Contending for the Focused Life: Inheritance - Contending For The Focused Life

You're listening to the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt.

God has given you a vision and a mission for your life.

God has given you an inheritance.

God has given He gave this to Joshua.

Guess what?

He didn't give it to Moses.

He was promised to Moses.

Moses didn't get it.

Joshua's gonna get it.

And God has a land for you to possess.

At The Road, our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ.

For more information on The Road, visit theroad.org.

We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt.

I was thinking about tonight, and I was thinking about, we've gone through vision, we've talked about vision and mission.

We've talked about the Word of God.

We've talked about prayer.

We've talked about intimacy.

And I felt like that tonight we needed to focus on your inheritance in Christ and how to get it, how to go out and get it with an enemy that's going to oppose you every inch of the way.

You have been born into battle.

And you have got to determine, and some of you really got this, because I know you, and some of you really don't, that it is hard out there.

It is difficult to be a whole-hearted disciple.

You have got to fight for every inch because the Satan and demonic powers come to steal, kill, and destroy.

They already have the land.

They possess it even though it's yours.

And the illustration I would use is that when I go on an elk hunt every year, I'll be more 15 years to the same place.

And I have to go through a Mr.

Seeley.

His name is Mr.

Seely's property.

I pay him to pass through his property.

This guy figured it out.

What money he couldn't make in cattle, he makes on elk.

And it's because we like elk and we're the hunters and we pay him.

But he has 10,000 acres.

And to me, it is like we've been given 10,000 acres.

10,000 acres is the most bountiful, beautiful, fertile land that the world has to offer.

And a usurper has come and stolen your inheritance, stolen your land.

You got the birthright.

It was given to you in the will.

It was signed to your name, but someone else has come and scratched out your name, and they've put their own name there, and you're settled into about one acre.

You and I are settled into maybe a half acre, and we got a tent.

And you know, and everybody around us has tents.

And everybody around us has a half an acre.

And yet everybody around us has 10,000 acres that have been given to them, but they're so comfortable with just this meager existence as a Christian.

Did anybody ever see um the John Wayne movie The Sons of Katie Elder?

And then Mark Wahlberg did another movie not too long ago.

That was kind of a rendition on that.

I don't remember the name of that one.

But um that was a good movie too.

A little violent, but good guy movie.

Not your wife wouldn't, you know, keep them away.

But anyway, it was a great movie.

But you remember the storyline is that basically a thief has come and taken the land and they have to fight back for it.

That's what I want to talk about today.

I want to talk about a thief that has taken your inheritance and how you've got to fight for it.

You've got to battle for it, you've got to contend.

I love that word.

Contending for the focused life to get your inheritance.

And I'm going to say to you, don't settle in with what you've experienced up to now, but believe God for so much more in the new year.

Let me begin by saying this.

I think there's three reasons why we don't contend.

I think there's three reasons why we don't get our inheritance.

Let me give you what I think they are after years of counseling and being a pastor.

Number one is fear.

Most of you struggle with fear.

You fear that you're going to fail, you fear that your hopes are going to be dashed.

You fear that if you believe God for too much and it doesn't happen, it's going to be super disappointing.

So fear.

Number two, ignorance.

Ignorance of the joy and power that's available to you.

Most churches do not teach on the inheritance in Christ.

Most churches don't teach about the power of Christ.

Most churches don't teach about the infinite, indescribable joy that could be ours, and so there's just ignorance in the body of Christ.

And then third, if that's not bad enough, it's you're unequipped.

I know a lot of churches that I would say do teach this stuff, and they do believe this stuff, but they don't equip the people about how to get it.

What you do is you come on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and you hear this fiery, passionate message from the preacher, but it's so impractical to where you really live that you just kind of keep doing it week after week, month after year, year after year, and your life's falling apart because you've never been equipped about how to fight and how to battle.

And I want to help you with all three tonight.

I think there's actually a story in the Old Testament that's very, very similar.

But write this down before we go any further.

Look at Psalm 144.

You don't have to turn there.

Don't turn there.

I'm going to read it to you.

I'm just going to read you verse 1.

But I want you to listen to what I'm going to say.

This is the theme of Worshiper and Warrior, our men's ministry, that Ryan and I started two years ago.

Worshiper and Warrior.

And this is our theme.

But listen to what he says.

This is David speaking.

David says, Blessed be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

And then he goes through metaphor.

He just starts stacking up metaphors about the fortresses of God and the refuge of God, using all this earthy desert language.

But I love the first part the most that men and women, David recognized in his heart, both as a worshiper and a warrior, that it was God who trained his hands for battle.

You have got to have that mindset, beloved.

If you don't have that mindset, it's going to be a really, really dismal life.

That the Lord can train you for battle.

