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TAPE 4 - SIDE 2.

Now this morning we are looking at the final in our series of "Commandoes for Christ" and this is number 8 in the series. I have entitled it "Mighty for the Lord".

I wonder if you can say for yourself that you are "mighty for the Lord". Last week we discovered an important fact regarding those 2 million Jews who were wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years - a bit like a chook with its head chopped off - around and around in circles, a bit like a ship without a rudder.

Turn with me to Joshua chapter 1 - remember we learned something which you may not have realised before, verse 1:

"Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying - and this is what he said - verse 2 "Moses my servant is dead, now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel."

And remember I felt that the important word was "therefore" in other words, because Moses is dead, now you can go into the land. Remember, I got a real message for myself last week. Moses had to be buried before the people could go into the land.

Moses, that wonderful, wonderful man in a way, had kept the people back at the last. 40 years had passed since God had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and Moses was dead, but God hadn't changed His mind.

We will learn that the principle that God used in bringing them out of Egypt was a principle that God intended to use in bringing them `in' to the land of Canaan. God was simply waiting - God was waiting for the man who would be totally obedient to Him.

In Joshua chapter 1 verse 3 - this is what the Lord said to Joshua:

"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. (5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: - look at this next part - as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

"As I was with Moses (this is a very important thing, `as I was with Moses' in bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, `so I will be with thee - in bringing them into the land of Canaan.) Look at verse 6: "Be strong and of a good courage: (how is that for a Bible text? The very first words God says to Joshua is `be strong and of a good courage', don't be a little whimp! Be strong and of a good courage!) for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. (7) Only be thou strong and very courageous, (in case you didn't get it the first time, Joshua) `Only be thou strong and very courageous - that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, (in other words, go straight ahead Joshua!) that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Verse 8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

You know, in a little pamphlet I have in my possession on daily Bible reading it says "to be an eagle" when you are looking at a verse. Alright, let's get an example of this in that verse we have just read, verse 8. You want to be an eagle? Then here is an eagle - write down in the margin Four M's and underline them. "Mouth". The book of the law shall not depart out of thy "mouth"; but thou shalt "Meditate" therein day and night, that thou "Mayest" .... Here is your own example. Right, the book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt "Make" thy way prosperous - there are the Four M's - but here is the icing on the cake, maybe you haven't seen it? How does this verse end? It ends with the word "Success", you know something, this is the only place in the Word of God where success is found. Isn't that interesting? The only place in the whole Word of God! And there it is, the Four M's, that's being an eagle.

Now before we go any further, we need to know something about these children of Israel, these two million Jews. We need to know which of the Jews were going to enter into the Promised Land. I mean all the murmurers, all the moaners and all the unbelievers were left behind. But who was to go into the land? Who was to go in with Joshua. Leave a bookmark there in Joshua 1 and turn back to Numbers 14.

We know that Moses didn't get into the land, he was buried in the land of Moab - he never got in. But a whole lot of other people didn't get in, look at Numbers 14, we just take you back a bit in the story of the Jews when they were thundering around in the wilderness. Verse 1: "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. (2) And all the children of Israel (and what did they do? they -) murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, (note that it said `the whole congregation'!) Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness."

How is that for positive thinking? Terrible, isn't it? Verse 3: "And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, and that our wives and our children should be a prey? (you want to put a ring around those words `a prey' - you will see why later on.) Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? (4) And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."

I mean you talk about a rebellious bunch of boobies - this is them! (5) "Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. (6) And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: (7) And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

(8) If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. (9) Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. (10) But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. (How is that for negative thinking? they want to stone them!) And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

(11) And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shown among them?"

Of course we know signs, "The Jews seek after signs", so He gives it to them, He gives people signs. Verse 12: "I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they."

This is just a bit of background and what happens then? Well, Moses that wonderful man, he was the one man who stood between God and the people and he petitioned God to have mercy on them. We won't read it all, but look down to verse 19 - this is Moses now, before God who is going to smite these people. Moses says, "Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

Moses is a tremendous man and he saves these people, I don't know how man times. But look what the Lord says in reply in verse 20: "And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: (He listened to Moses.) (21) But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. (22) Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, (ten times! Look at that! God is keeping a record!) and have not hearkened to my voice; (23) Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:"

Now down to verse 29: "Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, (note that?) from twenty years old and upward - which have murmured against me. (30) Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

(31) But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, (that is why I told you to put a ring around the words `a prey' - put a ring around them again there, and just join them up - `a prey' in verse 3 and `a prey' in verse 31) them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

(32) But as for you, your carasses, they shall fall in this wilderness."

See here were these people saying that their children and their wives would be "a prey' and God just turns the whole thing right around, 180 degress, and says, "O.K., the ones that you say are going to be `a prey' - they are the ones that are going to get into the land." And you will note in verse 29 He talks about from twenty years old and upwards.

What God is saying is that those under the age of twenty, whom they feared would be a prey to their enemies, would be the very ones to enter the land. Turn back over to Deuteronomy Chapter 1 - it is important to get this background before we really get stuck into this. Verse 39, and just in case you didn't get it, God repeats it again - this is Moses talking and he has been talking with God here:

"Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be `a prey', and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it."

You see what God is saying here is that the age of accountability was twenty years of age and under, the age of accountability. Now what is our age of accountability in the Church Age? I don't know. When we know what this Book tells us, we are certainly accountable. If we don't do what this Book says, we can expect problems from God.

Turn back to Joshua chapter 1 again and continue this thrilling and challenging story. We are back at verse 10: "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, (11) Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, (incidentally, we are eagles here when we look at the Word of God with "P's" - "Pass", "Prepare", "Possess". As you read these verses, this is how the Lord speaks to you - "Pass" through the host and command the people, saying "Prepare", there is another "P" - "Prepare" your victuals - for within three days ye shall "Pass" over this Jordan - when? in three days. "Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan,- to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it."

And we know what happened. On the third day, early in the morning they were ready. Now doesn't this remind you of something straight away, when we talk about the third day, early in the morning? It is a type of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean this is so full of pictures and types of Christ that you cannot miss it.

Do you remember how Moses had sent twelve spies into the land? Ten of them turned out to be total "duds", absolute "dead losses". I mean they were his best deacons and officers and he sent twelve of them into the land and ten of them were just no good. They were duds who only served to discourage the hearts of the people - they were discouragers. God says so in Deuteronomy.

What did Joshua do? Just turn over to Joshua 2. Joshua, this new leader, he is a man who is motivated. Verse 1: "And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men ( How many? Only 2 men!) to spy secretly, saying, Go, view the land, even Jericho.

And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there."

What happened? Well they had no sooner - and you know the story - these two men had no sooner got into the land than the King of Jericho's top knotch CIA, KJB and counter-intelligence service was alert! They knew all about this. Look at verse 2: "And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country. (3) And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, (this king even knew which house they were in!) which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. (4) And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: (She is a jolly good fibber!

Of course, we could ask a question here, "Is it right to lie for the Lord, to tell fibs for the Lord?" Think about that one, I won't tell you the answer.) (5) And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I wot not; pursue after them quickly, for ye shall overtake them. (6) But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. (7) And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. (8) And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; (9) And she said unto the men, (and look what she says) I know that the Lord hath given you the land, (isn't that an incredible thing for her to say!)I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you." (10) For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. (12) And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there reImages any more courage in any man, (why?) because of you: For the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."

Do you see what these verses say? I mean, did it penetrate? Did you really get the meaning? You see what it says? The spies made the amazing discovery, these two men made the amazing discovery that the inhabitants of Canaan had been a defeated foe all these long forty years! They had conceded victory to Israel, when from? From the very day they had heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Red Sea for them when they came out of Egypt.

