WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.200 If you have your Bibles, I wonder if you can turn with me to Joshua chapter 7. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:10.880 Joshua is a leader who takes Israel into the promised land after the previous generation has come out of Egypt. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.839 And as they go in, it's harder than they would expect. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:17.440 How many of you know that sometimes following God is harder than you would expect? 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:19.839 And in that place, he leads them. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:22.239 But here's what it says in Joshua 7, verse 2. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.039 It says, Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to I. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:26.399 Some people like to say Ai. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:27.839 Y'all, it was here in the Bible. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:29.440 People think things are new, it's not new. 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:30.399 It's right here. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:33.759 Which was near Bethaven to the east of Bethel. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.320 And he told them, Go up and spy out the region. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:38.560 So the men went and they spied it out. 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:42.719 And when they returned to Joshua, they said, Man, this army isn't even that big. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:45.280 Send two or three thousand men and we'll take them out. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.560 Don't even send the whole army. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:47.759 Let's not wear them out. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:52.880 They're like, Man, God has told us to possess this land, and this this city is kind of small. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:54.880 So let's just send a couple of people. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:07.599 So they sent about three thousand, and they were routed by the men of I, who killed about thirty-six of them, and they chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.280 At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:16.959 And Joshua tore his clothes and he fell face down to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there until evening. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:18.560 And the elders did the same. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:24.560 And Joshua said, Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you even bring us across the Jordan? 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:28.719 To deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:33.359 If only we had been content to stay on the other side. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:39.760 If only we had been content to stay on the other side, pardon your servant, Lord, what can I say now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:44.319 The Canaanites, the people of this country, will hear that we have been surrounded and wipe us out. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.439 What then will you do for your own great name? 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:51.840 If you're taking notes, I want to preach, teach, encourage, exhort from this title of the day. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:52.959 Don't go back. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:54.159 Don't go back. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:55.760 In fact, will you help me preach today? 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:57.840 Will you turn to your neighbor and say, Don't go back? 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:00.079 Come on, can you turn to your neighbor and say don't go back? 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:01.120 Can you turn to your other neighbor? 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:04.400 Because the other one might be a little bougie and just say, Don't go back. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:05.760 Don't go back, don't go back. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:11.039 God, I want to pray that you'll give us the ability today, the courage today to step into everything that you have for us. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:11.919 We love you, we praise you. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:14.960 Jesus' name and everybody said amen and amen. 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:17.280 You can go ahead and grab your seats. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:18.879 Don't go back, don't go back. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:20.560 Don't go back. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.919 Uh I got a question for you guys. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:28.240 How many of you would be honest enough to be in the room and you would say that you do not like traveling? 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:32.800 Anyone that does not like traveling, you do not like the airports, you do not like going places. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:37.759 I don't know if you've noticed this in the series on waiting, but I got major beef with the airport. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:38.240 Okay? 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.879 I do not like going to the airport. 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:42.000 Now, I do not like traveling. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:43.039 Now, I'll be honest. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.280 I love arriving at destinations. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:50.159 Like, man, I love getting there, smelling the crisp air when I walk out of the plane saying aloha. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:50.879 Like, I love that. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.319 I just do not like the process of traveling. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:59.360 You know, I'll talk to people and they'll say, Man, you know, I'm a Christian, I follow Christ, like I'm really patient. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:03.199 Okay, that's easy to say when you come out of a Bible study. 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:07.439 That's really hard when you spend six hours in the airport. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:11.520 How many of you know TSA lines can do something to you? 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:13.039 Like it can do something to you. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:17.759 Or when you get to the front of security and then the person realizes that they've had the laptop in their bag this entire time. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:19.919 Now they're holding up everything because they need to take it out. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:21.680 I do not like the airports. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:22.479 Nothing about it. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:26.960 I believe that airports are God's greatest sanctification stations. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.400 They're just there to work on your sanctification. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:33.680 Because there's things that happen that you just aren't gonna understand. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.080 There's things when I'm taking off that I don't understand. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:39.120 There's things about taxi, takeoff, and landing that I don't understand. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:40.000 Here's one of them. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:45.439 I'll be working on my computer, and a flight attendant would come and say, sir, I need you to put your computer away. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:46.560 And I'm like, why? 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:52.400 How is it my computer is a dangerous projectile, but my iPad is fine. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:54.879 Anyone, or like another one, sir? 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.280 I need your seat in the upright position. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:01.360 Upright, like I'll be sleeping, and like I get great sleep on a plane. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:07.680 I've got two kids, so like when I'm sleeping on the plane, I'm like, this is bliss, and they're like, sir, sir, and I'm like, we're going down, and they're like, no, no, no. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:10.080 I just need your seat in the upright position. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:11.120 And I'm like, how? 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:12.479 How is it? 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:14.159 It's not a lazy boy. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:16.639 Like, how is this safe? 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:17.839 But this ain't safe. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.000 Like, this is safe, but this ain't safe. 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:23.439 They're like, no, no, no, I need you to put it in the the upright position. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:25.120 But here's the truth. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:30.480 I can handle TSA, I can handle the security lines, I can put my seat in the upright position. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:36.319 You know, I can do I can do all of that as long as you don't put me in one seat. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:38.319 Like I can do all of that stuff. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:39.759 Y'all, that y'all know. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:41.199 Where are my aisle people at? 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.279 Man, I love the aisle seat. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.800 I can stretch out my my legs, you know, into that little walkway until like the card hits it, and you're like, oh my bad, my bad. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.879 But if I want to go to the bathroom, that's the real one. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:53.360 Y'all know that. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:54.079 That's the real one. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:55.920 I I I love the aisle seat. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:58.399 I'm I'm actually okay with the window seat. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:00.079 I don't mind the window seat. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.639 Now I'm not gonna ask them to move to go to the bathroom because I'm saved, so I'm just gonna hold it the entire time. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:11.279 But I love the window seat, I can stare out at God's creation, you know, take photos, I can sleep on that wall. 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.360 Yeah, that's the clut that's clutch. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:15.120 Like if you're in that wall, you can you can see. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:19.279 I I can handle the aisle, I can handle the window seat. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:26.720 As long as you don't put me in the middle. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:30.000 And the team is being really kind because you all know it's actually like this. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:32.000 This is actually what it's like. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:33.600 It's like purgatory in this moment. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:36.480 And you know, when you're in the middle seat, there's there's not much you can do. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:38.560 Like these armrests, they're theirs. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.040 So you can't you don't get to sit like you have a throne. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:41.920 It doesn't work like that. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:50.560 You sit like this, and inevitably, this person is a talker, and they want to know your entire life story and what you do for work, and then you're like, am I gonna tell them that I'm actually a pastor? 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:51.600 Because then they're gonna be like, what? 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.839 And they're gonna ask me 3,000 questions, and I'm like, oh, what am I? 00:05:54.000 --> 00:06:01.360 So I'm just in this place and I'm in the middle, and I don't like it, and it's uncomfortable and it's not the way that it needs to be, and I'm afraid. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:04.959 Most of life is spent in the uncomfortable middle. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.439 Most of your life is spent like that. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:10.959 Is anyone willing to admit that most of your life is here? 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:15.120 Most of my life isn't spent when I'm just getting started on what God has for me. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.519 Like, okay, I got saved, this is awesome. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:23.199 I'm starting reading my Bible, this is awesome, like I'm starting to do some stuff, but I'm not quite where God wants me yet. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.759 I can I can see the horizon, but I can't quite see the horizon. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.319 I'm not here, and I thank God I'm not where I used to be. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.319 But I know that I'm not where I'm supposed to be. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:41.199 And most of my life is spent in the uncomfortable middle, and we don't like the middle because the middle always requires a process. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:42.079 Say process. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:45.439 Middle always is gonna require a process, and we don't like that. 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:48.240 You see, I like the idea of losing weight. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:51.439 I just don't like going on a diet. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.879 I like the idea of being jacked, I just don't like going to the gym. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:07:03.920 I like the idea of a great marriage, but I don't want to do what it takes to allow people to come into my life, to get into community, to allow myself to be sharpened because I'd rather just stick away from that. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:08.879 I like the idea, college students, of having a six-figure job. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:12.959 You know, but we're not even being faithful at the Starbucks that we're at right now. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:17.519 We're like, how does how is God gonna bless us in the big things if we won't even do the little things? 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:23.120 I I like the idea of having incredible finances, but I don't like the idea of actually running a budget. 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:25.199 I want the blessing, but I don't want the budget. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:26.319 Can I get a good amen? 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:28.160 I want that blessing, but not that budget. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.199 We want the fruit without being rooted, we want the harvest without being planted. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:33.759 We want to experience something great but not build something great. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:38.639 We want the promise without the process, we want promotion without the pain, we want success without sacrifice. 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:50.079 We want all the blessings of God, but we need to know that to receive the promise of God, you have to go through the process of God, and the process of God is often spent in the middle. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:54.720 You see, the text that we're reading today, let me give you some context on this text. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:08:01.360 The people of God, the people of Israel have just crossed over the Jordan, they have defeated Jericho, and now they're trying to take on I. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:06.720 Okay, but before that, the people of Israel they got let out of Egypt. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:08.560 Like they are enslaved. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.720 God frees them, they cross through the Red Sea, the waters part, and get this. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:18.720 They walk through on dry land, and their enemies drown in the thing that God used to deliver them. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:20.560 That's like a sermon by itself. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:21.920 They're in that place. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:36.000 God gives them the Ten Commandments, they create the tabernacle, and then they walk to the promised land, and they are on the edge of the promised land, about to step into the thing that they're in the middle, but they're about to step into the thing that God has for them. 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:46.000 And they send 12 spies, and then they come back, and Joshua, who we just read about, who wrote the book of Joshua, Joshua and Caleb come back and they're like, We can take that land, God is with us. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:50.000 But then 10 come back and they say, We can't take that land. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.000 There are giants in that land. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:58.639 And they say, We look like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we look the same to them. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:00.879 And the people start hearing this, and I want you to get that. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:04.799 They have just been released from slavery, but because of the middle, I want you to watch what happens. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:11.120 Numbers 14, verse 2, it says this, if only we had died in Egypt or even in the wilderness, they complained. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:15.600 Why is the Lord taking us out of this country to die here in battle? 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.799 Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:21.919 Wouldn't it have been better for us to return to Egypt? 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:27.360 And they plotted among themselves, and they said, Let us choose a new leader and go back to Egypt. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.200 Turn to your neighbor and say, Don't go back. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.679 Say, don't go back, don't go back, don't go back. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.320 You see, they're edge, they're on the edge of the promise and they're gonna step in to possess it. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:45.519 The challenge is they get so afraid in the uncomfortable middle that they decide to go back to the thing that they were delivered from. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:55.840 Question: What would make you complain about going back to the very thing you complained to be delivered from? 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:03.840 Like, and what happens is now our praise report has become our prayer request again. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:06.960 You know, you're like, God deliver me, God, I'm playing, man. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:11.039 You complained and like, God deliver me from that toxic relationship, and he did. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.000 And now you're like, it's Friday night and I'm lonely. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:19.840 And you're like, I what would make someone go back to the thing that they prayed to get out of? 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:29.440 You're so thankful that God delivered you from that pornography addiction, from that alcohol addiction, from that substance abuse. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:40.240 But now life is getting hard, and what we'll say is, no, I I'm gonna go back to the thing that God once delivered me from, and we'll convince ourselves, but it's different because it's not as bad as it once was, and I'm not as addicted as it once was. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:48.080 So I'll just and we're going back to the thing because we're in the uncomfortable middle. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:49.679 The middle is hard. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:11:03.519 So the middle is hard, the middle is hard, and God gets so frustrated by the complaining that he gets them to wander 40 years in the desert, one year for every day they spent scouting for 40 years they enter. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:07.120 But then eventually, Joshua he leads them into the promised land. 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:14.399 They have this amazing victory at Jericho, and now Ai or I takes them out. 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:19.120 So Joshua says, Alas, sovereign Lord, why did you bring me here? 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:22.799 Why did you bring us across the Jordan to deliver us into their hands? 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:32.720 If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan, if only we never came, if only we didn't obey, we wouldn't be experiencing this hardship. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.120 And now Joshua, the one who was told, be strong and courageous. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.960 Not only by God, not only by people, not only by Moses. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:44.320 He didn't only hear it one time, two times, six times. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:55.759 The dude who took them over the Jordan, the dude who God used to defeat Jericho, now is experienced one loss and he wants to go back because the middle is harder than he expected. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:01.759 Sometimes when you're following God, the middle is going to be harder than you expect. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:09.840 You see, and I relate to Joshua because I think so often in my life I've been on the edge of stepping into the very thing that God has called me to step into. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.639 And what's crazy about God is in a moment God can do something. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:13.200 Do you agree? 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:15.919 Like in a moment you can step into something. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.279 Like you're praying, and in a moment you can become pregnant. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.600 In a moment you can step into that job. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.440 In a moment you can become saved. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.679 In a moment something can happen. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:32.399 But just because God allows you to step into something in a moment, it doesn't save you from having to go through the process. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.840 You see, I remember this when we moved to Phoenix, seven years praying. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:40.480 God, when is this gonna happen? 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:44.240 And then eventually it happened, and it happened in a moment. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.679 And we arrived and we unpacked everything, and it was awesome. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:51.200 And then once we unpacked, we looked at each other and we're like, now what? 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:56.799 It happened in a moment, but the second we arrived, then the hard work started. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:04.320 I think sometimes we think that if we step into the thing that we're praying about, that everything is gonna be fine. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:04.960 No, no, no. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:08.000 They stepped into the promised land and then the hard work started. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:15.120 And the challenge is sometimes when we're experiencing the hard things, we think that because I'm experiencing hard, it must mean God's not in it. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.200 No, hard was always part of the plan. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:21.200 So you're doubting God because what you're experiencing now is hard. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.960 It was always supposed to be hard. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.960 Jesus never promised that things would be easy, he promised that it would be challenging. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:28.240 In this life, you will have trouble. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.039 But take heart, for I have overcome the world. 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:32.080 That's what it says. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:35.279 So God has given them a land, but he still needed them to possess it. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.960 Joshua 6, verse 2. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:39.679 Get this. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:46.559 The Lord said to Joshua, see, I have delivered past tense, Jericho, into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:47.200 Watch this. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.159 God delivered it, but they still had to possess it. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.639 And often we think that if God says it, it's gonna be easy. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.879 He brought us together, it's gonna be easy. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:57.200 This marriage is God ordained, it's gonna be easy. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.360 He told me to start this business, it's gonna be easy. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:01.440 I wanted this miracle, baby, it's gonna be easy. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.679 And then when it's not easy, we think we misheard God. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:07.279 But God didn't promise that it would be easy. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:11.440 He promised it would be theirs, provided they keep walking and they do not quit. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:13.120 Turn to your neighbor and say, Don't go back. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:13.679 Don't go back. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:14.799 Don't go back. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:20.480 You see, God delivering it doesn't take you off the hook of you possessing it, and just because it's hard doesn't mean that God's not in it. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:31.039 But the enemy will often want to, he would want to confuse you, and he will get you to romanticize the past so you don't step into what God has in the future. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.759 You'll start thinking about all the great things that I used to. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:37.360 Man, it was so easy when I wasn't a Christian, and we'll romanticize what was. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:42.480 Because what we realize is that following God is actually hard. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:44.960 Deuteronomy 7, verse 22, it says this. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:45.840 I want you to watch this. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:51.519 The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little, say little, little by little. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:58.159 You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or wild animals will multiply around you. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:01.519 God is saying, we're gonna do this little by little because you're not ready for all of it. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:04.480 And sometimes we're so frustrated because we're not getting all of what God promised. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.360 You need to understand this. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.159 The delay is not punishment, it's actually the strategy. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:11.440 Over here, it was the strategy. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:12.879 God was saying, No, you're not ready yet. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:15.279 I need you to just trust me, I need you to keep walking. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:20.559 And here, I am here today to talk to anyone who is in this place and you're experiencing hard. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.559 You're walking in something hard, you're trying to follow God, and it's hard. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:26.320 It's more difficult than you expected. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:31.120 You feel like you're stuck in the middle and you're waiting and you're trying to do all the things, and you're like, why is this so hard? 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:35.360 Following Jesus, let me be the one to tell you the truth, it's hard. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:38.159 Reading your Bible, it's hard. 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.320 Praying every day, it's hard. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:45.679 Building community when someone rejects you, it's it's hard. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:47.759 It's so hard. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:56.960 And anyone that the enemy is convincing you to go back to what is familiar, to step back into what was comfortable, to step back into what is easy, I'm here to say, don't go back. 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:05.600 When we started our very first week in this series, we talked about what to do when you're waiting on God and you're not able to bring about the fruit. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:07.039 You're not able to bring about the result. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.240 And we said, when you're waiting on God, what you have to do is you have to work the weight. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:15.519 Last week, what we talked about is sometimes we're waiting on God, but we're not actually waiting on God, God is waiting on us. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.600 Because He has actually spoken to us and we're delaying because we're not being obedient. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.240 Today I'm here to talk to anyone who you've been obedient. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:28.159 You're walking, you're doing the thing, and it's hard, and the enemy is convincing you to try to go back. 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:29.679 I need you to know this. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:34.799 It might feel like a hard, a wrong turn, but it's actually just a hard road. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:37.440 Sometimes walking with God is hard. 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:40.639 And what I want to do is I want to give you three encouragements here today. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:41.360 Three encouragements. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:45.919 If you're taking notes and you're experiencing the heart of being stuck in the middle, I pray that this encourages you. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:49.039 The first thing is this hard is not a sign that you misheard God. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.559 Heart is not a sign that you misheard God. 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:56.320 Sometimes when we start following God, we think that things are gonna get easier, but it doesn't. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:57.519 Actually, it gets harder. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:59.360 And some of you, you said yes. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:08.400 Man, you you you stepped into the thing that God has called you to do, and now you've experienced your own eye, and the enemy is whispering and he's saying, Man, you missed God. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.480 You missed God, he's not gonna come through for you. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.279 I need you to know this. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:16.880 Hard is not God's way of telling you that you made a mistake, hard is just sometimes the terrain of the promised land. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.720 Hard is not God's way of telling you that you made a mistake. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:23.519 Sometimes hard is just the terrain of the promised land. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.839 That's exactly what happened to Joshua. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.039 He crosses over, he goes to Jericho, victory. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:31.680 Second battle, he goes to I, defeat. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.599 And then he's like, God, why? 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.119 Why am I in this place? 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:37.920 And my man is ready to uncross the Jordan. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:41.279 Like in that moment, he's like, God, this is hard. 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.319 I'm out. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:43.519 I miss you. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.200 This doesn't make any sense. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:51.599 You feel that you get married, you switch jobs, God calls you to move, to step into community, to lean into something, to break up with something, and then it gets hard. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.000 So what happens is the enemy is saying, God's not in it. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:55.119 You misheard. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:55.680 Know this. 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:00.000 I wrote this hard seasons after obedience does not automatically mean you misheard God. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:05.359 They may just mean you're in the middle of processing something that was always gonna require a fight. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:10.400 You're in the middle of something that was always gonna require a fight. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.000 No one said it was gonna be easy. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:13.680 It was gonna be a process, say process. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.599 It is a process to possess everything that God has for you. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.240 I'll prove it. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:22.960 These Israelites, okay, they come out of Egypt and they're going through the wilderness. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.839 And in that moment, things get hard. 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:29.039 So what they say is they're like, God, please take me back. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:29.920 You need to know this. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:32.319 The second they came through the Red Sea, their status changed. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:32.960 They were now free. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:33.599 Do you agree? 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.720 The second you get saved, your status changed. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:37.200 Agree? 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:42.640 But just because they were out of Egypt doesn't mean Egypt was out of them. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.079 And my status is changed in a second. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:50.240 But it takes a process for my behavior to line up with my status. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.079 It takes a while for that to actually come out of me. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:54.640 Okay? 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.160 And I would know this. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.160 Because y'all, I'm a United States citizen. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:58.880 I don't know if you know this. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:00.880 I talk a little funny, but I'm a United States citizen. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:09.759 And I remember coming here, and I was a South African citizen, and I had to go through the process, and I took the test and I did the thing, and I pledged the allegiance, and I did all of that. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.240 And in a second, my status changed. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:14.000 I'm an American citizen. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.440 But how many of you know? 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:20.559 Just because my status changed didn't mean I acted like an American. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:24.319 I still say things funny, I still do things funny. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:30.880 Like I remember going through all of our national holidays, and someone would come up to me and they would say, What do they do in South Africa for the Fourth of July? 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:32.960 And I was like, Man, I need to tell you this. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.680 South Africa is really excited about Americans' independence. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:37.599 But we're kind of more excited with our own independence. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:41.119 So we celebrate our independence and we just like give you a little hand clap on the 4th of July. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.599 Like, we don't celebrate all the things that you celebrate. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.400 Memorial Day. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:47.039 Like, like I had to learn what all of these things were. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.000 Thanksgiving. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.599 Man, I did it so wrong. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:52.480 And y'all now, 4th of July, oh, I celebrate it. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.400 You like I do it right. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:58.640 Pool, grill out, top gun, the whole thing. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:00.240 Top gun maverick. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.680 Let me reintroduce myself. 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.559 My name is Brad, and I'm a United States citizen. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:12.640 It took a second for my behavior to line up with my status. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:15.519 It's the same when you start following God. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:17.039 You are freed in a moment. 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:22.880 And sometimes we become so defeated because we feel like we're not acting the way that our we're not acting out of our status. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:23.920 It takes time. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:26.559 We need to allow the Holy Spirit to continue to work in us. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:29.839 Just because it's hard doesn't mean that you misheard God. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.240 But I think one element of that that's important is this. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:36.079 It may not mean that you misheard God, but it may be a sign that there's unrepentant sin. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:47.599 You see, because the reason they actually lost this battle, if you look at Joshua 7, 10 to 12, the reason they lost this battle was because someone in the army had actually stolen gold and silver and a robe and he put it under their tent. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:49.920 And because there was sin in the camp, they lost the battle. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:56.400 And I think so often, yes, sometimes things are hard because they're hard, but sometimes things are hard because of the sin that exists in our lives. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.000 And my question for you today is this: what is under your tent? 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:04.960 Like Achan, that hid a bunch of stuff under his tent, what have we hidden? 