He can train your fingers for war.

And so that's why we're here.

That's what I believe so strongly about the road is that we be a church that's equipping you for battle and for the hardship that comes with living for Christ so that we can experience the joy of, listen now, the promised land.

There's a promised land, both in the heavenlies of the kingdom, but also right now that God wants us to inherit and he wants us to experience.

So now turn to Joshua chapter 1.

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

Turn to Joshua chapter 1, one of my favorite chapters of the whole Bible.

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

Wasn't even thinking of this on Wednesday when I was thinking about this message.

That totally a different message.

Woke up yesterday and went, what am I thinking?

Joshua 1, that's it.

Bingo.

That's the inheritance right there.

And because of time, I can't do it justice, but I'm going to kind of give a few things.

I'm going to give five observations about contending for your inheritance.

Five observations for contending for your inheritance.

So we've talked about contending, contending for a focused life every night.

This one is contending for a focused life, and the vision is the inheritance, the riches, the blessedness that is yours.

That's why I loved what Marcus was teaching, because he was teaching from probably arguably the richest two chapters in all of the Bible of your inheritance, and that's Ephesians 1.

You know, if you're having a bad day, go to Ephesians 1 and 2 and just and just say that chapter, those two chapters back to the Lord.

Lord, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And then if you're still depressed, go to Colossians 1 and do it there.

And so, but Joshua 1 is different.

This is actually a literal story, as we all know, of the nation of Israel who has been wandering in the desert for 40 years, and now they're going to take the land.

They're going to take the land.

So let's look at five focuses, five focus points about contending for your inheritance.

Verse 1.

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, Moses, my servant, is dead.

Now, therefore, you arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I'm giving to them, the children of Israel.

Now listen to this, focus number one.

God has given you a vision and a mission for your life.

God has given you an inheritance.

God has given, he gave this to Joshua.

Guess what?

He didn't give it to Moses.

It was promised to Moses.

Moses didn't get it.

Joshua's gonna get it.

And God has a land for you to possess.

God has a spiritual land for you to possess.

Remember, Adam and Eve were created in the garden to cultivate it.

It wasn't cultivated for them.

They had to cultivate it.

They had to, whatever you use, I don't think they had plows yet, but whatever he was going to use, he was gonna have to cultivate it and he was gonna have to make it flourish.

And men and women, that's the message this week.

The very first message on Monday night was this.

Discover your vision.

Discover your mission.

Cry out to God until you get it.

And I'll say this you know, your vision is who you are.

Remember, it's the bee.

We talked about a bee vision.

It's about your heart, it's about your character.

That's the most important vision is who you are.

Because it's through who you are that you discover what to do.

You know?

And I think the to-do mission changes.

How many of you in this room have sort of made some pretty significant changes in your occupation or the work you do, say three times?

In your lifetime.

Three times.

Four times.

Five times.

Six times.

Hands are still up.

Okay, I'm not going to go any further.

So I've changed.

You know, I came, you know, I went into the mission field.

I was the first campus pastor, campus director and stuff in the States with Campus Crusade.

Then I went overseas to Tokyo and I was a missionary there in Tokyo.

Then it was Okinawa, and then I was in graduate school.

And while in graduate school, I was a director of a Bible institute and an assistant to a pastor.

And then I came here and planted a church, and then that church, and I'm planting this church.

But my my vision of who I am never changed.

Hopefully it grew during that.

And so I think that's often true.

That our mission may change over the years.

But God's giving you something to possess right now.

For this year.

That's for you.

And for some of us, it's not going to change for the duration.

And here's what's cool Psalm 139 says that the Lord knew you and knew who you were while you were in your mother's womb.

But then listen about Jeremiah.

I love this in Jeremiah 1.

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

Before you were born, I sanctified you.

I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

Isn't that exciting?

So God already knew, but you're on this, you're kind of on this mission, this Easter egg hunt with the Lord to figure it out.

And I think we're always, we need to re figure it out.

Some of you just retired.

Is that it?

I mean, is it gig up?

Is the rest of your life to just talk about what happened in the past?

Or has God got the next, I mean, I my dad, he retired at 65 and he's now 84.

So 19 years.

He's in great shape.

Matter of fact, he had had no physical problems until he retired.

And then he he kind of battled back.

But those latter years are the best years.

I would not want to be 30 again.

I wish I could have a 30-year-old body.

But I do not want to have a 30-year-old head.

I mean, the dumb things that I said, I say enough dumb things now to um, I mean, right next to my toothbrush is shoe polish.

So I regularly just dip that baby in and just go at it, man.

I got black teeth when I go to bed.

And then I go out, and all you guys have to follow me as your leader.

So I don't want to go back to you.

But I mean, so I think the latter years should be the best years.

