Groundwork has to be laid and strategies have to be planned in order to engage in war. But there is one preparation that is far too often overlooked: spiritual preparation. The Israelites were about to march into war, seeking to drive out the enemies of the promise land. Would they be victorious or would they be defeated? For the Israelites, the answer would be found in one word, preparation, spiritual preparation. The Israelites were the people of God, the people chosen to inherit the promise land and to be witnesses of God to the whole world. It was through the Israelites that God was to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to save the world. Because of this, the most important preparation God's people could make was the preparation of their spirit in their commitment to God. They would be victorious if they followed God wholeheartedly. But, if they turned away from God and disobeyed His holy commandments, they would be defeated and lose the promised land. There was much at stake. There still is! For this reason, spiritual preparation is absolutely essential. This Sunday we will look at the spiritual preparation that was necessary for Israel to be victorious. We will see how this applies to us as well in our battles of life.
Are you ready to claim your Canaan?
October 9, 2016 • Dr. Danny Lovett
Spiritual Victory
November 27, 2016 • Dr. Danny Lovett
As we look forward to the next chapter in Joshua, think about this… Is it possible to go through life victoriously? To avoid discouragement and defeat? Are you caught up in the whirlwind of peaks and valleys, of being up and down? If so, there is the most wonderful news: a victorious life is possible! A person can conquer and triumph throughout life. All the enemies that seek to defeat and destroy mankind can be overcome. Victory is found in God, found in His love and care, in His presence and power that is available to us. One lesson that we must learn: victory is in God and in God alone. This was the lesson that Joshua and the Israelites had to learn. There was a victorious life over all the enemies that sought to defeat and destroy them. But there was a price to pay for victory. The Israelites had to act, take certain steps to achieve victory over their enemies. They could not just sit back and let God fight their battles for them. God had promised to be with them and to empower them, but they had to actually march forth and fight the battle. This Sunday we will see the steps to take so we can march forward as conquerors over our enemies just like Joshua and the Israelites did.
Spiritual Defeat
November 20, 2016 • Dr. Danny Lovett
All kinds of human emotions are felt by people who experience failure. There are emotions of discouragement and depression, of being distressed and downhearted, of feeling down and being treated like an outcast, of being sad, disheartened and demoralized. Sadly these emotions can become serious problems. Some people, millions of them, wrestle with the problem of depression and discouragement, living defeated, and unsuccessful lives. But listen! There is a glorious message of hope, the message of the Holy Scriptures! The Word of God declares that all these emotions that discourage and defeat us can be conquered. We can live a victorious life. A life that conquers and triumphs over all enemies that seek to defeat us as we walk through life. Joshua is a good example of this very thing in chapter seven. Joshua experiences victory at strong Jericho then a terrible defeat at little Ai. This Sunday we will look at what brought this defeat to Joshua and the Israelite nation, and how they overcame that defeat.
How to conquer our Jericho
October 30, 2016 • Dr. Danny Lovett
The book of Joshua is about three degrees of faith, as God's people rest on God's word, count on God's promises, and dare to do great things for God because they believe and obey His word. God's people have dedicated themselves to serve God and then, "Boom!" They are immediately confronted with the challenge of an impossible enemy city, Jericho. If you and I to be what Christ wants us to be, we are going to be faced with many Jerichos. Join us this Sunday as we take a look at how we can overcome our Jericho.