Knowing God the Encourager

Joshua chapter 1.

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

There's not a more encouraging chapter in the Bible than Joshua 1.

I'm convinced of that.

And I can tell you, I have gone to Joshua 1 several times when I was down and out.

I go to Joshua 1, then I go to Philippians 4.

Those two chapters are my encouraging.

Then you can go to Psalms 34 through 62.

I meant you could just go on.

But what I love about Joshua is that Joshua had been a faithful servant to Moses.

Now, as a Christian, young Christian, I always wondered and used to pray to God and say, Lord, I don't know what you want me to do.

But Lord, whatever it is, I'm going to give a hundred percent.

One thing about me, I'm either all in or all out.

People try to get me to do stuff all the time.

And I don't usually do it.

And here's why.

One, God's got to tell me to do it.

I've had people try to get me to sell Mway, all kind of stuff.

You just would be rich.

You could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo.

I probably could.

But I want to do what God's called me to do.

Because I don't want to waste time.

I don't like to waste time.

And my wife's worse than I am.

I meant, we we we like to move.

We have an agenda and we like to work our agenda.

But I used to think, Lord, what do you want me to do?

But whatever it is, Lord, I want to give you 110%.

Now here's a young man named Joshua that was being tutored.

Are you ready for this?

And by the way, we got a new Bible study starting.

Edmund, Gwen, stand up.

Not only are these dynamic, licensed counselors, I mean, have the doctorates in counseling.

And by the way, there's some of the best counselors around.

I recommend them for counselors, but they're starting a Bible study what Wednesday?

This Wednesday starts Wednesday.

And the title of the Bible study is Total Forgiveness.

It's going to be awesome.

And it's going to be at their house.

And they have one of the nicest, most beautiful bed and breakfast homes you've ever seen.

How many nine rooms or is something like that?

It's just gorgeous.

12 acres.

So, right here in Vincent.

So the address will be on Facebook.

It's on Gwen and Edmunds Facebook.

Okay.

But they'd love for you to come.

6:30.

And I may have to, after I get things started here, I always like to go by.

Y'all gonna have something to eat?

I know, I know Rosemarie and them do, so see what I'd like.

Well, maybe just dessert.

I hit theirs first and then come by and get my dessert.

Okay, just pastor loves missing my Bible studies.

But anyway.

But here's a young man that had been tutored by the greatest leader ever.

Moses.

I'm talking about Moses.

We have Moses here.

Did y'all know we've got a Moses on our campus?

You see him every morning when you walk in on Sunday morning.

Don't you know Bruce?

That's Moses Bruce.

I think Moses would look a lot like that.

Bruce kind of just reminded me.

Not Charlton Heston, I'm sorry.

No, no, no, no, no.

But but he was tutored by the greatest leader ever in the Old Testament.

And now Moses dies.

In fact, there's a word there that says now.

It's probably one of the most dramatic, most impact word uses in the Hebrew word.

The Hebrew word there literally means just wow.

Ooh, now.

In other words, get your attention right now.

Don't move, don't, don't do anything.

Just listen.

That's what it means.

When he says, now, Joshua, Moses is dead.

In fact, what he's saying is, look at me, Joshua.

I have got good news for you.

I've got a command for you.

And our, hey, Joshua, are you ready to listen?

But not just listen, are you ready to heed what I'm about to tell you?

So, folks, I want to give that same command to us this morning.

Now, CCW.

Get ready.

Listen.

I've got to work for you.

I've got something for you.

Heed what I'm about to say.

Listen to what I'm about to say so that you can do what I'm about to say.

Now, in that context, we see.

And I want you to, I got so much.

I got this is so it's just so much here.

First of all, we see in chapter one.

And and write this down.

I wrote this this morning on the porch early, about 6:30.

Joshua, what made Joshua the next greatest leader ever for the nation of Israel?

All right, three things.

And I've written a book on leadership.

Well, I was one of the editors.

It's titled The Good Book of Leadership.

And I happened to have the privilege of writing on Joshua.

I wrote about Joshua, his temperament, his weaknesses, his strengths.

So this is one of my favorite books, really, because I happened to, I was researched and asked to write on Joshua, Peter, Paul, and a few others.

But Joshua was the one that Dr.

Towns said, I really want you to do Joshua.

So here's what I saw about Joshua.

Three things.

Joshua was prepared.

This is not in your notes because I just you'll see why.

But he was prepared.

He was, number two, teachable.

And number three, he was available.

Now let me repeat that.

Because you'll never be used greatly by God, or you will never fulfill God's perfect, I said perfect.

I do believe God has a perfect will for your life.

I do.

And by perfect, I mean a complete will for your life.

You know why most of us or a lot of us never fulfill God's complete will for our life?

It's because we're not obedient.