Those are the most awesome years because you're not as dumb as you were.

And you're and you figured out a few things.

And you know what?

For the lack of maybe some physical energy, you've got spiritual maturity and mental ability that we need and that our younger folks need.

We should be mentoring.

Some of us need to be mentoring three or four younger guys, you know, in our D group.

Because uh, now I'm not saying they want to follow us.

I mean, you want me to mentor you?

And they're like, Are you kidding me?

You're just an old guy.

Um but I'm talking about spirit-led and all that.

Here's what Mark Batterson says in the book, All In.

I think this is a great uh word from him.

Courage doesn't wait until situational factors turn in your favor.

It doesn't wait until a plan is perfectly formed.

It doesn't wait until the tide of popular opinion is turned.

Courage only waits for one thing: a green light from God.

And when God gives the go, it's full, steam, ahead, no questions asked.

Isn't that a great quote?

So God's got stuff for us to do here that we gotta contend for our inheritance that's gonna take courage.

It's gonna be hard to do this year, but it's gonna be worth it.

Look at verse 3.

Speaking to Joshua.

Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I've given you, as I said to Moses, from the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites into the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.

This is phenomenal, church.

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

I will not leave you nor forsake you.

Focus number two.

Listen.

God initiates and promises prosperity and success.

God initiates and promises prosperity and success.

Now here's what's amazing.

What do we call Israel even today, the land?

We call it the promised land.

It was the promised land, and he still made them go in and get it.

It was the promised land, but they were still gonna have to fight for it.

It was the promised land, and no angel of the Lord, and I was talking about the hornet of the Lord, in a couple cases in the Old Testament, that's not the angel of the Lord.

But the angel of the Lord did not come and wipe out people.

He used people to push back all those Canaanite tribes.

And there were dozens and dozens of idolatrous, Canaanite, fierce fighting tribes that had way more experience in fighting than Israel ever did.

And God said, it's the promised land, but you're gonna still have to cross the Jordan and you're still gonna have to fight for it.

So I'll tell you one of my wife and I's pet peeves.

Can I give you a pet peeve?

One of our pet peeves is that when people say stuff like, God's got it, or he, you know, he's gonna fight the battle.

Or, you know, stuff like that.

That's sort of the evangelical cop-out.

That means that you can kind of sit back and God's got it, you know, and it's like, yeah, I mean, I guess theologically, God's got it.

Because, I mean, he's way bigger than you and me.

He understands what's going on, and and there's things going on that that only God knows for sure.

But see, I I'm kind of a reformed Wesleyan.

Which you didn't even know anybody knows theologically, I just said an oxymoron.

Okay, there's no way you can be a reformed Wesleyan, but I am.

So I'm super weird.

Okay, I'm a Bapticaostal.

I'm kind of a Catholic-y Lutheran.

But here's what I mean.

First of all, I hate the labels, and I know enough theologically to know that when you start having to stay in one camp, you miss out on the beauty of the other.

So here's what I want to say about that is this.

That the sovereignty of God is that he sovereignly put us on this earth to contend for the kingdom of God.

And so we contend.

Does he know the future?

Of course he does.

We wouldn't have prophecy in the book of Revelation, we wouldn't have prophecy in the book of Daniel, we wouldn't have prophecy in Isaiah about the first coming of Christ or the second coming of Christ if he didn't know the future.

So he knows the future.

I just don't.

And neither do you.

So we contend for it, and we see commands in Scripture that God calls us to fight for.

And so here's the promised land.

And they're gonna have to go and fight for it.

Men and women, it's the same today in our lives spiritually.

God has given us an inheritance.

The cross is ours.

All of the all of the accusations and all of the commands of Satan have been wiped out at the cross, but you've got to contend for the experiential reality of that.

Does that make sense?

So there is this abundance, and I think John 10 10 is so powerful because I came that you might have life and might have it abundantly, Christ says, but the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

So there's a picture of this promised land, this inheritance, and let's use a different word starting now, destiny.

Your destiny is awaiting you that's abundant and prosperous and good, but the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

And so, contending for that is the part that most believers will not do.

They just won't go there.

And it's really frustrating.

It's job security for me because you know, a lot of sin, a lot of sinners always need a preacher.

All right, got a job.

You know?

But it's frustrating because I get so much joy in seeing each of you come alive.

It gives me so much joy.

That's probably the greatest joy of what I get to do, is I get to see, I get to see very damaged, hurting, shame-based people discover Christ, discover his word, and then start living it out in such a powerful way.

I love that.

That's so exciting.

It's like I'm coaching, I get to coach a winning team.

I get to constantly coach a winning team.

And it's really fun.

But it's heartbreaking when people don't go there.

I'm gonna give you my all-time C.S.

