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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Overcoming or Overcome

March 24, 2025 | S25:E71

Greg Laurie - Overcoming or Overcome
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#GregLaurie #Faith #Healing #Humility #Religion #Confession/PowerofWords #WordofGod #Miracles #inActive #PresenceofGod #ArmorofGod #SpiritualWarfare #HarvestwithPastorGregLaurie #Imagination #Ephesians6

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Overcoming or Overcome | March 24, 2025
  • ...
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  • Greg laurie: listen to this.
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  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:00:05.682 --> 00:00:09.052
  • 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.
  • 00:00:12.922 --> 00:00:14.024
  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:19.396
  • You decide what thought comes in and you decide what thought
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  • 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.
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  • And we're looking at the story of how israel came into that
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  • Land in the first place, the land that god had given them.
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  • Make no mistake about it, god has given to the jewish people
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  • The land of israel, and he's given to them jerusalem as
  • 00:01:01.004 --> 00:01:05.108
  • Their capital.
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  • But here now in the book of joshua, the wilderness
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  • Wanderings 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 day
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  • Israel, and so that's where we picked this 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 and 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
  • 00:01:52.322 --> 00:01:56.025
  • The war, not being in the war, it's just a choice of winning or
  • 00:01:56.025 --> 00:01:59.062
  • Losing, gaining ground or losing ground, being overcome
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  • 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
  • 00:02:07.470 --> 00:02:11.141
  • Made our hearts a battlefield, and the christian life is not a
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  • Playground, it is indeed a battleground, why?
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  • Because the devil doesn't want you to follow christ, so the
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  • Moment you put your faith in him, he's going to 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 rage
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  • 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 the
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  • Devil.
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  • For we're not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies,
  • 00:03:04.093 --> 00:03:06.429
  • But against rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
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  • Against mighty powers in the dark world, against evil spirits
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  • In the 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: the devil usually comes to us in the realm
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  • Of our mind and imagination.
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  • He comes and 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."
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  • And just pretend you would do it because he knows that's the
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  • 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
  • 00:03:58.648 --> 00:04:02.151
  • Deceived by the serpent's cunning, your mind should
  • 00:04:02.151 --> 00:04:06.055
  • Somehow be led astray from your sincere devotion to christ."
  • 00:04:06.055 --> 00:04:10.393
  • So, in your mind, the hardest part of the spiritual battle is
  • 00:04:10.393 --> 00:04:14.764
  • Winning the battle of the mind.
  • 00:04:14.764 --> 00:04:17.567
  • 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?
  • 00:04:46.262 --> 00:04:47.764
  • And in our minds we think of the future, we think about the past,
  • 00:04:47.764 --> 00:04:53.436
  • We resolve conflicts, we dream, and of course, we can allow our
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  • Imaginations to be misled.
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  • We must guard ourselves there.
  • 00:05:01.010 --> 00:05:02.512
  • 2 corinthians 10 says from the philips translation: "the very
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  • Weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in
  • 00:05:06.683 --> 00:05:11.020
  • God's warfare through 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 defense 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."
  • 00:05:26.703 --> 00:05:28.304
  • Listen to this.
  • 00:05:28.304 --> 00:05:29.672
  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:05:29.672 --> 00:05:33.176
  • So the air controller decides what flight takes off and when,
  • 00:05:33.176 --> 00:05:36.913
  • What flight lands, what altitude they have, and that's their job.
  • 00:05:36.913 --> 00:05:41.284
  • You are the air controller of your mind.
  • 00:05:41.284 --> 00:05:43.553
  • You decide what thought comes in and you decide what thought
  • 00:05:43.553 --> 00:05:47.090
  • Stays out.
  • 00:05:47.090 --> 00:05:48.424
  • 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.
  • 00:05:51.661 --> 00:05:54.364
  • 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,
  • 00:06:03.206 --> 00:06:07.710
  • And in the same way, just because a bad thought comes to
  • 00:06:07.710 --> 00:06:11.547
  • You, you can reject it.
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  • You can say, "i reject that in the name of jesus christ."
  • 00:06:12.882 --> 00:06:16.319
  • "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, sow an act, reap an
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  • Action, sow an action, reap a habit, sow a habit, reap
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  • A character."
  • 00:06:36.672 --> 00:06:38.007
  • So it starts with the thought.
  • 00:06:38.007 --> 00:06:39.575
  • So, coming back to our story, here they are, israel, ready to
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • So the lord says, "i'm gonna do a miracle just for you," and the
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  • Mighty jordan river in flood season opens up as they step
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  • Into the water and get their feet wet.
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  • They get over to the other side now.
  • 00:07:06.269 --> 00:07:08.738
  • Now they're officially in the promised land.
  • 00:07:08.738 --> 00:07:12.041
  • And they erect a bunch of stones, as a memory of what god
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  • Did, and now this next event happens in joshua chapter 5,
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  • 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?"
  • 00:07:34.330 --> 00:07:35.665
  • "neither one," he replied.
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  • "i am the commander of the lord's army," and joshua fell at
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  • 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.
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  • If you're taking notes, to enter the land of promises, we must
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  • Encounter and follow jesus christ.
  • 00:08:02.091 --> 00:08:05.027
  • We must encounter and follow jesus christ.
  • 00:08:05.027 --> 00:08:07.430
  • 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.
  • 00:08:15.071 --> 00:08:16.706
  • "okay, are you a friend or foe?
  • 00:08:16.706 --> 00:08:18.074
  • What, are you gonna fight this dude?"
  • 00:08:18.074 --> 00:08:19.876
  • Joshua is pretty courageous.
  • 00:08:19.876 --> 00:08:22.011
  • "i'm the commander of the lord's army."
  • 00:08:22.011 --> 00:08:24.247
  • "oh, well, since you said that, what do you want your servant
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  • To do?"
  • 00:08:27.717 --> 00:08:29.051
  • Now, who was this powerful soldier that joshua encountered?
  • 00:08:29.051 --> 00:08:32.989
  • 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 them
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  • Christophanies, and there are many appearances of the lord in
  • 00:08:44.033 --> 00:08:47.537
  • The old testament, and i think this is one of them.
  • 00:08:47.537 --> 00:08:50.306
  • Why do i think it?
  • 00:08:50.306 --> 00:08:51.741
  • Because he is commanded to take off his sandals because he's
  • 00:08:51.741 --> 00:08:55.711
  • Standing on holy ground.
  • 00:08:55.711 --> 00:08:57.914
  • This is reminiscent of the encounter that moses had with
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  • God at the burning bush.
  • 00:09:01.284 --> 00:09:03.586
  • Remember, and the lord said, "take off your sandals."
  • 00:09:03.586 --> 00:09:06.756
  • Same thing.
  • 00:09:06.756 --> 00:09:08.090
  • So this was joshua's encounter with the lord.
  • 00:09:08.090 --> 00:09:10.426
  • I believe jesus himself reminding us the first step to
  • 00:09:10.426 --> 00:09:14.397
  • Winning in this spiritual battle is to stand as close to christ
  • 00:09:14.397 --> 00:09:18.434
  • As you possibly can.
  • 00:09:18.434 --> 00:09:20.970
  • Be as close to him as you possibly can.
  • 00:09:20.970 --> 00:09:23.139
  • Have you ever walked in someone's shadow?
  • 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:26.175
  • You you have to stay really close to be in their
  • 00:09:26.175 --> 00:09:28.010
  • Shadow, right?
  • 00:09:28.010 --> 00:09:29.412
  • And that's what we wanna be; we wanna be in the presence of god
  • 00:09:29.412 --> 00:09:33.249
  • In the shadow of the almighty.
  • 00:09:33.249 --> 00:09:35.418
  • I remember, years ago i was living on the east coast in
  • 00:09:35.418 --> 00:09:37.853
  • New jersey.
  • 00:09:37.853 --> 00:09:39.322
  • And i was given a gift of two cap guns and little holsters, a
  • 00:09:39.322 --> 00:09:44.760
  • Little cowboy hat, and i was feeling pretty cool walking down
  • 00:09:44.760 --> 00:09:47.330
  • The street, firing off my cap guns, and a bunch of hoodlums
  • 00:09:47.330 --> 00:09:50.733
  • Come up to me.
  • 00:09:50.733 --> 00:09:52.068
  • They're a little bit bigger and older than me.
  • 00:09:52.068 --> 00:09:54.337
  • They started laughing at me, pushed me to the ground, and
  • 00:09:54.337 --> 00:09:57.006
  • Stole my cap guns, so i went home.
  • 00:09:57.006 --> 00:10:01.010
  • And i got my brother who was five years older and quite a bit
  • 00:10:01.010 --> 00:10:04.413
  • Bigger, and i said, "help me get those guns back."
  • 00:10:04.413 --> 00:10:07.316
  • So i went back and found that group of kids and went up to
  • 00:10:07.316 --> 00:10:10.453
  • Them, and all of a sudden i was pretty bold and pretty tough.
  • 00:10:10.453 --> 00:10:13.689
  • I said, "give me my guns."
  • 00:10:13.689 --> 00:10:15.024
  • I pulled them back, strapped on my holster again, walked off in
  • 00:10:15.024 --> 00:10:18.527
  • A cowboyish way, you know.
  • 00:10:18.527 --> 00:10:20.997
  • Why was i so brave?
  • 00:10:20.997 --> 00:10:22.365
  • 'cause i had my brother with me.
  • 00:10:22.365 --> 00:10:23.766
  • If they tried anything, they would have to face him.
  • 00:10:23.766 --> 00:10:26.335
  • In the same way in spiritual battle, i go in standing close
  • 00:10:26.335 --> 00:10:29.639
  • To the lord.
  • 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:31.007
  • I'm no match for the devil.
  • 00:10:31.007 --> 00:10:32.341
  • I'm not even a match for a demon.
  • 00:10:32.341 --> 00:10:35.177
  • But if i stand close to the lord and stand on the lord and in the
  • 00:10:35.177 --> 00:10:38.214
  • Power of his might, i don't have to be afraid because "greater is
  • 00:10:38.214 --> 00:10:41.717
  • He that is in me than he that is in the world," right?
  • 00:10:41.717 --> 00:10:50.926
  • So now we come to jericho, and the lord's gonna give him the
  • 00:10:50.926 --> 00:10:55.231
  • Battle plan.
  • 00:10:55.231 --> 00:10:56.699
  • And it's pretty interesting.
  • 00:10:56.699 --> 00:10:58.768
  • I wonder what joshua was thinking, "okay, lord, how are
  • 00:10:58.768 --> 00:11:00.569
  • We gonna do this for city?
  • 00:11:00.569 --> 00:11:01.937
  • How's it gonna go down?"
  • 00:11:01.937 --> 00:11:03.272
  • "put a bunch of ladders up.
  • 00:11:03.272 --> 00:11:04.640
  • We'll scale the walls, attack them in force, overwhelm them
  • 00:11:04.640 --> 00:11:08.711
  • With force."
  • 00:11:08.711 --> 00:11:10.046
  • "lord, today i had something a little different in mind."
  • 00:11:10.046 --> 00:11:12.114
  • Joshua chapter 6, starting in verse 1, i'm reading from the
  • 00:11:12.114 --> 00:11:15.418
  • New living translation.
  • 00:11:15.418 --> 00:11:16.819
  • "now the gates of jericho were tightly shut because the people
  • 00:11:16.819 --> 00:11:20.690
  • Were afraid of the israelites.
  • 00:11:20.690 --> 00:11:22.124
  • No one was allowed to go out or in.
  • 00:11:22.124 --> 00:11:24.360
  • And the lord said to joshua, "i have given you jericho, the king
  • 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:27.763
  • And all of its mighty warriors.
  • 00:11:27.763 --> 00:11:29.598
  • Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for
  • 00:11:29.598 --> 00:11:33.102
  • Six days.
  • 00:11:33.102 --> 00:11:34.537
  • Seven priests will walk ahead of the ark, each carrying a
  • 00:11:34.537 --> 00:11:37.106
  • Ram's horn.
  • 00:11:37.106 --> 00:11:38.474
  • On the seventh day you're to march around the city seven
  • 00:11:38.474 --> 00:11:41.210
  • Times, and then the priests blow their horns.
  • 00:11:41.210 --> 00:11:43.879
  • And when the people hear the priest give long blasts on the
  • 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:47.183
  • Horns, then you give a mighty shout and the walls of the city
  • 00:11:47.183 --> 00:11:50.720
  • Will collapse, and then you can just charge right into
  • 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.522
  • The city."
  • 00:11:53.522 --> 00:11:55.758
  • Do you think god ever just tries to mess with our minds a
  • 00:11:55.758 --> 00:11:58.194
  • Little bit?
  • 00:11:58.194 --> 00:11:59.562
  • I mean, what kind of a battle plan is this?
  • 00:11:59.562 --> 00:12:03.132
  • It's god's battle plan.
  • 00:12:03.132 --> 00:12:05.267
  • And there was a reason for it, bringing me to point number two.
  • 00:12:05.267 --> 00:12:08.003
  • God will work in different ways, in different situations, so we
  • 00:12:08.003 --> 00:12:11.974
  • Look to him.
  • 00:12:11.974 --> 00:12:13.309
  • Again, god will work in different ways and in different
  • 00:12:13.309 --> 00:12:16.412
  • Situations, so we look to him.
  • 00:12:16.412 --> 00:12:19.482
  • And this was a kind of a thing where if god didn't come
  • 00:12:19.482 --> 00:12:22.118
  • Through, they were in big trouble.
  • 00:12:22.118 --> 00:12:24.620
  • It reminds us of the story of gideon.
  • 00:12:24.620 --> 00:12:26.555
  • Here's gideon who god chooses to lead israel into battle against
  • 00:12:26.555 --> 00:12:30.793
  • Their enemies, the midianites that have been oppressing them.
  • 00:12:30.793 --> 00:12:34.296
  • First of all, gideon's army wasn't that large, but the lord
  • 00:12:34.296 --> 00:12:36.899
  • Said, "your army is too big.
  • 00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:38.734
  • Say to your soldiers if you're fearful and afraid, go home."
  • 00:12:38.734 --> 00:12:41.670
  • And most of his army went home.
  • 00:12:41.670 --> 00:12:43.372
  • He's left with 300 men.
  • 00:12:43.372 --> 00:12:46.208
  • Now he's vastly outnumbered, and the lord says, "here's the
  • 00:12:46.208 --> 00:12:49.545
  • Battle plan.
  • 00:12:49.545 --> 00:12:50.913
  • Here's how you will defeat the midianites.
  • 00:12:50.913 --> 00:12:52.248
  • I want you all to get a little torch, you know, light the
  • 00:12:52.248 --> 00:12:54.750
  • Flame, put a clay pot around it, then you run down this hill and
  • 00:12:54.750 --> 00:12:58.187
  • You scream "the sword of the lord and of gideon" and you
  • 00:12:58.187 --> 00:13:01.190
  • Crack the pot open and they see the flame and they'll all die.
  • 00:13:01.190 --> 00:13:05.761
  • Crack the pot.
  • 00:13:05.761 --> 00:13:07.096
  • I think i'm a crackpot if i do this.
  • 00:13:07.096 --> 00:13:09.932
  • And that's exactly what they did, and the midianites are so
  • 00:13:09.932 --> 00:13:13.035
  • Freaked out and disoriented.
  • 00:13:13.035 --> 00:13:15.838
  • They thought they were already under attack and they attacked
  • 00:13:15.838 --> 00:13:18.440
  • Each other, and that's how the battle was won.
  • 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:20.943
  • But the lord often does things like this.
  • 00:13:20.943 --> 00:13:23.012
  • He uses human weakness to display his strength.
  • 00:13:23.012 --> 00:13:26.982
  • To us it might seem random, but there's a method to the madness,
  • 00:13:26.982 --> 00:13:30.953
  • If you will, because it's not madness at all, it's just god's
  • 00:13:30.953 --> 00:13:34.323
  • Way of keeping us looking to him.
  • 00:13:34.323 --> 00:13:36.992
  • Are you in a situation where there's no way out but god?
  • 00:13:36.992 --> 00:13:41.297
  • In other words, if god doesn't come through for you, there's no
  • 00:13:41.297 --> 00:13:44.400
  • Way out for you.
  • 00:13:44.400 --> 00:13:45.734
  • If you are, understand, god specializes in taking
  • 00:13:45.734 --> 00:13:50.506
  • Circumstances like that and using them for his glory.
  • 00:13:50.506 --> 00:13:54.777
  • But why does god do this?
  • 00:13:54.777 --> 00:13:56.111
  • So we'll see it's god doing it.
  • 00:13:56.111 --> 00:13:58.314
  • Because we're so prone to give the credit.
  • 00:13:58.314 --> 00:14:01.517
  • "oh, the doctor did it or my bank account did it or my friend
  • 00:14:01.517 --> 00:14:04.854
  • Came through for me" or something else happened.
  • 00:14:04.854 --> 00:14:07.323
  • The lord will put you in a situation where you have to say,
  • 00:14:07.323 --> 00:14:10.593
  • "that was the lord" and you give him the glory.
  • 00:14:10.593 --> 00:14:14.096
  • Take naaman as an example.
  • 00:14:14.096 --> 00:14:16.498
  • Naaman was a powerful syrian general, admired and respected
  • 00:14:16.498 --> 00:14:23.305
  • By his troops, but he had a problem.
  • 00:14:23.305 --> 00:14:25.875
  • He was a leper.
  • 00:14:25.875 --> 00:14:27.543
  • Leprosy was a lethal, fatal disease.
  • 00:14:27.543 --> 00:14:31.714
  • It slowly destroyed your body.
  • 00:14:31.714 --> 00:14:33.582
  • There was no cure for it, but he heard that there was a prophet
  • 00:14:33.582 --> 00:14:36.919
  • In israel named elisha that god did miracles through.
  • 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:41.290
  • And he was told if he went to elisha he could be healed of
  • 00:14:41.290 --> 00:14:44.360
  • His leprosy.
  • 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.694
  • So general naaman shows up at the doorstep of elisha.
  • 00:14:45.694 --> 00:14:50.633
  • You can just see naaman in this beautiful chariot surrounded by
  • 00:14:50.633 --> 00:14:54.136
  • Bodyguards, and they knock on the door.
  • 00:14:54.136 --> 00:14:56.538
  • "general naaman's here."
  • 00:14:56.538 --> 00:14:57.907
  • Elisha doesn't even come to the door.
  • 00:14:57.907 --> 00:15:00.109
  • He sends out his servant, gehazi, "hey, what's up?
  • 00:15:00.109 --> 00:15:03.712
  • Elisha says, 'if you want to be healed, go to the jordan river,
  • 00:15:03.712 --> 00:15:06.916
  • Immerse yourself seven times, you'll be healed.'
  • 00:15:06.916 --> 00:15:09.285
  • God bless, bye."
  • 00:15:09.285 --> 00:15:10.619
  • Shuts the door.
  • 00:15:10.619 --> 00:15:11.954
  • Naaman's thinking, "does he know who i am?
  • 00:15:11.954 --> 00:15:14.256
  • I'm general naaman.
  • 00:15:14.256 --> 00:15:16.058
  • I'm not gonna go immerse myself in the dirty jordan river.
  • 00:15:16.058 --> 00:15:19.228
  • We have better rivers back in syria," but then he thinks, "oh,
  • 00:15:19.228 --> 00:15:22.431
  • What have i got to lose?"
  • 00:15:22.431 --> 00:15:24.233
  • So he goes down to the jordan river, and with all of his men
  • 00:15:24.233 --> 00:15:27.069
  • Watching, he reveals what they've never seen before.
  • 00:15:27.069 --> 00:15:30.773
  • He takes off his helmet.
  • 00:15:30.773 --> 00:15:32.408
  • He takes off his breastplate.
  • 00:15:32.408 --> 00:15:34.343
  • He peels off the rest of his armor, and they realize he's
  • 00:15:34.343 --> 00:15:38.314
  • A leper.
  • 00:15:38.314 --> 00:15:39.648
  • They didn't know that about him.
  • 00:15:39.648 --> 00:15:41.016
  • He had to humble himself, and then he goes into that jordan
  • 00:15:41.016 --> 00:15:44.019
  • River and he immerses himself the first time, comes up still
  • 00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:46.956
  • A leper.
  • 00:15:46.956 --> 00:15:48.324
  • He does it the second time, still a leper, the third, the
  • 00:15:48.324 --> 00:15:51.293
  • Fourth, the fifth, the sixth time, still a leper.
  • 00:15:51.293 --> 00:15:54.229
  • The seventh time down he comes up, no longer a leper, healed,
  • 00:15:54.229 --> 00:15:58.634
  • Just as god said.
  • 00:15:58.634 --> 00:16:00.235
  • In fact, the bible says he had the skin like that of a
  • 00:16:00.235 --> 00:16:02.838
  • Newborn baby.
  • 00:16:02.838 --> 00:16:04.773
  • Have you ever looked at the newborn baby skin?
  • 00:16:04.773 --> 00:16:07.576
  • So beautiful.
  • 00:16:07.576 --> 00:16:08.978
  • Have you ever looked at your skin?
  • 00:16:08.978 --> 00:16:12.481
  • Not so beautiful.
  • 00:16:12.481 --> 00:16:14.383
  • Especially in a magnifying glass.
  • 00:16:14.383 --> 00:16:16.185
  • Oh, that's horrifying, right?
  • 00:16:16.185 --> 00:16:20.089
  • Why this unusual and humbling prescription?
  • 00:16:20.089 --> 00:16:23.792
  • Because naaman was a proud man, and god wanted him to strip off
  • 00:16:23.792 --> 00:16:27.396
  • His armor that he normally hid behind and expose himself as
  • 00:16:27.396 --> 00:16:31.633
  • A leper.
  • 00:16:31.633 --> 00:16:33.002
  • The same reason that god wants us to confess our sins.
  • 00:16:33.002 --> 00:16:36.505
  • Listen, we don't come to christ because we're good people and we
  • 00:16:36.505 --> 00:16:39.842
  • Wanna be a little bit better.
  • 00:16:39.842 --> 00:16:42.144
  • We come to christ because we're sinful people and we need
  • 00:16:42.144 --> 00:16:46.148
  • A savior.
  • 00:16:46.148 --> 00:16:47.683
  • And that's the only way we can be forgiven.
  • 00:16:47.683 --> 00:16:49.885
  • Bringing me to point number three.
  • 00:16:53.689 --> 00:16:55.090
  • God had them walk around jericho to show how they needed him.
  • 00:16:55.090 --> 00:16:59.294
  • God had them walk around jericho so they would see how much they
  • 00:16:59.294 --> 00:17:03.198
  • Needed him.
  • 00:17:03.198 --> 00:17:04.533
  • They walked around that city in total 13 times.
  • 00:17:04.533 --> 00:17:09.972
  • That's a lot of time to look at your obstacle.
  • 00:17:09.972 --> 00:17:12.808
  • Whoa, look at those walls.
  • 00:17:12.808 --> 00:17:15.411
  • Look at those soldiers up there.
  • 00:17:15.411 --> 00:17:17.513
  • This is a big problem.
  • 00:17:17.513 --> 00:17:19.515
  • They went around it again and again and again.
  • 00:17:19.515 --> 00:17:23.085
  • And sometimes we have to realize that our problem is so big we
  • 00:17:23.085 --> 00:17:26.989
  • Can't solve it on our own.
  • 00:17:26.989 --> 00:17:28.857
  • It's like if god doesn't come through, i'm in trouble.
  • 00:17:28.857 --> 00:17:31.760
  • Greg: you know, i've heard people say, "oh, it's so hard to
  • 00:17:35.697 --> 00:17:37.766
  • Be a christian.
  • 00:17:37.766 --> 00:17:39.101
  • I tried and i failed."
  • 00:17:39.101 --> 00:17:40.469
  • Let me say something that might surprise you.
  • 00:17:40.469 --> 00:17:42.871
  • It's not hard to be a christian, it's impossible without the help
  • 00:17:42.871 --> 00:17:48.143
  • Of the holy spirit.
  • 00:17:48.143 --> 00:17:50.412
  • See, with god all things are possible.
  • 00:17:50.412 --> 00:17:52.648
  • He can give me the strength and the power to live the life he
  • 00:17:52.648 --> 00:17:56.185
  • Has called us to live.
  • 00:17:56.185 --> 00:17:57.553
  • Apart from him, the bible says, i can do nothing.
  • 00:17:57.553 --> 00:18:00.789
  • Jesus said that, but then scripture also tells me, paul
  • 00:18:00.789 --> 00:18:04.293
  • Speaking, "i can do all things through christ who
  • 00:18:04.293 --> 00:18:07.629
  • Strengthens me."
  • 00:18:07.629 --> 00:18:08.964
  • So stop trying to live the christian life in your
  • 00:18:08.964 --> 00:18:11.567
  • Own power.
  • 00:18:11.567 --> 00:18:12.935
  • Stop trying to do it in your own strength and instead say, "lord,
  • 00:18:12.935 --> 00:18:16.472
  • I need your help each and every day."
  • 00:18:16.472 --> 00:18:19.908
  • Greg: but sometimes god will
  • 00:18:23.045 --> 00:18:24.379
  • Allow us to look at our big
  • 00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:26.181
  • Problems, so we'll see that our god is even bigger.
  • 00:18:26.181 --> 00:18:30.385
  • And maybe you're facing a big problem right now, something
  • 00:18:30.385 --> 00:18:33.789
  • You've tried to overcome.
  • 00:18:33.789 --> 00:18:35.691
  • Bring your problem to god.
  • 00:18:35.691 --> 00:18:37.659
  • That's what israel had to do.
  • 00:18:37.659 --> 00:18:39.128
  • It was too big for them in their own strength.
  • 00:18:39.128 --> 00:18:41.497
  • You wonder what the inhabitants of jericho were thinking about
  • 00:18:41.497 --> 00:18:44.133
  • All of this.
  • 00:18:44.133 --> 00:18:45.501
  • Was this a joke to him, to them, rather?
  • 00:18:45.501 --> 00:18:47.703
  • I mean, they knew the jews' god was powerful because they locked
  • 00:18:47.703 --> 00:18:52.007
  • The city up.
  • 00:18:52.007 --> 00:18:53.375
  • "we don't want those people coming in here."
  • 00:18:53.375 --> 00:18:55.777
  • And as they marched around again and again, seven times, eight
  • 00:18:55.777 --> 00:18:59.248
  • Times, nine times, ten times, thirteen times in total, they
  • 00:18:59.248 --> 00:19:02.885
  • May have wondered, "why do these people do this?
  • 00:19:02.885 --> 00:19:05.654
  • Why do they live the way that they live?
  • 00:19:05.654 --> 00:19:07.623
  • Why do they walk the way they walk?"
  • 00:19:07.623 --> 00:19:10.659
  • Non-believers look at us and wonder the same thing.
  • 00:19:10.659 --> 00:19:13.028
  • "why do you christians do what you do?
  • 00:19:13.028 --> 00:19:16.999
  • Why are you the way that you are?
  • 00:19:16.999 --> 00:19:19.768
  • It doesn't make any sense to me."
  • 00:19:19.768 --> 00:19:21.270
  • But then they might also ask, "how is it that you were able to
  • 00:19:21.270 --> 00:19:24.540
  • Come to that problem with such joy?
  • 00:19:24.540 --> 00:19:28.076
  • How is it that you have a marriage that's lasted so long?
  • 00:19:28.076 --> 00:19:31.680
  • How did you raise such amazing kids?
  • 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:35.517
  • That's not even possible."
  • 00:19:35.517 --> 00:19:36.919
  • Oh, it's possible, and they wonder, but it's even worse when
  • 00:19:36.919 --> 00:19:40.822
  • Non-believers say, "why aren't you the way that you should be?"
  • 00:19:40.822 --> 00:19:44.993
  • Have you ever been corrected by a non-believer?
  • 00:19:44.993 --> 00:19:47.996
  • That's really humbling.
  • 00:19:47.996 --> 00:19:49.765
  • When a non-believer will say, "aren't you a christian?"
  • 00:19:49.765 --> 00:19:52.467
  • And we'll say, "well, yes, i am.
  • 00:19:52.467 --> 00:19:57.706
  • See how big my bible is?
  • 00:19:57.706 --> 00:19:59.408
  • And it's green.
  • 00:19:59.408 --> 00:20:01.043
  • Why? i don't know, but it is."
  • 00:20:01.043 --> 00:20:04.346
  • "so you're a christian.
  • 00:20:04.346 --> 00:20:07.149
  • Why do you lose your temper all the time?
  • 00:20:07.149 --> 00:20:10.652
  • Why are you always gossiping about people?
  • 00:20:10.652 --> 00:20:14.056
  • Why do you drive like a psychopath?
  • 00:20:14.056 --> 00:20:18.193
  • Why do you sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend when
  • 00:20:18.193 --> 00:20:20.829
  • You're not married?
  • 00:20:20.829 --> 00:20:22.264
  • Why are you getting drunk?
  • 00:20:22.264 --> 00:20:23.699
  • I thought christians weren't supposed to do that."
  • 00:20:23.699 --> 00:20:25.934
  • "well, you know, let me--" just shut up.
  • 00:20:25.934 --> 00:20:27.903
  • They're right, you're wrong.
  • 00:20:27.903 --> 00:20:29.471
  • It's hard to be called out by a non-believer, isn't it?
  • 00:20:29.471 --> 00:20:32.774
  • So here are the israelites marching around, and listen to
  • 00:20:32.774 --> 00:20:35.978
  • This: the canaanites could have believed and been spared, but
  • 00:20:35.978 --> 00:20:39.548
  • They refused.
  • 00:20:39.548 --> 00:20:41.316
  • God would have forgiven them.
  • 00:20:41.316 --> 00:20:42.684
  • God forgave nineveh of their sins, sending jonah to preach
  • 00:20:42.684 --> 00:20:45.921
  • To them.
  • 00:20:45.921 --> 00:20:47.289
  • God would have forgiven sodom and gomorrah if they repented.
  • 00:20:47.289 --> 00:20:49.625
  • He was looking just for a few righteous people there.
  • 00:20:49.625 --> 00:20:52.995
  • God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
  • 00:20:52.995 --> 00:20:56.098
  • The bible says god didn't want to judge these people.
  • 00:20:56.098 --> 00:20:59.201
  • They could have believed; they'd heard all about israel.
  • 00:20:59.201 --> 00:21:02.504
  • Their reputation preceded them.
  • 00:21:02.504 --> 00:21:04.806
  • Forty years ago they crossed to the red sea, they knew
  • 00:21:04.806 --> 00:21:07.609
  • About that.
  • 00:21:07.609 --> 00:21:08.944
  • They knew that god fed the israelites with manna and led
  • 00:21:08.944 --> 00:21:12.414
  • Them with a cloud by day and a fire by night, and more recently
  • 00:21:12.414 --> 00:21:16.685
  • They knew that they had crossed the jordan river.
  • 00:21:16.685 --> 00:21:19.688
  • They knew they were coming their way and now they're marching
  • 00:21:19.688 --> 00:21:22.391
  • Around their city.
  • 00:21:22.391 --> 00:21:23.759
  • Sounds to me like a good time to repent because they sealed up
  • 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:27.396
  • The gates knowing the danger, but they didn't believe.
  • 00:21:27.396 --> 00:21:32.267
  • And so they faced the judgment that ultimately came upon them.
  • 00:21:32.267 --> 00:21:35.704
  • These were extremely wicked people.
  • 00:21:35.704 --> 00:21:38.907
  • These were people that sacrificed their children to
  • 00:21:38.907 --> 00:21:42.044
  • Their false gods.
  • 00:21:42.044 --> 00:21:44.346
  • And they watched them march around again and again
  • 00:21:44.346 --> 00:21:47.349
  • And again.
  • 00:21:47.349 --> 00:21:48.717
  • They shouldn't have opposed god's people.
  • 00:21:48.717 --> 00:21:50.252
  • It's a bad idea to attack god's people.
  • 00:21:50.252 --> 00:21:54.423
  • Nations of the world have learned this the hard way.
  • 00:21:54.423 --> 00:21:56.925
  • Those that have raised their hand against the jewish people,
  • 00:21:56.925 --> 00:22:00.762
  • Against the nation israel.
  • 00:22:00.762 --> 00:22:02.230
  • Look at the nations that have done it: egypt, rome, more
  • 00:22:02.230 --> 00:22:06.935
  • Recently germany, and soon iran.
  • 00:22:06.935 --> 00:22:09.871
  • God's made a promise where he says to abraham, "i'll bless
  • 00:22:09.871 --> 00:22:12.908
  • Those that bless you and curse those that curse you."
  • 00:22:12.908 --> 00:22:16.411
  • That's why it's always a good idea to support the nation
  • 00:22:16.411 --> 00:22:20.515
  • Of israel.
  • 00:22:20.515 --> 00:22:21.883
  • Point number five: they overcame their enemy by faith, not
  • 00:22:21.883 --> 00:22:24.319
  • By feeling.
  • 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:25.454
  • They overcame their enemy by faith, not by feeling.
  • 00:22:25.454 --> 00:22:28.890
  • Giving commentary on the battle of jericho, hebrew 11:30 says,
  • 00:22:28.890 --> 00:22:33.762
  • "by faith, the walls of jericho fell down after they were
  • 00:22:33.762 --> 00:22:37.699
  • Surrounded for seven days."
  • 00:22:37.699 --> 00:22:39.501
  • By faith.
  • 00:22:39.501 --> 00:22:41.069
  • Israel had to march by faith, not by their emotions.
  • 00:22:41.069 --> 00:22:45.774
  • Faith doesn't believe god can do it.
  • 00:22:45.774 --> 00:22:48.977
  • Faith believes that god will do it.
  • 00:22:48.977 --> 00:22:51.780
  • Faith sees invisible things.
  • 00:22:51.780 --> 00:22:54.116
  • Faith doesn't just see what's there, it sees what could be
  • 00:22:54.116 --> 00:22:57.018
  • There because, according to hebrews 11, faith is a substance
  • 00:22:57.018 --> 00:23:01.022
  • Of things hoped for.
  • 00:23:01.022 --> 00:23:02.424
  • It's the evidence of things not seen, but it's not just faith,
  • 00:23:02.424 --> 00:23:05.961
  • It's also patience, because hebrews 6:12 says,
  • 00:23:05.961 --> 00:23:09.798
  • "we don't want to become-- have you become lazy.
  • 00:23:09.798 --> 00:23:13.235
  • But instead, through faith and patience, you will inherit what
  • 00:23:13.235 --> 00:23:17.572
  • God has promised."
  • 00:23:17.572 --> 00:23:18.940
  • We need patience.
  • 00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:20.776
  • Sometimes god doesn't come through for us as quickly as we
  • 00:23:20.776 --> 00:23:23.612
  • Want him to, but we need to keep having faith and we need to have
  • 00:23:23.612 --> 00:23:27.516
  • Patience for the work that he is going to do, because listen, you
  • 00:23:27.516 --> 00:23:31.553
  • Might be at the verge of quitting.
  • 00:23:31.553 --> 00:23:33.989
  • You might say, "i've given up on this marriage, and nothing can
  • 00:23:33.989 --> 00:23:36.525
  • Be done."
  • 00:23:36.525 --> 00:23:37.859
  • Really?
  • 00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:39.227
  • "well, we have irreconcilable differences."
  • 00:23:39.227 --> 00:23:41.296
  • May i very politely say shut up.
  • 00:23:41.296 --> 00:23:45.400
  • Every marriage has irreconcilable differences.
  • 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:47.736
  • I've told you this before.
  • 00:23:47.736 --> 00:23:49.104
  • I've had irreconcilable differences with my wife for
  • 00:23:49.104 --> 00:23:51.940
  • 50 years.
  • 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:54.309
  • She sees it one way, i see it another way.
  • 00:23:54.309 --> 00:23:56.478
  • It's irreconcilable, right?
  • 00:23:56.478 --> 00:23:59.681
  • She's neat, i'm messy.
  • 00:23:59.681 --> 00:24:01.550
  • She's cute, i'm fat.
  • 00:24:01.550 --> 00:24:02.918
  • What can you do, huh?
  • 00:24:02.918 --> 00:24:04.886
  • The point is you don't dissolve a marriage when you have
  • 00:24:04.886 --> 00:24:07.255
  • A disagreement.
  • 00:24:07.255 --> 00:24:08.623
  • You work through it, you learn to forgive, you learn to resolve
  • 00:24:08.623 --> 00:24:12.060
  • Your conflict, but people will give up so quickly.
