Speaker: Pastor Pacer Tan
Church: Lighthouse Evangelism
Date: 6 March 2016
Date: 6 March 2016
Scripture:
Joshua 6:1-20
1 1. Introduction
After
living in wilderness in Egypt for 40 years, Joshua led a whole new generation
of Israelites to conquer the promised land. The victory began with the collapse
of the wall of Jericho. God can break down any wall, regardless how high and
challenging it can be, if there is absolute obedience to God and His Word. It is not man’s capability, but God’s ability
as Joshua obeyed God wholeheartedly by circling the fortified city of Jericho
once every day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day. God’s
prescription for success is always through obedience.
2
2. All His promises are received
by faith + action.
It is
never one or the other; it is both as faith must have a corresponding action.
Words only - If Joshua and the Israelites had only believed what God had promised
them that they would conquer the promised land without taking action to walk round the wall as instructed, the wall would still
remain standing and its city fortified.
Reflection: When we only believe that God
can use us to serve Him, and never take a practical step to serve in any
ministry, we are only paying lip service to God. Similarly, when we believe the importance of
loving one another as Jesus’ disciples and never actually show love in a
practical way, we do not walk the talk.
Action only - If Joshua did not believe God and tried
to pull down the wall using his own way – his intellect, capability, machinery and all
available resources thinking that God’s way was simply impossible, his action without faith would only end in
defeat and failure.
Reflection: Churches today are prone to
carrying out a lot of action like feeding the poor without injecting the Gospel
of salvation in all these good works, it will be just another social action by
any secular organisation. When we want
to do our own things and not what God wants us to do, we are only an action
church without faith. Conversely, if we
have faith and believe what God says, but never take any practical step to act
upon what He has said, then we are only a faith church without action.
Application: James 2:17-18 clearly
warns us that faith without works is dead.
He is telling us affirmatively that whatever God says it, I will do
it!
If your “wall”
is cancer or a broken relationship or finances, turn to God’s Word and listen
to what He says about all these things, then act upon His Word.
The
impossible shall become possible when faith is seen through action. Just
like Jesus told Peter that if he loved Him, then Peter would act out his love
by feeding His flock. It is faith in
action. A balanced Christian life is
about having faith and followed up by action.
3. Trust and obey God’s command
even if you do not understand.
The problem
with us is that we know too much and we begin to doubt when God tells us what to
do. Isn’t it true that when we know too
much, we trust too little! God never
wants us to just know but rather to know and to do. God does not require any
special skills from Joshua, except that he is to lead the people to walk, shout, blow
the trumpets and carry the ark of covenant.
Simple obedience! Great Victory!
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your
heart and do not lean on your own understanding”.
Reflection: What is stopping you from
trusting the Lord with all your heart now?
Is there still a “former Jericho’s wall” remained unresolved in your
heart? God wants to first pull down this
wall in your heart.
Application: Is it a wall of anger or
disappointment toward God? Is it a wall
of hurt or pain that still lingers deep in your soul?
Perhaps the
wall in your heart that is stopping you from trusting God fully is because you
are trusting “God’s substitute” instead of God Himself, and they are your
career, bank account, dependable spouse or wonderful physical health?
Find a
private corner and start to trust Jesus completely once again by renouncing all
the hindrances that are stopping you from giving total obedience to Him who has
never stopped and will never stop loving you.
4. God is the Hero of the story
Jesus is
our Hero for every success in life, work, career, family, ministry and
relationships. We see Him as the Hero
throughout the pages of the Bible. He is the Hero of all the Old Testament
prophets and the New Testament apostles. The outcome of their success brings
glory to God. All prophets and apostles
put their faith into action. They could do so
because God poured His love and power into these men and women of God so that
they could act out their faith.
Romans 8:37 tells us that we are more than conquerors through Him
who loves us.
Reflection: Christians are reaping the
benefits of the cross of Christ. We enjoy the blessings of God because all
these are God doing. If we trust ourselves, we will be in a mess. Sometimes we
have this thought of doing great thing for God without being aware that
underneath this statement lies our pride. The sooner we let God humble us, the
better we let His love and power envelop us and become His conquerors.
5. Conclusion
Ephesians 2:14-15 reminds us that every wall in
our heart has been broken down by Christ, and we can have His divine
peace. Jesus allowed Himself to be a
hostile object by dying for us, so that He could bring peace into our heart.
I am going to have faith in what
God says and put in action what He calls me to do.
Note:
This is a personal sermon note-taking. For a complete sermon, you may purchase
the DVD from the church counter.
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