Intro: Many people in our day are unaware that Sergeant Alvin C. York was the most well-known World War I soldier. Many people are unaware that Alvin York captured 132 German soldiers on his own in one day in France. For his bravery in battle, York received numerous high honors from various nations.
Alvin C. York, on the other hand, was a highly unlikely hero. York believed that he could not kill anyone, not even in war, because of his Christian faith. York made it clear that he was a conscientious objector after he was drafted; that he would be unable to kill men. He was given a ten-day leave of absence to reflect on his circumstances and the scriptures that a Christian captain had shared with him. If York returned feeling the same way, he would be discharged from the Army, York was promised.
God finally demonstrated to York during a faith crisis that he could obey God and simultaneously defend the helpless in Europe. He wrote, "I knew that He was there as I prayed there alone." He felt sorry for me and gave me the assurance I needed that it was His will, and that was enough for me. He knew I didn't want to fight or kill. Sgt. Before he could win the battles that lay ahead of him in the French trenches, York had to win the war in his mind.
Before Alvin York could ever become a great war hero, he had to submit to God's lordship throughout his life. A similar truth is found in this entry. Jericho is about to be attacked by Israel. Joshua, the leader of Israel, goes out to check out the battleground prior to it. Joshua met the real leader of Israel face-to-face on that significant day. He met a person who was significantly more powerful than he was.
The Leader meets the Lord that day outside the walled city of Jericho. Joshua was humbled when he did, but he was also prepared for the upcoming battle. Let's take a closer look at this extraordinary encounter between the Lord and the Leader. Let me show you some of the images that appear in this passage.
It's possible that the Lord will use this passage to touch our souls right now. It's possible that He will remind us who controls our life circumstances. We might discover that no one is qualified to lead unless they have first learned to serve. It is possible that He will help us to remember the need of lowering ourselves at His feet. If we want to experience real spiritual victory in our lives, we need to learn who is actually fighting our battle. There is a lot to say about that in this passage.
As we consider the topic of "The Leader Meets the Lord," take note with me of the images that are presented in these verses.
I. V. 13 THE IMAGE OF A SHEPHERD At the beginning of these verses, Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, is all by himself outside the walls of Jericho. I believe it would be beneficial for us to consider exactly what Joshua is doing alone out there.
A. The Shepherd's Duty Joshua was the people's leader. He had been selected by God for that position. When the Lord appointed Joshua to lead Israel, He made several priceless promises to Joshua. In Joshua 1:5, the Lord told Joshua that no one would ever be able to stand before him for the rest of his life: I will be with you as I was with Moses: I won't fall flat you, nor neglect you."
Joshua had assumed leadership of Israel on the basis of this enormous promise. He has now led them past Jordan. He has guided them to follow the Lord's Law. He has driven them in noticing the Passover. He has brought them to the point where they are prepared to begin their struggle for Canaan.
Joshua goes outside on the eve of the battle to look at the city they are about to attack: Jericho, a huge walled city. Joshua is a military leader, so there is no doubt that he is there to think about the city's defenses and come up with an attack strategy. Joshua, in my opinion, is present for additional motives as well.
A few million men, women, and children are led by Joshua. The individuals under his direction will be profoundly impacted by every decision he makes. Some will kick the bucket, others will be harmed, families will be destroyed, and lives will be adjusted in light of the choices Joshua makes. Joshua goes out on his own, burdened by his office, to seek counsel from the Lord before those decisions are made.
The phrase "he lifted up his eyes, and looked" appears in verse 13. Joshua appears to be praying with his eyes closed and head bowed. I get the impression that this man is seeking the Lord's assistance in making the right decisions for himself and the Lord's people because he is aware of the terrible burden that is on his shoulders.
Anyone who has ever held a leadership position has at least some idea of how Joshua must have felt. The decisions you make in your life, ministry, and preaching have an impact on the lives of your congregation if you are a pastor. The decisions you make as a Deacon can have a significant impact on your congregation. As an educator, your assertions in class and your disposition shape the hearts brains of your understudies. The consequences of your decisions about your children—what they are allowed to do, what they are not allowed to do, and where they can and cannot go—will affect them for the rest of their lives.
Administration generally accompanies extraordinary obligation. There is the obligation to look for the desire of the Ruler in each matter you face. There is the obligation to pursue choices that honor God above sentiments. There is the obligation to do everything with the comprehension that each choice resembles throwing a rock into a lake. Every decision you make has an impact. At the point when a minister comes up short, a service fizzles. A family suffers when a father dies. Children suffer when their mother fails. A church fails when a deacon fails. A testimony fails when a Christian fails.
In some cases individuals will grasp your thought processes; Sometimes they won't. It doesn't matter what other people think in the end; What the Lord thinks is all that matters. because the decisions we make in life will face Him, not them. As a result, "each one of us shall give an account of himself to God" 14:12.
If you have been given a leadership position, treat it with seriousness because the Lord does! Take your leadership role seriously because your actions have an impact on everyone around you. We are all, in a sense, leaders on some level. I ask that God will assist us with remembering it for the weight that it is.
Think about the accompanying entries.
· 1 Cor. 4:1-5: "1 Let a man so account of us as of Christ's ministers and stewards of the mysteries of God." 2 Additionally, stewards must be found to be trustworthy. 3 However, the fact that I should be judged by you or by man's judgment is a very insignificant matter for me: Yes, I don't judge myself. 4 because I am clueless on my own; Yet, am I not justified by this? However, the Lord is the one who judges me. 5 Therefore, do not judge before the appointed time until the Lord comes, who will both reveal the deepest thoughts and reveal the darkest secrets: then God will be praised by everyone.
· 2 Cor. 5:10, "For we all must appear before Christ's judgment seat;" that each person may receive the things done in his body, whether good or bad, according to what he has done.
B. The Shepherd's Courage Joshua sees an unidentified man standing nearby with his sword drawn as he contemplates the upcoming battle. This is how combatants stand. It portrays a man who is prepared for battle. Joshua doesn't hold back, however he moves toward the man and requests to realize which side the man is on. Is he on Jericho's side? Or does he support Israel?
Joshua sees this man for the first time and thinks he might be a threat to Israel. His senses as a shepherd are excited and moves forward to the guard of his kin. The responsibility of leadership weighs heavily on Joshua, but he is also consumed by safeguarding those in his charge.
True leaders possess the same quality, regardless of the area in which they exercise leadership. A poor pastor is one who will not stand up for his congregation when it is under attack. A deacon who does not stand up for his church is not very good. A poor man is the husband who does not stand up for his wife or the father who does not stand up for his children. The mother who won't guard her youngsters is a sorry lady.
The church, our beliefs, the Bible, our worship, and everything else that identifies us as the Lord's people are under attack right now. We are living whenever the family, the foundation of marriage, and our kids are under attack. We require men and women who are not afraid to speak up and fight for what matters. To fight the growing tide of evil and ungodliness, we need courageous individuals. To safeguard their family, their church, and their community from all those who wish to destroy them, we require individuals who will stand up for the Lord.
God's order to His kin is this: " 10 Last but not least, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in his might. 11 So that you can withstand the devil's schemes, put on the whole armor of God. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh, but rather against territories, against powers, against the leaders of the dimness of this world, against profound devilishness in high places. 13 Therefore, "take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand," Ephesians 6:13. 6:10-13.
There are things in life that require fighting for! The congregation merits battling for. It's worth fighting for the truth! It is worth fighting for integrity and God's will! It's worth fighting for our children, marriage, and family! We will have very little to pass on to the following generation if this generation does not develop character and learn to stand up to evil. It's the ideal opportunity for God's kin to stand firm!
I. The Shepherd's Picture II. V. 13–14: THE IMAGE OF SOVEREIGNTY This passage contains both an image of a shepherd and an image of the Sovereign Lord. In addition to bringing the concept of lordship to our attention, this text demonstrates the difficulties, dangers, and dangers of leadership. Joshua was under the lordship of God Almighty, even though he was the people's leader.
These verses reveal the identity of Joshua's encounter outside of Jericho that day, as well as its power.
A. The Lord's Standing Position: Joshua is said to encounter this man standing, "with His sword drawn in His hand." It depicts a person who is prepared for battle. This does not portray a passive observer of the events. This depicts a person who is prepared to carry out a task. The picture of man has come prepared for a battle. The picture of somebody is prepared to take on the adversary.
I would simply remind you today that God doesn't respond to occasions that occur in our human world. He is not hunched over in Heaven awaiting our actions before deciding how to respond. No, He is in charge of everything, from what happens to how it happens. He has already planned in accordance with our actions because He is aware of them.
· Isa. 46:9-11 - "9Remember the things that were before you: because I am God and there is no other; I'm God, and there is none similar to me, 10Declaring the end all along, and from old times the things that are not yet finished, saying, My guidance will stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11Calling a hungry bird from the east, the person who follows my advice from far away: Yes, I have spoken about it, and I will also carry it out; I have planned it, and I will carry it out.
· Eph. 1 Peter 1:11 states, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."
· Psa 115:3, "Yet our God is in the sky: he hath done at all he hath satisfied."
· Dan 4:3, "And every one of the occupants of the earth are presumed as nothing: And he acts in accordance with his will among earthlings and the army of heaven: And nobody can stop him or ask him, "What dost thou?"
It is abundantly clear from these and other verses that our God is in charge of everything that happens in life. He is consistently prepared, in each circumstance, since He has declared all occasions that happen. Because of this, life never astonishes Him. The many twists and turns that life throws at us frequently astonish us. God never reacts unexpectedly. He never needs to depend on "Plan B." He never needs to adjust His will. Because He is God and He always has control over everything, He is never left unsure of what to do!
B. The Position of the Lord: Joshua asks the Lord about this man because he does not know who he is when he meets him. “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” Joshua inquires. Joshua must have been taken aback by the man's response. The man responds, "No; But I am now here as captain of the Lord's army." At the end of the day, the man answers Joshua by saying, "I didn't come to favor one side in this fight; I arrived to take control.
We can precisely identify this man from his response. It is, in all honesty, the Ruler Jesus Christ Himself. It is a pre-Bethlehem appearance of the Master. He has previously shown up in this world, and He will continue to do so in the future.
He made an appearance to Hagar, Genesis 16:7–14; Gen. 21:16-20
· He appeared to Abraham, Gen.18:10
· He appeared to Jacob, Gen. 28:12-15; He appeared to Moses in Exodus 32:24–30. 3:4-5; Exod. 23:20; Exod. He appeared to Gideon and Judg in 33:22. He appeared to Isaiah in verses 6:11–24. 6:1-13
· He appeared to three youthful Jews in the red hot heater, Dan. 3:24-25
· He appeared to Daniel, Dan. 6:21-22; Dan. 7:13-14; Dan. He appeared to Zechariah, the prophet, in 10:5–6. 1:8-13; 2:8-11; 3:10; It must have encouraged Joshua to realize that he was not alone, as recorded in 6:12–15. When you consider how much of an impact your decisions have on others, there is a certain loneliness that comes with leadership. “To be President of the United States is to be lonely, very lonely at times of great decisions,” was a quote from Harry Truman. Joshua must have experienced the same sense of isolation. Knowing that God, who had promised to be with Joshua, Josh, must have provided him with solace. Had kept that promise in 1:5, 9! Joshua wasn't by himself; His companion was the Lord!
Moreover, He intends to keep that promise to you as well. Matt, He has promised to be with you always as you go through life's ups and downs. 28:20; Heb. 13:5. A similar Ruler Who got out of time everlasting to move in the existences of His kin previously, is a similar God Who expects to do exactly the same thing for you. You won't be alone; The Lord is by your side!
C. The Might of God: God refers to Himself as "the captain of the host of the Lord." That is, Joshua couldn't see, however there was a huge multitude of eminent fighters set up camp about him, prepared to assume individuals of Canaan. The repercussions are obvious: Israel would not confront its foes alone; They would confront them with assistance from heaven's armies. Now Joshua knows that the Lord is about to fight this battle and that he will win.
We cannot see a spiritual realm that surrounds us. There are angels and demons in that occult spiritual dimension. In the struggle between good and evil, those spiritual beings are constantly engaged in combat. 2 Kings 6:14–17 says that Elisha was helped by that invisible host. According to 2 Kings 7:5–7, that invisible host frightened the Assyrian army. That imperceptible host safeguarded the city of Jerusalem and obliterated 185,000 Assyrian fighters in a single evening, 2 Rulers 19:35.
The very influence that came to the guide of Israel in Jericho, and the very influence that came to the guide of Israel on numerous occasions, is the very influence that encompasses you today. Our Lord continues to lead the Lord's army and to wage war on behalf of His people.
This large number of insights advise us that our God is a sovereign God. This simply indicates that He is in complete command of everything and everyone at all times. He is the Lord throughout all time and space. He is in charge, and you can rely on him to care for you!
I. The Shepherd's Image II. The Third Image of Sovereignty V. 14–15: THE IMAGE OF A SERVANT Joshua assumes the role of a servant before the Lord when he realizes who is standing in front of him. We can learn a lot from Joshua's attitude toward the Lord about how we should treat the Lord as well.
