Do Not Be Afraid

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We're gonna start at verse 1. Joshua chapter 11. It says, When Jaban, king of Hazar, heard of this, he sent to Jobab, king of Madan, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Ashak, and to the kings who were in the northern hill country, and in Arabah, south of Chinnaroth, in the lowland, and Naphtodor of the west, to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizites, and the Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. And they came out with all their troops, a great horde in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. And all these kings joined forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Miram to fight with Israel. Today, for a short period of time, I want to talk about do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. October the 15th, excuse me, the 18th, 2015. I remember as it was yesterday. A frantic motion, doctors and surgeons were coming. Why? Because my children were being born. Truly, this normally is a very exciting moment, but you know what? They were being born too soon. It had not really been their time yet. And I remember the doctors, they were rushing in and rushing out, and I could hear the doctor saying, Oh, this doesn't look good. Oh, this is not a great situation. And I remember that day, I remember that night. Everything was running through my head. And eventually, Eliana Almas Moore was born. One pound 12 ounces. Mitchell Lamont Moore III was born one pound 15 ounces. Sisters and brothers, I remember when I walked into the NICU that evening. I looked upon them with wires all over their body. The sounds, the machines, the incubators, their chest going in and out. I remember how small they were. She wasn't assigned to my children. She came and tapped me on the shoulder and said, Everything is going to be alright. Oh no, no, she did not have a chart in her hand. She didn't have a clipboard with test results letting me know, letting her know what their diagnosis was. But she told me at that very moment that everything was going to be all right. And immediately at that moment, something began to shift inside. Sisters and brothers, I was not about to collapse. I began to pray fervently and more with vigor. And as you know, my twins are doing fine. Sisters and brothers, this is what we're facing right here in Joshua chapter 11. Here, Joshua is faced with insurmountable. Joshua, the people of Israel have just been 40 years wandering in the wilderness. Sisters and brothers, we must understand what has taken place. 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, a nation of slaves, and here they have just got through previously defeating Ai. They just got through defeating Jericho. They create an alliance with Gibeon. And now Joshua is faced with an insurmountable task. Why is he doing this? Why? Because the Northern king Jabin of Hazar, he got word about this people called Israel. He's got a word about all of the wars they have defeated, everybody they have turned down, everybody they have destroyed so quickly. So, brothers, look at the text here. Joshua, Jabin, king of Hazar, he says, I'm not gonna wait for them to come to me. I'm gonna go to them. Look at Jabin, the king of Hazar, he sent messengers, he sent messengers to Jabob Ameda, he sent messengers to Shimron. He sent messengers to the kings in the lowlands, he sent messengers to the kings in the hill country, he sent messengers to Arabah, he sent messengers to Naphtador, he sent messengers to the Canaanites, he sent messengers to the Jebusites, the Perizzites, the Hibites, resting in the Mount Hermon in the land of Mizpah. He sent messengers everywhere telling everybody now is the time to come and destroy this people called Israel. But I love the situation, Joshua. He's looking at an insurmountable situation. The Bible says, how many were there? It doesn't give a number. It says the sand of the seashore. You and I have heard that before. As many as the sand of the seashore. Don't you remember Abraham under the beautiful night sky? God telling Abraham he would give him descendants according to the sands of the sea. Don't you remember Solomon in his wisdom at the height of Israel's glory? He told them he will give him wisdom, and Israel will expand across the sea. That language relates to promise. Typically, that language goes with Israel. But now that very language, the sand of the sea is pointing right at Israel. But I love it here, sisters and brothers, at this very moment, with J Joshua, he's faced with an insurmountable obstacle. People from everywhere, horses and chariots from everywhere, standing on the waters of Miram. Look at Joshua, not knowing what to do. An insurmountable opportunity. But Joshua hears this last word come through the text. He says, Do not be afraid. But God is telling you, do not be afraid. Somebody's mirror today. Maybe a doctor's note. Telling you something is happening. Hear that word cancer. Not knowing what to do. Somebody's mirror is here. It's a job that you can't seem to get ahead. Financially, you're working over and over with your bills. Your money. Somebody's mirror. It could be a marriage. It's on the rocks. You go home. In fact, you divorce. Wondering how. Are you gonna live in a house meant for two, but now it's on you? Somebody's mirror is an addiction that you can't break. Trying to get over and overcome it, not wondering, Lord, I'm trying, I'm trying, but I just can't break it. Somebody's mirror may be a family member that you just lost the pain of grief. You don't know how to handle it. People are encouraging you, cards, words of encouragement, but you just don't know how to get by. Joshua stood at the waters and saw the army. Don't you know you can't hear the words? Do not be afraid if you don't see and face the calamity. You must be able to see the waters of the seashore of enemy and obstacles and tribulations in front of you for God to say those very words. Do not be afraid, sisters and brothers. Not only does not be afraid, look at what he says in the second part of verse 6. He says, Do not be afraid. Slain to Israel. For tomorrow at this time, I will give them over to you. God, he speaks, he confirms it before it happens. God says, you know what? I'm asking you to be prepared for battle. But before it even happens, I want you to know it's already done. Sisters and brothers, if you are going to walk in the faith of God, you and I must know no matter what comes your way, no matter what standing in the seashore, God is telling you, do not be afraid. What are you afraid of? Either you believe that God is God, or he's not God. He's either God or he's not God. If he's God, what in the world are you afraid of? You must determine within yourself. There's nothing to fear. Why? Because God is with me. Oh, sister and brother, let me hurry up. The time is getting over. Let me hurry up. Not only does it cause that, it calls obedience. God tells them, You shall hamstring the horses and burn their chariots with fire. Why? Because God wants them to not be dependent on the chariots. God wants you to be dependent on Him. How many things have God had to take away from you? Because every time something comes up, you keep going back to what He's taken you from. You keep going back to what He's brought you from. That's why God sometimes He just removed it all. Because you can't handle what I'm giving you. Not only that, I want to speed up a little bit because our time, let's look at verse 18. Many times, verse 18 says, Joshua made war alone time with all those kings. Many times we believe that everything has to happen right now. If you read Joshua, it will look like the war was over in a few days. What God is working in your life takes time. God, he's flavoring you. He's seasoning you to be what he's called for you to be. I don't want no steak that hasn't been marinated, that hasn't been saturated with the seasoning. My dad used to say a steak will make its own gravy. That's what God is doing in your life. God is working out each and every day, every obstacle, every trial, every tribulation, every burden, every heartache, every pain, every anguish, every misfortune, everything that's come in your life, God is working it out so you can say you do not have to be afraid. Let's go verse 21, 22. I don't want to miss this. From Hebron and Debir. Now I'm gonna have to go through this, but this is going back to Numbers chapter 13. When Joshua and Caleb were at Kadesh Barnea to look at the land. No more.

