Good morning The scripture reading comes from Joshua chapter 13 verses 1 through 7 Joshua chapter 13 verses 1 through 7 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years and the Lord said to him You are old and advanced in years and there remains yet very much land to possess This is the land that yet remains All the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Jesherites from the Shaihoor Which is east of Egypt northward to the boundary of the Echron. It is counted as Canaanite There are five rulers of the Philistines those of Gheza, Ashdot, Ashkalan, Gath and Echron and those of the Asim In the south all the land of the Canaanites and the Mira that belongs to the Sidonians To the Apex to the boundary of the Emirates and the land of the Ghebalites and all Lebanon toward the sunrise From Balgad below Mount Hermann to level Hammath all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Mazar Prasmayam Even all the Sidonians I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel Only a lot of land to Israel for an inheritance as I have commanded you now Therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and have the tribe of Mnasa. This is the word of the Lord Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Was assassinated in April 1968 By the time of his death the United States had made significant progress on social and racial concerns and yet even at his death in 1968 all those Concerned Would say that there was still yet work to be done In fact if you had asked the Dr. King if
He believed That a black man could be elected president of the United States in His lifetime He would have thought you out of your mind, Dr. King Would have never dreamed of a black president and if he had It would have been only a dream
2008 when Barack Obama With elected president of these United States
Dr. King would have been 80 years old 80 years old Within one generation Dr. King Would have seen What seemed at the time Impossible when the children of Israel left Egypt as slaves And marched out Of their captivity They had a dream. There's a dream of their own land It was a dream of their own place to worship to live and to work It was a dream deeply rooted in the promises to their fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob It was a dream that was derailed By 400 years of slavery in Egypt But it was still a dream and it was a dream revived under the leadership of Moses And it was a dream realized under the leadership of Joshua Now I don't want to draw this analogy out too far Okay, I don't know none of you going away from here saying that Dr. King was Moses
and Barack Obama is Joshua That is not what past is saying for the wreckage But what I do want you to understand this morning is what I believe the Bible illustrates for us over and over again and that is this That what one generation believes The next generation through faith and trust can achieve Through trusting God and obeying God and following God's will and way for their lives Each generation beloved should and can and should be built upon the faith and the obedience of the previous one Moses led the nation of Israel to the promised land
Joshua led the nation of Israel To possess the promised land
That's important to understand That's important to understand for your own Christian life beloved That it is not simply God wanting his people To get to the promised land But God wanted his people to possess the promised land
Why is that important because beloved Jesus didn't come just to save you in me
He came also
So that you and I can live saved
For the Bible says it's what the Bible says John chapter 10 and verse 10 Right Jesus says I came That you may have life But not just in your life I came that you might have abundant life The abundant life he wants us to not be just saved But he wants you to know the joy of your salvation
And then just want you to be saved but he wants you to walk in the fullness of joy That's why as we read earlier in Romans chapter 8 That he has saved us and now we are more than conquerors
More than conquerors So in one sense what God desires for us is the conquering life The conquering life
How do we do that How do we walk in the conquering life How do we experience this victorious life when the feet seems to be on every hand
to be conquerors When the enemy Seems to be always ready
What I want to suggest to you We kind of see in our text here That you and I me to look at our lives In terms of the battles that we fight
Look at your life In terms of the battles that you have fought That you are fighting That you will have to fight Hey, this is what Joshua and the nation is real With having to do over and over again and I think this is what they were having to do even in our textus This morning That once again They were going to have to look back on some past battles
They were going to have to overcome some present circumstances and then They were going to keep looking to the Lord for his future grace Okay, now this is how we live this kind of conquering life Do remember past battles Don't forget him Don't forget him If you go back and Joshua just one chapter previous chapter 12 You go back to chapter 12 and Joshua And you realize that the conquering life that Joshua and the Israelites are experienced I'm going to experience this is built upon battles and victories already one Right is built upon realizing and remembering that there are battles and there are victories that have already been One And before Joshua and Israel would engage once again in any present battles The Bible rehearses for us and for them the battles already one Look again and see in chapter 12 verses one through six the kings that were conquered by Moses Isn't it interesting that the Bible lists the kings that were conquered by Moses first Right It's important Okay, before we get to the kings conquered by Joshua and the Israelites listen to the list of kings conquered by Moses Why is that important? That is important because Joshua and the nation of Israel had to be reminded that God didn't just show up with you Joshua
God just didn't show up with you He's been with your people Joshua chapter 1 verse 5 right This is the promise that God gave Joshua from the very beginning after Moses is serving his debt Says Joshua and remember no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you God says I would be with you by Rehearsing these list of kings that are conquered by Moses. God is reminding Moses. God was with Joshua as he was with Moses
I was with Moses Just as I am with you in fact Understand that the God that was with Moses is the God that was with Joseph And the god that was with Joseph is the god that was with Jacob and the god that was with Jacob as the god that was with Isaac And the god that was with Isaac as the god that was with Abraham
When God introduced himself to Moses and Exodus chapter 3 and a verse 6 You know what God called himself to Moses he says that he is the god of your father. That's who I am. I am the god of your father. You know what happens sometimes beloved? This is what happens and it's kind of a modern malady you know. Sometimes we talk like God hasn't been here
sometimes we act like God just showed up and he has never dealt with anything like what I'm dealing with
that my life and my circumstances my issues are news to him act like he just started being God with us. The fact of the matter is beloved when I get in a fix I'm not looking for a new god god. I want the god that my grandmother prayed to. I want that god. I want to worship the god that hurt my mother praying and answered her prayers and brought her through. I think the song you just say about the old time religion is good enough for mama it's good enough for me. Don't forget God was with Moses and he conquered the kings in Moses day Joshua and remember the kings and he conquered on the Joshua as well as God led Moses so he would lead Joshua as well. Moses conquered kings Joshua conquered kings. Notice notice how the list of kings begins in Joshua chapter 12 verse 9 right king of Jericho one king of AI one king of Jerusalem one king one king one one by one the list of kings given conquered. If you and I will live faithfully and victoriously today beloved you must remember how God delivered you yesterday. He delivered you yesterday and these these beloved this is the important part these are not all miraculous victories. Everything was not Jericho. Everything was not AI in fact most victories came through ordinary means Joshua had to pull the sword. He had to hold up his shield. He had to walk into battle. Oh beloved listen to me don't get caught up in the AI and the Jericho these are marvelous things and we should remember but remember and realize that most victories in your life are just going to come through the ordinary means of believing and trusting and waiting on the Lord every day to come through prayer. It's not going to be a grand miraculous event. The Lord is going to give you victory as you fight the battles as you trust him as you wait on him. Every now and then there will be a Jericho. Every now and then there will be an AI but most of the time you're just going to have to take blood pressure medicine every day
just go to wait on the Lord and trust him every moment of every day because that's how the vast majority of the victories are won don't forget that don't forget that don't get caught up looking for the miraculous when there's evidence of God's grace every day and don't forget it don't forget it as the Psalmist says Psalm 103 verse 2 bless the Lord or my soul and forget not all his benefits every day every day every day there's evidence of grace and the work of God in your life through ordinary means and he's bringing you through and he's giving you victories one by one by one by one by one. That's why the song says count your blessings count your blessings and name them one by one one by one count your blessings and see and see what God has done I dare you I dare you I dare you I dare you to just sit down and just count your blessings you arise up in victory beloved I don't care how you sat down when you rise up you will rise up in victory ah do remember do remember past battles but don't regret present circumstances don't regret your present circumstance you click chapter 13 and verse 2 beloved Joshua was no spring chicken see what the Bible says what to say Bob plainly Joshua was old and advanced in years I ain't calling nobody out I shade my greatest morning some folks didn't Joshua was old and advanced in years probably probably around 90 years old at this time beloved he wasn't a young soldier anymore he wasn't the young soldier that he used to be the years were beginning to slow him down and and and naturally like us Joshua might have wanted to call it quits Joshua's life hadn't been like Moses hey Moses spent much of his life trying to administer a knucklehead Joshua for most of his life has been in the battle he's been with sword and shield in his hand and he takes his toll on everybody and if people come to me say hey pass you want to play basketball I said oh no oh no I don't see too many old guys tear up their keely didn't that right brother Mars I don't see too many old guys blood out knees now I play golf I play golf these days basketball is a young man's game football is a young man's game so is war right wrong notice what it says in verse one Joshua was old and advanced in years and there remains yet very much land to possess I know you old I know you tired I know you weary from the battle but there is still you land yet Joshua to possess you know when I find beloved at the older I get and I think this is probably true of most of us in here at the older you get the more you realize that much of your presence battles battles with ourselves battle with ourselves it's battles with motivating ourselves it's battles with getting over ourselves it's battles with getting over our usefulness and realizing this beloved that you can't control the uncontrollables you can't control the uncontrollables age is an uncontrollable that that ticker you better turn age is an uncontrollable here's the good news the uncontrollables in your life are no problem for God they're not they're not they're not they're not you can't say I'm blind why God uses blind people ask Fanny cross me he can't say I'm paralyzed God God uses paralyzed people ask Donnie Eris and Tara you can't say I'm too young you can't say I got I have too many children you can't say you do anything forgot to use like anything else age is not a hindrance to God Abraham was old and it was old when God called Moses he was old you know the Bible says about Caleb in chapter 14 and chapter 14 