Lewis favorite quote.

A lot of C.

S.

Lewis quotes I love, but this is my favorite.

I think he sums it up well.

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion is crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith.

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of rewards and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.

We're half-hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us.

Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer.

Of a holiday at the sea.

We are far too easily pleased.

It won't fall in our lap, church.

You're gonna have to fight for it.

Some of us have physical disabilities, some of us have mental disabilities, some of us have been through horrendous divorce.

Some of us have gone through abortions.

Some of us have tremendous addictions that we're still struggling with today.

And he's talking here to a group of people that just took the place of the Jews, the Israelites, who wander, listen, they've wandered in the desert for 40 years and they didn't even get in.

They didn't even get in.

Do you want to keep wandering in the desert for another 40 years?

Are you willing to go in and get it?

Verse 6, be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide this as an inheritance, this land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Verse 7, only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you.

Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous.

He's promising them success and prosperity, and then you will have good success.

Verse 9.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and of good courage.

Like a broken record here.

Do not be afraid.

Don't even be dismayed.

Don't even be surprised, is what he's saying.

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Focus number three.

You got to be strong and courageous.

I read that somewhere.

You have to be strong and courageous.

Now, why did he say it three times?

Actually, he says it four times in the chapter, but three times here.

Because Joshua didn't get it.

I think because he's timid.

I think because he's fearful and because he's weak and he's not strong.

All those things that we are all the time.

And so we have to remind ourselves, Lord, I'm going to be strong and courageous in you.

I don't have it in me.

Joshua didn't have it in him.

And I think he's saying it, and the Lord, who is giving revelation and inspiration, he's speaking this to Joshua, must be thinking each time in his spirit, I don't have what it takes.

I can't do this.

And so the Lord's like, okay, still doesn't get it, you know.

Son, spirit, he still doesn't get it.

Oh, let's say it again.

I can tell he still doesn't have it.

Oh, let's say it again.

And then he still doesn't get it because he has to say it again.

That sounds like me.

Just ask my wife.

The real truth teller in the family.

That I'm weak and I'm timid and I get fearful easily.

And so do you.

We all do.

And he says, be strong and courageous.

I think what's happening here is that Joshua's looking at the shoes of Moses and they don't quite fit.

The greatest leader in the Bible, men and women, it could you could actually argue that Moses had more signs and wonders than Jesus.

If you look at it from a different angle.

I mean, he didn't walk on water and he didn't raise the dead, but man, he did a whole bunch of stuff with that Pharaoh thing.

That whole thing.

So Joshua, who's never done any of those things, is now the leader.

And some of you are trying to put on the wrong kind of shoes.

Some of you are trying to put on the shoes of your dad, the shoes of your mom, maybe the shoes of another pastor, or shoes of a friend, and you need to quit comparing.

And drop those shoes, take those shoes and go throw them in the Jordan.

Because you have your own shoes.

You've got your own shoes that God's made for you, and you've got to walk that out.

You gotta be you.

Don't try to be anybody else.

One of the worst things you can do in your life is to try to be something that you're not.

Living up to some vision and some mission or some dream that someone gave you or was put on you when you were a kid.

And we all have it.

So we all have that.

Nobody's perfect in that arena.

But I'm saying if you haven't done this yet, I give you permission as your friend to take those shoes off and toss them.

They don't fit.

They're never going to fit.

And they were, and it, some of them are too small and some of them are too big.

You wear your shoes.

You wear what God's called you to do.

I'm not saying be who you are in all the fleshly sense, because we're all growing and maturing, but I'm saying be who you are in what Christ created you to be.

And so some of you you look longingly over here, but you're doing this because what your dad always said you should do.

This is what your mom always said you do.

And you're living for security instead of significance.

And so I want to challenge you to drop those shoes.

They don't fit anyway, and everybody knows it but you.

And then start putting on God's shoes, the ones He's made for you, and be strong and courageous in that.

Takes courage.

It takes courage to be significant.

It takes courage to go against the crowd.

It takes courage to go against maybe what people have been telling you.

You know, you're this way, you're that way.

And so, and so Joshua's not sure about this, and he's trying to figure it out, you know.

And I believe what's happening here is that Joshua, listen now, Joshua's gonna have to learn how to fight in a new way.

Remember, Joshua's only fought a few insignificant battles up to this point, and guess what's on the back of Joshua?

On the back of Joshua are the scars of being a slave.

So 40 years, half of Joshua's adult life has been spent as a slave in Egypt, and he still carries the scars.

When he takes his shirt off at night, he's got scars of whip marks running down his back because that's his story, that's his heritage, and he's gonna have to learn how to fight in a new way.

And I believe to get our inheritance, men and women, we're always on this journey of learning how to fight, learning how to contend in new ways in our faith.

And our ways are not with a big sword, our ways are in prayer and worship.

That's the reason I'm starting noonday prayer.

I'm, you know, I'm starting noonday prayer next Wednesday at Jericho Center for praying for revival in Colorado Springs, because I need to do that.

If nobody comes, I'm gonna be doing it.

Because I want to learn, I want to grow, and I want to forcefully every week contend for revival because I'm looking at my life and I don't have that many more years.

I don't know how many more years I've got.

But if I never really believed God, I mean I said it and I said it, but if I never really set aside time in my schedule to believe it through praying for it.

Not just believe it, but believe it through praying for it, I think I'll have regrets.

I think I'll have regrets.

And so, and so join me.

Let's battle together.

Let's learn and grow together.

And so that's a new thing for me.

That's a new area of not just praying alone in prayer walks and stuff, but to corporately come together in a room and week after week dial in, focus in.

God, do something great in our city.

Do something mighty.

Make Jesus great in this city.

Start with me.

Give me revival.

Matthew 11, 12.

Jot this down.

You don't have to go there.

I'm gonna read it to you.

But write down Matthew 11, 12.

You can go back, go back to your Bible and square it, circle it.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

One of the most controversial passages in all of Scripture.

One of the most misunderstood passages in all of Scripture.

Thomas Watson, the highly esteemed Puritan preacher of the 17th century, his book, Heaven Taken by Storm, I would highly recommend.

And before I came tonight, I made sure it's out there and it is on Amazon.

It's called Heaven Taken by Storm.

It's a revisionist of it from like I think it's like the 1980s.

There's a version of it.

But it was written in the 17th century.

Let me just take one quick quote here.

It's as if Christ is saying, John the Baptist was no unconstant man, fluctuating in his mind, being shaken as a reed from one opinion to another.

He was no reben, unstable as water, but was fixed and resolute in faith.

The kingdom suffers violence as a metaphor.

The earth is inherited by the meek.

I like this.

Listen to this.

The earth is inherited by the meek, but heaven is inherited by the violent.

Our life is military.

Christ is our captain.

The gospel of the kingdom is our banner.

The graces of God are our spiritual artillery, and heaven is only taken in a forcible way.

So we battle.

When you pray and you've got a promise from God, you battle for that because you have a force working against you.

So today at 4 p.m., a group of about a dozen of us came here in the lobby to pray over this facility.

To pray if there's any demonic powers over this facility.

If there's anything related to hundreds of years ago that might have happened on this land, we are cleaning it out.

We are cleansing it.

And it was it was one hour or an hour and 15 minutes that felt like about 10 minutes because people came to pray.

You have to fight for territory.

You got to fight for ground.

So I've asked my wife Liz to share about a time where she had to fight and where she had to battle for one of our kids.

And so, would you share, Liz?

I think it's appropriate time to do that.

Hello.

Um, I got a text today that really excited me, and I want to read it to you because it's gonna fade, actually.

I want to read it first.

But this is from a friend of mine that moved away, and they were involved with maybe many of you, um, and she sent me this text.

Just wanted to give you some news about my family.

My husband surrendered fully to God a couple of months ago on November 12th.

It's been amazing all the changes he's made.

Everything I prayed for him in the last 40 day fast in that 40-day fast has come to fruition.

And this family was in huge trouble.

And it's their story, so I won't tell it, but it was very difficult.

I want to share with you um how I came to understand that God can do the impossible, and I had to live through impossible times, so that's how I figured that out.

And um the beginning of the story has to do with my son Daniel, and he was seven months old.

And I had a dream on a Friday night while we were in Atlanta, and it was um while we were on furlough.

I had a dream that there was a huge scroll, and it was unrolled, and it started rolling down, and my son Daniel sat at the bottom of it, and and it was empty, and I felt like God was saying, I want to tell you something about your son Daniel, but it was empty.

So I told Steve that, and we were in Atlanta, and there were some people that were very into prayer and hear from God, and so I asked them, What, you know, do you have any words for Daniel?

And nobody had anything.

So I'm like, oh, that didn't work out, you know.

And then Steve had a dream around the same time as that, that we were, we came into the back of a church and we stood there, and this man at the front who looked like anybody remember Garrison Keeler?

Yeah, he had big glasses and he looked, this pastor looked like that.

And the pastor said, Does anyone need prayer?

And in the dream, we walked up from the back of the church to the front, and we got prayer, and the power of God came.

So that dream was there.

Well, we got invited, and after I asked a lot of my friends in Atlanta, do you have anything for Daniel?

Like, I had this dream, and nobody had anything.

And so we go, we got invited to this church.