unknown 17:52

Why?

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Because there's some giants that need to be taken down, but God needs you to knock that giant down. Susan brothers, the beautiful thing is God is always there. No matter if you didn't do it in the first time, God saying it's still not too late. You don't have to be afraid because I'm still there. If you gain a job, God is there. If you lose that job, God is still there. If you're on the backside of the desert, God is there. If you make it into green pastures, God is still there. If you're on the mountaintop rejoicing, God is there. Even if you're in the valley, God is still there. Sisters and brothers, your circumstances may change, but God never changed. If he's God yesterday, he's God today. If he's still God today, he'll be God on tomorrow. Hebrews 13 says, Jesus, the same, yesterday and forevermore. Susan brothers, I love how Joshua 11 ends. It doesn't end with the sounds of swords. Oh no, Joshua, it doesn't end with the smoke of a burning city. Joshua, it doesn't end with the sounds of defeated kings. But Joshua, it ends with rest. Rest is such a beautiful thing. When we allow God to work in our life, God, He promised us rest beyond capacity. Sisters and brothers, don't you know that sometimes you have to go through troubles and trials. Sometimes you must face the battle of unexpectancy. But the beauty is that when you face God and put God in your path, it does not matter what the enemy tries to do. God, he's always right in on time. It does not matter what the problem is, my God, he can solve it. Whatever you go through in life, Jesus said, He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man come to the Father except by me. You know, sometimes in this life we have ups and downs. Sometimes we don't understand what God is doing in our life. But if you stay faithful and stay true, God will always step in right on time. Can I get a witness? Sometimes my way seems dark. I just don't know what to do. I call out to the Lord, and the Lord He comes to see about me. Yes, he does. Sisters and brothers, sometimes, sometimes my way gets dark at night. But God, he always steps in right on time. Can I get a witness? Sisters and brothers, Joshua, he said, I will give a land of rest. But Jesus said, I come that you may have rest. Matthew chapter 11 and verse 28 says, Come on to me, all ye that labor and heaven laden, and I will give you rest. Lie down, thou weary ones, lie down, thy head upon my breast. And truth and brothers, that's what I did. I came to Jesus just as I was I was wearing room at that. But guess what I found in him? I found in him a mighty good resting place. And he has made me glad. I had some good days. I've had some bad days. I've had some weary days. But you know what? My good days. My bad days. And I'm not gonna find out. Why? No. What happened for me? Even my weary heart. What is that? I go through. I still say Lord. Thank you, Lord. Wake me up. Thank you, Lord. Put in my mind. Thank you, Lord. Oh my God. Thank you, Lord. Oh my God. Thank you, Lord. Oh my God, why? I don't know why. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Do not be afraid. At this time. It's our opportunity to share and fellowship in the Lord's Supper.