Impact Church London

Series: “Preparing To Posses The Promises”  Sermon #9 “Descry”

Are there things we can do NOW to prepare for what’s NEXT.

Descry: to see by looking carefully, to discern

Joshua 5:13-15 “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him,

Joshua 6:1-2 “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.’”

John 3:3  “Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”

Proverbs 20:12  “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both.”

John 5:19 “Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’”

Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)  “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

Proverbs 29:18 (MSG)  “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.”

2 Corinthians 4:18  (NLT)  “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Genesis 13:14-15 “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.”

Hebrews 11:30  “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days”

Hebrews 11:1 (NET)  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.”

Jesus reshaped the mindset of His disciples.

To follow Him they had to see through the eyes of faith.

He persuaded them to expect a life of supernatural increase.

Luke 5:1-11 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they [a]forsook all and followed Him.

8 Observations From The Text

1. Expectation  vs.2 “washing their nets”  

2. Participation   vs.3 “push away a little” 

3. Impartation  vs.3 “He sat down and taught”

4. Forget The Past  vs.5 “caught nothing”  

5. Get Beyond Yourself  vs.5 “toiled exhaustingly” 

6. Alignment   vs.4-5  “on the ground of your word”  

7. Experience vs.6-7 “net was breaking began to sink”

8. Dependance   vs. 11 “forsook all, followed Him.”    

 John 15:5   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT)  “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for his glory.”

Sermon – T’is the Season to be “GENEROUS”

Recap: T’is the Season to be “Joyful”  

Luke 2:10-11

Glad tidings of great joy – for all people. The incarnation, is just as much apart of the Good News as the Easter Story.

Sermon: T’is the Season to be “GENEROUS”

Generosity is:

1. An Action 

John 3:16-17

For God so loved that he GAVE! His love was demonstrated by his overwhelming generosity in giving his Son who would then GIVE his life. 

Mark 10:45

Christmas is a season of generosity. But like all new covenant talks on attributes and acts, we have to see that our generosity is connected to his generosity at work in us. God’s love will move us to give.

Philippians 2:12-13

What is God working in us to to give? We can give our time, treasure (money), talents, of ourselves. 

A great picture of what it looks like to have God involved in our financial affairs… The story of the poor widow of one of the old Hebrew prophets in 2 Kings 4:1-7. 

Taken from: “Welcome Home:Discover the Place Where You Belong”

“A certain widow owed money that she could not repay. In order to recover his losses, her creditor was going to come and take her two sons, making them slaves who would in turn work off the debt. Naturally, the widow was horrified at the thought of losing her sons and so rushed to the prophet Elisha and asked him to intervene on her behalf. 

Instead of telling the lady that he would cover her debt for her, or even that he would try to ask the creditor to be merciful and forgive the debt, he instead asks her, “…Tell me, what do you have in the house” (2 Kings 4:2 NLT)? She responds by letting him know that she has nothing, only a small flask of oil. 

What the widow didn’t know was that what she had was no ordinary oil. She had the kind of oil that her deceased husband, who was also a prophet, would have used for anointing. In the Bible this oil is highly symbolic. This anointing oil is often a symbol in the Old Testament for the reality of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit that we now have in full after Jesus came and opened the door to this relationship. The prophet knew all of this and he knew what God could do when someone had faith in his loving care and provision. 

“And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbours. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” 

So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! 

‘Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.’

‘There aren’t any more!’ he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. 

When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, ‘Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over’”    (2 Kings 4:3-7 NLT). 

God doesn’t send us a prophet, he sets us his Son. And we hear Jesus tell us:

Luke 6:38

The jars God has given us are the needs of the people around us, and the local church. 

Proverbs 3:9-10

The local church is that place where our hearts are connected, that place where God is active and through whom he is advancing his purposes. In this way we become partners with God in his ministry in a very tangible, relational, and practical way.

The benefits of partnering our generosity with God’s house are many, and they are not dependent upon the circumstances of the world around us. Inflation, joblessness, disability, hard times. God’s economic system works all the time. 

Genesis 26:1, 12-13

Let’s engage the Action of generosity, believing God that as we do, his plans for blessings are being activated in our lives. 

2. An Attitude

Generosity is an action, but it’s also an attitude that describes how and why we perform the act of generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Galatians 4:15

There is an attitude, a cheerful willingness to give, to share, to help that motivates us to follow through in acts of generosity. 

