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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Overcoming Or Overcome

February 12, 2026 | 27:29

Greg Laurie - Overcoming Or Overcome
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#Overcoming #SpiritualWarfare #Enemy #Devil #Mind #Imagination #Thinking #Self-Control #Temptation #GregLaurie

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Overcoming Or Overcome | February 12, 2026
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Greg laurie: listen to this: you are the air controller of
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  • Your mind.
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  • So the air controller decides what flight takes off and when,
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  • What flight lands, what altitude they have, and that's their job.
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  • You are the air controller of your mind.
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  • You decide what thought comes in and you decide
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  • What thought stays out.
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: so, it just so happens we're in the book of joshua and
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  • We're looking at the story of how israel came into that land
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  • In the first place, the land that god had given them.
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  • Make no mistake about it.
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  • God has given to the jewish people the land of israel and
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  • He's given to them jerusalem as their capital.
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  • But here now in the book of joshua, the wilderness wandering
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  • Have come to an end.
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  • That first generation that doubted god are not entering
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  • Into the promised land, but their children are.
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  • They're poised now to enter into canaan's land, the land flowing
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  • With milk and honey, the promised land, modern
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  • Day israel.
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  • And so, that's where we picked the story up.
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  • And this is something that speaks to us because we might
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  • Wonder: why do we have such a place given in the word of god
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  • Giving us a record of the military victories and sometime
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  • Defeats of the israeli army in the conquest of canaan?
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  • Answer: because we, too, are at war.
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  • We're in a spiritual battle.
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  • The moment you become a christian, you enter into
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  • This war.
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  • It's not a choice of winning--or it's not a choice of being in
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  • The war, not being in the war.
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  • It's just a choice of winning or losing, gaining ground or losing
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  • Ground, being overcome or overcoming.
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  • It's really up to us.
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  • It's been said, the christian life, or conversion, rather, has
  • 00:02:06.391 --> 00:02:09.995
  • Made our hearts a battlefield and the christian life is not a
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  • Playground it is, indeed, a battleground.
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  • Why?
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  • Because the devil doesn't want you to follow christ.
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  • So, the moment you put your faith in him, he's going to
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  • Oppose you.
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  • He's going to tempt you.
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  • He's going to harass you.
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  • He's gonna try to pull you away from this commitment that you
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  • Have made.
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  • But thankfully, god won't give us more than we can handle.
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  • Because 1 corinthians 10:13 promises that when the
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  • Temptations come our way, there's always a way of escape
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  • That we may be able to bear it, but the battle will, indeed,
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  • Rage on in life.
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  • So, we're in a war and when you're in a spiritual war, you
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  • Need to put on spiritual armor.
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  • And ephesians 6 tells us this, "put on all of god's armor so
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  • You will be able to stand firm against the strategies of
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  • The devil.
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  • For we're not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but
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  • Against rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against
  • 00:03:05.484 --> 00:03:09.087
  • Mighty powers in the dark world, against evil spirits in the
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  • Heavenly places.
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  • Therefore, put on every piece of god's armor so you will be able
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  • To resist the attack of the enemy in the day of evil."
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  • Here's the thing.
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  • The devil usually comes to us in the realm of our mind
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  • And imagination.
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  • He comes in, says, "take it out for a spin.
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  • Take this free sample.
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  • Try this thought on for size."
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  • Of course, you would never act on this thought but take a trip
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  • To fantasy island and just pretend you would do it, because
  • 00:03:44.022 --> 00:03:49.461
  • He knows that's the first step to actually doing it.
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  • And that's how he's gonna come to you.
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  • That's how he's often going to tempt you.
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  • 2 corinthians 11:3 says, "i'm afraid that just as eve was
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  • Deceived by the serpents cunning, your mind should
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  • Somehow be led astray from your sincere devotion to christ."
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  • So in your mind--the hardest part of the spiritual battle is
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  • Winning the battle of the mind.
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  • The bible says in proverbs 23:7, "as a man thinks, so is he,"
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  • Because the thought can then give way to action.
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  • That's why we must guard our minds.
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  • Every day we think thousands of thoughts.
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  • Experts say our brain processes around 70,000 thoughts every
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  • Single day.
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  • Think about that; 70,000 thoughts.
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  • That's basically 35 to 45 thoughts per minute running
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  • Through your mind, right?
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  • And in our minds, we think of the future, we think about the
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  • Past, we resolve conflicts, we dream, and, of course, we can
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  • Allow our imaginations to be misled.
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  • We must guard ourselves there.
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  • 2 corinthians 10 says, from the philipps translation, "the very
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  • Weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in
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  • God's warfare for the destruction of the
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  • Enemy's strongholds.
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  • Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and
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  • Every imposing defence that men erect against the knowledge
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  • Of god.
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  • We fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges
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  • The authority of christ."
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  • Listen to this.
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  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:05:28.493 --> 00:05:32.064
  • So the air controller decides what flight takes off and when,
  • 00:05:32.064 --> 00:05:35.701
  • What flight lands, what altitude they have, and that's their job.
  • 00:05:35.701 --> 00:05:40.038
  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:05:40.038 --> 00:05:42.374
  • You decide what thought comes in and you decide what thought
  • 00:05:42.374 --> 00:05:45.811
  • Stays out.
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  • And just because you have a bad thought come to your mind,
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  • Whatever it may be, doesn't mean you've sinned.
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  • The sin of temptation is not in the bait, it's in the bite, see?
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  • Just because i have a piece of bait dangled in front of me
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  • Doesn't mean i've sinned.
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  • It's when i eat it, when i bite the hook, when i take the bait.
  • 00:06:02.027 --> 00:06:06.631
  • And in the same way, just because a bad thought comes to
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  • You, you can reject it.
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  • You can say, "i reject that in the name of jesus christ."
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  • "get behind me, satan," as jesus said when he was being tempted
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  • In the wilderness by the devil.
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  • Capture every thought.
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  • You decide--because thoughts give way to actions.
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  • It's been said, "sow a thought; reap an act.
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  • Sow an act; reap an action.
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  • Sow an action; reap a habit.
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  • Sow a habit; reap a character."
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  • So it starts with the thought.
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  • So, coming back to our story.
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  • Here they are, israel, ready to enter the promised land.
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  • But there's one problem: the jordan river.
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  • So god's gonna do a miracle just for them.
  • 00:06:46.872 --> 00:06:49.508
  • Oh, yeah, he did a miracle for their parents when he parted the
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  • Red sea, but they weren't around for that.
  • 00:06:52.177 --> 00:06:54.012
  • So, the lord says, "i'm gonna do a miracle just for you."
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  • And the mighty jordan river in flood season opens up as they
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  • Step into the water and get their feet wet.
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  • They get over to the other side now.
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  • Now they're officially in the promised land and they erect a
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  • Bunch of stones as a memory of what god did.
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  • And now this next event happens in joshua chapter 5, verse 13,
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  • "when joshua was near the town of jericho, he looked up and saw
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  • A man standing in front of him with sword in hand.
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  • Joshua went up to him and demanded, 'are you friend
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  • Or foe?'
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  • 'neither one,' he replied.
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  • 'i am the commander of the lord's army.'
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  • And joshua fell at his feet to the ground in reverence.
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  • 'i am at your command,' joshua said.
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  • 'what do you want your servant to do?'
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  • The commander of the lord's army replied, 'take off your sandals,
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  • For the place you are standing is holy.'
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  • And joshua did as he was told."
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  • Wow.
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  • That brings us to point number one, if you're taking notes: to
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  • Enter the land of promises, we must encounter and follow
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  • Jesus christ.
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  • We must encounter and follow jesus christ.
  • 00:08:03.849 --> 00:08:06.251
  • Here is this massive strapping soldier with a large sword.
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  • I kind of am impressed by the boldness of joshua.
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  • He walks right up to him, "okay, are you friend or foe?"
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  • What are you gonna fight this dude?
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  • Joshua is pretty courageous.
  • 00:08:18.563 --> 00:08:20.832
  • "i'm the commander of the lord's army."
  • 00:08:20.832 --> 00:08:23.101
  • "oh, well, since you said that, what do you want your servant
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  • To do?"
  • 00:08:26.605 --> 00:08:27.939
  • Now, who was this powerful soldier that joshua encountered?
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  • Was it an angel?
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  • It could have been.
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  • I actually think it was jesus christ himself.
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  • That's called a christophany.
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  • When christ appears in the old testament, we call
  • 00:08:39.885 --> 00:08:42.354
  • Them christophanes.
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  • And there are many appearances of the lord in the
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  • Old testament.
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  • And i think this is one of them.
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  • Why do i think it?
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  • Because he is commanded to take off his sandals because he's
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  • Standing on holy ground.
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  • This is reminiscent of the encounter that moses had with
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  • God at the burning bush.
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  • Remember?
  • 00:09:02.407 --> 00:09:03.775
  • And the lord said, "take off your sandals."
  • 00:09:03.775 --> 00:09:05.477
  • Same thing.
  • 00:09:05.477 --> 00:09:06.811
  • So, this was joshua's encounter with the lord, i believe, jesus
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  • Himself reminding us the first step to winning in this
  • 00:09:10.415 --> 00:09:13.985
  • Spiritual battle is to stand as close to christ as you
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  • Possibly can.
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  • Be as close to him as you possibly can.
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  • Have you ever walked in someone's shadow?
  • 00:09:21.927 --> 00:09:25.430
  • You have to stay really close to be in their shadow, right?
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  • And that's what we wanna be.
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  • We wanna be in the presence of god, in the shadow of
  • 00:09:29.634 --> 00:09:33.572
  • The almighty.
  • 00:09:33.572 --> 00:09:34.940
  • I remember years ago i was living on the east coast in new
  • 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:36.942
  • Jersey and i was given a gift of two cap guns and little
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  • Holsters, a little cowboy hat.
  • 00:09:42.614 --> 00:09:44.749
  • And i was feeling pretty cool walking down the street firing
  • 00:09:44.749 --> 00:09:47.185
  • Off my cap guns.
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  • And a bunch of hoodlums come up to me.
  • 00:09:48.553 --> 00:09:50.755
  • They're a little bit bigger and older than me.
  • 00:09:50.755 --> 00:09:53.158
  • They started laughing at me, pushed me to the ground, and
  • 00:09:53.158 --> 00:09:55.894
  • Stole my cap guns.
  • 00:09:55.894 --> 00:09:58.263
  • So, i went home and i got my brother who was five years older
  • 00:09:58.263 --> 00:10:02.634
  • And quite a bit bigger and i said, "help me get those
  • 00:10:02.634 --> 00:10:05.570
  • Guns back."
  • 00:10:05.570 --> 00:10:06.905
  • So, i went back and found that group of kids and went up to him
  • 00:10:06.905 --> 00:10:09.507
  • And all of a sudden i was pretty bold and pretty tough.
  • 00:10:09.507 --> 00:10:12.544
  • I said, "give me my guns."
  • 00:10:12.544 --> 00:10:13.912
  • I pulled them back, strapped down my holster again, walked
  • 00:10:13.912 --> 00:10:17.082
  • Off in a cowboyish way, you know.
  • 00:10:17.082 --> 00:10:19.751
  • Why was i so brave?
  • 00:10:19.751 --> 00:10:21.086
  • Because i had my brother with me.
  • 00:10:21.086 --> 00:10:22.621
  • If they tried anything, they would have to face him.
  • 00:10:22.621 --> 00:10:25.256
  • In the same way in spiritual battle, i go in standing close
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  • To the lord.
  • 00:10:28.593 --> 00:10:29.928
  • I'm no match for the devil.
  • 00:10:29.928 --> 00:10:31.296
  • I'm not even a match for a demon.
  • 00:10:31.296 --> 00:10:33.999
  • But if i stand close to the lord and stand in the lord and in the
  • 00:10:33.999 --> 00:10:37.002
  • Power of his might, i don't have to be afraid because greater is
  • 00:10:37.002 --> 00:10:40.605
  • He that is in me than he that is in the world, right?
  • 00:10:40.605 --> 00:10:49.748
  • So, now we come to jericho and the lord's gonna give him the
  • 00:10:49.748 --> 00:10:54.052
  • Battle plan.
  • 00:10:54.052 --> 00:10:55.587
  • And it's pretty interesting.
  • 00:10:55.587 --> 00:10:57.622
  • I wonder what joshua was thinking.
  • 00:10:57.622 --> 00:10:58.957
  • "okay, lord, how are we gonna do this?
  • 00:10:58.957 --> 00:11:00.291
  • First city, how's it gonna go down?
  • 00:11:00.291 --> 00:11:01.793
  • Put a bunch of ladders up, we'll scale the walls, attack them in
  • 00:11:01.793 --> 00:11:06.231
  • Force, overwhelm them with force?"
  • 00:11:06.231 --> 00:11:08.233
  • Lord said, "i had something a little different in mind."
  • 00:11:08.233 --> 00:11:10.835
  • Joshua chapter 6, starting in verse 1, i'm reading from the
  • 00:11:10.835 --> 00:11:14.272
  • New living translation.
  • 00:11:14.272 --> 00:11:15.607
  • "now the gates of jericho were tightly shut because the people
  • 00:11:15.607 --> 00:11:19.611
  • Were afraid of the israelites.
  • 00:11:19.611 --> 00:11:20.979
  • No one was allowed to go out or in.
  • 00:11:20.979 --> 00:11:23.248
  • And the lord said to joshua, "i have given you jericho, the
  • 00:11:23.248 --> 00:11:26.317
  • King, and all of its mighty warriors.
  • 00:11:26.317 --> 00:11:28.353
  • Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for
  • 00:11:28.353 --> 00:11:32.057
  • Six days.
  • 00:11:32.057 --> 00:11:33.391
  • Seven priests will walk ahead of the ark, each carrying a
  • 00:11:33.391 --> 00:11:35.994
  • Ram's horn.
  • 00:11:35.994 --> 00:11:37.362
  • On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven
  • 00:11:37.362 --> 00:11:39.998
  • Times, and then the priests blow their horns.
  • 00:11:39.998 --> 00:11:42.701
  • And when the people hear the priests give long blasts on the
  • 00:11:42.701 --> 00:11:46.137
  • Horns, then you give a mighty shout and the walls of the city
  • 00:11:46.137 --> 00:11:49.574
  • Will collapse and then you can just charge right into
  • 00:11:49.574 --> 00:11:52.410
  • The city."
  • 00:11:52.410 --> 00:11:54.546
  • Do you think god ever just tries to mess with our minds a
  • 00:11:54.546 --> 00:11:57.015
  • Little bit?
  • 00:11:57.015 --> 00:11:58.383
  • I mean, what kind of a battle plan is this?
  • 00:11:58.383 --> 00:12:02.020
  • It's god's battle plan.
  • 00:12:02.020 --> 00:12:04.155
  • And there was a reason for it, bringing me to point number two:
  • 00:12:04.155 --> 00:12:06.691
  • God will work in different ways in different situations, so we
  • 00:12:06.691 --> 00:12:10.795
  • Look to him.
  • 00:12:10.795 --> 00:12:12.197
  • Again, god will work in different ways and in different
  • 00:12:12.197 --> 00:12:14.999
  • Situations, so we look to him.
  • 00:12:14.999 --> 00:12:18.369
  • And this was a kind of a thing where if god didn't come
  • 00:12:18.369 --> 00:12:20.939
  • Through, they were in big trouble.
  • 00:12:20.939 --> 00:12:23.374
  • It reminds us of the story of gideon.
  • 00:12:23.374 --> 00:12:25.376
  • Here's gideon who god chooses to lead israel in the battle
  • 00:12:25.376 --> 00:12:29.147
  • Against their enemies, the midianites that have been
  • 00:12:29.147 --> 00:12:31.950
  • Oppressing them.
  • 00:12:31.950 --> 00:12:33.284
  • First of all, gideon's army wasn't that large but the lord
  • 00:12:33.284 --> 00:12:35.754
  • Said, "your army is too big.
  • 00:12:35.754 --> 00:12:37.422
  • Say to your soldiers, 'if you're fearful and afraid, go home.'"
  • 00:12:37.422 --> 00:12:40.525
  • And most of his army went home.
  • 00:12:40.525 --> 00:12:42.160
  • He's left with 300 men.
  • 00:12:42.160 --> 00:12:44.929
  • Now he's vastly outnumbered.
  • 00:12:44.929 --> 00:12:47.398
  • And the lord says, "here's the battle plan.
  • 00:12:47.398 --> 00:12:48.933
  • Here's how you will defeat the midianites.
  • 00:12:48.933 --> 00:12:50.869
  • I want you all to get a little torch, you know.
  • 00:12:50.869 --> 00:12:53.004
  • Light the flame, put a clay pot around it, then you run down
  • 00:12:53.004 --> 00:12:56.407
  • This hill and you scream, 'the sword of the lord and of
  • 00:12:56.407 --> 00:12:59.210
  • Gideon,' and you crack the pot open and they see the flame and
  • 00:12:59.210 --> 00:13:02.814
  • They'll all die."
