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Going to war… (4 things)
Instead keep your eyes on Jesus – the solid foundation – victory over sin!
1st – Removing the mark of the world… vs. 1-9 Read: Joshua 5:1-9
The pagan kings in the Land – heard God had dried up the Jordan… vs. 1
They were terrified of Israel – who could fight against a nation God was fighting for!
I can remember as a kid – when a bigger kid than you picked on you…
You would fall back on ‘my Dad is bigger than your Dad…’ – Dad was the protector!
We have a ‘Dad’ who is bigger / tougher / stronger / and more powerful than anyone…
Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us who can be against us…”
God commanded Joshua to circumcise the sons of Israel for a 2nd time… vs. 2-9
All of the men who had come out of Egypt had been circumcised…
But all of those men had died in the 40 year wandering in the wilderness…
It was their children who were now grown up and had come into the Land…
But all of the men born in the 40 years in the wilderness had not been circumcised…
So Joshua circumcised all the men of war – and they rested till they were healed
Circumcised – to remove the mark of Egypt / the world…
God promised He would be the God of Abraham’s descendents – Genesis 17:7-14…
But Abraham and all Jews afterwards had a part they had to keep – circumcision…
It was a symbol – meant to show an outward change reflecting the inward heart…
It was a about the cutting away the sinful desires of the heart…
A change of heart (not physical circumcision) showed Israel was a God’s nation!
Two kinds of circumcision – outward and inward…
Romans 2:29 – “Tue circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by god’s spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God…”
Every Jew was required to be circumcised physically in obedience to the Law…
But if they did not keep law – they showed were not circumcised spiritually…
It is not about our words – or where we are – it is about the actions from our lives…
If you live like the devil – then it is a good bet you are not a child of God…
Before we came to Jesus – we had the mark of the world…
We were bound/captive to the sinful desires of our heart – bondage/mark of Egypt
We did not think about Jesus – how to live for Jesus – how to live a righteous life…
We did not trust in Jesus – we only knew how to trust in ourselves…
Circumcision of the heart – is what takes away the mark of the world…
Colossians 2:11 – “When you came to Christ, you were ‘circumcised’, not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure, cutting away your sinful nature.”
When we accepted Jesus Christ – we died to that old sinful nature…
The sinful desires of our heart were cut off – so we were free to live for the Lord
Romans 6:6 – “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”
Did you ever wonder why sins bother you now when they did not used to…
It used to be if you lied – or cheated – or were mean to others – it did not matter…
Yet now these things bother you – because you have been circumcised in your heart
That change of heart – circumcision – is how we show we belong to the Lord!
2nd – The commander of the Army of the Lord… vs. 10-15 Read: Joshua 5:10-15
The day the manna stopped falling… vs. 10-12
Israel celebrated the Passover on the 14th day of the 1st month in the Land…
They gathered and ate the feast from the produce of the Land…
After that day there was no more Manna – the people ate from the fruit of the Land…
Moving beyond the milk of the Word…
When we first come to know the Lord – we need manna – the milk of the Word…
There is a LOT about Jesus and God’s Word we do not comprehend…
And we need someone else to feed us – instruct us in the truth of the Word…
But we should not stay that way – as we get into God’s Word – we should grow…
Hebrews 5:12 – “You’ve been Christians a long time, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food.”
As believers in Jesus we should – by spending time in God’s Word…
Growing in the Lord to a place where we can feed ourselves in the Word!
Growing in the Lord to a place where we can begin to teach others about Jesus!
Getting the battle plans… vs. 13-15
As Joshua was walking close by Jericho – he saw a ‘Man’ with a drawn sword…
Unsure of whom He was – Joshua asked – ‘are you for us or our adversaries’…
His answer was neither – ‘I am the Commander of the Lord’s Army’!
He then commanded Joshua to take off his shoes – he was standing on holy ground!
Only one other place in the Bible where a similar command was given – Exodus 3:5
Burning bush – in the presence of the ‘I Am’ – Moses was given the same command!
Meaning the Commander of the Lord’s Army was Jesus – the Great ‘I Am’ – John 8:58…
And Jesus gave Joshua the battle plan for conquering the city of Jericho!
Meeting with Jesus…
When we God changes/ circumcises our heart – removes the mark of this world…
When we move beyond the Manna – digging into the abundance of the Word…
We will find we end up face to face with Jesus – and He gives us the battle plan…
How we can overcome the sin that so easily trips us up in life…
Hebrews 12:1-12 – “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us [- how? By] looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
3rd – Tearing down the walls… vs. 1-16 Read: Joshua 6:1-5
A seemingly impenetrable fortress…
The city of Jericho had been sealed up – the gates securely shut…
The city was virtually impregnable – walls reached to the sky – Deuteronomy 9:1
Archeology tells us there was actually a double set of wall surrounding the city…
The first wall was 2 meters thick and over 13 meters high!