2 Corinthians 8:10-11

But there is also another type of generous attitude…

John 3:16-17

He gave, but his generous attitude extended beyond simply pointing out what is wrong with us, condemning us for it, but saw us at our worst as still worth saving. 

Brene Brown in “Dare to Lead” she talks about generosity as being when you:“extend the most generous interpretation possible to the intentions, words, and actions of others” (p. 226).

“…an assumption of positive intent relies on the core belief that people are doing the best they can with what they’ve got, versus that people are lazy, disengaged, and maybe even trying to &8$#  us off on purpose.” (Dare to Lead page 214) 

We deliberately on purpose, no matter how much it hurts now or has hurt in the past, we decide that we will be generous in our interpretations of the intentions, actions and attitudes of others. 

The upside to doing that: If you assume people are doing the best they can, you can then deal with them as real people. You can set boundaries around behaviours,  and not shame and blame them as people.

Let’s imagine a world where we can all be generous in our attitudes, where acts of kindness come from kind hearts, and where we can be generous in our attitude and assessment towards all this season. 

3. Something we can do All Together! 

Macedonian church that Paul mentions in Corinthians in a great example of this. 

2 Corinthians 8:1-9 (MSG)

5-7 This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives. That’s what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up. You do so well in so many things—you trust God, you’re articulate, you’re insightful, you’re passionate, you love us—now, do your best in this, too.

8-9 I’m not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians’ enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you. You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.

Together, we can do so much more than on our own!

Series – “Christmas 2021”    Sermon – “Tis The Season To Be Joyful”

JOKE:

How did Mary and Joseph know Jesus’ weight when he was born? They had a weigh in a manger…

Dear Santa,

How are you? Well, enough chit-chat. Let’s get down to business. This year I want…

1) A big Space Lego Set

2) Some Jelly beans

3) a shark jacket and hat

4) an AK-47 assault rifle

5) my Nintendo Game

Dear Santa,

I would like some Taylor Swift Tickets. I would also like clothes from Nordstrom and a boyfriend.

XOXO, Sarah.

Dear Santa

I don’t want all the other nine (9) things on the list I sent to my father (dad). I only want the Puppy.

***

Every time I think about not getting a puppy it makes me sadder and sadder. I just want the little puppy. Just one. All I’m asking for is one little puppy. Perhaps a Labrador/German Shepherd or a Husky.

Thank you if I discover a puppy in a box under a tree.

***

Thanks Emily

Nativity Made Of Masks …

Usually I’m pretty quick to get in the Christmas Spirit … hard to feel the happy this year.

The root of happy is happen … don’t like what is happening.

Find real Joy in the reason for the season!!!

Too many believers have the doctrine of joy without the experience of Joy.

1. Jesus Was God Manifest

John 1:14 (NLT) “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

John 1:18 (NLT) “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”

Jesus is the clear revelation of God! He was personally revealed to me.

2. We Experienced Him Fully

“we have heard” (akouō):— to attend to, consider what is or has been said, to understand, perceive the sense of what is said.

He didn’t talk like anyone else.   Had authority … But people would follow him and listen for days

He turned things around.   Not you must serve God but God came to serve you. He loves you accepts you!!!

He was gracious and kind.   You enjoyed listening to him. He got invited to all the parties. Never rude!

He prayed to His Father. When he pray he talked to His father … told us to do it to. He fulfilled law … He was the way

“we have seen” (horaō) :— to stare at, to discern clearly, to see with the mind, to perceive, know.

He did some amazing things.  /  Turned water into wine.  /   Walked water and calmed storms.

Miraculous catch of fish.  /   Fed thousands!!!   /   Walked through walls.

“we have looked upon”  (theaomai):—to behold, look upon, view attentively, contemplate, look with admiration.

Gave widow back her son. /   Restored Samaritan woman.   /    Touched lepers.

Loved sinners. Zacheaus   /  Healed all comers! 

“hands have handled”   (psēlaphaō) :— to handle, touch and feel.

I used to lean on Him to eat.   /   His hand  fed me breakfast.  /     We jumped around together.

He washed my feet!  /    Thomas touched his nail scared hand!

3. Enjoy The Same Fellowship

(koinōnia) :—intimacy, communion, joint participation, intercourse

Be a part of the family of God

Enter complete union with the greatest community ever!