A. The Servant's Humility Joshua kneels before the Lord to "worship" Him when he realizes that he is right in front of the Lord. By kneeling at the Lord's feet, Joshua exalts Him and acknowledges His position. This means that Joshua is submitting to the desire of the Master and that he realizes Who is in charge. Then, Joshua needs to now what the Master would have him to do. He is giving up his leadership position to the Lord. He is taking on the role of a servant instead of a master. General Joshua surrenders all authority and power to the Commander-in-Chief in a split second as he kneels before him. Learning to surrender leadership to the will of the Lord is an essential step on the road to victory! The pioneer needed to bow to genuine authority. The one who told the people what to do had to stick to the one who told Him what to do!
Before you can have the triumph, you should be vanquished. You must first be conquered before you can conquer! Today, many need to act in the same way Joshua did here. Many need to set out their blades at the feet of the Chief of the Ruler's host; give their pride and yield over to His position!
That is the Master's will for every one of His youngsters.
· 1 Pet. 5:5b–7 says, "5b...God resists the proud and grants grace to the humble." 6 Therefore, humble yourself under the powerful hand of God so that he may one day exalt you: 7 Putting all of your attention on him; because he cares about you.
· Matt. 23:11-12, "11 Yet he that is most noteworthy among you will be your worker. 12 And whoever elevates himself will be humbled; and he who humbles himself will be elevated.
Everyone is subject to authority. At last, we are under the power of the Ruler. He is our Commander, and the most important thing is His will. We are all servants of the Lord, whether we are leaders or followers. All of us must humble ourselves and place ourselves at His feet, submitting to His will. Whatever it may be, that will!
B. The Honesty of the Servant: In verse 15, the Lord makes an odd request of Joshua. “Loose thy show from off thy foot” is Joshua's order. Why did the Lord only request one pair of shoes? The answer comes from old custom. The weaker person gave the stronger person one of his shoes when two people made a covenant where one person had the power to keep the covenant and the other did not. He used it to say, "I can't, but you can." This is demonstrated in Ruth 4:6–8.
This presented Joshua with a challenge because it required him to acknowledge his own weakness and failure to win. It was an appeal to his submission to the Lord.
We must discover the truth that He can, while we cannot. There are certain individuals here and you have been attempting to face your conflicts in your own power. You continue to be whipped. You need to take off your shoe, give it to God, and say, "Lord, I can't fight these battles, but you can!," removing it from your foot. You can win the victories I need, but I can't!" What I'm talking about is that we want to come to the spot of outright acquiescence! To that place where we and the sum total of what we have are at the feet of God. To the point where we are ready to declare, "I can't Lord, but You can!" once and for all
A very unusual circumstance exists here! Is Joshua really a warrior? He put himself in a vulnerable position by bowing before the Lord. He let his neck show. He put himself in a position that prevented him from using his own sword. He put himself in a very vulnerable position. He completely gave in to the Lord! He trusted the Lord with everything, life or death.
Have you at any point arrive at that spot in your own life? Have you ever reached the point where you completely gave in to the Lord's will for your life by laying down your sword and yourself in front of Him? If you don't, you'll have to do that if you want to win against all of your enemies and strongholds in life.
We will be more likely to rely on God's power in our lives the sooner we realize that we lack the ability to accomplish anything. The sooner we realize what John 15:5 says, "I am the vine, you are the branches:" The same person who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit: because you can't do anything without me," the sooner we can give up our weapons and bow down to Him.
You will encounter difficulties as long as you assert your rights, your will, and your way. You can quickly achieve success if you submit to His rights, power, and will!
Who in your life is Lord? Do you really make the decisions, or are you completely surrendered to the Lord? Who is your supervisor? You or Him? If that describes you, get ready for a life of suffering, sorrow, and pain. There will still be battles if it is Him, but you will be well on your way to victory!
Conc: The main point of what I'm trying to convey about yielding to the Lord is summarized in Romans 12:1-2. According to it, "1 I entreat you consequently, brethren, by the kindnesses of God, that ye present your bodies a living penance, sacred, OK unto God, which is your sensible help. 2 And don't be like the world: however, be ye changed by the reestablishing of your brain, that ye may demonstrate what is that great, and satisfactory, and awesome, will of God."
Are you submitting to Him in every facet of your life? Are you the master or is He? Now is a good time to bow down to Him and give your life over to His plan if you need to.
In the event that you have never been saved, today would be an extraordinary day for you to be conveyed from your transgressions. Jesus will not turn you away if you come to Him.
You must approach the Lord and ask Him to assist you in leading as one led if you are in a position of leadership, whether in the family or in public. If you yield to Him, He will enable you to be a blessing to others.