We're not, hey, we're not, are you ready?

We're not teachable.

We're not preparing.

And we're sure not available.

He was prepared, he was teachable, and he was available.

So CCW, God is saying, I want to prepare you.

And in order for me to prepare you, you've got to be teachable.

And hey, and if you're teachable, I can prepare you.

And if you're available, I can use you.

Now that's in every home represented here this morning or watching online, and we have a lot of people every Sunday.

So welcome our online congregation.

Now watch.

So Moses is dead.

And now notice what happens.

God encourages Joshua before he tells Joshua what he wants him to do.

Isn't that good?

God encourages him before he tells you what to do.

God encourages us before he tells us what to do.

In fact, look at verse 6.

Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to the fathers to give them as an inheritance.

Verse 7, above all, be strong and very courageous, to carefully observe the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded to you.

Do not turn from the right or to the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

Did you hear that?

You'll have success wherever you go.

And then verse 8.

This book of instructions shall not depart from your mouth, but you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it, for then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Then verse 9, another encouragement.

Verse 6 and 7 and verse 9 are the three powerful, encouraging verses.

Have not I commanded you be strong.

There it again.

And courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Folks, he is saying, listen, CCW, don't be afraid, be encouraged, be excited.

Because what I'm about to call you to do, I'm gonna be with you and I'm gonna help you do it.

I have never once doubted when I've moved three times out of 40 years of ministry that God was not with me and that God would see me through.

My wife has been with me with those when I we left uh open door, went to Liberty, left Liberty, went to Tennessee Temple, left Tennessee Temple, came here.

Not once did she ever question it.

Well, here's the only thing she'd ask me, honey, are you sure God's called us?

Notice what she said.

God's called us.

I said, yes, ma'am.

She said, well, let's go.

Not once.

Except for Serpro in there.

I won't ever do that again.

But anyway, here we see encouragement.

And what I love, the words of encouragement from God came before God asked Joshua to do this incredible work for God.

In other words, God's always going to encourage us before he uses us to do an incredible work.

Man, that's good.

That's good, folks.

So here we are.

And by the way, God has called us.

You may not, if you're a part, and hey, we've got 13, where's Rick?

How many is going through our covenants class right now?

Twelve couples are going through our covenants class to join up with us as covenant members.

Let's give them a hand.

Amen, amen, amen.

But God, for you covenant members and for you that come, maybe you hadn't had a time to go through the covenants class and all, but yet you're many of you.

I'm telling you, half the church are covenant members, the other half aren't yet.

But you're working toward that, I'm sure.

But what I'm saying is, about 250, 300 people, God's called you here, and he's encouraging us to do a great work for God here in Westover, Chelsea.

Vincent, Harpersville, Wilsonville, Starrett.

He's called us right here.

He's placed us right in the heart of these communities.

And given us unbelievable opportunities.

That's good.

Now, get ready.

Oh, I gotta teach quick today.

Got so much stuff.

Amen.

What are we eating today?

Oh, you got those the big uh what?

Boston buds.

Ooh.

Pork roast.

All right.

Well, I'm gonna feed you first and then he's gonna feed you.

All right, ready?

Three things.

I've got a lot.

You get your pen ready.

I'm telling you, I want you to take this outline.

I want you to staple it or something in your Bible.

Because you will use this, because the next time Satan tries to take you out, knocks you down for the count, I want you to go right to this chapter, read these first nine verses, and go back to your outline.

This will revolutionize your eye walk with God when it comes to encouragement.

Number one, God tells Joshua three things, that's all.

But there's a lot of subpoints under the three things.

Number one, he says, Listen to me, Joshua.

I've got a great plan for you.

But in order for you to know me and me to use you, and by the way, the whole premises is knowing God so that he can use us.

Can I get an amen?

Knowing the God we love.

He says, Here, I want to use you in a fantastic way to do unbelievable things.

So, number one, here's what you got to do, Joshua.

Number one, you gotta let go of the past.

You gotta let go of the yesterday.

Now, remember the past and yesterday can be very good.

Oh, I can remember the great days of open door Baptist Church.

David used to remind me quite often, Benji, he'd say, Hey, there's great days going on at CCW.

Because it was such a marvelous time.

I meant for about almost 14, 13, 12 years.

I don't know, Susan always knows I messed that up.

But for 10 plus years, we watched God, hey, save over 200 people every year and be baptized.

We saw the miraculous, we circled the land seven times, and God gave us that land.

You've heard that story.

I mean, miracle after miracle.

Well, guess what?

I I would have the tendency to dwell there and and and just stay there.

Then I go to Liberty University and we watch God do miraculous things.

I mean, I was there when there were 4,000.

I was there when there were 7,000.

Now there's a hundred thousand.

And I was a part of all the beginning of all that.