Forever experiencing 

UNOIN with CHRIST!!!

4. Be Overwhelmed With Joy

(chara) :— gladness, cheerfulness to experience exceeding great joy.

A living abiding relationship with Jesus will give you JOY on the inside that will never fail no matter what is happening in your life!!!

Jesus totally manifest God.

I have fully experienced Him.

You can have the same intimacy.

It will fill you with great JOY!!!

Come on and join the family!!!

Series: “Preparing To Posses The Promises”  Sermon #8 “Distinguish”

Are there things we can do  NOW  to prepare for what’s NEXT.

Joshua 5:10 

“Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover.”

Two Sacraments: 

Circumcision — Baptism 

Passover — Communion

Colossians 2:11-12

“…by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism…”

1 Corinthians 11:24-25

“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Joshua 5:12-15

“Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him,…

“Are You for us or for our adversaries?” So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him,

“What does my Lord say to His servant?” Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.”

You can’t do any God authorized stuff without being identified with Him.

Exodus 33:15 (The Message)

“Moses said, ‘If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you’re with me in this, with me and your people?’”

John 3:3

“Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”

John 5:19

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’”

Acts 1:4

“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me;’”

2 Types of Jesus Encounters:

1. Jesus Initiates  John 5:1-15

“He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’”

2. We Initiate     John 4:46-54

“…he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son.”

Hebrews 10:19-21 (AMP)  

“So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.”

Sermon: Bootcamp – Preparing to Possess the Promise: “Discern”

Recap: Declare — In Jesus God has taken us across the river. Jesus has stepped down into our impassible, impossible Jordan of death, poverty, sickness, and curse. He has pushed back the currents of these forces and we are on the other side. 

As we face difficulty, transition, impassible and impossible crossings in our lives now, we draw the strength, courage, and faith to cross over these circumstances through the knowledge of our already having crossed in Jesus. That faith empowers forward action and future victory in battle. 

This faith is proclaimed, encouraged, inspired and nurtured through the personal, intentional, and generational DECLARING of what God has done for us as.  We remember and declare it for all to see and hear. 

Psalms 145:4

Intro: Discern  

Now having crossed, we’re ready to go. Attack in every direction! 

Joshua 5:1

But sometimes GOD says, “not so fast, we’ve got to do something first.” 

Joshua 5:2-3

Circumcision is about being able to distinguish: 

Sermon – Distinguish 

Joshua 5:7

There was generation of Israelites who didn’t know who they were, who had not known the covenant they had with God, and who were raised up outside the markers of covenant reality. 

Genesis 17:9-11 (NASB 1995)

The act of circumcision cuts to the heart of identity, authenticity (God sees you for who you really are, nothing is hidden), and it cuts off the flesh. 

1. Discern True Identity

The Israelites in the wilderness had gotten out of Egypt but not been taught who they were, nor about the covenant they had. It’s like believers who know we are saved,  but have yet to find identity in Christ, still identifying themselves by performance, actions, contributions, relationships, service, job etc. 

Circumcision cuts at the root of identity. It cuts off is the extra, excess fleshly identity markers, and leaves you with who you really are in Christ.

Revelation 12:10

The devil accuses you and labels you. But… 

Colossians 2:9-12

Circumcision is one of the heart, in the spirit, done by Christ at the cross. My sinful nature and old identity, all that I was, is cut off forever at the cross, and I was raised up as something new altogether. 

I am by Paul Ellis – footnote below, E2R article “Who Do You Think You Are?” 

“I am a saint (Rm 1:7, Eph 1:1, Php 1:1 Ju 1:3), a trophy of Christ’s victory (2 Cor 2:14, AMP); born again (1 Pe 1:23), a new creation (2 Cor 5:17); complete in Christ (Col 2:10) and perfect forever (He 10:14);

I am a child of God (1 Jn 3:1), the apple of my Father’s eye (Ps 17:8); one with the Lord (1 Cor 6:17) and the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19); eternally redeemed (He 9:12) and completely forgiven (Col 2:13); seated with Christ in heavenly realms (Eph 2:6); summoned by name and His (Is 43:1, 2 Cor 1:22);. 