It says "their hearts were melted" - I mean, they were turned to jelly, they had had it! And there was no courage left in any of them. These men in Canaan had become convinced that the God of Israel was the God in heaven above and on the earth below, and that this God was as competent to get His people into Canaan as He was competent to get them out of Egypt. In fact, now you think about this - the only thing that really amazed these Canaanites was that Israel had taken so long to take what God had already given to them!

So these two spies discovered that for forty years in the wilderness, Israel had really been fighting a battle that was already lost, instead of enjoying in Canaan a victory that was already won. So what do the two spies do? Here are these two spies who had been hidden in Rahab's house, they left that place, and hurried back to Joshua to tell him the exciting news. Look at

Joshua 2 verse 24: "And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us."

You are going to be an eagle? Put a ring around that word "hath", what tense is it? past tense! It is not God "will deliver", it is God "hath". And they did not say unto Joshua, "Truly the Lord WILL deliver you?" No! "hath already" - hath being PAST tense, "delivered" into our hand all the land. Look at chapter 3 verse 1: "And Joshua arose early in the morning; and they removed from Shitti, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. (2) And it came to pass after three days, (remember I said that this was a picture of the resurrection?) that the officers went through the host; (and there is a interesting little thing we can read here) (3) And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests and the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. (4) Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits (that is about half a mile) by measure: come not near unto it, (why?) that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore."

This is something new for you. Verse 5: "And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. (6) And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. (7) And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee."

Have you wondered why they had to keep half a mile behind the Ark of the Covenant? Simply that they might know the way! If they were all around it, they would not know which way to go. It says here in verse 4 "that ye may know the way". They were to give God room to manoeuvre if you like in time and space. They were not to crowd in, they were to keep back and follow the leading that God was giving them.

We can learn a lesson from this, we have got to give God room to manoeuvre, we have to learn to be still and give God room and know that He is God. We don't have any right to panic. God really is in charge, He knows what is going on. The Bible says "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him", Psalm 37. We are to rest in the Lord and wait patiently, but, when Joshua rose early in the morning and got the Levites and the Ark moving, they were to follow and get cracking. Back to Joshua chapter 3 verse 13: "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon a heap."

Now you know that water doesn't normally stand in a heap. This is God who is working a miracle here. Verse 14: "And it shall come to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people; (15) And as they that bare the Ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the Ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (and just in case you imagine this is just a natural thing, isn't it interesting how God puts in this bracket here) "(for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)"

This is not some drought - no way! This is the worst time for God, if you like, to do a miracle. He is really going to do something. "(16) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan; and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. (17) And the priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm (look at this - on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, - here they are in the midst of this river on dry ground) and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."

These people were now, for the very first time, out of the wilderness and into the Land. Now let me ask you a question and I want you to turn your brain on to overdrive and listen carefully.

Going back forty years earlier, how did they get through the Red Sea forty years earlier? Why? They simply put their feet in the water and stood still; why? Because God told them; and what happened? God divided the waters and they passed through on dry land.

Why? Because God said they would. How did they get through the river Jordan? They put their feet in the Jordan and stood still. Why? Because God told them to! What happened? God divided the waters and they went through on dry ground. Why? Because God said they would.

Let us get to the point. How much more difficult was it to get into the Promised Land than it was to get out of Egypt? No more difficult at all! In fact, it was identical. It was as easy to get in as it was to get out! But the trouble was, how long did it take them to discover this? Forty miserable years!

Turn with me for a moment to Colossians chapter 2 verse 6 - a very important verse: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:" Now look at this verse again and be an eagle. How are you to walk in Jesus Christ, the answer tells us here, "As you received him". How did you receive the Lord Jesus Christ? By simple faith!

Let me ask you, the reader, a personal question, was it very difficult to accept Christ as Saviour, was it very difficult to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Of course it wasn't! How then are you to walk "in Him"? How are you to walk in Christ? By faith. That is what is says here.