I could go back and remember how we stood in the snow and prayed down God's blessings and God's provisions as we broke ground on the, I was there when we were under a big tent on that mountain.

So I could go back to those great days and I could just dwell and bask in the glory.

To Joshua, hey, the past meant great things.

It meant crossing the Red Sea.

It meant the plagues, being delivered from Egypt.

It meant, oh, watching a cloud of fire by night lead them.

It meant a cloud in the day leading them.

It meant the Passover.

It meant some fantastic, great things.

I'm sure he would say those were the best of days.

We've been there.

I've been there.

You've been there.

Some of you maybe hadn't been there yet, but you can.

Guess what?

God's ready to take you there.

But I got news for you, and that's why I love Benji and that song.

I said that's our theme song.

But God's gonna do it again.

He's gonna do it again, folks.

He's already doing it again right now.

And some of us don't even realize it.

What he's done this past year has been phenomenal.

The see a million dollars raised in less than three years with everything of dirt and paying on.

Woo! That's phenomenal.

But we can't get caught up in the yesterday.

If you get caught up in the yesterday, you'll never make it to the day.

What did Paul say, Philippians 3?

13 and 14.

This one thing I have to do.

I have to forget those things which are behind, even the good things.

Now we we don't mind forgetting the bad things, but the problem is Satan won't even let us forget the bad things either.

But we get, hey, he said, for Joshua, he says, you can't get caught up in those great things.

This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind.

Paul said, but I reach forth for those things which are before, and then he says, verse 14, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in and through Christ Jesus.

We've got to let go of the past, and what does that mean?

What did yesterday represent to Joshua?

Are you ready?

The best days he had ever seen.

I just said that, but let me tell you what else.

It also meant all the miracles that God manifested.

He saw all these miracles that we talked about.

And then guess what else that meant?

He said, hey, not only have you got to forget, hey, all not forget all the miracles, but you can't get caught up in them to the point you don't look for God to do it again now.

He said, but also you gotta you gotta forget and not get caught up on your failures.

Hello?

Wait a minute.

You mean Joshua failed?

Oh yeah, leadership 101, he failed.

You go back in numbers.

And where you let me see, hey, here it is, the failures, number Deuteronomy 31, 7 and 8, Numbers 13, 30 through 31 and 33.

Remember what happened?

God was getting them ready to go into the promised land.

God said, Moses, take them into the promised land.

And then all of a sudden, they decided they wanted to get a committee.

We need some spies to go.

Why did they need spies?

They didn't need spies.

God already said, I've given it to you.

I've been telling you for years, I've given you this land, just go take it.

Well, before we go, don't you think we ought to go in there and just check it out, just to be safe.

Can I say something?

If God calls you, you don't have to check it out.

You just gotta do it.

So they choose 12.

A spy from each tribe.

They go into the land, sure enough.

Land flowing with milk and honey.

I'm talking about grasshoppers' biggest people.

That's pretty big grasshopper.

Hey, hey, I mean, they were unbelievable.

The fruit was so big, it was unbelievable.

I mean, wow, wow.

And then guess what?

Also, hey, yep, there were giants there.

Ten-foot giants.

Goliath.

The Goliath family was there.

Hello.

Read your Bible, it's there.

Hey, so they come back.

Joshua and Caleb, they come back.

Man, Joshua and Caleb are excited.

Joshua came back and he said, whoa, folks, yes, yes.

Oh, it's beautiful.

Oh, it's great.

Oh, hey, notice Joshua and Caleb didn't say anything about the giants.

They didn't say anything about the huge 40-foot walls around the cities.

They didn't say anything about the enemy.

All they talked about is what God had told them.

It's great, it's flowing with milk and honey.

Let's go get it.

They had God's vision, not man's vision.

The other ten had their own vision.

They had man's vision.

And they said, oh yeah, everything Joshua and them says right, but let me tell you about those big grasshoppers and giants.

Maybe not the grasshoppers.

I just like the grasshoppers.

But let me tell you about the giants.

Let me tell you about the fortified cities.

There's no way we can take it.

They'll kill us.

They'll squash us like grasshoppers.

That's what it really says.

Well, if they thought they were going to squish us like grasshoppers, they had to be giant grasshoppers.

But hey.

Now watch.

This is it.

And guess what?

Oh, they take a vote.

And they all voted with the ten spies not to go in.

Leadership.

Nobody wanted to follow Joshua and Caleb into the promised land.

So guess what?

They didn't go.

So he's saying, you got to let go of that, Joshua.

You can't think back there.

I've caught, hey, it's a new day.

You're the leader, not Moses.

And then he said, also, you got to let go of your frustration.

Joshua, you remember how how would you like to spend 40 years in the wilderness?

40 years.

11 miles from the promised land.

11 miles.

In other words, closer than 459.

You'd have been in the promised land.

40 years.

You got to let go of that.

You can't think.

Hey, if you dwell on your failures, you go back thinking about all your failures, all you're going to do is dwell in defeat.

No, you got to forget that.

And then, Joshua, you got to let go of Moses.

He's dead.

See, what are we going to do?

Moses is dead.

We don't have a leader anymore.

He's dead.

He said, You gotta let go of all that.

Joshua, no doubt, felt insecure.

I got this in your notes.

I'll put it in.

Joshua, no doubt, felt insecure, inferior, and inadequate.

Here's the application.

Right here.

Joshua, no doubt, felt insecure, inferior, and inadequate.

You ever felt that way?

You ever felt insecure, inadequate?

Inferior?

When they made me to the dean of the seminary, you don't understand how I felt every bit of this.

I felt inferior.

You gotta understand something.

When Dr.

Falwell called, in fact, he said, we found our dean of the seminary.

And I had suggested, and I knew he was talking to several people, he didn't tell me this.

He didn't tell me what he about what he did next.

He said, We know who, we've just found our new dean for the seminary here at Liberty.

Dr.

Lovett, will you stand up?

Susan said, You didn't tell me.

I said, I didn't know.

I didn't tell him I.

In fact, he asked me about a month before that.

He said, Would have you ever thought about being the dean?

I said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I don't even like school.

Hello, you okay out there?

Now I'm gonna be the head man over the school?

Hello.

That is the gospel truth.

I felt insecure, I felt inferior, and I felt inadequate.

But I also realized what God's word says.

We're not sufficient in ourselves, but our sufficiencies in God, 2 Corinthians 3.5.

Amen.

I also knew Philippians 4.13, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

And you know what I learned very quickly with all these PhDs and this and that?

One thing I had done for the last 20 years before I took over as the dean, I had spent hours in the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God.

And so guess what?

Anytime they'd say something, I'd quote a scripture.

They'd give a philosophy, I'd give a scripture.

I realized real quick, I know the book.

Some of them just know philosophy.

I read the book.

Somebody said, How many books do you read?

I said, I've read 66.

I don't read many other books, do I, honey?

Nope, nope, nope.

The only other thing I read other than the Word of God and memorize the Word of God, I will read a car magazine every once in a while.

That's the same with the Bible.

Oh, yeah, there's a hot chariot in there, everybody.

There's one in there.

But what are you saying?

Here's what I'm saying, folks.

Listen.

God says, yes, you feel inadequate, you feel insecure, but I'm with you.

I'm gonna help you.

In fact, he goes on and he says in verse 5, I will defeat your enemies when they come against you.

And God allowed us to go on and build one of the largest online seminaries in the world today.

Yes, I was inadequate.

Yes, I was insecure.

Yes, I was inferior.

But God came through.

See, it's better.

Here's some verses.

Psalms 118, they're all in there for you.

Psalm, I'm just preaching today.

Psalms 118, verse 9 and 10.

Psalms 118:9

It's better to put your trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

It's better to put your trust in the Lord than to put confidence in the government.

Can I get an amen?

Psalms 118, verses 8 and 9.

Psalms 118:8

And one of the verses God gave you just resonated in my heart today was Psalms 35.

Here's what it says: weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

And then Psalms 30, 11, God has turned my morning into dancing.

Wow.

Just stay faithful.

Be prepared, teachable, and available, and God will do it.

He says, I got your back.

Joshua.

Curtis Cyrus was the editor of Saturday Evening Post.

And I wrote an article, and he was talking about how the past keeps us tied down and keeps us from advancing.

And here's what he said.

In fact, it became so popular, it became a big sign.

And here's what it says.

Yesterday ended last night.

What is he saying?

Yesterday ended last night.

You're there and you failed.

And you're holding on to the past and you can't get above the past, whether it's good or bad.

I got news for you.

It's over.

Yesterday ended last night.

And for the cross, you say, oh, if I could be used of God, but I've done this, I've done that, I've done that.

I've got good news.

The cross stands for yesterday ended last night.

Your new creation, old things have passed away.

Behold, all things have become new.

Don't let Satan bond you down in your failures and your past, whether they be good or whether they be bad.

My eyes are fixed on thee, O God, and the Lord is my trust.

Whew! Psalms 141, verse 8.

Psalms 141:8

Can I get an amen?

Man, that's good.

That's so good.

So we've got Psalm 62, 5 this morning, God sent that to me.

You know what it says?

My expectation is from Him.

You know what hinders a lot of us?

I'm fixing to really put the rubber on, we're gonna look at where the rubber meets the road.

You know what really defeats us when we talk about our past, whether they're good or bad, is our expectations.

We allow the expectations of people to defeat us, to discourage us, and to stop us.

We worry more about what people think than what God thinks.

