WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:08.880 Welcome to the celebration and we hope you are today. 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:13.519 What's up, Celebration Church? 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.439 How are we doing this afternoon? 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.800 Hey man, I just want to start off by saying you guys came ready to party today. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:22.399 Man, worship was awesome. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:24.160 Come on, give yourselves a round of applause, man. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.559 You guys came ready to worship God. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:30.320 Hey, as Nate said, my name is Justin Todd. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:36.640 I am the campus pastor here at our downtown uh campus, and you're here on a very special day. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:41.520 As you've heard several times now, this is our five-year anniversary as a church here in Orlando. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.000 Come on, man, can we put our hands together one more time? 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:52.960 So many incredible things have happened over the last five years here at Celebration here in Orlando. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:58.560 We launched September 21st in 2014, right here in Howard Middle School. 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:03.439 And uh man, actually on our launch Sunday, I had nothing to do with a microphone. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:08.640 I was actually an electric guitar player for like the first two years of the church, believe it or not. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:10.560 I got some skills, okay? 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:13.200 Uh no, that's there's a reason I'm not an electric guitar player anymore. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:15.200 There's most people, there's people who are better than me. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:19.439 But uh, hey, so many incredible things have happened over the last five years. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:27.120 Listen, just this this year alone in 2019, we've seen over 1,018 people make a decision for Jesus. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:36.879 And if I were to sit and talk about everything that God's done here at the church in the last five years, we would be here till next Sunday. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:39.920 And so, uh, man, I just want to share that with you guys. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:45.840 And, you know, we can't wait to see what God's gonna do over the next five years uh of Celebration Church, man. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.079 And uh just thank you guys for being a part of this. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:52.319 Thank you guys for uh, man, being a part of what God's doing here in Orlando. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:59.840 Pastor Keith and Pastor Megan, they really wish they could be here today, but they are actually in Zimbabwe, Africa uh this weekend. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:06.000 They are preaching at all 18 campuses we have at our Zimbabwe church over in Africa. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:08.400 And so, uh, man, you put your hands together. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:10.960 18, 18 campuses. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:18.960 Pastor Dixon and his wife uh over there, they are doing an incredible work and is truly a move of God over there. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.879 But that's where Pastor Keith and Megan are. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:29.120 They're preaching at their church conference, they're doing some staff leadership development and things like that, but they will be back next weekend. 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:40.400 And uh actually, next weekend, Pastor Keith is gonna be preaching, and he's gonna be sharing kind of where we're going as a church in the next five years, where we're going in 2020, and kind of sharing some vision and kind of some heart for our church. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:43.199 And so make sure you're here next weekend. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.080 But we're continuing in our series, The Exodus. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:52.319 Uh, this week, Pastor Keith spoke an incredible message last week called Perspective is Everything. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:56.159 And uh he talked about how our filter determines our perspective. 00:02:56.319 --> 00:03:00.560 And instead of filtering life through our feelings, we need to filter it through our faith. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:05.680 And if you want to change your perspective, you first and foremost have got to change your filter. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:09.280 And so if you weren't here for that, go check it out on the iTunes podcast. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.080 You can check it out by downloading our app as well. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:16.560 But this week, we're continuing in our series by looking at the book of Joshua. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.400 We're gonna look at the book of Joshua this morning. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.199 We're gonna talk about a story that many of you already know. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.159 We're gonna talk about the battle of Jericho. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:28.240 And if you grew up a church kid, there was a song about the battle of Jericho. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:30.879 Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:33.039 Jericho, Jericho. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:39.360 Joshua fought the battle at Jericho and the There's all my church weirdos. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:41.520 What up, what up, guys? 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:46.400 I always like doing that because there's a song written about every story in the Old Testament if you grew up in the church. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:47.919 But um, let me just say this. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:52.400 We are in the book of Joshua, but our series is called Exodus. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.360 If you're wondering why we're not in the book of Exodus, know this. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:59.120 It's more than this series is more than just about the book of Exodus. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:04.240 In fact, this is about the exodus of God's people from Egypt into the promised land. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:07.759 And this story takes place over several books in the Old Testament. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:14.800 And so we're gonna be looking at the book of Joshua this morning, and I've got to give you some context of what has happened from last week's sermon to this week. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:16.959 It's now been 40 years. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.839 40 years has passed, and the Israelites have now crossed over into the promised land. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:24.879 They have now crossed over into the land that God promised them. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.720 And actually, Israel is now under some new leadership. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:37.360 Moses, over the course of the last 40 years, has now passed away, but not before passing the torch on to a new leader by the name of Joshua. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.360 And so Joshua is the new leader. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:43.439 Now, let me just say this as a little leadership lesson, a little side note. 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:48.720 Every good leader should have vision that should always proceed him when he goes away. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:56.800 Every good leader should always be building someone up to carry the torch on, to carry the vision farther than they than they ever could take it. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:58.800 Listen, you and I, we are all leaders. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.959 If we are followers of Jesus, we are all leaders. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:07.279 Maybe, maybe you're just a leader in a small group, maybe you are a leader in your workplace, whatever it is, maybe you're a manager, maybe whatever. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:09.519 You're all a leader in one way or in another. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.480 My question for you is who are you building up? 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:14.160 Who are you investing into? 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:22.319 Who is the person that you know if tomorrow you were not in this position, this person could do a better job than you could, and they could take it farther than you ever could. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:28.959 Man, this is what we see Moses do, this is what we see Jesus do in the New Testament, and this is what you and I should be doing as well. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.800 This has nothing to do with my message. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:31.680 This is a freebie. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:33.759 This is a leadership freebie, okay? 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:34.720 So write it down. 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:37.040 We'll talk more about that later. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:38.079 Let me just say this. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.920 If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open up to Joshua chapter six. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:44.319 Go ahead and open up to Joshua chapter six. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.279 Where we're picking up this store, we find the Israelites. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.839 They're standing at the gates of Jericho. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:52.079 They're looking at the walls of Jericho. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.000 They're six stories high. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:00.319 This is a fortified city, and this is one of the first challenges they face when entering into the new promised land. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:06.240 And Joshua, just a little side note, he was a warrior long before he became the leader of the Israelites. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:06.879 He was a warrior. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.600 And so I can imagine, man, if I'm Joshua, I'm already beginning to formulate a plan. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:17.439 But where we pick up the story in verse 1, we see God gives some very specific instructions to Joshua. 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:21.120 And y'all, we are gonna be looking at about 20 verses today. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:23.839 So is it cool if we read some scripture this morning? 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:25.680 Is it cool if we read the Bible this morning? 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:26.480 You guys awake? 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:27.439 Can you handle it? 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:28.399 Awesome. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:32.399 If you don't want to read the Bible this morning, you are in the wrong place. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.519 So Joshua chapter 6, verse 1 says this. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:39.120 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:41.519 No one went out, and no one came in. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:53.199 Let me just say this the people of Jericho knew about the God of the Israelites, and they were fearful, which is why the reputation of God had gone before the Israelites before they got there. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.519 And so this is why this city is fortified. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.199 No one went out, no one came in. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:03.279 Then the Lord said to Joshua, See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:08.560 March around the city once with all the armed men, and do this for six days. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:13.360 Have seven priests carry seven carry trumpets of ram's horns in front of the ark. 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:18.319 And on the seventh day march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:28.560 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout, then the wall of the city will collapse, and the army will go up, and everyone straight in. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:36.319 So Joshua, son of Nun, called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and have seven priests carry the trumpets in front of it. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:43.199 And he and he ordered the army, advance, march around the city, with an armed guard going ahead over the ark of the Lord. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:51.519 And when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord's covenant followed them. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:56.800 And the armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:58.879 All this time the trumpets were sounding. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:07.199 But Joshua had commanded the army do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day that I tell you to shout. 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:08.639 Then shout. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.160 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it at once. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.720 Then the army returned to the camp and spent the night there. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.879 Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:25.199 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the Ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:34.399 The armed men went ahead of them, and the rear guard followed the Ark of the Lord, and while the trumpets kept sounding, so on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.600 And they did all of this for six days. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:46.879 But on the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:54.559 The seventh time around, when the priest sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:57.519 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:01.360 Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in the house shall be spared. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:03.600 Because she hid the spies we sent. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:09.279 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:14.240 Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:20.639 All the silver and the gold and articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:28.000 When the trumpet sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the walls collapsed. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.840 So everyone charged straight in and they took the city. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:32.720 Come on, man. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:38.799 If you're taking notes this morning, the title of today's message is called All I Do Is Win. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:40.960 All I Do Is Win. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:43.120 And everybody's hands went up. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:47.679 Some of you have no idea what that reference is about. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:48.559 It's cool. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:49.039 It's cool. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:50.480 It was cool like 10 years ago. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:51.279 Here we go. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.559 Title Today's Message is called All I Do Is Win. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:59.519 And we're gonna be talking about with God on our side, all you can do is win. 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:03.039 And man, this message this morning, this is a message of good news. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:05.519 This should be an encouraging message for you. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.840 I I I kind of I kind of hesitate to say this. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.759 This is a feel-good message. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.279 A lot of times people are like, I don't want a church that gives me a feel-good message. 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:16.159 Well, the gospel is good news. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:21.440 And so this is good news for you this morning that all you can do is win. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:24.480 God, I love the 12. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:25.360 You guys are awake. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:26.240 This is gonna be great. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.440 This is gonna be a good time. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:33.120 So this morning we're gonna look at three things that you and I should remember when facing challenges in our life. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:34.879 Before we do, let's go ahead and pray. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.000 God, we thank you so much for who you are, God. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:43.840 We thank you so much for the story that you've been writing here in Orlando through Celebration Church over the last five years, God. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:47.120 Lord, we thank you that we have got to be a part of what you're doing here. 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:50.879 God, we thank you that we have got to see you move in a mighty way, Father. 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:56.399 And Lord, we can't wait to see what you're gonna do over these next five years here in Orlando through Celebration Church. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:07.440 And God, we pray over these next few moments that you would have your way, Jesus, that you would speak to every single one of us in this room, that every single one of us in this room, Lord, we would leave better than the way that we came in. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:09.279 God, we love you and we praise you. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.399 In your name we pray. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:11.360 Amen. 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:15.919 Church, by a show of hands, let me just I just want to gauge, see who's in the room. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:20.879 By a show of hands, how many people in this room would consider themselves a competitive person? 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.159 Just raise your hands. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.720 Those hands went up so fast, so fast, because you had to be first, right? 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:31.519 Listen, I would consider myself a competitive person. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:36.159 I do not, do not, and I repeat, I do not like to lose at all. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:38.639 If I think I'm gonna lose, I'm just not gonna play. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.039 Um, I'm a poor sport when I lose. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:42.799 I'll be honest, you can ask my wife. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:44.240 I'm a poor sport when I lose. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:45.120 I I like winning. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:46.480 I'm so competitive. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.720 This is why I don't play golf. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:50.960 It's exactly why I don't play golf. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.840 Now I had a few golfers in the last service get offended at me from this. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.039 I was like, why are you offended? 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:57.440 Like, you have more tea times because I'm not playing. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:58.480 Like, good for you. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:01.919 You know, I don't play golf because I am not good at it. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.679 I have tried to be good at it. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:06.639 I have spent a lot of money trying to be good at it. 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:11.360 Uh, I've spent a lot of time trying to be good at it, and I'm just not good at it. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:20.559 I don't understand how on the front nine I can do so well, and then all of a sudden on the back nine, I'm doing the same thing in my head that I was doing on the front nine. 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:26.240 I'm holding the club the same way, I'm hitting the ball the same way, but now all of a sudden they're just all going on the water or they're going behind me. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.600 It doesn't make sense. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:31.840 I'm doing it, so I just don't play golf because I'm so competitive. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:32.720 I don't care. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:35.919 It's not about it's it's not about the fun of it to me. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:45.519 Um, but I'm so competitive that last week, uh this past week, my wife and I, we live next to a park in College Park that we take our son to about about every other night. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:47.600 We'll walk there, and uh we took him there. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.440 It's got some it's got some basketball hoops. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:52.240 Well, he is obsessed with this little kid's basketball. 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:53.919 He carries around with him everywhere right now. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:54.960 He's 14 months old. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:56.639 The basketball goes everywhere with him. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.639 So he brought it with him to the park. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.639 Well, as kids do, he got over it within the first like five seconds we were there. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:10.879 And uh I took the basketball and started shooting some hoops, and uh I had the dumb idea to go, hey, hey babe, you wanna play you wanna play horse? 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:12.240 You wanna play you wanna play a game? 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:14.000 You wanna play a game real quick? 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:18.879 She agrees, and uh my son's just in the background running around circles or doing something. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:24.399 Uh so we start playing, and I very quickly realize this was a bad idea. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.360 My wife played high school basketball. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:30.399 I could not make the high school basketball team. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:34.080 So we very quickly I start realizing like she's gonna beat me. 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.759 She's she beat me. 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:40.080 And um, if you know anything about my wife, she is not a very graceful winner at all. 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:48.960 She's just in my face, like, oh, oh, you got beat by your wife, you know, just in my face, and I'm like, that's cool, good, that's awesome, babe. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:49.759 I'm so proud of you. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:50.720 Like, it's great, you know. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.080 On the inside, I'm dying. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.360 On the inside, I'm dying. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:59.519 I'm acting like it's not whatever, but I played three more times because I had to see if I could win, and I didn't. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:00.320 And I didn't. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:04.639 So needs to say, sweetheart, I'm sorry, we're never playing basketball again, ever again. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:18.240 And uh, but I'm so competitive that that that it's sometimes, I still say this, I'm so competitive that sometimes I I I approach the way I approach games and winning to the way I approach life sometimes. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:24.399 Like if a challenge, if a battle comes in front of me, man, I immediately begin to think to myself, I have to beat this. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:26.240 I'm gonna, I'm gonna win at this. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:27.519 I'm gonna do everything I can. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.320 I'm gonna come up with the best strategy to win at this. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:31.519 I'm gonna win at life. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.000 And I don't even like go and consult God. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:39.120 I don't even like think to myself that, man, maybe I should get on my knees and ask God to help me. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.720 But then maybe there's some of you in this room that you're not a competitive person. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:15:02.000 Maybe there's some of you in this room who are like so high faith that when a challenge comes along or a battle or something you're facing comes along in your life, you just think to yourself, my God is a big God, and God's gonna take care of this, and He's gonna do what He's gonna do, and I don't have to do anything. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:05.279 I'm just gonna be solely dependent on God. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:10.320 Now, my question, my my my question for you is is what is best? 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:13.679 Is it strategy or is it just solely dependency? 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:17.039 What is the best way to approach challenges and battles in the life? 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:24.559 Well, when you look at the Israelites in this story of Jericho, man, I would say I would eventually say that they had both. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:28.159 They had both the strategy of God and they both had the dependency of God. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.360 So when faced with battles and challenges in our life, what's best? 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.679 Both having strategy and dependency. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:35.679 If you're taking notes, write this down. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.840 Strategy without dependency puts the pressure on us. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.440 Strategy without dependency puts the pressure on us. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:44.480 Here's what I mean. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:53.360 Those of you in this room who are who are high strategy, high competitive, high, you know, figuring out things, when a challenge or something arises in your life, what do you do? 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:58.159 You immediately you open up your computer, you go to Google, how to da da da da da. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.519 What do I do? 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.480 Da da da da da. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.720 Best way to da da da da. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:04.879 Top ten ways to da da da da. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:14.720 Or you go to Barnes and Noble, you go down the self-help uh book aisle and you buy all these books, you read everything, you listen to all the podcasts, you listen to all the talk shows, Oprah, Dr. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:15.360 Phil, Dr. 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:17.519 Oz, which he's not a real doctor, whatever. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:24.720 You listen to all these things, and you just think to yourself, I'm gonna figure this out, but you have no dependency on God. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:29.360 So therefore, everything relies on you and what you can do. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:37.279 But then the flip side is this dependency, if you're taking notes, dependency without strategy removes responsibility from us. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:40.559 Dependency without strategy removes responsibility from us. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:41.759 Here's what I mean by that. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:48.879 Those of you who maybe you're so dependent on God that when something comes in your life, you just stand still. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:56.000 You don't take any steps forward, you don't take steps sideways, you don't take steps back, you just stand still and just go, God, you do something. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.200 You do it. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:03.360 And your way of fighting a battle is simply locking yourself in a dimly lit room with some essential oils on. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:09.119 You turn on some Bethel and you take off your shoes and you just spin around in circles asking God to win the battle for you. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.519 I realized that was weirdly specific. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.720 I'm sorry. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.720 I love Bethel. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:17.359 We sing bethel. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.240 Nothing against them. 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.359 Anyway, but you're so dependent on God that you just don't do anything. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:24.880 You stay in the same spot and you expect God just to do everything. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:27.599 And God's like, you have all of these resources around you. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:32.079 Like I've given you instruction, I've given you some strategy, just take some steps forward. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.200 Yes, depend on me, but take some steps forward. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:39.920 If you want to see a move of God, you've got to have both strategy and dependency. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:45.200 And if you want to conquer and win the challenges of life, it takes both strategy and dependency on God. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:58.000 So this morning, what I want to look at, I want to look at three practical things that the Israelites did when faced with the battle of Jericho, and three things that you and I need to remember when faced with our own challenges in our own battles of life. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:03.519 So the first thing that you and I need to remember when faced with our own challenges of life, if you're taking notes, write this down. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:09.359 The first thing is this is that remember that we fight from victory, not for victory. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.720 We fight from victory, not for victory. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.880 God, I love you guys so much. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:16.640 I love you so much. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.720 We fight from victory, not for it. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:29.440 Is you and I, as followers of Jesus, as Christians, the fact that Jesus has overcome the world, the fact that he lives inside of us when faced with challenges, he's already won. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:31.359 He's already won the battle. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:34.240 It's not up to us, it's not up to us. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:36.640 Listen what John 16, 33 has to say. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.559 This is out of the amplified Bible. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:43.119 I've told you these things, so that in me you may have perfect peace. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:47.279 In the world you will have tribulation and you will have distress and suffering. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.200 But be courageous, be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:53.680 I have overcome the world. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.359 My conquest is accomplished, my victory is abiding. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:02.079 This is essentially what we see God telling Joshua at the beginning of this message in verse 2. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.680 Yes, it is a fortified city. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:12.880 Yes, that this these the walls are big, but God says this to Joshua I have already delivered the city of Jericho into your hands. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:17.839 He's basically saying this, man, yeah, all this is happening, but hey, I've already given it to you. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.920 You've already won the battle. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.640 He's saying, before you even fight, know you've won. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:35.839 Encouragement to you and I, before we even begin to fight, when the challenge arises in our life, whenever we face the walls of Jericho in our own life, know this before you even take a step forward that God has already defeated the enemy in front of you. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:38.000 God has already won. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:47.680 Me and Pastor Josh, when we were writing this message, Pastor Josh is all our college park, uh, just put it together, Pastor Josh. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:48.480 I love you, man. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:49.599 I love you. 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:57.839 When me and Pastor Josh were writing this message uh this week, uh he had he had a great thing in looking at it like this. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:01.680 Like in verse one, it said that that the Jericho they fortified their city. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:08.160 They knew the Israelites were coming because God, the reputation of God had had gone before the Israelites. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:13.279 They knew who the God of the Israelites were because of all that God had done before. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:15.839 And so they were already fearful of the Israelites. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:20.160 They were already fearful of the God of the Israelites before they showed up to Jericho. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:26.480 Think of it like this: the thing that you fear the most, the challenge that you fear, the battle that is in front of you that you fear, know this. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:30.000 It fears your God, it fears you more than you fear it. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:35.359 Because we fight from a place of victory, not for it. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:40.000 Romans 8 31 says this if God is for us, then who can be against us? 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:48.160 If God with God on our side, what thing in the world, what battle, what enemy can come against us when God is right there beside us? 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:49.599 To take notes, write this down. 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:52.880 You plus God equals the majority. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:55.759 You plus God equals the majority. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:58.319 We fight from a place of victory, not for it. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:14.640 Now I know a lot of times maybe you've sat in church and you've heard this before about the fact that God has already overcome everything, that God has already won your battles, but maybe you have gone through a battle in your life with that faith of man, I'm I am, I know God's God's gonna bring me on the other side of this. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:22.160 I know that God has already won this, but then the battle doesn't turn out the way you thought it would. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:28.319 Um you don't really understand the victory that God had in this. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:29.920 Well, I say all that to say this, man. 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:41.519 The fact that Jesus Christ died on a cross over 2,000 years ago was placed in a grave for three days, and when he rose again, he conquered death, sin in the world, and he overcame them all. 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:47.680 Man, a lot of times in our life the victory looks different in God's eyes than it does in our eyes. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:52.880 A lot of times in life, man, we may not even understand the victory on this side of eternity. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:57.599 But when we get to heaven, we will then begin to understand that God knew what he was doing then. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.680 I didn't understand at the time, but it all played. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.279 Into his plan. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:10.160 But the fact that you're let me say this the fact that when you get to the other side of eternity, the fact that you're standing in heaven, that is like the number one victory. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:11.359 God already beat it. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:13.039 He beat everything that's in your life. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:16.960 When you get to the other side and you're like, oh God, that's what you were trying to do. 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:22.960 Okay, the fact that you're standing there seeing it all laid out before you is a victory in and of itself. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:25.920 And that should be encouragement enough when going through this life. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.839 Man, we live in a fallen and a broken world. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:30.480 There's going to be trials, there's going to be tribulations. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:39.359 But the fact that when you and I move on from this world, the fact that we have an eternal place that we get to spend with our eternal Savior, man, that is enough victory to know. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:42.240 No matter what comes against me, I know this is not my end. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.240 If anything, this is where God comes in. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.160 This is where I stop and where God begins. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:46.960 Amen? 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:49.599 I will. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:23:02.079 But all Joshua and the Israelites, all they had to do, and they had to do something, was they had to claim the promise of God and they had to obey the instructions of God. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.480 Listen, if you want to experience a victory in your life, you have to move. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:07.759 You have to take steps. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:10.640 It is more than just sitting there and waiting for God to move. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:12.799 Listen, the Israelites obeyed God's instructions. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.440 What are God's instructions for you in this day and age? 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:17.119 It can all be found here in God's word. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:27.039 If you want to know how to live your life, if you want to know how to overcome challenges in your life, if you want to know how to make the walls fall down in your life, you can find everything in God's words. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:28.319 That is where his instructions are. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:33.680 It's our job to obey it, and it's our God to follow the plan that he has set out in front of us. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:40.000 And when you know that you're fighting from a place of victory and the battle has already been won, it becomes a little easier to remember number two. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:43.920 Remember that we walk by faith and not by sight. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:47.039 We walk by faith and not by sight. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:51.200 Listen, think of it from think of it from Joshua's point of view. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:55.039 Think about that he's staring at the walls of Jericho. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:58.880 He's staring at a six-story high wall. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:00.799 He knows it's a fortified city. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:04.240 He knows that Jericho knew they were coming long before they got there. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.920 In Joshua, think of it like this. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:09.119 He was a warrior long before he became the leader of the Israelites. 00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:15.519 So he's probably sitting there thinking, trying to come up with a game plan, trying to come up with the best battle plan to overtake this city. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:17.279 And then God gives him some instructions. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:21.759 If I'm Joshua, I'm thinking God's going to tell me like where the weak spot in the wall is. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:26.799 God's going to tell me like where the soldiers are asleep on the wall, and you can sneak in and do all that. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:34.720 But the instructions that God gives Joshua is to yo walk around in circles for seven days and I'll give you the city. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:36.720 What? 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:39.119 You want us, God, let me get it straight. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:44.160 You want us to walk around in circles carrying all of this stuff and blowing horns and things like that. 00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:47.920 You want us to walk around in circles for seven days and you're gonna give us a city. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:49.920 And God's like, Yep, that's what I want you to do. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:58.480 So man, if I'm Joshua on like day two or day three, like I'm going back to God and be like, God, can you just give me like something? 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:01.920 Like when we walk around today, can you make like a block fall? 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:04.799 Like, can you bring part of the wall down just a little bit? 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.240 Like, just give me something. 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:07.359 Just give me something. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:08.720 But God doesn't. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:11.519 But on the seventh day, the walls fell down. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:15.519 When reading this, it made me kind of think of it, it made me think of this kind of analogy. 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:18.640 Is there anyone in anyone in here who goes to the gym? 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.240 Anyone in here who works out? 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:22.559 Same with the last service, man. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:24.960 Like like barely anyone raised their hand. 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:28.079 Alright, guys, we're doing the next series we're doing, it's gonna be on health. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:32.880 We're gonna do a health series, body, soul, mind, whatever it is. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:35.119 But it's like when you go to the gym, right? 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:38.480 Like if you you join a gym, you're like, man, I gotta lose some weight. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:42.319 Uh you know, I've been I've been eating way too many uh Papa John's pizzas. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:44.720 Like, I I gotta I gotta get things under control. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:48.079 So you go to the gym, you get a trainer, you get on this workout plan. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:51.359 So the first day you go, you just go hard in the paint. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:58.640 Like you burn like 1200 calories, you run, you lift weights, you do ab work, maybe you, maybe you swim. 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:01.839 Man, when you're walking out of that gym, you feel swole, right? 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:05.039 You feel like you're the most, you're the beefiest dude in the world. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:08.720 But then you get home, you're like, man, I gotta get a shower, I sink. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:12.000 And you take off your shirt, you look in the mirror, and you're like, what the heck? 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:15.599 I look exactly the same as I did before I went to the gym. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.359 If anything, I look worse. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:21.440 Then the next day you're like, all right, maybe this is like a first day thing, whatever. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.920 Then the next day you go, you work just as hard. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:31.359