We come into the back, it's very crowded, and Garrison Keeler is standing there, and Steve goes, That's the guy in my dream.

I go, let's run.

No, no, I'm teasing.

Um, and he said, Does anyone need prayer?

If anyone needs prayer, come.

So we came up there, and that's where Steve got a call to be a pastor.

It was so powerful, and also a lot of other things.

It was just really powerful.

But at the end, he said, Do you have a son?

And I said, Yes.

And he said, Well, I have a word for your son.

He said, Your son will go through a very difficult childhood, but God is building a last day's leader, last days kind of leader.

And he is going to use all these really big trials to make his forehead like flint.

So I'm like, wow, oh.

So of course I'm holding on to all the fun parts of that.

The, you know, the leader and the forehead like flint.

I'm like, okay, you know.

So when he was six, he had like some reading issues, and he had to wear glasses, and some kids made fun of him, and I was like, okay, good.

We made it through.

That was really hard.

Thank you, Lord.

And I could just see like angels like looking down, going, She has no idea.

She has no idea.

So then he is about 17, 18.

And I can't remember the exact thing, but um I don't remember all of what came first and what happened, but we were our whole family was under tremendous uh demonic siege.

I just can't even tell you, it was just so hard.

Um we had Charity was like a three-year-old, and she would see every night she'd look outside and cry because she saw gorillas like black creatures out there.

And there were so many things like that.

I could, you know, that would be another whole testimony.

But anyway, um my son was the center of all of this.

And he had so many demonic afflictions.

It was it was Job like, actually.

He couldn't sleep at times, like he just could not sleep, or other times he couldn't get up or out of bed.

He um would be terrified.

He was it was just so multifaceted and depressed.

He'd hear sayings in his head about who he was that were very destructive.

And Steve and I were we were just at our wits' end because it went on and on.

It wasn't this short little thing, and that there's a lot to tell about that.

So anyway, one of the things this is kind of Daniel's story to tell, so I'm gonna tell it from my perspective.

But I did get his permission to tell this.

One of the things that happened to him, just to give you an example of kind of the bewildered feeling that we were under and the impossibility feeling we were under, was Steve was in Africa on a missions trip, and I heard the scream in Daniel's room, and I was like, oh no, you know, again.

So I go in there and he said he was lifted off his bed.

And it was just that kind of stuff.

And if you try to find like how to deal with that in a parenting book, it's not there.

It isn't there.

I I know that.

Um so I it was a horrible time, and we did not know what to do, we were very confused.

And I'll just say this desperation makes you very hungry.

And so um uh Daniel, we we gave Daniel a graduation gift of um going to Israel.

So he we had this plan to go to that he was gonna be in Israel.

Steve went with him, it was Steve's planned trip.

It was 12 days long, and I decided during the 12 days, I'm gonna fast.

Um, I think I'm gonna do that.

And that was the longest fast I'd ever tried to do.

But I felt like, oh, I gotta do this because I don't know what else to do.

So um anyway, I was looking for what is my authority?

I have to know what is what are the grounds I have for my highest authority to do this and to know it's gonna be successful.

And how long do I need to go?

And what are my biggest weapons I have?

So I figured out that Jesus I want to read this passage to you, and and actually Marcus went over this when he did Ephesians.

It says that Christ was raised up from the dead.

This is Ephesians 1.20.

And see, and he was seated at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

So far above every demon, Jesus is seated.

Yeah.

And then because his name is Emmanuel, which he said is God with us, he gave this gift to us.

And I want you to really take this to heart.

Because it's so amazing.

He says, but this is uh Ephesians chapter 2, 4.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

But God who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, for by grace you have been saved, and raised us up together, and made us sit together with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

So it's like he he got to sit down on his throne, and then he scoots over and he says, You come sit here too.

And then all the demons are down there.

And I was like, Okay, that has to be true.

I have to, I have to, I'm counting on that.

I'm totally counting on it.

And then I was thinking, I what about what's my weapons?

What are my biggest weapons?

So it was fasting.

And um, if you remember the story, you can write this verse down.

It says uh Mark 9, 29, and there's also another one in Matthew, but this parent who had a demonic child asked the disciples to pray, and they couldn't get the demon out.

So the disciples, or he comes to Jesus and says, Your disciples can't get this demon out.

And then Jesus says, This kind comes out only by fasting and prayer.

And you know what I love about that verse?

More than just like, okay, here's a weapon to use, but what I love is he didn't say, and then there's some demons you can never get out.

He doesn't say that.

He says, all of them, there are ways to get out, every demon.

And I so I thought, I'm fasting.

I'm going to be fasting.

I did my, I was gonna do 12 days, and I went to church and um I talked to a a leader there, and he he was telling me about when he had the worst struggle in his family, he fasted 40 days.

