No Longer Slaves
On Saturday night, Gail continued her teaching from Joshua. She reminded us that fear is real; but if we allow fear to take over, it can be harmful and stunt our growth. Only the Lord and the Holy Spirit should control us.
In Joshua chapter one, God reminded Joshua of the promise He had made to Moses - that He
would give Joshua every place he set his foot and that no one would be able to stand against Joshua because God would be with him. He would never leave or forsake Joshua. (verses 3, 5)
Sadly, the Israelites failed to take all that God had for them. When the spies went into the land of Canaan, the ten let their fear overtake them. They caused the people to be afraid to go in and take possession of what God had already given them. God then told all those who had refused to go that they would not enter the Promised Land. They had to continue wandering in the wilderness until the last of the generation had died.
We too can forfeit ourselves when we don't stay in the Word, and when we are out of fellowship with God and other believers. When God asks us to move outside our comfort zone, He promises to go before us. He wants us to have an eternal perspective.
Gail reminded us of some key points in the book of Joshua. In chapter 3 we read where the people were going to cross the Jordan River. Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves to prepare for what the Lord was going to do. We are commanded to "fear not"; but we must be prepared. We do this by being in the Word of God and remaining in fellowship with God through prayer.
In chapter 4, after the people had crossed the Jordan, Joshua told the twelve priests to retrieve a stone from the middle of the river in order to set up a memorial. These stones were to be a sign of what the Lord had done for the people. It is helpful to write down the times that God has done a work in our lives. We can return to this in the future when we are fearful and remember that God is indeed for us. And just as the Israelites were to tell their children what the memorial stones stood for, we too can share our "stones of remembrances" with others to encourage them.
In chapter 5, Joshua was told by the Lord to circumcise those who had been born in the wilderness. When we become a part of God's family, we become a new creation. Our old nature is put away. We are given the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us to follow God's will. Just as Joshua met the Lord outside of Jericho and asked what message the Lord had for him, we too can ask God what He wants us to do.
Ultimately, we are no longer slaves to fear; we are children of God!
In Joshua chapter one, God reminded Joshua of the promise He had made to Moses - that He
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Sadly, the Israelites failed to take all that God had for them. When the spies went into the land of Canaan, the ten let their fear overtake them. They caused the people to be afraid to go in and take possession of what God had already given them. God then told all those who had refused to go that they would not enter the Promised Land. They had to continue wandering in the wilderness until the last of the generation had died.
We too can forfeit ourselves when we don't stay in the Word, and when we are out of fellowship with God and other believers. When God asks us to move outside our comfort zone, He promises to go before us. He wants us to have an eternal perspective.
Gail reminded us of some key points in the book of Joshua. In chapter 3 we read where the people were going to cross the Jordan River. Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves to prepare for what the Lord was going to do. We are commanded to "fear not"; but we must be prepared. We do this by being in the Word of God and remaining in fellowship with God through prayer.
In chapter 4, after the people had crossed the Jordan, Joshua told the twelve priests to retrieve a stone from the middle of the river in order to set up a memorial. These stones were to be a sign of what the Lord had done for the people. It is helpful to write down the times that God has done a work in our lives. We can return to this in the future when we are fearful and remember that God is indeed for us. And just as the Israelites were to tell their children what the memorial stones stood for, we too can share our "stones of remembrances" with others to encourage them.
In chapter 5, Joshua was told by the Lord to circumcise those who had been born in the wilderness. When we become a part of God's family, we become a new creation. Our old nature is put away. We are given the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us to follow God's will. Just as Joshua met the Lord outside of Jericho and asked what message the Lord had for him, we too can ask God what He wants us to do.
Ultimately, we are no longer slaves to fear; we are children of God!
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