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:13.279 And can we come to a place where that secret shame, that sin, that addiction, that thing that we're struggling with, can we bring it out of the tent and bring it into the light? 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.759 Because the thing that I love about God is just because there was sin in the camp, God didn't say you're out. 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:20.000 He didn't say you're done. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:21.759 What he said was, no, no, no, no, no. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:27.359 Bring it to me, get up, repent of that thing, and keep moving forward because there is still a promise that I have for you. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:32.319 Just because we make a mistake, just because we sin, it doesn't mean that we are no longer in the grace of God. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.880 We need to repent and keep going. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:40.640 Just because it's hard doesn't mean that you misheard God. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:43.839 The second thing is this hard doesn't mean that God left you. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.240 Hard doesn't mean that God left you. 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:52.319 When life gets hard, when we're waiting, often we can feel like we're so alone and we're like, man, I just don't feel like God is with me. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.400 Anyone ever had a bad day? 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.200 Yeah. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:56.880 Anyone ever had a bad year? 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:58.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759 And often when things get hard, you have these moments. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.599 We were like, man, God's not in this. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.519 Okay, God's not with me. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:07.839 I remember a couple years back, I was working in Houston and I was driving. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:11.759 Now, some of you need to know about Houston is Houston has the spiritual gift of traffic. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.839 Okay, Houston's traffic is crazy. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:17.119 We lived off the Katy Freeway, which was 26 lanes wide. 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.759 And we would often drive to work and we would get on the H of V lane. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:20.960 You know, Paige and I would be working together. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:23.279 We're like, okay, cool, we're doing the thing, we're gonna go the HOV lane. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:26.079 And we'll get on the H of V lane and it became a habit. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:29.440 And I remember one day, Paige wasn't with me. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.480 And I did my thing and I got on that HOV lane. 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.759 Now it's not like the HOV lanes here in Phoenix, they are barricaded. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:38.640 So if you get on that HOV lane, you are stuck. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:42.640 And in that moment, I'm on that H of V lane and y'all, I am interceding. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.400 I'm like, oh Lord, help me. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:45.920 Lord, may there not be a cop. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.200 Father, forgive me. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:48.559 I do not know what I do. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:49.920 I didn't mean to do this. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.440 Lord, I just need you to show up. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:53.279 And then I'm like, oh my gosh, that's a cop car. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:56.720 I'm like, God, I know you can make see blind eyes see, make seeing eyes blind. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:58.000 Lord, may he please not see me. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:03.200 Lord Jesus, may and he is looking at the car and the car and the car, and then he sees me and he gets into his car. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:06.079 And I'm like, oh Lord, may it be the person in front of me. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:08.079 Oh Lord, may it be the person behind me. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.200 He pulls right behind me, turns on the light, and I'm like, man. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:14.960 I pull, pull up, and I do my window, do the whole thing. 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:16.079 He walks up. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:19.759 He's like, sir, do you know why I stopped you? 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:22.880 Like, yes, sir, I'm in a HOV lane. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:24.480 And he said, You know what that means? 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.039 I'm like, so I'm not from America, but I do. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.559 He says, that's a high occupancy vehicle. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.759 Why do we say it that way? 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.319 Vehicle. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.519 It's a vehicle lane. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:36.160 And he says, and you are by yourself. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.640 And I'm like, sir, I'm a popular. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.160 I'm like, I'm not by myself. 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.359 Jesus is right here with me. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.039 He gave me a ticket. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:55.519 Um, I don't understand that. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.079 I don't understand that. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:56.720 I'm respectful. 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:00.319 But I had this moment when I'm driving off, it's funny. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:02.640 Sometimes we can feel like God is not with us. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:03.519 You need to know this. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:06.960 God never promised that he was gonna get you out of everything. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.880 He just promised that he was gonna be with you in everything. 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:15.039 My man, the cop, did not believe that, but Jesus was in fact with me. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:18.640 Just because it's hard doesn't mean that you are by yourself. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:23.279 Jesus is still with you in that very thing. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.079 He promises that. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.599 Joshua 1 verse 5, no one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:30.640 He says this, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.319 I will never leave you nor forsake you. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.599 Matthew 28, 20. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:40.000 As surely as I am with you always, this is Jesus saying it to us, I am with you to the very end of the age. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:43.599 God doesn't mean that God has left you, but it may mean that he is developing you. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:46.880 Hard may mean that he is developing you. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:52.960 Sometimes we think that God's absence, we think that he is absent, but what actually it is, is it's actually his curriculum. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:56.240 Getting us to actually trust him in the hard. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:02.079 You see, the whole process of them taking over the promised land, God wasn't about just getting them to get into it. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:04.799 He was trying to help them hold on to it. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:08.480 There are people that had never fought in battle. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:10.240 Babylon is right over there. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.160 So God was saying, we're gonna do this little by little. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:13.519 We're gonna create some systems. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:18.559 I'm gonna help you with what you need to withstand the pressure that is gonna come and you will withstand. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:23.599 What it actually was more than anything, it was God developing them. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:27.599 That's why James says, consider it joy when you face trials of many kinds. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.240 Because the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:33.920 Let it finish its work, that you can be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:35.920 This is his development pathway. 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:37.359 Hard doesn't mean that you misheard God. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:40.000 Hard doesn't mean that God left you, and the final thing is this. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:42.079 Hard doesn't mean that it won't happen. 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:46.079 Hard has a voice. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:48.960 You misheard. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:51.200 You're stuck. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.519 It's always gonna be this way. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.680 You're never gonna be free. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.599 It's gonna be found out. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:01.599 And because of that, you will always be where you've always been. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:09.119 I think the thing that I love about God when I read this passage is we think that God would have changed his mind, but it's not true. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:09.680 He doesn't do that. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.359 Joshua 1, verse 2, it says this. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:13.039 Moses, my servant, is dead. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:19.759 Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people into the land across the Jordan River, into the land I am giving them. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.559 Present tense. 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:21.440 He's already done it. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.799 I promise you what I promised Moses. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:28.000 Wherever you set your foot, you will be on the land I have given you, past tense. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.119 God is saying, Man, this thing is already done. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:34.079 The promises that I have for your life are yes and amen. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:37.440 If it's in this word, it is a promise over your life. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:39.759 You just have to keep walking into it. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:45.440 Hard doesn't mean it won't happen, but it may mean that you need to persevere. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:47.200 Paul understood this. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:50.559 Galatians 6 or sign, he says, let us not grow weary in doing good. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.640 He doesn't say that you're not gonna get weary. 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:57.759 He just says make sure that you don't allow weariness to make your decisions. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.000 Like I've learned this in my life. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:02.880 When I am tired, it is the wrong time to make a decision. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.480 And I need to go to bed. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.480 I need to eat some food. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.400 I need to eat some more food. 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.960 And some more food. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:17.599 Let us not go weary in doing good, for at the proper time, unfortunately not your time. 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:23.440 His time, at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give it up. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:27.920 The only way to miss the harvest is to stop before it comes. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:31.440 The only way to guarantee to miss it is to go back. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:33.200 Turn to your neighbor and say, Don't go back. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.799 Don't go back. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:36.160 I know it's hard. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.359 Don't go back. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:39.200 I know it's hard to trust God. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.559 Don't go back. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:43.759 Keep moving forward on the things that it has for you. 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:44.559 I love how the story ends. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:46.000 Joshua 7, verse 10. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.720 It says this. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:48.640 The Lord said to Joshua, Stand up. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:50.480 What are you doing on your face? 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:56.559 He tells them Israel sinned, and he says this, verse 13, get up, command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:02.079 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says Hidden among you, O Israel, are the things set apart for the Lord. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:07.039 You will never defeat your enemies until you remove those things from among you. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:09.680 God's response is not sympathy. 00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:11.920 He's just saying, okay, get up. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.079 Deal with the thing. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:16.799 Say, God, forgive me, and then keep going. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:19.039 And I love how this book draws to a close. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:22.319 Joshua 21, this is towards the end of the book, it says this, verse 43. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:28.640 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:32.799 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:34.799 Not one of their enemies withstood them. 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:37.759 The Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:41.759 Not one of the Lord's good promises to Israel failed. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:45.200 Everyone was fulfilled. 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:49.680 Hard doesn't mean that you misheard God, but it may mean that there's some unrepented sin in your life. 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:53.200 Hard doesn't mean that God has left you, but it may mean that He is developing you. 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:57.200 Hard doesn't mean that it won't happen, but it may mean that you need to persevere. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.920 Hard doesn't mean that you need to go back. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:03.519 Sometimes we want to go back to Egypt because we survived it. 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:10.160 Some of us want to go back to the old habits because we knew how to live in it. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:14.000 Let me just say, you cannot possess what is in your past. 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:18.640 You can only step into what God has for you and your future. 