I was like, Well, what?

You know, and I and then I thought, okay, well, I've never heard of anyone in the Bible fasting longer than that.

And it looks like I have a really bad problem, so I better go for that.

And and that was really scary, first of all.

Um but I realized okay, I can't be Gandhi in a corner like like not eating anything.

So I made sort of like this plan that I could keep being a mom.

I would drink broth in the day and then I have a protein shake at night.

So I could sleep.

I thought if I can sleep, I can do anything.

So I did that.

That was my plan.

I'm like, Lord, I hope that's good, because I I have to that's just gonna keep me going.

So I did that.

Um I get into the sixth day of the fast.

And it's the worst day of all.

It's the most discouraging day.

And you know how that the devil knows how to push all our buttons.

He knows us pretty well because he's been the accusing us day and night for 24 hours, you know, 24 hours a day.

So he knows us.

So on day six, I go do my day, and everybody who has a son my age, like I meet all these people, and they're telling me how awesome their sons are doing.

I'm like, I don't even know.

I was like, and and it just was filled up the whole day.

And I felt like the devil is going, This is not gonna work.

You don't have a son like that.

You it this you better give up.

And I just cried.

I was like, I mean, he just knew how to get me that at that point.

So I was I don't know how I got through that day.

I do not know, I do not know.

But I made it through and I got to day seven, I was like, wow, there's a long, there's a lot of days left.

But on day seven, um I sat down in Daniel's room and I got because I got a call from him from Israel, and in his room, this picture um was on the wall.

It had been there two years.

And it was about a guy in Israel, like going over reading the scripture.

Like how I go, wow, that's kind of cool.

Like, I'm talking to my son, he's in Israel, and I'm looking at this Israel picture, and all of a sudden I see in this picture that I never saw for like years a picture of Jesus in the trees.

And I felt like God was saying, I'm right here.

I'm right here.

And it was so amaz I was like, like all of a sudden I just I was like, oh my goodness.

That was the first encouraging thing that happened in the fast.

And it was just God saying, I'm just right here, and I'm gonna take you through this.

So there was the pushing forward now for Daniel.

I don't I can't remember all the things.

I have a journal somewhere, but it was like we're pushing forward now.

I can't say that it was 40 days that everything cleared up, but we had so much clarity after that time.

And when Steve and Daniel came back, they he Steve joined me in that fast, and it was really powerful.

And so he always was getting better.

He always like we were moving forward.

And there were some of you in this room that prayed for him.

I think Mike Meekham was part of a group in Anna that prayed for him when there was a huge release, and it was in the pursuit, which was a ministry school that we did for a while.

And he, as you know, is our youth pastor here, and he has a good job, and he's like, it's not even like Steve and I look at him, we're like, was this the guy that that we had to walk through all these challenging times with?

And I think there's just more to come for him, but that's how I found out that God is the God of the impossible, but I have to partner with him in fighting the battles.

And I just that was just so powerful.

Um this week I felt led to pray some scripture over someone.

And the devil visited me in the night and said, Game on, you're not like you can't, no, don't do this.

And I was like, Oh, okay, well, that just means I'm going to do more and more.

And you know, that's the battle, and that's what we need to do.

We need to do what God tells us to do.

And sometimes we have to discard all of the normal things we've ever done and say, I'm gonna do something else.

I'm gonna do this other thing that God's God's leading me to do, and be willing, because think about all the crazy people that God did amazing thing things with, a little man in a tree and a woman who lunges at him when she's when he's walking through the streets.

And people had to do extraordinary things, and he turned around and he addressed them and he healed them and he touched them.

And that's I feel like sometimes in the American church, we are all so dignified.

We like to pray really like dignified.

We like everything in little containers.

We have to be willing to be that bold, courageous leader that will march into places that they've never been before and do things for the Lord that they've never thought they would ever be doing.

Yeah.

Verse 7 only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, my servant, commanded you, do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Focus number four.

The presence and power of God flows through observing and meditating in Jesus through his word.

The presence and power of God flows through meditating and observing in Jesus through his word.

Now, this is counterintuitive in every way.

Everything that Liz was talking about is counterintuitive.

We went, she didn't tell you a whole lot of the story.

Um, but we actually went to a counselor who said, this is the worst case we've ever seen.

And he needs to go to the Minerith and Meyer clinics in Texas right now.

And when he said that, I started laughing.

Now I would just say, you probably shouldn't laugh in front of your counselor or a doctor.

I've done it a number of times.

And um, and I I just I mean, it just was humorous to me.

I I this guy's so missing it.

He's so ill-advised, he's a Christian counselor.

It was a joke.

But we went out and it was devastating to our son to hear that.

And I said, it is not gonna happen, son.