I had a hard time with that for a long time, Paul.

But at my age now, all that does is defeat you.

Can I say this, if if some of you that are 40 and under will guess, will grasp what I'm about to say.

This will actually 30 and under.

Listen to me.

You worry about expectations coming, hey, your expectations pleasing him and not other people, and you'll have the most exciting, successful life you could ever live.

That was worth the whole message right there.

When I learned that all I had to do was to please him, what a release of burdens.

Amen.

Joshua, you gotta forget the past.

You gotta forget the frustrations, the failures, but you also have to forget the fantastic miracles, too.

Not that you forget them in confirmation of who God is, but that you dwell there and not be used anymore.

Make sense.

Number two, Joshua.

Here's the second thing.

You gotta claim God's promises.

Verses two through nine, we're gonna look at them.

Let go of the past yesterday with verse one and two.

Moses and my servant's dead.

The past is gone.

It's over.

But now look at verses two through nine, and we see all these promises.

Claim God's promises.

1 Kings 8.56 says, There has not failed one word of all of God's good promises.

Not one word, Darren.

2 Corinthians 1.20 says, and you I know you're gonna love this, it says, all of the promises of God are amen.

So be it.

Abraham said he staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had said, he would do it.

Romans 4, 20 and 21.

Now watch this.

Three things, three key promises he gives Joshua.

This is worth you being here.

Number one, claim God's will for your life.

Look at verse 2 and 3.

This is where I love it.

Moses, my servant, is dead.

Now here's the word.

Now, you and all the people prepared to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites.

I've given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses.

Wow, that's God's will for his life.

He says, I'm gonna use you to take the people into the promised land, and you're gonna give the people the land that I promised them years ago.

You're it.

You're the man, you're my servant.

You're gonna lead my people.

Now, get ready.

God's direction for your life and my life and Joshua's life depends upon two things.

Ready?

This is good.

My willingness and God's will.

The two W's.

My willingness and God's will.

If you're willing and obedient, you know the verse.

Say it with me.

If you're willing and obedient, you shall eat the what?

Good of the land.

If you refuse and rebel, you should be devoured by the sword.

Isaiah 1, 19 and 20.

So for me to be used greatly by God, and in and for God to continually encourage me and use me, I've got to be willing.

That gets back to what?

That gets back to being prepared, teachable, and available.

My willingness and God's will.

And how do we know God's will?

Oh, this is gonna be good.

John 7, 17 says, You shall do my will when you know my doctrine, Jesus said.

John 7, 17.

And so what I put in your notes right there is we know God's will through five things.

Fill them in.

God's will.

How do we know God's will?

Through number one scripture.

I just quoted John 7.17.

Here's another one.

John, I'm at Psalms 119, 24 says, Your testimony, hey, your testimonies are my delight.

Now watch this, and my counselors.

Psalms 119, verse 24.

Psalms 119:24

Powerful verse.

Write it down.

It may be in there.

I've written so many.

Like I said, I'm in a flow right now.

I'm just going.

But now watch scriptures.

Folks, I wrote this.

What, hey, and I and I believe this.

God's word, God's word always confirms God's way.

You want to write that down?

God's word always confirms God's way.

Always.

You shall know, hey, my will when you, hey, know and do my doctrine.

John 7, 17.

Thy word, you know this one is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path.

Psalms 119, 105.

Alright, number two, prayer.

Prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18.

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In everything, through prayer.

In everything, give thanks.

For this is the will of God concerning you.

In Christ Jesus concerning you.

Pray.

Jesus said men ought to always pray and not to faint, not to give up.

Luke 18, 1.

And then number three, counsel of godly people.

Watch this.

Proverbs 11, 14.

I love this.

Proverbs 11, 14 says, where there is no counsel, the people fall.

But in the multitude of counselors is safety.

Woo! Hello.

Thank God for godly counselors.

Thank God for godly men and women that can give you godly counsel.

Guess what?

Where does godly counsel come from?

The word of God.

Thy testimonies are my counselors.

That's so good.

I like Proverbs 12, 15.

The way of a fool.

Uh-oh.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.

Hello.

But bless those who heed the counsel, godly counsel.

Amen.

Then, number four, circumstances.

Romans 8.28, for we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

Circumstances will always be used by God to not just confirm his will, but light the path of his will.

Remember, Joseph, you meant it for evil, but what?

God meant it for good.

Even negative circumstances can be used for, hey, God's direction in our lives.

When I left temple, I had no idea what I was going to do.

Well, I did.

I knew what, my, and I was a fool.

I was.

Hey, 1215, that was me.

I was going to go buy a surpro and build a surpro and be an evangelist.

Josh, hey, Jason, surprob are awesome.

I'm just talking about I was out of the wheel because I wasn't supposed to do that.

