t recognize God in the middle of the battle Can it be that the very thing you think is your problem is in fact God, working for you ? Do you see what God allows for you as a trial against you ? Remember - “All things work together” Rom.8:28

20. We are not called to fight, the battle belongs to the Lord “If God is for us who can be against us ?” Rom.8:31 Why do we worry so much, are we forgetting His promises, are we forgetting His presence ? We are never alone ! Those who remember that have peace in the middle of the battle. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Is.30:15 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on You” Is.26:3

21. Seek God’s presence God is in the middle of your battle He will give you the strategy “The Lord your God goes before you, He will fight for you.” Deut.1:30 “Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength…” Is. 40:31 “Faith without works is dead” James 2:14 Wait for Him, He will give you the strategy, then obey Him in faith

22. Seek God’s plan, not His blessing for your plan. “It is not the capabilities you now possess or ever will have that will give you success. It is only that which the Lord can do for you. We need to have far less confidence in what man can do and far more confidence in what God can do for every believing soul. He longs to have you reach after Him by faith. He longs to have you expect great things from Him.” COL 146

23. “I have delivered Jericho into your hands” Joshua 6:2 “This is what you should do, march around the city each day once. Do this for six days….” v.3 God’s plan was dangerous and it didn’t make sense ! Don’t look for understanding, just trust and obey. It is by faith alone. “Faith is the victory…” Human methods without God’s presence lead to death.

24. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean in your own understanding” Prov.3:5 You will not win this battle with your sword, but by worshiping God ! “Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark.” Joshua 6:4 The Shophar and the Ark of the Covenant - with them

25. “This is what you should do, march around the city once… Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times…” Joshua 6:2-5

26. Seek God’s presence God is in the middle of your battle God will give you the strategy The battle is not about you, but about God, Every battle is about God and it is Holy Ground It is not about God being on your side, but you being on God’s side. “Choose today…” Joshua 24:15

27. You are not called to be right, God is right You are not called to defend self, but to sacrifice self “Love God more than … and love your neighbor…”Matt.22:36 Instead of using God to promote what you do, let God use you to promote what He does It is not about you getting God’s support for your agenda, but about you supporting God’s agenda

28. If you are for Me, keep seeking Me and serving Me, keep praying and studying, keep loving and working and saving, and don’t worry about the other things. I Myself will go before you, you are never alone, I will fight for you and I will provide for you. Remember, the battle is Mine.

29. “If you have given yourself to God, to serve Him and do His work, you have no need to be anxious for tomorrow. He whose servant you are, knows the end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow, which are hidden from your view, are open to the eyes of Him who is omnipotent.” Pr. 226 “No one prays aright who seeks a blessing for himself alone.” SDG 267

30. Joshua is ready to fight “the stranger” Can we often fight the very help God sent us, fight God ? You cannot assign God a place in your army “The battle belongs to the Lord.” 2 Chron. 20:15 God fights your battles, and He surely fights His battles Don’t use God to get your victories, let God use you to get His victories Your trials should not be your concern, faith should be

31. Every single battle is crucial, is holy ground Before you can go against Jericho you must have an encounter with God “Take your shoes off, this is holy ground” Tradition – they took their shoes off to worship You don’t need to fight the enemy, what you really need is to behold and worship God, He will fight the enemy Your battle is not a crisis but an opportunity

32. “When we take into our hands the management of things with which we have to do, and depend upon our own wisdom, we are taking a burden which God has not given us, and try to bear it without His aid. We are taking upon ourselves the responsibility that belongs to God, and thus we put ourselves in His place…But when we really believe that God loves us and means to do us good we shall cease to worry about the future. We shall trust God as a child trusts a loving parent. Then our troubles and torments will disappear…” TMB 100 - It is by faith in Him

33. The real battle is not what you see, but spiritual Every battle is a sanctuary – an opportunity to worship If you don’t see God’s hand and presence in every situation, you will fail “We don’t fight against flesh and blood… but against the spiritual forces in the heavenly places” Eph.6:12

34. The battle you fight tomorrow requires an encounter with God today The victory of tomorrow depends on the relationship of today The necessary faith for tomorrow depends on the vital relationship of today You will never see the walls come down, before you fix your eyes on God, before you see God

35. “Take your shoes off for this is Holy ground” The battle, the daily challenge is holy ground, it is not a crisis but an opportunity, it is a sanctuary. Seek Him, worship Him, fix your eyes on Him, trust Him. Sanctuary is in every place, worship is every day. If you see God in every situation, then that situation becomes a sanctuary, an opportunity instead of a crisis. Your greatest moments of worship and growth are not in the church, but in the daily battle.

36. “Give God thanks in all circumstances” 1Thes.5:18 “Rejoice in the Lord always” Phil.4:4

37. Jericho’s walls came all the way down and Jericho was never built again Jericho will pass When God delivers you, He delivers you completely “These things shall pass…" Matt. 24:36 “He who has began this good work in you will complete it…” Phil. 1:6 “When you go through waters, I will be with you…” Is. 43:2 “Don’t let your heart be troubled, have faith in God…” John 14:1 He is with you, you are never alone !

38. Seek God’s presence God is in the middle of your battle God will give you the strategy The battle is about God, is Holy Ground Shout of victory, exercise faith “Believe that you have it, and it’s yours.” Mark 11:24 Anybody can shout after the walls collapse God wants you in faith to shout of victory before it happens

39. Don’t look to the walls, don’t talk about it, don’t let your heart be troubled, seek God, fix your eyes on God, call His presence, worship Him, decide to trust in His love and promises, focus on Him, wait for Him, follow his strategy, let Him fight for you, rejoice in Him and shout of victory even before you get the victory. Get in front of your walls and shout of victory, in faith. It is all by faith in Him – faith is the victory. Talk faith, think faith, pray faith, rejoice in faith.

40. “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in my God.” Hab.3:18 “I will trust in the Lord, and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and my song, And He has become my salvation.” Is.12:2 “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor.2:9

41. It is your attitude, your faith that allows Him to work Satan is not after your stuff but after your faith Have faith in God ! Exercise faith, you are saved by faith Victory comes by faith

42. “Never allow yourself to talk in a hopeless, discouraged way. If you do you will lose much. By looking at appearances and complaining when difficulties and pressure come, you give evidence of a sickly, enfeebled faith. Talk and act as if your faith was invincible. The Lord is rich in resources; He owns the world. Look heavenward in faith. Look to Him who has light and power and efficiency.” Pr. 311

43. Seek God’s presence God is in the middle of your battle God will give you the strategy The battle is about God, is Holy Ground Shout of victory, exercise faith

44. In heavenly armor we enter the land The battle belongs to the Lord No weapon that’s fashioned against us will stand The battle belongs to the Lord We sing Glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord, We sing Glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord.

45. When your enemy presses hard, do not fear The battle belongs to the Lord Take courage my friend, your redemption is near The battle belongs to the Lord We sing Glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord, We sing Glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord.