Giants in Our Lives

Two Perspectives 1 Sam. 17:11, 24

On whom or on what shall you focus?

1 Sam. 17:26

Focus on GiantsBrings Fear,

which is Death to our spirits

Focus on GodBrings Faith,

which is Life to our spiritsOR

A Whole Land Of Giants

Fear makes us exaggerate.

We Cry, Complain, Doubt

and Rebel because of fear.

The Clear Choice!

“So without faith, it is impossible to please

God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Heb. 11:6

Take God at His Word, choosing faith over fear.

Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and the vine shall not have fruit

Though the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat;

Though the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will be joyfull in the God of my salvation.

Hab. 3:17, 18

What We have Learned So Far

Keep your eyes on Jesus. You have the choice to obey or rebel. Take God at His Word, choosing faith

over fear. Rejoice in the Lord no matter what.

Why We Can Choose Faithand Not Fear

Joshua 1:5-9

“No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their

fore- fathers to give them. Be strong and very

courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses

gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,

that you may be successful wherever you go.

Joshua 1:5-9 [continued]

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Why We Can Choose Faith

God is with us. – vs. 5 God has promised and He is faithful. – vs. 6 Obedience brings success,

which increases our faith – vs. 7 Memorizing & Meditating on God’s Word =

prosperity & success. – vs. 8 God commands us not to be afraid. – vs. 9

The Spies Go In

Joshua 2:8-11

Before the spies lay down for the night, she (Rahab) went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.

Joshua 2:8-11 & 24 [continued]

When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”

They said to Joshua, “The LORD has surely giventhe whole land into our hands;all the people are melting in fear because of us.”

Joshua 3:5

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

The Crossing (3:9-13)Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priest who carry the ark of the LORD – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

Flood Stage

“What am I doing right now that I could not do

apart from the power of God?”Bill Bright

Example First Steps

Example First Steps

Giving generously or sacrificially – God will take care of us.

Confessing our sins to one another – God will honor truth telling.

Using our spiritual gifts – God gives us great joy.

Asking people to join our Mission Team – God provides people who joyfully get involved.

Memorial to RememberJoshua 4:1-3When the whole nation had finished

crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the

people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take

up twelve stones from the middle of the

Jordan from right where the priest stood and to

carry them over with you and put them down at

the place where you stay tonight.”

Memorial to RememberJoshua 4:4-9So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you.

Memorial to RememberJoshua 4:4-9 [continued]

In the future, when your children ask you, “What do these stones mean?” tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Trust & Obey

Trust and Obey For there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey

Reflection

What steps of faith are you taking in your life right now?

What are you doing that cannot be accomplished apart from the power of God in your life?

In what area of your life might God be asking you to take the risk of stepping out in faith and getting your feet wet?