Sermon on July 21 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9

‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ (verse 9)

What do you do when you are in a transition much bigger than you feel up to?

1. BE BOLD – ‘I AM BEHIND JUST THIS MOMENT’
Joshua has been prepared for just this time:

• Exodus 17 Rephidim
  When you go relying on God’s wisdom and power, not your own –you can go boldly!
• Exodus 24 Mount Sinai
  Transition can burn us out or teach us trust for the next mountain or valley – you can go boldly!
• Exodus 33 The Tabernacle
  God is more into shaping Joshua’s heart, so he may do great things for him – you can go boldly!
• Numbers 14 Exploring Canaan
  Leadership is a prophetic statement of where things ought to be – when faith is stronger than fear, you can go boldly!

2. BE BOLD – ‘ I AM FULLY AHEAD OF JUST THIS MOMENT!’
Change can shake even a Joshua, and three times he hears the encouragement to be courageous.

• Go boldly – with the weakness that you feel
  A sense of weakness makes us more, and not less courageous.

  ‘I used to ask God to help me. But then I asked if I might help him by asking him to do His work through me.’(J. Hudson Taylor)

• Go boldly – with the Word in your heart
  Success or failure for Joshua and for us is dependent on how much God’s Word you are storing in your heart.

  ’The best thing to do with the Bible it know it in the head, stow it in the heart, sow it in the world – and show it in the life’

• Go boldly – with the Leader greater than you
  Moses has gone. Joshua is in place. Jesus is forever. Go boldly in your weakness, with His Word and in His company.

Remember! Calling is a verb, not a position. Go boldly, wherever God sends you, He has gone behind and before.

 

Photo credit FreeImages.com/Jillian Abramson