  • 00:13:02.814 --> 00:13:04.482
  • Crack the pot--i think i'm a crackpot if i do this.
  • 00:13:04.482 --> 00:13:08.820
  • And that's exactly what they did.
  • 00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:10.522
  • And the midianites were so freaked out and disoriented they
  • 00:13:10.522 --> 00:13:14.926
  • Thought they were already under attack and they attacked each
  • 00:13:14.926 --> 00:13:17.529
  • Other and that's how the battle was won.
  • 00:13:17.529 --> 00:13:19.764
  • But the lord often do this--things like this.
  • 00:13:19.764 --> 00:13:21.833
  • He uses human weakness to display his strength.
  • 00:13:21.833 --> 00:13:25.770
  • To us it might seem random, but there's a method to the madness,
  • 00:13:25.770 --> 00:13:29.841
  • If you will, because it's not madness at all.
  • 00:13:29.841 --> 00:13:32.343
  • It's just god's way of keeping us looking to him.
  • 00:13:32.343 --> 00:13:35.713
  • Are you in a situation where there's no way out but god?
  • 00:13:35.713 --> 00:13:40.151
  • In other words, if god doesn't come through for you, there's no
  • 00:13:40.151 --> 00:13:43.188
  • Way out for you.
  • 00:13:43.188 --> 00:13:44.556
  • If you are, understand god specializes in taking
  • 00:13:44.556 --> 00:13:49.427
  • Circumstances like that and using them for his glory.
  • 00:13:49.427 --> 00:13:53.565
  • But why does god do this?
  • 00:13:53.565 --> 00:13:54.899
  • So, we'll see it's god doing it.
  • 00:13:54.899 --> 00:13:57.035
  • Because we're so prone to give the credit--"oh, the doctor did
  • 00:13:57.035 --> 00:14:01.472
  • It," or, "my bank account did it," or, "my friend came through
  • 00:14:01.472 --> 00:14:04.175
  • For me," or something else happened.
  • 00:14:04.175 --> 00:14:06.110
  • The lord will put you in a situation where you have to say,
  • 00:14:06.110 --> 00:14:09.347
  • "that was the lord," and you give him the glory.
  • 00:14:09.347 --> 00:14:12.851
  • Take naaman as an example.
  • 00:14:12.851 --> 00:14:15.320
  • Naaman was a powerful syrian general, admired and respected
  • 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:22.160
  • By his troops.
  • 00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:23.628
  • But he had a problem: he was a leper.
  • 00:14:23.628 --> 00:14:26.264
  • Leprosy was a lethal fatal disease.
  • 00:14:26.264 --> 00:14:30.535
  • It slowly destroyed your body; there was no cure for it.
  • 00:14:30.535 --> 00:14:33.938
  • But he heard that there was a prophet in israel named elisha
  • 00:14:33.938 --> 00:14:38.142
  • That god did miracles through.
  • 00:14:38.142 --> 00:14:40.178
  • And he was told if he went to elisha, he could be healed of
  • 00:14:40.178 --> 00:14:43.248
  • His leprosy.
  • 00:14:43.248 --> 00:14:44.582
  • So, general naaman shows up at the doorstep of elisha.
  • 00:14:44.582 --> 00:14:49.420
  • You can just see naaman in his beautiful chariot surrounded by
  • 00:14:49.420 --> 00:14:52.924
  • Bodyguards and they knock on the door, "general naaman's here."
  • 00:14:52.924 --> 00:14:56.728
  • Elisha doesn't even come to the door.
  • 00:14:56.728 --> 00:14:58.863
  • He sends out his servant gehazi.
  • 00:14:58.863 --> 00:15:00.398
  • "hey, what's up?
  • 00:15:00.398 --> 00:15:02.567
  • Elisha says if you want to be healed, go to the jordan river,
  • 00:15:02.567 --> 00:15:05.770
  • Immerse yourself seven times, you'll be healed.
  • 00:15:05.770 --> 00:15:07.872
  • God bless.
  • 00:15:07.872 --> 00:15:09.240
  • Bye."
  • 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:10.575
  • Shuts the door.
  • 00:15:10.575 --> 00:15:11.910
  • Naaman's thinking, "does he know who i am?
  • 00:15:11.910 --> 00:15:13.278
  • I'm general naaman.
  • 00:15:13.278 --> 00:15:14.846
  • I'm not gonna go immerse myself in the dirty jordan river.
  • 00:15:14.846 --> 00:15:18.082
  • We have better rivers back in syria."
  • 00:15:18.082 --> 00:15:20.485
  • But then he thinks, "so what have i got to lose?"
  • 00:15:20.485 --> 00:15:22.854
  • So he goes down to the jordan river and, with all of his men
  • 00:15:22.854 --> 00:15:25.857
  • Watching, he reveals what they've never seen before.
  • 00:15:25.857 --> 00:15:29.560
  • He takes off his helmet, he takes off his breastplate, he
  • 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:33.364
  • Peels off the rest of his armor, and they realize he's a leper.
  • 00:15:33.364 --> 00:15:37.869
  • They didn't know that about him.
  • 00:15:37.869 --> 00:15:39.504
  • He had to humble himself.
  • 00:15:39.504 --> 00:15:41.472
  • And then he goes into that jordan river and he immerses
  • 00:15:41.472 --> 00:15:43.808
  • Himself the first time.
  • 00:15:43.808 --> 00:15:45.143
  • Comes up, still a leper.
  • 00:15:45.143 --> 00:15:46.744
  • He does it the second time, still a leper.
  • 00:15:46.744 --> 00:15:49.480
  • The third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth time, still
  • 00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:51.983
  • A leper.
  • 00:15:51.983 --> 00:15:53.351
  • The seventh time down he comes up?
  • 00:15:53.351 --> 00:15:55.520
  • No longer a leper.
  • 00:15:55.520 --> 00:15:56.921
  • Healed, just as god said.
  • 00:15:56.921 --> 00:15:59.157
  • In fact, the bible says he had the skin like that of a
  • 00:15:59.157 --> 00:16:01.626
  • Newborn baby.
  • 00:16:01.626 --> 00:16:03.494
  • Have you ever looked at a newborn baby's skin?
  • 00:16:03.494 --> 00:16:06.331
  • So beautiful.
  • 00:16:06.331 --> 00:16:07.732
  • Have you ever looked at your skin?
  • 00:16:07.732 --> 00:16:11.269
  • That's so beautiful.
  • 00:16:11.269 --> 00:16:13.104
  • Especially in a magnifying glass.
  • 00:16:13.104 --> 00:16:15.106
  • Oh, that's horrifying, right?
  • 00:16:15.106 --> 00:16:18.776
  • Why this unusual and humbling prescription?
  • 00:16:18.776 --> 00:16:22.447
  • Because naaman was a proud man and god wanted him to strip off
  • 00:16:22.447 --> 00:16:26.317
  • His armor that he normally hid behind and expose himself as
  • 00:16:26.317 --> 00:16:30.621
  • A leper.
  • 00:16:30.621 --> 00:16:31.956
  • The same reason that god wants us to confess our sins.
  • 00:16:31.956 --> 00:16:35.259
  • Listen, we don't come to christ because we're good people and we
  • 00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:38.696
  • Want to be a little bit better.
  • 00:16:38.696 --> 00:16:40.932
  • We come to christ because we're sinful people and we need a
  • 00:16:40.932 --> 00:16:45.103
  • Savior and that's the only way we can be forgiven, bringing me
  • 00:16:45.103 --> 00:16:52.944
  • To point number three: god had them walk around jericho to show
  • 00:16:52.944 --> 00:16:56.114
  • How they needed him.
  • 00:16:56.114 --> 00:16:58.049
  • God had them walk around jericho so they would see how much they
  • 00:16:58.049 --> 00:17:01.886
  • Needed him.
  • 00:17:01.886 --> 00:17:03.287
  • They walked around that city in total 13 times.
  • 00:17:03.287 --> 00:17:08.793
  • That's a lot of time to look at your obstacle.
  • 00:17:08.793 --> 00:17:11.629
  • "whoa.
  • 00:17:11.629 --> 00:17:12.964
  • Look at those walls.
  • 00:17:12.964 --> 00:17:14.332
  • Look at those soldiers up there.
  • 00:17:14.332 --> 00:17:16.300
  • This is a big problem."
  • 00:17:16.300 --> 00:17:18.336
  • They went around it again and again and again.
  • 00:17:18.336 --> 00:17:21.973
  • And sometimes we have to realize that our problem is so big, we
  • 00:17:21.973 --> 00:17:25.843
  • Can't solve it on our own.
  • 00:17:25.843 --> 00:17:27.678
  • It's like, if god doesn't come through, i'm in trouble.
  • 00:17:27.678 --> 00:17:30.615
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:17:31.916 --> 00:17:34.385
  • Greg: you know, i've heard people say, "oh, it's so hard to
  • 00:17:34.452 --> 00:17:36.687
  • Be a christian.
  • 00:17:36.687 --> 00:17:38.022
  • I tried and i failed."
  • 00:17:38.022 --> 00:17:39.390
  • Let me say something that might surprise you.
  • 00:17:39.390 --> 00:17:41.626
  • It's not hard to be a christian, it's impossible without the help
  • 00:17:41.626 --> 00:17:47.165
  • Of the holy spirit.
  • 00:17:47.165 --> 00:17:49.200
  • See, with god all things are possible.
  • 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.436
  • He can give me the strength and the power to live the life he
  • 00:17:51.436 --> 00:17:55.073
  • Has called us to live.
  • 00:17:55.073 --> 00:17:56.441
  • "apart from him," the bible says, "i can do nothing."
  • 00:17:56.441 --> 00:17:59.544
  • Jesus said that.
  • 00:17:59.544 --> 00:18:00.878
  • But then scripture also tells me, paul speaking, "i can do all
  • 00:18:00.878 --> 00:18:04.749
  • Things through christ who strengthens me."
  • 00:18:04.749 --> 00:18:07.418
  • So, stop trying to live the christian life in your own
  • 00:18:07.418 --> 00:18:10.721
  • Power, stop trying to do it in your own strength, and instead
  • 00:18:10.721 --> 00:18:14.759
  • Say, "lord, i need your help each and every day."
  • 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:18.830
  • Greg: but sometimes god will allow us to look at our big
  • 00:18:22.100 --> 00:18:25.002
  • Problems so we'll see that our god is even bigger.
  • 00:18:25.002 --> 00:18:29.273
  • And maybe you're facing a big problem right now, something
  • 00:18:29.273 --> 00:18:32.743
  • You've tried to overcome.
  • 00:18:32.743 --> 00:18:34.378
  • Bring your problem to god.
  • 00:18:34.378 --> 00:18:36.514
  • That's what israel had to do.
  • 00:18:36.514 --> 00:18:38.015
  • It was too big for them in their own strength.
  • 00:18:38.015 --> 00:18:40.318
  • You wonder what the inhabitants of jericho were thinking about
  • 00:18:40.318 --> 00:18:43.087
  • All of this.
  • 00:18:43.087 --> 00:18:44.422
  • Was this a joke to him--to them, rather.
  • 00:18:44.422 --> 00:18:46.557
  • I mean, they knew, the jews's god was powerful
  • 00:18:46.557 --> 00:18:49.994
  • Because they locked the city up.
  • 00:18:49.994 --> 00:18:52.296
  • "we don't want those people coming in here."
  • 00:18:52.296 --> 00:18:54.665
  • And as they marched around again and again, 7 times, 8 times,
  • 00:18:54.665 --> 00:18:58.636
  • 9 times, 10 times, 13 times in total, they may have wondered,
  • 00:18:58.636 --> 00:19:02.406
  • Why do these people do this?
  • 00:19:02.406 --> 00:19:04.542
  • Why do they live the way that they live?
  • 00:19:04.542 --> 00:19:06.477
  • Why do they walk the way they walk?
  • 00:19:06.477 --> 00:19:09.447
  • Nonbelievers look at us and wonder the same thing.
  • 00:19:09.447 --> 00:19:11.816
  • Why do you christians do what you do?
  • 00:19:11.816 --> 00:19:15.753
  • Why are you the way that you are?
  • 00:19:15.753 --> 00:19:18.623
  • It doesn't make any sense to me.
  • 00:19:18.623 --> 00:19:20.191
  • But then they might also ask, how is it that you were able to
  • 00:19:20.191 --> 00:19:23.327
  • Come to that problem with such joy?
  • 00:19:23.327 --> 00:19:26.664
  • How is it that you have a marriage that's lasted so long?
  • 00:19:26.664 --> 00:19:30.568
  • How did you raise such amazing kids?
  • 00:19:30.568 --> 00:19:34.305
  • That's not even possible.
  • 00:19:34.305 --> 00:19:35.806
  • Oh, it's possible.
  • 00:19:35.806 --> 00:19:37.408
  • And they wonder--but it's even worse when nonbelievers say,
  • 00:19:37.408 --> 00:19:40.678
  • "why aren't you the way that you should be?"
  • 00:19:40.678 --> 00:19:43.814
  • Have you ever been corrected by a nonbeliever?
  • 00:19:43.814 --> 00:19:46.817
  • That's really humbling.
  • 00:19:46.817 --> 00:19:48.686
  • When a nonbeliever will say, "aren't you a christian?"
  • 00:19:48.686 --> 00:19:51.422
  • And we'll say, "why, yes, i am.
  • 00:19:51.422 --> 00:19:56.527
  • See how big my bible is?
  • 00:19:56.527 --> 00:19:58.229
  • And it's green.
  • 00:19:58.229 --> 00:19:59.730
  • Why?
  • 00:19:59.730 --> 00:20:01.065
  • I don't know, but it is."
  • 00:20:01.065 --> 00:20:03.367
  • "so, you're a christian.
  • 00:20:03.367 --> 00:20:05.836
  • Why do you lose your temper all the time?
  • 00:20:05.836 --> 00:20:09.407
  • Why are you al always gossiping about people?
  • 00:20:09.407 --> 00:20:12.777
  • Why do you drive like a psychopath?
  • 00:20:12.777 --> 00:20:16.881
  • Why do you sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend when
  • 00:20:16.881 --> 00:20:19.784
  • You're not married?
  • 00:20:19.784 --> 00:20:21.118
  • Why are you getting drunk?
  • 00:20:21.118 --> 00:20:22.620
  • I thought christians weren't supposed to do that."
  • 00:20:22.620 --> 00:20:24.755
  • "well, you know, let me just"--shut up.
  • 00:20:24.755 --> 00:20:26.757
  • They're right.
  • 00:20:26.757 --> 00:20:28.125
  • You're wrong.
  • 00:20:28.125 --> 00:20:29.460
  • It's hard to be called out by a nonbeliever, isn't it?
  • 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:31.596
  • So, here are the israelites marching around and listen
  • 00:20:31.596 --> 00:20:34.765
  • To this.
  • 00:20:34.765 --> 00:20:36.133
  • The canaanites could have believed and been spared, but
  • 00:20:36.133 --> 00:20:38.402
  • They refused.
  • 00:20:38.402 --> 00:20:40.137
  • God would have forgiven them.
  • 00:20:40.137 --> 00:20:41.472
  • God forgave nineveh of their sin, sending jonah to preach
  • 00:20:41.472 --> 00:20:44.875
  • To them.
  • 00:20:44.875 --> 00:20:46.210
  • God would have forgiven sodom and gomorrah if they repented,
  • 00:20:46.210 --> 00:20:48.546
  • He was looking just for a few righteous people there.
  • 00:20:48.546 --> 00:20:51.716
  • "god takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked," the
  • 00:20:51.716 --> 00:20:55.086
  • Bible says.
  • 00:20:55.086 --> 00:20:56.454
  • God didn't want to judge these people.
  • 00:20:56.454 --> 00:20:58.055
  • They could have believed--they'd heard all about israel.
  • 00:20:58.055 --> 00:21:01.259
  • Their reputation preceded them.
  • 00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:03.694
  • Forty years ago they crossed through the red sea, they knew
  • 00:21:03.694 --> 00:21:06.497
  • About that.
  • 00:21:06.497 --> 00:21:07.832
  • They knew that god fed the israelites with manna and led
  • 00:21:07.832 --> 00:21:11.302
  • Them with a cloud by day and a fire by night.
  • 00:21:11.302 --> 00:21:14.038
  • And, more recently, they knew that they had crossed the
  • 00:21:14.038 --> 00:21:16.941
  • Jordan river.
  • 00:21:16.941 --> 00:21:18.476
  • They knew they were coming their way and now they're marching
  • 00:21:18.476 --> 00:21:21.212
  • Around their city.
  • 00:21:21.212 --> 00:21:22.546
  • Sounds to me like a good time to repent.
  • 00:21:22.546 --> 00:21:25.216
  • Because they sealed up the gates, knowing the danger, but
  • 00:21:25.216 --> 00:21:29.453
  • They didn't believe.
  • 00:21:29.453 --> 00:21:31.188
  • And so, they faced the judgment that ultimately came upon them.
  • 00:21:31.188 --> 00:21:34.592
  • These were extremely wicked people.
  • 00:21:34.592 --> 00:21:37.662
  • These were people that sacrificed their children to
  • 00:21:37.662 --> 00:21:40.998
  • Their false gods and they watched them march around again,
  • 00:21:40.998 --> 00:21:45.303
  • And again, and again.
  • 00:21:45.303 --> 00:21:47.605
  • They shouldn't have opposed god's people.
  • 00:21:47.605 --> 00:21:49.206
  • It's a bad idea to attack god's people.
  • 00:21:49.206 --> 00:21:53.210
  • Nations of the world have learned this the hard way.
  • 00:21:53.210 --> 00:21:55.680
  • Those that have raised their hand against the jewish people,
  • 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:59.450
  • Against the nation, israel.
  • 00:21:59.450 --> 00:22:01.118
  • Look at the nations that have done it: egypt, rome, more
  • 00:22:01.118 --> 00:22:05.756
  • Recently, germany, and soon, iran.
  • 00:22:05.756 --> 00:22:08.626
  • God's made a promise where he says to abraham, "bless those
  • 00:22:08.626 --> 00:22:12.196
  • That bless you and curse those that curse you."
  • 00:22:12.196 --> 00:22:15.333
  • That's why it's always a good idea to support the nation
  • 00:22:15.333 --> 00:22:19.370
  • Of israel.
  • 00:22:19.370 --> 00:22:20.705
  • Point number five: they overcame their enemy by faith, not
  • 00:22:20.705 --> 00:22:23.140
  • By feeling.
  • 00:22:23.140 --> 00:22:24.475
  • They overacme their enemy by faith, not be feeling.
  • 00:22:24.475 --> 00:22:27.745
  • Giving commentary on the battle of jericho, hebrews 11:30, it
  • 00:22:27.745 --> 00:22:32.350
  • Says, "by faith the walls of jericho fell down after they
  • 00:22:32.350 --> 00:22:36.454
  • Were surrounded for seven days."
  • 00:22:36.454 --> 00:22:38.356
  • By faith.
  • 00:22:38.356 --> 00:22:39.824
  • Israel had to march by faith, not by their emotions.
  • 00:22:39.824 --> 00:22:44.528
  • Faith doesn't believe god can do it.
  • 00:22:44.528 --> 00:22:47.698
  • Faith believes that god will do it.
  • 00:22:47.698 --> 00:22:50.434
  • Faith sees invisible things.
  • 00:22:50.434 --> 00:22:52.770
  • Faith doesn't just see what's there, it sees what could be
  • 00:22:52.770 --> 00:22:55.873
  • There because according to hebrews 11, "faith is the
  • 00:22:55.873 --> 00:22:59.310
  • Substance of things hoped for; it's the evidence of things
  • 00:22:59.310 --> 00:23:02.780
  • Not seen."
  • 00:23:02.780 --> 00:23:04.115
  • But it's not just faith, it's also patience because hebrews
  • 00:23:04.115 --> 00:23:07.351
  • 6:12 says, "we don't want to become--have you become lazy.
  • 00:23:07.351 --> 00:23:12.123
  • But instead, through faith and patience, you will inherit what
  • 00:23:12.123 --> 00:23:16.360
  • God has promised."
  • 00:23:16.360 --> 00:23:17.695
  • We need patience.
  • 00:23:17.695 --> 00:23:19.330
  • Sometimes god doesn't come through for us as quickly as we
  • 00:23:19.330 --> 00:23:22.466
  • Want him to.
  • 00:23:22.466 --> 00:23:23.868
  • But we need to keep having faith and we need to have patience for
  • 00:23:23.868 --> 00:23:27.438
  • The work that he is going to do.
  • 00:23:27.438 --> 00:23:29.507
  • Because, listen, you might be at the verge of quitting.
  • 00:23:29.507 --> 00:23:32.843
  • You might say, "i've given up on this marriage and nothing can
  • 00:23:32.843 --> 00:23:35.446
  • Be done."
  • 00:23:35.446 --> 00:23:36.781
  • Really?
  • 00:23:36.781 --> 00:23:38.149
  • "well, we have irreconcilable differences."
  • 00:23:38.149 --> 00:23:40.117
  • May i very politely say, "shut up"?
  • 00:23:40.117 --> 00:23:44.155
  • Every marriage has irreconcilable differences.
  • 00:23:44.155 --> 00:23:46.624
  • I've told you this before.
  • 00:23:46.624 --> 00:23:47.992
  • I've had irreconcilable differences with my wife for
  • 00:23:47.992 --> 00:23:50.861
  • 50 years.
  • 00:23:50.861 --> 00:23:53.030
  • She sees it one way, i see it another way.
  • 00:23:53.030 --> 00:23:55.433
  • It's recon--irreconcilable, right?
  • 00:23:55.433 --> 00:23:58.402
  • She's neat, i'm messy.
  • 00:23:58.402 --> 00:24:01.105
  • She's cute, i'm fat.
  • 00:24:01.105 --> 00:24:03.808
  • What can you do? huh?
  • 00:24:03.808 --> 00:24:06.510
  • The point is, you don't dissolve a marriage when you
  • 00:24:06.510 --> 00:24:07.845
  • Have a disagreement.
  • 00:24:07.845 --> 00:24:09.180
  • You work through it, you learn to forgive, you learn to resolve
  • 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:10.948
  • Your conflict.
  • 00:24:10.948 --> 00:24:12.550
  • But people will give up so quickly.
  • 00:24:12.550 --> 00:24:14.552
  • "oh, i've given up.
  • 00:24:14.552 --> 00:24:16.120
  • I've given up on my child.
  • 00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:17.588
  • They'll never come back to the lord."
  • 00:24:17.588 --> 00:24:18.989
  • Won't they?
  • 00:24:18.989 --> 00:24:20.357
  • Keep praying for them.
  • 00:24:20.357 --> 00:24:21.692
  • "i've given up on this ministry.
  • 00:24:21.692 --> 00:24:23.060
  • I've tried.
  • 00:24:23.060 --> 00:24:24.395
  • It just hasn't happened the way i wanted it to."
  • 00:24:24.395 --> 00:24:26.096
  • Hang in there because the moment you're ready to quit may be the
  • 00:24:26.096 --> 00:24:31.001
  • Moment right before the miracle happens.
  • 00:24:31.001 --> 00:24:35.206
  • It might be coming.
  • 00:24:35.206 --> 00:24:36.540
  • It might be right around the corner.
  • 00:24:36.540 --> 00:24:38.075
  • Galatians 6:9 says, "don't be tired of what's right--doing
  • 00:24:38.075 --> 00:24:41.445
  • What's right.
  • 00:24:41.445 --> 00:24:42.813
  • But after a while you'll reap a harvest of blessing if you don't
  • 00:24:42.813 --> 00:24:45.416
  • Get discouraged and give up."
  • 00:24:45.416 --> 00:24:47.284
  • So they blow their trumpets, they give out their shout, and
  • 00:24:47.284 --> 00:24:51.088
  • What happens?
  • 00:24:51.088 --> 00:24:52.456
  • The walls of jericho collapse in a mighty heap.
  • 00:24:52.456 --> 00:24:55.593
  • And israel goes in and they conquer their enemies.
  • 00:24:55.593 --> 00:24:59.263
  • Loud shouts, blasting trumpets.
  • 00:24:59.263 --> 00:25:02.766
  • Remind you of anything else?
  • 00:25:02.766 --> 00:25:05.369
  • The bible speaks of an event that will come, often referred
  • 00:25:05.369 --> 00:25:09.039
  • To as the rapture of the church.
  • 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:11.308
  • In 1 thessalonians 4 it says, "the lord himself will descend
  • 00:25:11.308 --> 00:25:14.078
  • From heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
  • 00:25:14.078 --> 00:25:18.215
  • The trumpet of god.
  • 00:25:18.215 --> 00:25:20.050
  • And the dead in christ shall rise first and we which are
  • 00:25:20.050 --> 00:25:22.720
  • Alive and remaining shall be caught up together with them in
  • 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:25.623
  • The air.
  • 00:25:25.623 --> 00:25:26.991
  • And so shall we ever be with the lord."
  • 00:25:26.991 --> 00:25:28.893
  • Listen, one day this world system, this wicked culture,
  • 00:25:28.893 --> 00:25:32.663
  • Will collapse.
  • 00:25:32.663 --> 00:25:34.698
  • Revelation 11:15 says, "the kingdoms of this world will
  • 00:25:34.698 --> 00:25:38.068
  • Become the kingdoms of our lord."
  • 00:25:38.068 --> 00:25:40.938
  • Jesus said, "heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will
  • 00:25:40.938 --> 00:25:45.009
  • Never pass away."
  • 00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:46.377
  • The jericho's, if you will, will fall and the word of god
  • 00:25:46.377 --> 00:25:51.415
  • Will prevail.
  • 00:25:51.415 --> 00:25:52.983
  • You can be sure of that.
  • 00:25:52.983 --> 00:25:54.351
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:25:54.351 --> 00:25:59.156
  • Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie.
  • 00:25:59.156 --> 00:26:00.491
  • Could you use some good news in a bad world?
  • 00:26:00.491 --> 00:26:03.127
  • I've got some good news for you.
  • 00:26:03.127 --> 00:26:05.062
  • God loves you and he has a plan for your life.
  • 00:26:05.062 --> 00:26:09.600
  • Ah, but there's some bad news.
  • 00:26:09.600 --> 00:26:11.302
  • The bad news is we've sinned against god.
  • 00:26:11.302 --> 00:26:14.171
  • We've broken his commandments.
  • 00:26:14.171 --> 00:26:15.739
  • But here's what god did.
  • 00:26:15.739 --> 00:26:17.207
  • He sent his son, jesus christ, to die on a cross for our sins
  • 00:26:17.207 --> 00:26:22.446
  • And rise again from the dead.
  • 00:26:22.446 --> 00:26:23.847
  • Listen to this.
  • 00:26:23.847 --> 00:26:25.182
  • If you ask jesus to come into your life, your sin is forgiven
  • 00:26:25.182 --> 00:26:28.686
  • And you'll go to heaven.
  • 00:26:28.686 --> 00:26:30.054
  • If you want jesus to come into your life, just pray a prayer
  • 00:26:30.054 --> 00:26:32.923
  • Like this: jesus, come into my life, forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:26:32.923 --> 00:26:37.561
  • I've fallen short of your glory, i want to know you, i want a
  • 00:26:37.561 --> 00:26:41.165
  • Relationship with you.
  • 00:26:41.165 --> 00:26:42.900
  • In jesus's name i pray, amen.
  • 00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:45.469
  • If you just prayed that prayer with me, call that number or
  • 00:26:45.469 --> 00:26:49.006
  • Text that number on your screen right now.
  • 00:26:49.006 --> 00:26:57.181
  • Female announcer: jesus says that "where two or three
  • 00:27:01.318 --> 00:27:03.721
  • Are gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them."
  • 00:27:03.721 --> 00:27:08.158
  • We are all different.
  • 00:27:08.158 --> 00:27:09.526
  • We have different interests, different personalities,
  • 00:27:09.526 --> 00:27:12.663
  • Different upbringings, and different ways we do life,
  • 00:27:12.663 --> 00:27:16.600
  • But here, we have a deep connection,
  • 00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:20.137
  • And you are welcome here.
  • 00:27:20.137 --> 00:27:24.241
  • This is harvest.
  • 00:27:24.241 --> 00:27:24.241