In this final message in our series, we take a closer look at the life of Joshua. He wasn't just a warrior-leader for the people of Israel — he was a passionate seeker of God. What can we learn from his life (especially his one singular, defining declaration) about taking new ground? 

When taking new ground, we'll be faced with temptations to take things God never intended for us. That's the cautionary story found in Joshua Chapter 7, where Achan is exposed for having taken the very things God said not to touch. It's a painful lesson — but one we can learn from as we discover what in our heart pulls us toward the shiny lures that end up causing so much ruin.

In Joshua Chapter Six, God's people finally engage their enemy at Jericho. What we discover here will inform our own struggles as well, because we all face challenges and conflict. 

We're in Joshua Chapter 5 and God's people were finally in their Promised Land. But before they could launch out and take new ground, God tells them that they have to take care of two important things: they had to renew their covenant with Him, and they had to take on new responsibility. We find that these are two things we also need if we're going to mature and take new spiritual territory. 

When God's people finally stepped into the Promised Land, the very first thing God had them do was not rest, pray, or worship. Their first assignment was a construction project — to build a memorial. We tend to be incredibly forgetful when it comes to the work of God in our lives, and memorials are God's antidote to spiritual amnesia! As part of our gathering today, join us as we "remember" the work of Jesus on the cross by celebrating communion. 

"You've never traveled this way before..." That's what God tells His people in Joshua Chapter 3, as they're about to cross the formidable Jordan River. And that's what many of us are feeling in our lives right now! We've never experienced anything like this before — and it can leave us perplexed and fearful. But Pastor Gary Howse takes us into these waters, and we discover that God will be with us all the way to the other side. 

Just before being sent to the cross, Jesus had a conversation with the Roman Governor, Pilate. They were talking about truth. In the middle of their discussion, Jesus stated that He'd come into the world to demonstrate the power of truth. And while He did that throughout His life on earth, it was His death and resurrection that proved to be the greatest demonstration of truth in all of history. 

In Joshua Chapter Two, before God's people crossed the Jordan River, Joshua sent two spies ahead. In Jericho they encountered a prostitute named Rahab — and her message of faith and act of courage has echoed through the generations. She taught those spies, and us as well, an invaluable lesson: what we focus on changes everything. 

In the second half of Joshua Chapter One, we learn that three of Israel's twelve tribes were already living in their "Promise Land." While their brothers were getting ready to cross the Jordan River and engage in the battles ahead, why did they need to leave their homes and risk everything to help them? Because that's God's plan! If we stay barricaded within the safe borders of our own Promise Land, there will be others who will never make it to theirs. We can not take new ground and leave others behind.  

In this season of huge challenges, when it feels like everything we've relied on has been ripped away, is it really the time to take new ground? Shouldn't we just be trying to hold on to what we've got? That's exactly what God's people must have been asking in Joshua Chapter One, right after Moses, had died. But God challenged them in that moment to rise and take new ground. It's time to be strong and courageous.