Faith Forges the Victory

Resting in Jesus doesn't seem to quite fit with the recent topics of the messages in this series. But there is indeed a vital correlation between warfare and peace. Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when He said that He would give us rest? Pastor Welch takes us through chapters 11 and 21 of Joshua as he illustrates how God gave peace and rest to Israel even as they faced further conquest of Canaan.

What you'll learn in this 23 minute message:
How resting in Christ keeps us from discouragement
Why we must trust in God for the true victory
Correlating promises in the OT pointing to the NT

You're fighting a battle against a determined foe. Would you ever think of asking for more time on the battlefield? Joshua had the big picture in mind when he asked the Lord for more time in order to effect a complete victory. Do you believe that prayer is a necessary key to victory? Joshua certainly did. Listen carefully later in the message for the advice concerning the 'kings in the cave.'

What you'll learn in this 19 minute message:
The identity of the 'kings in the cave'
The requirement for victory against the enemy
Joshua's example in full obedience

We've reached the remarkable account of the battle between the people of Israel and the assembled confederation of Canaanite armies, a conflict brought on by the agreement between Joshua and the Gibeonites. In this first message we'll look at the dangerous predicament experienced by the people of Gibeon and how God disarmed the hostile armies. This is a powerful story of God's direct, divine intervention on behalf of His chosen people.

What You'll learn in this 23 minute message:
Joshua's strategy for conquering Canaan
The dangerous predicament of the Gibeonites
God's miraculous use of the elements

At this point in our story, we've seen the destructiveness of carnal thinking and the sin that can come into our lives when we fail to inquire of the Lord. Now that we understand the problem, what is the solution? How can we steer clear of committing the same sins? Pastor Welch reminds us that we can save ourselves a lot of pain by staying focused on the Lord in the first place. We begin the message this week by looking back at the life of Saul; a leader caught up in carnal thinking that led to his ultimate demise.

What You'll Learn in this 22 minute message:
How God can turn curses into blessings
The importance of inquiring of the Lord
How living the Christian life is one of continual repentance

Ever been duped? Fooled? Or just plain lied to? The Israelites got a full dose of deception from some current inhabitants of Canaan called the Gibeonites. But why was it so easy for these people to deceive Joshua and the people? It was an elaborate story that would have been easily checked. Lest we think we would have a better response, Pastor Welch reminds us that we too can be fooled if we fail to keep the Lord at the center of all that we do.

What You'll Learn in this 24 minute message:
An account from recent history of lies and deception
The importance of not trusting in human discernment
Two types of carnal 'Christians'

Returning to right relationship with the Lord after a encounter with serious sin can be challenging. Joshua and the people faced a difficult situation with Achan and the ensuing failure at Ai. What is the right response to corporate and personal sin? What does Scripture say about repentance and confession of sin? Don't miss the end of the message where Pastor Welch recounts 10 things that we have through the course of the particular story.

What You'll Learn in this 25 minute message:
The importance of hearing and following God's Word
Joshua's response to victory at Ai
Ten applications to take from this account

Coming back after an encounter with serious sin is a difficult endeavor. But we have an encouraging story in Joshua 8 about how the Lord restored victory to the nation of Israel in their ongoing conquest of Canaan. What is your response after dealing with sin or a major sin habit? Do you return to the Lord first?

What You'll Learn in this 20 minute message:
Joshua's unusual response to victory at Ai
The importance of listening the Lord
God's faithfulness to us even in our sin

While we do understand that not all trials or troubles are a result of sin, the story of Achan is a painful reminder of how one man’s error led to great trouble for many. In Part 2 of All For One and One for All, Pastor Welch shows us that sins of omission can be just as problematic as sins of deliberate disobedience. Listen carefully at the conclusion of the message for 4 applications we can take away from this story.

What you'll learn in this 24 minute message:
Commission vs. Omission & their consequences
The problem of prayerlessness
Four ways we can keep from Achan's sin

Secret sin will find you out. That might be a good alternate title for this message. Achan's sin in chapter 7 of Joshua turned out to be much more than he bargained for. Does our private sin affect the church in the same way that his sin affected the nation of Israel? Pastor Welch endeavors to show us the destructiveness of sin behind closed doors and why we should strive to have integrity in all that we do; both for our sakes and for the name of the Gospel.

What you'll learn in this 25 minute message:
The value of waiting patiently for God's best
How your personal sin can affect the larger community
The importance of following God's commands

What does it mean when we say we have victory in the Christian life? It's the victory that's been won on our behalf against death through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. But there is something that we are called to do as part of our sanctification to claim that victory here on earth. We begin our message by asking the question; what is the significance of baptism and the Lord's Supper for the Christian?

What you'll learn in this 19 minute message:
The importance of the sacraments
The key to victory in the Christian life
How we can grow in sanctification