I love my surpro, but I love Benji.

I love Jason.

Just God uses y'all in such a way.

David Wilson Surpro webs was his platform for ministry.

But because of godly counsel, my best friend, David Wilson, and he was in the business of selling surpros.

He said, that's not what you ought to do.

You need to help me come build a church.

I said, build a church.

You mean planet from scratch?

He said, yeah.

I said, that's hard work.

I'm trying to, I'm 58, I'm trying to go to the other side.

You've heard the story.

He said, well, you said you were in your prime, and I said, I lied.

But I heeded godly counsel.

David Wilson and my wife.

My wife was very compassionate and loving and caring.

She looks me in the face and she says, Ah, we'll never help you build a serpo.

Not quite that bad, but it was close.

No, it wasn't.

She got her point across.

Yeah, between her and David, she did.

What I'm saying is, folks, godly counsel, circumstances, two things happened to me right there.

Circumstances and godly counsel is how God used that to bring me here.

Now, watch this.

Here's the fifth thing.

My desire.

Now notice I use my desire last.

There's a reason for that.

Psalms 37, 4 and 5 says, Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he'll give you the desires of your heart.

Come on, Dave.

Now what?

But verse 5, you can never quote verse 4 or that 5.

Most people do.

See, here's the real answer to those delight yourself in the Lord, and he'll get you know how you get your desires through verse 5.

You know what verse 5 says?

Commit thy ways unto the Lord.

Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

It's that encouragement from God saying, Hey, he encourages to go, hey, I'm gonna give you the desires of your heart, but you got to do it my way.

He changes your desires.

See, you shouldn't have the same desires, hey, you had after you got saved.

Hello.

Your number one desire after you get saved is not to please you, but to please God.

That's true salvation.

Now, guess what?

Some of those desires may, you say, hey, I wanted to be a great athlete.

Those desires may come true.

You want to be a great business owner, those can come true.

But the key is he's first.

Because he knows already your heart.

God knows your heart.

He knows what's in your heart, he knows the secrets of your heart.

He knows what you think before you even think it.

So he already knows what's there.

All he wants you to do now is to use what's there because he's the one that placed it there for his glory.

Well, that's why there moves dirt.

Amen.

Hey, most of us don't want to give, give in to the Lord.

You know what I used to think?

I know God's gonna, if I really surrender, God's sending me to Africa.

And Ben would say, What's wrong with that?

That's not true.

God wants your want-to.

And once you get your want-to, he knows what you need and what you want and what you like.

You say, how does he always know that?

He created you.

You're gonna see this in a minute.

Is that good or is that good?

I just showed scripturally how we find the will of God.

Number two.

Under.

Claiming God's promises is claim God's power and presence for your life.

Look at verse 5.

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.

Can I get one amen?

No one will be able to stand against you.

Do you realize that if you're doing what God, that's why every once in a while, when people come against us and things happen here, you know what I realize?

No one can stand against what God wants done.

It may seem like there are, but in the end, they're going down.

Ask Egypt, ask Pharaoh, they drown.

Notice what he said.

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.

I will be with you.

Just as I was with Moses, I will not leave you in a second.

Gotta go, gotta go.

Now listen, God will not send us where God cannot sustain us.

That's good.

God will not send us where God cannot sustain us.

Amen.

Everywhere he sends you, he's gonna provide.

That's good.

That is so good.

Now, watch here.

Joshua had to move forward.

Do you know why?

Let me tell you why Joshua had to move forward.

Number one, I wrote this to myself.

Joshua, Joshua had to move forward for Joshua's sake to show that God can work through him as well as Moses.

God's not limited to a person.

Can I get an amen?

My best friend's with the Lord right now.

Benji and Brady had the largest year in Serpros history here.

You know why?

Because God said to Benji and Brady, okay, your dad's with me.

Step up to the plate.

It's time.

Hello.

Jonathan Falwell, Dr.

Falwell died.

Jonathan was ready, stepped up to the plate.

Did he feel inadequate, insecure?

Oh, all of that.

Did the boys feel that way?

I'm sure.

Now, I'm kind of like Falwell, they wouldn't tell you they fell.

Maybe they would, but I'm sure they did.

But they stepped to the plate and hit the ball out of the park.

Why?

Why were they able to do that?

They were prepared, they were teachable, and they were available.

Let me tell you something, young people.

Look at me.

Look at me.

If you don't prepare and you're not teachable, you will fail.

You will fail.

And adults also.

You will fail.

You know what'll happen?

You'll just wander in the wilderness and wonder the whole time, you wonder why, why, why, why me?

Why is this happening to me?

It seems like I just have blind look all the time.

Nothing goes right for me.

You ever thought about Joseph?

13 years in, have you spent 13 years in prison?

Folks and blues.

Huh?

Hello, come on, come on.

Why?

Ladies and gentlemen, God is an encouraging God.

God is a God that wants you to succeed, not fail.

God did not want the Israelites to wander in the wilderness 40 years.

They chose to, not God.

So you choose to wander, not God.

Been there.

I can have a pity party as well as anybody.

Nobody cares.

Lord, I just give, give, give, give.

Nobody cares.

Nobody appreciates me.

And the Lord says, so what?

Why are you worried about what they think?

Hello?

My expectations is where?

You know what he says?

He says, Why are you worried about them?

Are you pleasing me?

That's the question.

If you're pleasing me, don't worry about them.

Guess what?

Some of them may not even be up here.

Hello.

You're not going to stand before them.

You're going to stand before me.

Are you pleasing me?

Don't worry about them.

Worry about me.

Boy, that's good.

That's liberating.

That means since their fluffy head and dick and potato head, when they throw those spears at me, they just go right on by.

Love you.

You are not giving me an answer.

I'll give you one.

Scripture.

Watch.

Joshua had to win because of, hey, his sake, but the people's sake.

God can use any vessel.

Any vessel.

Any vessel.

God can use any vessel.

Any old bush you do when God is in it.

Remember?

And then he had to, hey, he had to win because of God's sake.

It is God and not man that gives a victory.

Can I get an amen?

What does God's presence give me?

Are you ready?

I want you to see this.

Go to Hebrews chapter 13, verses 5 and 6, Jason.

Hebrews 13:5

If I think I have it on there.

If not, they got to see this.

What does God's presence give me?

Are you ready?

Number one?

Watch this.

Let your conduct be without covenants.

Be content with such things as you have, for God is saying, now here's the key verse, verse 6.

I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Alright?

Then verse 6.

We may boldly say, The Lord is my heifer.

I will not fear what man can do.

Here it is.

What does God leave those verses right there?

This is so good.

Number one, confidence.

We may boldly say.

God's presence gives us confidence.

Can I get an amen?

The righteous are bold and have confidence because of Christ.

Ephesians 3.12.

The righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28.1.

Notice the second thing we have.

Not only do we have confidence, we have the right perspective.

Look at verse 6.

The Lord is my helper.

We have the right perspective.

Joshua 1.5.

The Lord is my helper.

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.

I will be with you just as I was with Moses.

I would not leave you nor forsake you.

You have the right perspective.

You're not doing this alone.

Can I get an amen?

You're not doing this alone.

Hey, I will not leave you what?

Comfortless.

John 14, 18.

I'm sending you my helper, the Holy Spirit.

And then look at the third thing.

You have peace.

I will not fear man.

Wow.

Number four, you have courage.

What can man do unto me?

Man, that's good.

You have a life of confidence.

I wrote this to myself this morning.

A life of confidence, a life of companionship, a life of contentment, and a life of courage.

Is that not?

That's a message within itself.

Reminds me of the little boy.

Five years old, and his dad, his mother died.

And that night they were home and the dad was in the bedroom telling his little boy, and you know, mama's in heaven, and we'll see mama again.

He thought he had the boy kind of calmed down, so he went to his bed.

Next thing you know, the little boy was upset and came into his bedroom and said, Dad, can I get in bed with you?

He said, Sure, son, come on.

He got in bed with his dad and it was completely dark.

Well, his dad turned out light and it was completely dark.

And the little boy said, Dad?

Is your face toward me?

He said, Yes, son, it is.

And the little boy raised his two little hands up and felt his dad's face looking at him.

And he said, Now I can go to sleep.

Our father's face.

It's looking at us.

It's turned toward us.

It never turns away.

We can go to sleep.

We can have courage.

We can have peace.

We can have the right perspective.

Because he never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Reminds me of the couple been married 45 years.

They were riding down the road one day and the lady was on her side and the guy driving the car.

And the wife spoke up and she said, Honey, you remember 40 years ago we used to sit so close together.

Seems like all these years I've just we just kind of kind of going apart.

Man still driving hadn't said a word, and all of a sudden he just said, Sugar?

I haven't moved.

Isn't it amazing?

God's never moved.

If you feel a distance, it's not because he's moved.

It's because we've moved.

Amen.

Oh me.

And then the third thing.

Prosperity and success for our lives, verses seven through nine.

Told you.

Loaded with promises.

Loaded with promises.

God enlists us into his family.

Do you believe that?

You've not chosen me, but I've what?

I've chosen you.

John 15, 60.

You go to Genesis.

We are made in what?

The image of who?

God Himself.

You remember that?

God enlists us, God equips us to be successful.

We're created in His image.

And then verse 28 in Genesis 1, He expects us to be successful.

Go, be fruitful, and multiply, and ye shall dwell and have dominion over the earth.

And he expects us to be successful.

Can I get an amen?

The book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest deserve to do according to all that's written therein.

Then shall I make the way successful, prosperous.

And then the last point, and I'm through.

Being a spirit-filled Christian should make us more successful than not being one.

Can I get an amen?

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance against this.

There's nothing to contend with.

Wow, that's good.

So, number one, let go of the past.

Number two, claim God's promises.

Claim God's will for my life.

Claim God's power and presence for my life.

Verse five.

And then claim God's prosperity and success for my life.

Verses seven through nine.

God equips us to be successful.

God expects us to be successful.

And then the last thing.

And boy, this is so good.

Meet God's.

Hey, do God's plans.

Here's his plans, verse eight.

Ready?

Two things.

One, study the scripture.

The book of law shall not depart out of your mouth.

All scriptures given by the inspiration of God, profitable for doctrine, reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Verse 17, that the man or woman of God may be complete to do God's will.

God's word teaches us what's right, what's not right, how to get right, how to stay right.

That's what it says.

Amen.

You got another book.

That's why I love a wana.

Somebody says, what is a wana?

I said, it's the best Bible teaching children's program in the world.

I'm radically sold on Iwana.

Right?

Matt, Jen?

And they're working on a program right now that even our seniors, junior after you graduate from sixth grade, but we're going to do it on an individual basis where they can go all the way through, if they kind of like a home study of Wana Two, that they'll get scholarship money to go to college.

Hello?

You need your kids in a wana.

I beg you.

I beg you.

Oh, it's awesome.

You need your children and you need those teenagers in that youth group.

All right.

Then number two, obey God's word.

If you're willing and obedient, you should eat the good land.

If you refuse, rebel.

You should be devoured by the sword.

Isaiah 1, 19 and 20.

Be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Now here it goes.

One, study scripture.

Two, obey God.

To study God's word effectively, here's what I must know it in my head.

You gotta memorize it.

You may want to write this down.

This is something else God gave me.

I get studying so much I can't put it all in.

This is a little thing I put for myself.

Know it in my head.

Thy word of a hidden in my heart that I might not sin against God.

Psalms 119, 11.

Stow it, know it in my head, stow it in my heart.

Meditation.

Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy words were unto me, the joy and rejoicing of my heart, for I'm called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts, Jeremiah 15, 16.

Then show it in my life.

Walking Bible, doers of the word, James 1.22.

And then sow it in the world.

Luke 8.11, his the word of God is the seed is the word of God.

We're to sow it everywhere we go, preach it everywhere we go.

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Know it in my head, stow it in my heart, show it in my life, and show it in the world.

That's evangelism.

And then I'm through.

Victory is the byproduct of obedience.

Let me repeat that.

Victory is the byproduct of obedience.

Number three, strong and courageous.

Verse six and nine.

Strong and courageous.

Study the scriptures, obey God.

And then number three, strong and courageous.

I wrote a few things down about courage.

It's easier to have courage when it's for someone else.

Is that not true?

Think about that.

You go in the hospital, which I Rick and I go all the time, and we go in to pray for someone, and man, we'll read a few scriptures, we'll pray so courageously.

What if that person in the bed said, Well, don't you get up?

I'm gonna get up and put you in the bed and I'll pray for you.

Especially if it's surgery.

Huh?

Wait a minute.

Wait, wait, let's think about this now.

You know the difference between major and minor minor surgery, don't you?

Major is major surgery if it's you, minor if it's somebody else.

Amen.

And then the other statement I wrote down.

It's easier to have courage when we realize God is with us.

1 Samuel 17, 47, the battle is the Lord's.

The battle is the Lord's.

When I was growing up, he spoke at liberty when I was a student several times.

Was telling about him telling the story of his little grandson about David and Goliath.

And he told the story, and then at the end of the story, he said to his little grandson, he asked him the question.

Timmy, who had more courage?

David?

Timothy said, Tim said, Goliath.

Zig went.

So he said, Whew.

I better tell the story again.

Maybe I'll lift out something.

Have you ever done that?

You told your children something and they just didn't get what you wanted them to get.

So he tells it again, and then in the story again, he said, Tim, now who has more courage?

He said, Dad, Papa, are you crazy?

Don't you understand?

Zeke said, No, I don't understand.

He said, Oh, Papa, it takes a lot more courage to go into battle without God.

Now, who really got it?

Pim.

Takes a lot more courage to go into battle without God than it does to go into battle with God.

David had God.

Goliath had nobody.

Let me ask you this morning.

How many times have you gone into battle without God?

If you have nine times out of ten, you've lost.

But I got good news.

If you'll go into battle with God, you'll never lose.

Because he says he'll turn back your enemies.

They can't stand against you.

Man, is that not awesome?

Is that not awesome?

We serve an awesome God.