Will that be any more difficult? Of course it won't! As you thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His death on the Cross, and I trust you have done this, and accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, so you should also, just as easily, thank Him for His indwelling Life.

You have to humbly accept the glorious truth, the Saviour lives in you, through the Holy Spirit. You know that He died for you, why won't you accept the fact that He is living in you and that He can live FOR you. It is simple! I wonder how long it has taken some believers to find this out. I know some never ever seem to find it out! Maybe because they struggle to have faith, instead of resting in God, and letting Him open the truth up spiritually.

And here is another thing - the Lord Jesus Christ, He doesn't give you strength. You see some people say, "Oh, the Lord will give me strength". You have got it wrong! He doesn't give you strength, He IS your strength! The Lord Jesus Christ doesn't give you victory, He IS your victory! Let Jesus Christ provide for you, take over everything, He loves you so very much. Learn what it is to be dependent on Him all the time, He is your life.

Now let us bring this message to an end. Turn back for a moment to Joshua. Because there is a real surprise here, a tremendous surprise, at least I found it a surprise. Joshua 5 verse 13: "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho (this is the very first place they come to in the Promised Land) that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?"

You see, Joshua went out to make a reconnissance of this big city of Jericho with the great walls around it. He wanted to draw up plans for attacking the very first major task that confronted these children of Israel in the Promised Land. This was the "Numero Uno", this was the number one problem that faced them at the big city of Jericho. And here Joshua is having a good look-see. Then he becomes strangely aware of the presence of a man.

This odd man has a drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua more or less said, "Whose side are you on? Our side or their side?" And look at the reply he got in verse 14: "And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?" (15) And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so."

You see, this is the Lord Jesus Christ, this is what is called a Theophany. The Captain of the Host is God who thus appeared as a man before His incarnation on the earth, before he came as a little babe. He appears as the Captain of the Host with a sword in His hand.

Does not that remind you of the burning bush with Moses? Here He is now as the Captain of the Hosts, He has got a sword in His hand - you see what the Lord in effect said to Joshua? Look at it, in verse 14: "And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?"

You see, what this captain, what the Lord said, "I'm not on their side, and I am not on your side, I have come as captain of the host of the Lord, I have not come to take sides, I have come to take over. Do you get it? I have not come to be on their side, or to be on your side, I have come to take over!

What can we learn from this? We learn that if you are no longer a wilderness Christian, but in the land, then you as a person don't have to make your plans hoping that God will be on your side. Jericho appeared to have been an impossible situation for Joshua and the children of Israel, but Jericho is no longer Joshua's problem - it is God's problem! You and I can come under the supreme jurisdiction of the Man with a sword in His hand. God doesn't take sides, He only takes over when we allow Him to walk and to work in our lives - including your "Jericho", your impossible situation.

Some years ago we started the Calvary Bible Church - how did we do it? By faith! A group of people got together. How do we now get a place of our own? Surely it is the same way - by faith in our mighty God!

When problems come to us, and trials, we have got to think of ourselves as being like these children of Israel - they had enemies back in Egypt, the unbelievers, but they also had enemies within their own ranks - the murmurers, the moaners, the unbelievers - we are a little bit the same. We have got the outside people who do not understand those who love God and obey Him. But we also often have within the fellowships of believers, people who are the discouragers, and some who even would like to have all the goodies of Egypt, and none of the reproach or rejection of the Christian life - and they can set many hearts on a course which leads into a wandering, endless wilderness experience! We cannot have Egypt and the Promised Land at the same time!

Are you right at the shores of the Promised Land, but long for the materialism and comforts of Egypt?

Are you working against others, murmuring and discouraging others? Or are you prepared to step forward in faith as Joshua did and as the children of Israel did. The Battle "hath" been won already for the Commandoes in Christ, who have the Captain with a sword in His hand leading the way. Praise God.

This to me is a thrilling verse, 1 Thess. 5:24 "Faithful is he that has called you, who also will do it". Do you believe Him?

 

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