Behind the first wall was a 14-meter hill – on top of which was a 2nd wall 8 meters high!
We all have strongholds of sin in our lives…
Just because we believe in Jesus – does not mean we do not struggle with sin…
We all have areas in life where we struggle to live for Jesus – do the right thing…
An area where we are convinced – but we just cannot seem to overcome the sin!
For some it might be alcohol / for others it might be greed or coveting…
Still others might struggle with gossip / or perhaps with lust…
All of us know ‘good’ from ‘bad’ – we know what God says we should be doing…
Yet somehow we end up doing all the ‘bad’ things – and miss the ‘good’ ones…
We wonder what is wrong with us – we do not understand why we are defeated
Romans 7:15 – “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.”
We are at war – our spirit battles against our sinful nature…
Galatians 5:17 – “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.”
Every decision we make is influences by this battle – the flesh vs. the spirit…
Our minds are literally a battleground for the control of our actions…
Do we choose to live for pleasure/the moment – or do we live for the Lord…
The Spirit says to get up in the morning and spend time with God in His Word…
The flesh says keep sleeping – you can always read your Bible – buas lang
If Israel had tried to attack the city – they would have failed…
If we try and defeat our sinful nature on our own effort – we are doomed…
When can try to make ourselves do the right things – make a list…
Get up early and read our Bibles / invite unsaved friends to church / pray
Those are all good things – and we might even do them – for a few days…
But when we start to sleep in / hang out with friends – rather than inviting them…
My problem is my heart/desires – I am the problem – I sin because I want to!
Why do I do what I know is sin – because I want to – no one forces me…
Why don’t I do what I know is good and right – because I don’t want to
The challenge is I cannot change my heart – how can you change what you want…
So God gave Israel a seemingly ridiculous battle plan…
God commanded the men of war to march once around the city for six days…
Every day the priests would come along carrying the Ark of the Covenant…
But on the 7th day everyone would march seven times around the city…
Priests would blow rams horns – the people shout – and walls would collapse!
For 6 days the priests marched around blowing the rams horn…
All the men of war went before the Ark – but they were absolutely silent…
Until the 7th day – they marched 7 times – and everyone let out a shout!
We do not have to fight the battle – Jesus has already won the victory for us at the cross!
The part we play in overcoming sin – ‘walk around’ – admit that we have stronghold…
We first have to be willing to confess our struggle – take a couple of laps around it…
Then all we have to do is simply to shout out and praise the Lord!
I Thessalonians 5:18 -“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God…”
Jesus can do what we cannot – He tears down the strongholds of sin in our lives!
It is not that I have to read my Bible – God changes my heart so I WANT to!
It is not about what we can or cannot do – it is about God giving us His desires!
4th – The fall of Jericho… vs. 17-27 Read: Joshua 6:20-26
The people shouted – and the walls came down… vs. 17-21
I am sure that the people in Jericho thought they were perfectly safe…
It probably seemed silly to them seeing the people marching around the walls…
Imagine their surprise when suddenly all they trusted in was no longer there…
The world trust in money / riches / power…
They look at us and think we are foolish for trusting in / worshiping Jesus…
But there will come a day when all they depend upon collapses into a heap of dust…
Matthew 7:26 – “Like a foolish man who built his house on the sand…”
The only exception was Rahab the Harlot… vs. 22-25
Rahab’s house was part of the city wall – apparently the only part that did not fall…
Her mother / father / brothers / all she had were spared the destruction of the city…
Because she had hidden the two spies from Israel – cause she had faith in God…
Her house was on built on a strong foundation – making it unshakable!
We trust in Jesus – and when the walls come down we are unshakable…
Everyone will face difficult times in their life – sickness / financial / relationships…
The hope we have is that we have built are life on a solid foundation…
If our things are stolen – our house burns down – we know God provides for us…
If we get sick – the doctor gives us bad news – we know the Great Physician…
Not matter what life throws at us – we have nothing to fear…
Cursed is any man who rebuilds Jericho… vs. 26-27
I Kings 16:34 – “A man from bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid the foundations, his oldest son died. And when he finally completed it by setting up the gates, his youngest son died. This all happened according to the message from the LORD concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.”
When God tears down a stronghold of sin in our lives – do not build it back up…
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