I am dead to sin and alive to God (Rm 6:11); free from guilt and condemnation (He 10:22, Rm 8:1); righteous (2 Cor 5:21), holy and blameless! (Eph 1:4); healed (1 Pet 2:24) and strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10); hidden in Christ (Col 3:3) and eternally secure (He 6:19); loved with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3); highly favored (Eph 1:6 charitoo); 

I am my Beloved’s and He is mine (Son 6:3); 

I am the head and not the tail (De 28:13); blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3) and a joint heir with Christ (Rm 8:17); 

I am a competent minister of the new covenant (2 Co 3:6); bona fide and qualified (Col 1:12), chosen (Jn 15:8, Col 3:12, 1 Th 1:4, 1 Pe 2:9) and anointed (1 Jn 2:27); His royal ambassador (2 Co 5:20), a missionary to the world (Mt 28:19); a stranger on earth (He 11:13), a citizen of a city whose maker is God (He 11:10,16, 12:22);

I am  pressing on to know Him more (Ph 3:14); He will finish what He started (He 12:2, Ju 1:24, 2 Co 9:8); 

I am a king and a priest (Rev 1:6); a carrier of the Lord’s authority (Lk 10:19); a healer of the sick (Mark 16:18) and a demon’s worst nightmare (Mt 10:8); king o’ the world (1 Jn 5:4) because His victory is mine (1 Co 15:57); as bold as a lion (Pr 28:1) and more than a conqueror (Rm 8:37); a testimony of the Spirit’s power (1 Cor 2:4, 12:7, 2 Co 1:9); the salt (Mt 5:13) and light of the world (Mt 5:14); the sweet smell of Jesus to those who are perishing (2 Cor 2:15); a tree planted by the water (Ps 1:3, Jer 17:7), and  a fruitful branch (Jn 15:8); the disciple whom Jesus loves (Eph 1:6) and by the grace of God I am what I am (1 Co 15:10). Hallelujah!”

2. Discern Authenticity

Brene Brown defines it as “the daily practice of letting go of who we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are.” 

Circumcision cuts away what is not truly us. Much like identity, it cuts off and pulls back what is in our life that is inauthentic, pretend, and fake. There are a bunch of reasons for why we hide: guilt, fear, shame, pain, rejection, lack of vulnerability and the resilience it requires. 

Genesis 3:7-8

Hebrews 4:13

God sees us as we are, not as we think we need to be, or think anyone wants us to be.

Joshua 5:8

Internalizing the love of and acceptance of God towards ourselves can sometime be a painful experience. We feel like if we let our authentic selves be exposed God will surely hate what he sees and punish us for it. That is the voice of shame, not God. 

Galatian 5:25-26 (MSG)

3. Discern between Spirit and Flesh

Romans 8:9

You are in the Spirit, if the Spirit dwells in you, not if you live and act and behave a certain way. So our starting place is Spirit, and we can’t fall out of that! 

Romans 2:28-29

What does this mean for us? Doesn’t this happen right when we are saved, when we cross over? Yes, it does, but often times it takes time for us to have it settled in our hearts that not only is salvation an act of grace by the Spirit, but all of our life with God is that too. We need to let go of fleshy mindsets that would try to get us to qualify for the gift of the Spirit that is given by grace, and to unlearn trying to proves ourselves, earn or qualify ourselves for the things that only come by grace. 

We have to have answer this questions well before we set out: 

Galatians 3:5

Of course it is by the hearing of faith, and this is how we discern between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. If we are in faith, we are NOT JUST EXISTING IN THE SPIRIT, BUT OUR LIFE IS BEING ANIMATED BY THE SPIRT. If we are in works or performance mode, we are most likely existing in the spirit but our contribution is empowered by an old fleshly way of doing things.

Joshua 5:10-12

God had been rescuing them and supernaturally sustaining them, but now, with the flesh cut off, he wanted them to see the work of their own hands, produce and bear fruit for themselves. This only happens empowered by the Spirit.

Hebrews 4:11-12

The word of God can help us discern between what is done in the rest of faith, and what is done in the stress of the flesh.

Summary

Very important to embrace circumcision, not one we do to ourselves, but the one that happened by Christ at the cross. He cut away false identity, the sources of pain, shame, fear, and pride that drive us to be inauthentic and hide, and he cut away the flesh forever and established us in the Spirit. We must learn to walk by faith so we not only exist in the Spirit, but our actions are deeply connected to the  realities we carry in our union with Christ. 

