May 22, 2022

“STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD”

“THE WAR AROUND US”

JOSHUA 10:1-14

War is a reality both physically and spiritually and we face spiritual warfare everyday.

2 Timothy 2:3 “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Principle: God uses the struggles of life, whether they are from without or from within, to mold us into the image of Jesus Christ, if we will allow Him too.

Four Facts You Need To Know About Your Enemy:

Listen to what Paul said to the elder of the churches as he leaves them:

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”30Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

*Whoever your enemy is, they will fear a believer who is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God.

1.   One Of The Supreme Tactics of Warfare is Intimidation.

1 John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Paul tells us to stand, not to attack, or call names, just to stand.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

As followers of Jesus Christ we operate from a position of power and authority.

2.   The Enemy Hates Any Friend of Jesus

Joshua 10:3-4 “Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4“Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

There is no neutral ground in war. You are either on God’s side or the devils side.

We have to stand up for what is right and not be neutral.

Joshua 10:5-7

The Gibeonites were attacked and the Israelites keep their word and stood up and fought with them.

Ephesians 4:27 “Nor give place to the devil.”

Uncontrolled tongue, eyes, ears, thoughts opens the door to the enemy.

3. The Lord Promised the Victory Even Before The War Began.

Joshua 10:8 “And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.”

Romans 8:35-39

Victory does require that those who take a stand against the enemy have to be willing to sacrifice and put forth effort.

Joshua 10:9 “Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.”

Hebrews 4:11 “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”

1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

4.   Victory Comes By God’s Super Natural Power

Joshua 10:10-11 “So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.”

*The nation of Israel had given their all and God miraculously gave them the victory.

This is all God wants us to do- give Him all you have. God will work the miracles, because He is the miracle worker.

Job 38:22 “Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail.”

Whose side are you on? God’s or the devils?

How to play your nuclear options:

Joshua 10:12-14

Joshua spoke a word of faith and God came through in a way we don’t understand.

Matthew 24:29-31

How is God going to do that?

“Jasher”- means upright or righteous

Principle: There is never a day like this when God hearkened to the voice of a man.

Mark 11:20-23

Let’s not put the emphasis on the miracle but on the miracle maker- God!

What is the biggest battle you are fighting right now? Don’t look for a miracle, look to God.

Who is willing to speak a word of faith?

Will you let God use you?