in verse 12 Caleb was 85 years old and Caleb came to Joshua and said Joshua give me the hill country I'll show these young bucks how to take it Joshua was old and the Lord says to Joshua I know you old and yet the steel remains yet very much land there are still many battles to there is still much to possess there is still abundant life yet to live in Psalm 71 verse 18 the psalmist says even when I am old and gray do not forsake me my God till I declare your power to the next generation your mighty acts to all who are to come age beloved done doesn't hinder the purposes of God none of the uncontrollables do there are still battles to win there are still battles to win against the world there are still battles to win against the flash there are still battles to win against the devil and you are never too old to be in battle for the Lord's army you are never too old to do at the feast in chapter 6 and verse 11 says and that is to put on the whole armor of God you are never too old to use the weapon of prayer you are never too old to use the weapon of praise and that's why the psalmist says right and Psalm 104 and verse 33 I will sing to the Lord how long all my life I will sing praises to my God how long as long as I live you don't let the uncontrollables of your present circumstances keep you out of the fight don't do it beloved wherever you are however you are you can put on the whole arm of God there are still yet battles to win there are still yet enemies to fight there is still grace to trust the Lord for and that's what you do you trust him for future grace right now trust him for future grace and verses 6 and 7 we reminded again that Joshua was old but there were yet lands to be conquered and nations to drive up but notice notice what God says he says Joshua in verse 1 he says Joshua there are yet very much lands to possess but don't worry notice what he says in verse 6 all right I myself will drive them out I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel with all the destruction of those cities and kings 31 kings listed 31 kings listed with all the destruction of those 31 kings you might have thought that that would be enough you might have thought that Joshua looked at the list of all his conquering and he said you know what y'all I'm just going lay down my sword and shield down by the riverside I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield down by the riverside and steady won't no more I'm 90 years old I fought my battles just gonna lay down my sword and shield down by the riverside and steady one no more you know what the problem with that is the world isn't laying down its sword and shield the flesh isn't laying down its sword and shield the devil sure isn't laying down his sword and shield and as long as you are in this body and as long as you are breathing this air there will be battles to fight beloved there will be rivers to cross there will be mountains to climb and there will be doubles to defeat Joshua already had many victories but as long as he was alive God was promising him more I know you got victory Joshua I got more for you I got more victories for you Joshua Joshua still had fighting him and God knows it because he knows all his people got fighting them because he's with them always have fighting us as long as the church stands he's gonna be in the battle and I want to suggest to you but love it that no matter how dark it may look at any moment the future is always bright because the future is filled with battles and guaranteed victories always always that is the nature of future grace the grace of the Lord God who brought you over that mountain is the grace of the Lord God who's gonna carry you over the next
Joshua Joshua understood this beloved there's still battles to be won there are always battles to be won always has the Lord gives you grace the conquer one get yourself prepared for the next one that's how I was with Joshua you realize that the battles in in with Joshua right no no no no Joshua handed the battle over to the judges the judges handed the battle over to the kings the kings handed the battle over to the prophets and you know what the prophets did with the battle they handed it over to Jesus and Jesus came and entered into the battle and you know what Jesus did with the battle of the Jesus took the battle to the cross and the Bible tells us beloved that on the cross in Colossians chapter 2 and 15 he put his enemies to opening but Jesus didn't stop fighting there he took the battle from the cross then he took the battle down into the grave and you know what he did with the battle in the grave beloved first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 55 tells us that when he rose he looked back and said death where is your sting and grace where now your victory oh beloved oh but the battle ain't over because the battle that he had on the cross the battle he took down to the grave now he has taken that battle to heaven and the Bible tells us that every day in in the Hebrew chapter 7 and verse 25 every day he every moment he is fighting for you he is strengthening your resolve he is weakening your enemy he is guaranteeing your victory because he ever lived to make intercession for you Jesus is fighting for you that's why you can keep on fighting that's why you can keep going that's why you can say like Joshua when the Lord came the Joshua and the Lord said Joshua I know the day has been long and the battles have been many I know you're getting old but can you fight on and Joshua said Lord I've been fighting the King nights a long time and I ain't tired yet I've been fighting the Amorites a long time and I ain't tired yet Lord I ain't tired yet I ain't I I don't feel no way sad I've come I've come Lord too far for where we started from you never told us that taking this promised land would be easy but I don't believe you brought us this far just to leave me I don't feel no way tired Lord I ain't tired yet I've been fighting a long time and I ain't tired yet I've been doing battle a long time and I ain't tired yet I've been praying for a long time and I ain't tired yet Lord and the Lord hasn't given up on me and I ain't given up and I ain't given up that's right sister I ain't given up as the Lord hasn't given up on me there are still yet very much land to possess and I ain't tired yet that's right