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.559 Hard doesn't mean forever. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:22.319 It may mean it's not yet. 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:25.440 Hard doesn't mean it's over, but it guarantees, but giving up guarantees it is. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:28.640 Hard doesn't mean that you won't make it, but giving up guarantees you won't. 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:32.880 Hard doesn't mean the door is closed, but giving up means you will never find out. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:35.440 Don't go back. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.960 Turn to your neighbor, say, Don't go back. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:44.640 I was praying for you guys this week, and I didn't know who was going to be in this place. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:48.720 But there's some of you that are struggling as you're walking out into the things that God has for you. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:51.279 And I just want to encourage you, keep walking. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:57.519 Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time, you will reap a harvest if you do not quit. 00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:00.400 I don't know what kind of waiting season that you are in. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:08.319 But God sent this random guy from South Africa who is now a US citizen to tell you, don't go back. 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:10.079 Don't go back. 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:11.920 Will you do that for me? 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:12.799 Don't go back. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:15.200 Keep going forward in the things of God. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:16.640 I know it's hard. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.880 I know obeying him is hard. 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:20.000 Don't go back. 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:22.160 I know forgiving is hard. 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:23.279 Don't go back. 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:26.720 When you're bitter and they hurt you, don't go back. 00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:31.039 When you want to turn back to that addicted, don't go back. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:32.720 Get some people around you. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:34.640 Let them speak into you. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:35.920 Join a group. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.519 Don't go back. 00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:40.880 Lord Jesus, I thank you for every single person who's here. 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:43.920 I thank you, Father, for what you're doing in the life of our church. 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:47.680 I thank you, God, for the way that you were with Joshua's, the way that you're with us. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:49.759 And God, for every single person that's here. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:54.640 Lord, I pray that we won't romanticize our pasts, but we won't go back. 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.160 We won't go back to Egypt. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:58.720 We won't go back to where we were enslaved. 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:02.400 That we won't go back to the wilderness, but we'll just keep following you and everything that you have. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:04.160 Lord, we love you and we praise you. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:05.519 In Jesus' name. 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:12.079 But if your head still bowed and eyes closed, there might be some people here today, and we're talking about some things that can be hidden under our tents. 00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:18.319 And what I need you to know is that there is a savior of the world by the name of Jesus who died on a cross, so we don't have to hide those things anymore. 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:23.039 Some of you walked into church today and you were so afraid to come in here because you thought we're all just gonna judge you. 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:25.759 And let me just say that you are welcome here at Spirit. 00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:33.359 And there's a man by the name of Jesus who came to this earth, he lived a perfect life, he died on a cross so that every single one of us would not have to experience separation from God. 00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:41.759 And if you're here and you do not know this Jesus, and you're like, I want to take a step, I want to start walking with Jesus, I want to be forgiven of my sin. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:44.480 I want the shame to go away, I want this guilt to go away. 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:45.440 No one's looking around. 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:47.039 If that's you, I just want you to wave at me real quick. 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:47.519 Here we go. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:48.559 One, two, three. 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:50.720 If that's you, I'd love to celebrate that with you. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:53.119 It's awesome. 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:54.000 It's awesome. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.640 Pray this off to me. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:32:00.640 Just say, dear Jesus, I believe that you're the Son of God and the Savior of the world. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:06.720 I believe you came to this earth, you died on a cross, and you were raised that I can have life. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:10.400 Jesus, right now I make you my Lord, I make you my savior. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.920 In Jesus' name. 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:12.960 In Jesus' name. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:14.400 Hey, church, can you do me a favor? 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.200 Can you put your hands together? 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:18.000 Come on for everyone who said that for the first time. 00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:20.799 Hey, we love you so much. 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:27.839 And if you are watching and you just said yes to Jesus, congratulations, because this is the best decision you could ever make. 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:29.599 But you do have a next step. 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:38.079 If you just decided to follow Jesus, we want you to text the word Jesus to 480-485-3405. 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:41.839 Because our team has a 21-day devotional that we want to get in your hands. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:43.119 It's our gift to you. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:46.400 We don't want you to walk this journey alone. 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:52.000 And also, if this ministry has impacted you in any way, I would love to invite you to pray about two things. 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:59.519 First, pray about sharing this message with someone because you never know how much a simple share could make an impact in someone's life. 00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:09.680 And two, we would love for you to pray about partnering with what God is doing at Spirit here financially, because your giving enables us to share messages just like this with people all around the world. 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:13.920 And to do that, you can go to spiritchurch.co forward slash give. 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:16.720 Well, hey, we love you, and we will see you next week. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:20.000 Because remember, with God, there is more.