If we fail to stop, to take the time to be exposed and to heal, down the road it will trip us up. A hidden wound will surface to attack you at the place of broken identity, and moment of inauthenticity will cause a comprise for which you can’t reverse out of, and though we find ourselves in the spirit, we may find our selves at times acting in our own strength and thereby bringing limitation and narrowing to what only the Spirit can broaden and bless. 

Galatians 5:16-18 (MSG)

Sermon Notes – Discern

Sermon – Bootcamp- Preparing to Possess the Promise “Declare”

Recap: God is taking us through the impassable, impossible crossing, into what he has promised.

Joshua 3:11, 14-16

1 Corinthians 10:11

Jesus went before us as the ARK went before them. He entered into our Jordan, our impossible and impassable. He went down into death, into sickness, into poverty, into the curse, into the depths of human sin and degradation.  He stepped down into those things for us, so that we could cross over from death to life without being harmed or swept away by their currents. 

Intro &  Text:

Joshua 4:1-7

This monument was meant to DECLARE something to the Israelites who crossed over, to their children, and the generation after them. Yet, they forgot. 

Judges 2:10-12

Sermon : DECLARE 

Just like the Ark went into the Jordan first and rolled back all the water, Jesus did that for us. Our job is to remember that, to declare it, to speak it out, tell it and declare it to the generations.

1 Corinthians 11:25-26

Joshua 4:3

The remembering was supposed to be real, tangible and close to home. We are going to remember his works – in large part by declaration: 

Psalms 145:4

Psalms 9:11

By declaration we keep alive the memory of what he has done in our lives.

Declaring and Remembering is:

 Joshua 4:2, 5

Everyone one needs to see themselves as included in the finished work of Jesus and declare that over themselves.

Psalms 73:28

Hebrews 2:9

He tasted death for us, entering into the waters of that river ahead of us, so now in his resurrection we too have crossed over already. 

John 5:24

Whatever impassible, impossible situation you believe you are facing, be it poverty, be it sickness, be it a demonic issue, be it a personal challenge or issue, this is how you do it: you remember, you declare that the Ark already went in the water, you are already on the other side. How does this work? 

Poverty?

Galatians 3:13

2 Corinthians 8:9

Sickness? 

1 Peter 2:24

Matthew 8:16-17

What about demonic issues?

John 12:31

John 16:11

Colossians 2:15

What about personal issues? 

Romans 6:11-14

2 Peter 1:8-9

All issues stem from forgetting that you have been cleansed. 

2.    Declaration is Intentional 

Joshua 3:3

Judges 2:10

I don’t think that happened on purpose. The ability we have for our memories to stay at the forefront of our consciousness and affect our day is limited in scope. If we just let our minds, memories,  and our hearts be passively filled with whatever, we will find that there is no conscious room to remember God. 

2 Corinthians 4:13

3.    Declaring is Generational

Joshua 4:6-7

This remembrance and declaration was to be done in a way that brought others in.

Psalms 22:31

I Corinthians 11:25 talks about remembrance, buts a special kind of remembering; 

Anámnēsis — It’s all about deliberately remembering in such a way that the effect of what is remembered is active and present in that moment.

God has met us and done remarkable things, but throughout history, and even in the history of movements, we have a tragic past of one generation “crossing over” and experiencing the blessing, only for the ones after to lose it. I would argue it’s because we failed to declare and remember. Not that we forget the stories, but we didn’t find a way to declare and remember in a way that helps the next generation find their place in that story. We remember facts and details, but don’t know how to share the story of God’s power in a way that helps others find their own experience with Him.  

Let’s not let this not be true of us. We will remember. We will help the next generation find their place in God’s story. We will be intentional about learning how to do so in a way that invites others in. 

Summary

Sermon Notes – Declare pdf

Series: “Preparing To Posses The Promises”  Sermon #5 “Disembark”

Are there things we can do  NOW to prepare for what’s   NEXT.

DECLUTTER

Moses Is Dead.

DETERMINE

One act of COURAGE can open the door to SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION 

DERIVE – to take or obtain from a particular source, to find origin in a particular source.

We must be settled in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection as the source and spring of our own life, future, and inheritance before we keep going.

DISCOVER

Two Primary Results of Recon: 

1. Confidence God is faithful to His promise. He has given you the land. 

2. Compassion You will encounter broken lives that need to experience redemption

1. Our History Is Irrelevant   — No Limit To His Grace

2. His Blood Is Powerful  —  Power In The Blood — Bind It!!!

3. Our Future Is Secure  —  Bloodline Of A Champion

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Made Us Alive – Raised Us Up Seated – Us With Him

DISEMBARK

Ephesians 5:8 Once your life was full of sin’s darkness, but now you have the very light of our Lord shining through you because of your union with him. Your mission is to live as children flooded with his revelation-light! 

3 Things In The Ark — Rooted In Failure 

1. A pot of manna: God’s provision that the people complained against.

2. Aaron’s rod: God’s appointed leadership that the people challenged.

3. The Ten Commandments: God’s holy standards that the people could not keep.

Joshua 3

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan (Decsending), he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there (Why??!!) before they crossed over.

So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify (prepare) yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”

So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ” So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.”

And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: 

Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And it shall come to pass,…

 …as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”

So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan,

and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows (20-40 mph mile wide)all its banks during the whole time of harvest) that the waters which came down from upstream stood still,

and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan (Their Distress) . So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

Joshua 4:18

…and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.    You are in Him and you are not going back!!!

Romans 3 :21-25 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God set forth as a propitiation (mercy seat)  by His blood, through faith,…”

We can go to the place God has promised us.

He will miraculously bring us through every impassible situation.

Jesus passed before us and is the way for us to experience fullness.

Are you standing on the banks of an impossible situation.

Jesus has once and for all delivered you from every obstacle to His grace.

He delivered you and is with you.

Series: “Preparing To Posses The Promises”  Sermon #4 “Discover”

Are there things we can do  NOW to prepare for what’s   NEXT.

DECLUTTER

Moses Is Dead.

DETERMINE

One act of COURAGE can open the door to SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION 

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others. —  Winston Churchill

DERIVE – to take or obtain from a particular source, to find origin in a particular source.

We must be settled in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection as the source and spring of our own life, future, and inheritance before we keep going.

Joshua 1:11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

Esther 5:1-3  Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house…she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!

Luke 12:32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

DISCOVER

Joshua 2 ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there…. ‘“ know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us,…”

Joshua 2:13 (NIV) “…that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

bind this line of scarlet cord …’ ‘According to your words, so be it…’ ‘Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands’”

Joshua 6:23  “And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had.

Ephesians 1:7  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Made Us Alive – Raised Us Up – Seated Us With Him

Two Primary Results of Recon: 

1. Confidence God is faithful to His promise. He has given you the land. 

2. Compassion You will encounter broken lives that need to experience redemption

Rahab:— Liberty, Large Space, Room

A Woman — few social rights

A Canaanite — wicked people 

A Prostitute — Brothel owner  

A Believer — “…she bound the scarlet cord…”

Let’s Make Three Observations:

1. Our History Is Irrelevant  

No Limit To His Grace

2. His Blood Is Powerful

Power In The Blood — Bind It!!!

3. Our Future Is Secure

Bloodline Of A Champion

Matthew 1:5-6, 16 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. … who was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus, who is called “the Anointed One.”

Hebrews 11:31 Faith provided a way of escape for Rahab the prostitute, avoiding the destruction of the unbelievers, because she received the Hebrew spies in peace.

Revelation 1:5-6 {AMP} To Him Who ever loves us and has once [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood, And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father.

What possibilities are waiting to be released in my life if I would “Bind The Scarlet Cord.” 

Who around me awaits healing or recovery if I would only   “Bind The Scarlet Cord.” 

Sermon – Derive: 3rd Day Power

Recap: Bootcamp Possess the Promise.

Determine: Courage takes many forms, but it’s important and absolutely necessary.

Intro: Derive – to take or obtain from a particular source, to find origin in a particular source.

Big idea: We must be settled in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection as the source and spring of our own life, future, and inheritance before we keep going.

DERIVE – 3RD DAY POWER

Joshua 1:11

References to events or happenings on the “third day” in the Old Testament are meant to help us understand a certain aspect or meaning of what the resurrection of Jesus means to us and for us. They are illustrations.

1 Corinthians 15:4

He is prophetically talking about third day Scriptures. Jesus does the same thing, just more explicitly using the story of Jonah:

Jonah 1:17 (ESV)

Luke 11:30 (ESV)

Matthew 12:39-40 (NIV)

Acts 10:40

Luke 13:32

Luke 24:46

1 Corinthians 10:11

I think God wanted them to wait so they could know that the promised land is not just something you wake up one day and decide that in the strength of your own power you take over on your own.