There's no way I'd completely disagree with him.

He either hasn't seen but about three cases in his whole career, so he's telling the truth, or the guy has a major exaggeration problem.

But right here he says, he says to us, meditate in God's word.

Meditate in God's word, but then listen to what it says, observe to do.

See, there's the problem.

It's easy to meditate, well, I wouldn't say it's easy.

I mean, that's really hard too, but to meditate in God's word or to have a quiet time or devotional life or spend time in God's word and have a dialogue with the Lord is one thing.

But where we miss it is we don't observe to do.

He says, meditate in, but observe to do.

And when I read Ephesians 6 about putting on the armor, when I read of how Jesus prayed, when I read how Paul prayed, I go, wow, I've got a lot to learn about observing to do.

Because that's the battle plan.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles or the strategies of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly place.

And it goes on.

It talks about the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, the belt of truth, he's shouting our feet with the gospel of peace.

That's battle material.

That's battle weaponry that we take to, that we put on ourselves that we might come against the strategies of the devil, to come against the wiles of the devil, even the shield of faith to extinguish the fiery darts of the devil.

So here's what God's saying to us, church, don't miss this, is that as we go in to take the territory, we've got to be in God's word, we've got to be in worship, we've got to be in prayer, but then we've got to do it.

We've got to do it.

You've got to do it each day.

And so that's that, that's that equipping.

That's where we need each other.

That's where we grow in a relationship with the Lord to open up the book, dig in, and do it.

And then lastly, and I'll conclude with this.

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, verse 10, saying, Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

Here's focus number five.

We covered this on Monday, and I want to say it again.

You have to make an action plan.

You gotta have an action plan.

You have to decide this is where I'm gonna have my quiet time.

This is when I'm gonna get up in the morning.

This is gonna be you're gonna put it in your schedule, gang.

You got if you don't put it in your schedule, it will not happen.

And I'm the I'm a good counselor.

I'm a good counselor.

But I'll tell you right now what your first words are gonna be if you come to me for counseling.

Are you spending time in God's word?

Are you and your husband, are you and your wife praying together?

If the answer is no, no, then I say, well then gigs up.

I don't even take, I don't even get paid to be a counselor.

But you ought to pay me 150 bucks to tell you that.

And then I don't want to see you for 30 days until you guys are doing that.

So you got all these problems, all these issues with your finances and things like that, but you don't pray together and you're not in God's word.

Seriously, I'm from Georgia.

I'm not real smart, but I figured out a few things.

It's right here.

Make a plan.

Make a plan.

I'm not saying we don't mess up sometimes and nobody's 100%.

And I didn't, I mean, I had days this week I didn't spend enough time in God's word.

So, but I'm saying consistently it's true that in anything we've got to schedule it, we've got to plan.

You want to learn how to share your faith more.

Well, the next time we do an evangelism training, get trained.

You know, put it in there.

If you want to learn how to pray more, come to 24-hour prayer room.

If you want to, you know, and so we grow in those things, but it has to be scheduled.

It has to be there.

He even says to Joshua, prepare provisions.

For in three days we're going in.

He had to get, he had to be a leader, and he had to prepare provisions, and he got ready.

And that, see, if what do we say?

Plan the work and work the plan.

Plan the work, work the plan.

Plan the work, work the plan, plan the work.

Gymnastics coach in high school.

Plan the work, work the plan, plan the work, work the plan.

I'm gonna kill you.

And he did, and he nearly did.

But here's one of my favorite, I get to do two or three of my favorite passages in this message tonight.

Write down this passage and meditate in it tomorrow morning or tonight.

Exodus 23, 29.

Exodus 23, 29.

This obscure, cryptic passage is huge.

Moses is being told what's going to happen after they've exited Egypt.

I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.

Little by little.

Listen to what I'm saying now, gang.

Little by little I will drive them out from before you until you have increased and you inherit the land.

I love that verse.

It's always little by little, church.

It's only a little bit at a time.

Just take a little bit of territory.

Then take a little more territory and just keep moving forward.

And it's two steps forward and one step back all the time.

But I challenge you in the new year that you would realize it's not going to happen in one year, but little by little you can grab your inheritance.

You can have your inheritance in Christ.

And you'll start to experience greater joy, greater peace, greater power, and a greater battle and a greater fight in it.

This is your time.

And we're so sick about having Satan rip your life off for you.

Let's fight back this year and contend for a focused life on Christ.

You've been listening to The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt.

We hope you have been blessed by today's message.

To connect with us further, visit theroad.org.

If you are walking through a difficult time, we want to pray for you.

Go to theroad.org, click on the ministries tab, and go to our prayer page to send us your prayer request.

Thanks again for tuning in today, and be sure to listen to the next edition of The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt.