Sermon – “Strong Leadership”

here the word of the Lord now it came to pass a long time after the Lord had given rest to the 2 Israel from all their enemies around the bout that Joshua was all advanced in age I would call that well advanced in years surely last when I say that well advanced in years and Joshua called for all Israel for their elders for their heads for their judges for their officers and said to them I am old advanced in age you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all the nations because of you he didn’t take any credit he said you have seen you have witnessed with your eyes all that the Lord your God has done. To all the nations because of you that’s how much God loves Israel because if you are the LORD your God is He who fought for you see I have divided to you by lot these nations that remain to be an inheritance for your tribes from the Jordan with all the nations that have that I have cut off as far as the great sea westward and the Lord your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight so you policy you shall possess the land as a lord your God promised you therefore whenever there is of there for there there is a stipulation says the Lord will expel them from before you he will drive them out before you you shall possess the land but therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left and lest you go among that Monday’s nations these to remain among you you shall not make mention of the name of their gods I like that don’t even mention the name of these false gods don’t even mention don’t even give them that much credit don’t even mention the name of their gods nor cause anyone to swear by them you shall not serve them nor bow down to them. But you shall hold fast to the Lord your God as you have done to this day for the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations but as for you no one has been able to stand against you to this day one man of you shall chase a 1000 for the Lord your God is He who fights for you as he promised you think of that one man would drive away a 1000 of the enemies a 1000 of the Canaanites So 2 men would drive away 2010 men would drive away 10000 men 100 would drive away 800000 men you put a 1000 Israelites out there how many are going to drive away do the quick math a 1000000 a 1000 of them would drive away a 1000000 of the Canaanites that’s the Army I want to be on the one that’s got God on their side Amen that’s how powerful and awesome Our God is

I think the Gideon we never get him was going to go into battle when he had I think 30000 got to take him down or tell many Arabs afraid to let him go so they left and I think they wound up with only 300 men

because God is going to fight the battle not the men not us he doesn’t verse 11 therefore take careful heed to yourselves that you love the Lord your God

or else if indeed you do go back and cling to the remnant of these nations these that remain among you and make marriage with them and go into them and they with you know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you but they shall be a snare and a trap to you and scurry jizz on your side and thorns in your eyes until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given to you and a man to make God at His blessing so the hearing and the reading of His Holy Word that is pray. Grace gracious and great Heavenly Father we praise you and we magnify you Father we thank you that there is nothing that is impossible for you and it you are a strong and mighty God and Father we thank you that we can rely on you and trust that you will watch out for such you will protect us that you will provide the land for us that you will provide all that we need and or God You ask for obedience you ask for faithfulness you ask for trust and father may we trust you with all of our lives with everything that we are may we trust you may your spirit be in this place today and Lord sister just speak to our hearts and help us to receive what you have for us for Your glory in Jesus’ name amen you know as I think it’s interesting as we study the Bible we see so many different types of people so many different types of people that God works through many men and women that we consider heroes of the faith

they are far from perfect right know God has worked through those that are murderers

his work through those who were that were emotionally unstable some suffered with depression God worked through the sexually promiscuous people he worked with people that struggled with that anger struggled with patience he is worked through those it broke the law

but for me this is just proof that God works through imperfect people so there is hope for us because it works that way imperfect people but you know there are a few when you search out the strip scripture that seem to have an impeccable record of faith I think of Daniel

from the everything you read about Daniel All I see is faithfulness. Faithfulness to trust God faithfulness to walk in His ways when he and his 3 friends were 1st carried into captivity he said to the to the Master please let us eat vegetables and just tries for 10 days he didn’t get arrogant say our We’re not going to do that says this test us in 10 days and see if we’re not fair than the other men faithfulness to follow God whenever the degree went out to not pray Daniel said I will trust I will be faithful to God He prayed and it got in Kessin the lion’s den

but the Lord closed their mouths I think of Daniel’s 3 friends Shadrach me 2nd to Bendigo there’s not a whole lot in Scripture about them but it definitely speaks of their faithfulness

they were so faithful to God There’s nothing is scripture the say that they was unfaithful. But then we look at today’s passages and Joshua

his farewell address what an amazing man of faith what an amazing man of courage

and one whose record again appears to be without blemish I have not found anything where Joshua would disobeyed God worry was angry where he was unfaithful I cannot find it in the scripture all I find is faithfulness concerning Joshua and a faithful and trusted leader for God obviously Joshua was not perfect

because it was not he who died upon the cross so he had a flawless but I don’t know what it was he was not perfect

you know I’ve heard State the statement before and some of you have probably heard it also that such and such was born to be a leader born leaders.

Some people truly at a very early age in your life seem to possess the traits of a natural born leader and you can often watch children and see one that stands out in Qana takes charge and is a natural leader it is true why I believe Joshua fit that mold he was seen probably born to be a leader because he was a great leader the very 1st mention of Joshua in the scriptures have him in the leadership position in Exodus Chapter 17 verses 99 and 10 and Moses said to Joshua choose some men choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand so Joshua fought the amount of kites and Moses as Moses had ordered and Moses and Aaron of her went to the top of the hill so is very 1st mention of Joshua he is the leader that’s going to take the men and fight the amount of kites So that is a leadership role the very 1st mention of him he was the leader of the Israelite army he was among the 12 spies that were sent in to spy out the land of Canaan they were sent in to see what the fruit of the land was like what the people was like what the land itself was like

What were the how could you imagine think about this we know that you know God delivered drove out the Canaanites in Israelites when in it could you imagine going into a land a country whatever. They already had the crops planted I mean I’m just saying you could go into an area they already had the crops planted the houses were built God drove the people out they couldn’t say well OK what do you want well let’s flip a coin for that one you take that would not take this one well the gardens already ready to produce so they could go in to the land they pick out their house pick out them go pick the harvest from the crops pick the grapes they may have even had their their oxen and their livestock I don’t know but God drove the Canaanites out gave them that land that would be an amazing wooden

houses already provided

many years before Joshua was farewell address

more than 40 years as a matter of fact

we know that God’s people their forefathers had disobey God

they were right there on the edge of the promised land

and God sentiment to spy out that land sea what kind of land it was going to be

has already said they were to seek it out but they chose leaders from each tribe 12 leaders they were courageous to go think about that they were courageous all went they were very courageous in going

you know the even when Aaron took some of the produce they could bring it back and show to the nation how large the I think a cluster of grapes was so large they had carried on a pole that’s how plentiful the land was so they did a good job going in spying out the land

but you know the responsibility of this group of 12 was not Jim just simply to spy out the land they were chosen because God chose them to trust in Him they chose him to be faithful to him he charged them to be leaders gave them a great responsibility

but that’s where most of the men in this group failed because you all know the story. 10 came back and gave a report of fear and doubt only 2 gave the challenging motion to move forward go when we can take the land

10

saw themselves as weak

but Joshua and Caleb said we can do it

so we can take the land they saw not only the land flowing with milk and honey but they had faith that God in his on the power could deliver them into that land could deep could chase out the sinful inhabitants of the land and give it to them

for as a problem is the others trusted in their own strength

they were trusting in their strength and not the power of God

God had promised them the land

1st 5 said and the Lord your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight so that you shall possess the land as the Lord your God had promised you

do you think God will ever come up short in a promise that he has made to you know because he is faithful because he is powerful God will never come short if there’s any shortcoming it is always on our side on our part

we are not to trust in our own strength

when you are standing before whatever mountain is before you whatever enemy is before you whatever circumstance before you what are you going to do.

Pray or are you going to doubt are you going to be fearful

Well if you’re going to be allowed your own strength you might be fearful but we must rely on God’s strength God’s power. 1st Corinthians one verses 22325 I ever go back to Corinthians for the Jews request the sign and Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block into the Greeks fully snus but to those who are called both Jews in Greeks Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God because a fully just foolishness of God is wiser than men and the witness of God is stronger than men the witness of God is stronger than any man or woman on the serve

when we stand before God When we trust in Him trust in his ways would seem like foolishness to the world

we will face oppositions friends we will face persecution

you can expect it but we need to be like Joshua and Caleb

to trust in God stand in faith stand in his strength not our own

whenever they come back from spine out the land now this is us as I said way before this farewell address this is the 1st time they got close to the promised land whenever they come back in the 10 spies gave the unfaithful report to the fearful report numbers $14639.00 it says but Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jeff Buna who were among those who had spotted out the land they tore their clothes and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel saying the land we passed through to spy out is exceedingly an exceedingly good land if the Lord delights in us then he will bring us into the land and give it to us a land which flows with milk and honey only do not rebel against the Lord. Nor fear the people of the land for they are our bread their protection has departed from them and the Lord is with us do not fear them

Joshua was speaking in faith their protection had departed from them and God is with us friends God is with you trust in him stand on his promises don’t doubt you no doubt in fear and lack of faith friends is rebellion against God

that that sink in a minute in our lives doubt and fear lack of faith is rebellion against God

please do not rebel against God

especially when it’s something he has promised

and he has promised us life Amen

when God led his people out of Egypt we know he parted the Red Sea He gave them the 10 commandments

God was willing then that they would have had a short trip into the Promised Land after leaving Egypt but the people rebelled against God they did not trust him

and there were consequences

because of 3rd does this belief or unbelief Instead of entering raid into the Promised Land we all know what happened 40 years that’s the consequences of rebellion may not be 40 years for us but they experience 40 years in the wilderness as a matter of fact everyone from 20 years of age and older passed away and did not enter into the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb.

In Numbers 1422 and 24 because all these men who have seen my glory in the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and up put me to to the test now these 10 times and have not heeded my voice they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers nor shall any of them who rejected me see it but my servant calle I’m because he has a different spirit in him and has followed or yeah followed me faithfully I will bring into the land where he went and his descendants shall inherit it and also Joshua went with them

Marian rush identifies tough issues that every Christian leader will face in a magazine the new leader.

Ponder these and listen to these if you’re going to be a leader in a church or a leader you must be willing to stand alone

you must be willing to go against public opinion in order to promote what you believe you must be willing to risk failure

you must become master of your emotions you must strive to remain above reproach you must be willing to make decisions others do not want to make you must be willing to say no at times even when you like to say yes you must sometimes be willing to sacrifice personal winters for the good of the group

you must never be content with average you must always strive for the best you must be more important people must be more important to you then possessions you have to work harder to keep your life in balance than people who are not leaders

wise words

Joshua had been with Moses throughout the entire wilderness experience

he was actually with him even before

and he faithfully serve God and Moses leading in the leading the Israelites in many battles. Conquering many regions of Canaan

the Lord had finally given them rest from their enemies

the land had been distributed to the 12 tribes

but there were a few pockets of Canaanites left

that’s why he’s given this warning

there are still some that remain some areas that were still on conquered

Joshua knowing that his time on earth was coming to a close

well advanced in years as he said are well advanced in age he wanted to give the people warning encouragement he reminds them from the day that they left Egypt that God Himself had fought for the people that he is the one who delivered them from their enemies and he say and God has not failed you yet

not failed you yet but the promise is not completely fulfilled Joshua is challenging to people to be faithful to God That’s his challenge that day to the leaders be faithful to God continue to trust in Him He warns them that if they are unfaithful to obey God to abase Commandments and to believe his promises that there will be consequences but the challenge again was there for the very courageous to keep and do all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses best you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left unless you go among these nations those who remain among you you shall not make mention of their gods nor bow down to them but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God as you have done to this day my friends God does not allow us or want us to be worshipping other gods and him but we are to worship Him and Him alone the one true God

the warning verses $12.13. Or else if indeed you do go back in cling to the remnant of these nations these that remain among you and make marriage with them and go into them and they with you know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer draw these nations out from before you but they shall be snares and traps to you and scurry jizz on your side and thorns in your eyes until you perish from this good land which in order God has given you challenges and warnings

the most important thing was Israel remain separate remain a separate people remember last week I talked about influence and how important is to be a good influence and not allow others to influence us Joshua knew this Joshua knew the power of influence he knew that if the Jewish men began to marry the women from the Canaanites that was still living around them he knew what would happen he knew the influence that they would have in that household that they would eventually begin to worship the false gods Joshua knew this do not take them as your wives

you know a wise and faithful parent before they depart this earth will give words of wisdom to their children or their grandchildren

remember Jacob giving words of wisdom and blessing to Joseph children

a faithful parent a faithful servant a faithful leader will leave wise departing words before they pass this earth from this earth Joshua’s main concern was for the future of his people

that they would remain faithful to God continue to trust in him.

That they would keep God’s word cleave to the Lord God and love the Lord that’s his concern and that should be every Christian leaders concern that the church would be faithful to God trust in him love him with all their hearts in Deuteronomy Chapter 7 verses 9 and 10 says therefore know that the Lord your God He is God the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a 1000 generations with those who love him and keep His commandments

if you love God and keep His commandments he will be faithful he will keep covenant with you and he repays those who hate Him to their face to destroy them he will not be slack with him who hates him he will repay him to his face my friends we can add to that vengeance is his not ours our job is to love Him point others to him Leave the rest up to him

if they need repaid for the reveal let him take care of it not us less just love him in Joshua this to me is one of the greatest challenges in the Bible Joshua 241415 now therefore fear the Lord serve him in the in a sincere T. and in truth and put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the river and in Egypt and serve the Lord and if it seems able to you to serve the Lord choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve where the gods which your father served that are on the other side of the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Hallelujah.

That’s what we should be saying as for me in my house we will serve the Lord faithful leaders will say as for me and my family we will serve the Lord as for me and my house what an example of leadership we will serve the Lord we don’t need leaders in the church that are politically correct think about Joshua’s challenge don’t have nothing to do with those people who are able or wicked don’t take their wives or don’t take their women as wives my friends that is not political politically correct today

we need to be all inclusive except everybody

we need to be separate you know that Joshua was drawn a line or he drew a line you’re either on one side Alon or the other you’re either for God or you’re against him we cannot be in the middle we can’t jump back and forth

we must love God serve him and only him and be faithful to him and we need leaders that will speak that truth

and scoff sin by its right name

that’s a kind of leaders of God needs today

readers willing to take that stand and call truth what it is and call the lie what it is

be faithful to obeys commandments and walk in His ways and trust in Him and He will be faithful to you amen.