Why three days to prepare? It took Jesus three days to prepare a place for us.

John 14:2-4 (NKJV)

How does this relate to us in our transition as we prepare to possess the promise? Eph. 1:17-20 is the New Testament equivalent of “wait three days.” Instead of “get provisions” we are to get revelation and be saturated in the reality of his call and his inheritance expressed in us as we participate in his divine nature through resurrection.

Ephesians 1:17-20

To have confidence moving forward have to see that we too were raised with Jesus.

Hosea 6:2

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV)

By virtue of our resurrection life in Christ, we are co-heirs with him, born and raised up into an inheritance.

1 Peter 1:3-4

So what does the resurrection mean for my life? That’s where we turn to the Old Testament to look at some of those third day illustrations:

1. A Time Of Production, Reproduction and Multiplication

Genesis 1:12-13

1 Corinthians 15:20

The Resurrection life of Christ in me creates fruit. Harvest is the rightful inheritance of those made alive in Christ. I

2. A Time Of Provision

Genesis 22:4-5, 12

The provision Abraham spoke of was the Lord will provide a lamb.

3. A Time Of Fellowship

Exodus 19:10-12, 16-17 
“…Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God,…”

On the third day they went out to meet with the Lord…

Hebrews 12:18-24

This new life we have is characterized by fellowship and union. It makes us a child of God and the bride of Christ by virtue of the life inside us, giving us instant access to the very heart of God — through union.

4. A Time Of Authority and Leadership

Joshua 3:2-3, 7

Resurrection life is one of excellence, distinction, authority and leadership. If you can consciously connect to the royalty of the life within you, you will live with an inner propulsion toward greatness that finds its source in your participation in the divine nature.

Ephesians 2:6

5. A Time Of Completion and Realization

Ezra 6:15-16

Colossians 2:10

Find wholeness in Christ and the virtue of the new life you have in him. Let his love and acceptance bring you wholeness and a sense of completeness that empowers wholehearted living and inspires faith that brings all things into complete expression.

6. A Time Of The Best Wine, Healing, Miracles and Glory

John 2:1-10

6 water pots representing the number of humanity, being created on the 6th day.

The power, the glory, the amazing stuff we want to see God do in and through our lives, it happens in the third day. It happens because he has upgraded us, made us alive with him and given us authority and power by nature in our new life joined to the resurrected life of his son.

This power and glory is connected to a revelation of our sonship, who we are by virtue of our share in Christ’s life, not who we are because we are gifted, but who we are by nature, by life.

He saved the best til NOW! Third day is not a reference to a future dispensation, but a church awakened to the reality of what it already participates in ‘Divine Nature!” A revelation that up til now, possibly only few churches have really walked in!

Summary

Let’s get fixed, let’s gather our supplies, let’s embrace revelation now that will propel us forward. Let the eyes of our heart be flooded with light to see the riches of his inheritance in us and the suppressing greatness of his power at work in us…

Eph. 1:17-20

Sermon Notes – Derive – 3rd Day Power PDF

Series: “Preparing To Posses The Promises” Sermon #2 “Determine”

Are there things we can do NOW to prepare for what’s NEXT.

Two things to consider:

2. Knowing what is NEXT doesn’t mean you’re READY.

Regret:– sorrow over an unfulfilled ambition.

Let’s get fixed in a possession mindset.

Ephesians is the New Covenant equivalent to the book of Joshua.

Ephesians 1:3, 11  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, …  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,…”

Ephesians 1:21-23 He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Joshua 1:3-9 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.

One act of COURAGE can open the door to SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION

“Tank Man” temporarily stops the advance of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989, in Beijing. Day before the government had violently put down a protest

December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a soft-spoken African-American seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man,

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther sounded the birth of the Reformation by posting his Ninety-Five Theses in protest

Courage is not the absence of fear.

Courage is fear that has said its prayers. — Karl Barth

Courageous People In The Word: Abraham   Moses  David   Daniel    Apostle Paul

Joshua Needed Courage:

Joshua Had Reason For Courage:

4 Places To Express Courage:

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Ephesians 3:12 (CEV) “Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith.”

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.”