  • 00:24:12.060 --> 00:24:15.964
  • "i've given up.
  • 00:24:15.964 --> 00:24:17.332
  • I've given up on my child.
  • 00:24:17.332 --> 00:24:18.700
  • They'll never come back to the lord," won't they?
  • 00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:21.203
  • Keep praying for them.
  • 00:24:21.203 --> 00:24:22.571
  • "i've given up on this ministry.
  • 00:24:22.571 --> 00:24:24.172
  • I've tried.
  • 00:24:24.172 --> 00:24:25.507
  • It just hasn't happened the way i wanted it to."
  • 00:24:25.507 --> 00:24:27.375
  • Hang in there, because the moment you're ready to quit may
  • 00:24:27.375 --> 00:24:31.880
  • Be the moment right before the miracle happens.
  • 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:36.318
  • It might be coming.
  • 00:24:36.318 --> 00:24:37.652
  • It might be right around the corner.
  • 00:24:37.652 --> 00:24:39.321
  • Galatians 6:9 says, "don't be tired of what's right, doing
  • 00:24:39.321 --> 00:24:42.557
  • What's right, but after a while you'll reap a harvest of
  • 00:24:42.557 --> 00:24:45.494
  • Blessing if you don't get discouraged and give up."
  • 00:24:45.494 --> 00:24:48.497
  • So they blow their trumpets, they give out their shout, and
  • 00:24:48.497 --> 00:24:52.234
  • What happens?
  • 00:24:52.234 --> 00:24:53.568
  • The walls of jericho collapse in a mighty heap and israel goes in
  • 00:24:53.568 --> 00:24:57.873
  • And they conquer their enemies.
  • 00:24:57.873 --> 00:25:00.509
  • Loud shouts, blasting trumpets.
  • 00:25:00.509 --> 00:25:04.145
  • Remind you of anything else?
  • 00:25:04.145 --> 00:25:06.481
  • The bible speaks of an event that will come, often referred
  • 00:25:06.481 --> 00:25:10.085
  • To as the rapture of the church.
  • 00:25:10.085 --> 00:25:12.487
  • 1 thessalonians 4, it says, "the lord himself will descend from
  • 00:25:12.487 --> 00:25:15.423
  • Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the
  • 00:25:15.423 --> 00:25:19.561
  • Trumpet of god, and the dead in christ shall rise first and we,
  • 00:25:19.561 --> 00:25:23.498
  • Which are alive and remaining, shall be caught up together with
  • 00:25:23.498 --> 00:25:26.468
  • Them in the air, and so shall we ever be with the lord."
  • 00:25:26.468 --> 00:25:30.171
  • Listen, one day this world system, this wicked culture,
  • 00:25:30.171 --> 00:25:33.875
  • Will collapse.
  • 00:25:33.875 --> 00:25:36.011
  • Revelation 11:15 says, "the kingdoms of this world will
  • 00:25:36.011 --> 00:25:39.381
  • Become the kingdoms of our lord."
  • 00:25:39.381 --> 00:25:42.250
  • Jesus said, "heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will
  • 00:25:42.250 --> 00:25:46.221
  • Never pass away."
  • 00:25:46.221 --> 00:25:47.556
  • The jerichos, if you will, will fall, and the word of god
  • 00:25:47.556 --> 00:25:52.427
  • Will prevail.
  • 00:25:52.427 --> 00:25:54.162
  • You can be sure of that.
  • 00:25:54.162 --> 00:25:56.031
  • Greg: hi, my name is greg laurie.
  • 00:25:59.834 --> 00:26:01.503
  • I started searching for god at a very young age.
  • 00:26:01.503 --> 00:26:05.440
  • And my search led me into a lot of wrong directions, including
  • 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:09.311
  • Drug use, and i almost destroyed my life completely, but someone
  • 00:26:09.311 --> 00:26:13.882
  • Told me about jesus christ, and it changed my life forever, and
  • 00:26:13.882 --> 00:26:18.820
  • I want you to know that whatever course your life is on right
  • 00:26:18.820 --> 00:26:21.790
  • Now, it can change if you realize there's a god in heaven
  • 00:26:21.790 --> 00:26:25.260
  • Who loves you, and he has a plan for your life.
  • 00:26:25.260 --> 00:26:29.197
  • I prayed this prayer to ask jesus into my life at the age of
  • 00:26:29.197 --> 00:26:32.901
  • 17, but here i am at the age of 70, and i can tell you i made
  • 00:26:32.901 --> 00:26:37.539
  • The best choice i ever could make.
  • 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:39.608
  • You can make that same choice yourself.
  • 00:26:39.608 --> 00:26:41.843
  • You could just say, "jesus, help me, forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:26:41.843 --> 00:26:45.714
  • I want to go to heaven when i die.
  • 00:26:45.714 --> 00:26:47.649
  • I want a relationship with you."
  • 00:26:47.649 --> 00:26:50.318
  • If you would pray a prayer like that, god will hear you and
  • 00:26:50.318 --> 00:26:53.388
  • Answer you.
  • 00:26:53.388 --> 00:26:55.824
  • Announcer: explore the life and legacy of one of the bible's
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  • Most captivating and relatable people, king david.
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  • From shepherd to warrior king,
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  • David's journey is marked by incredible triumphs,
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  • For a limited time, you can receive "house of david: 30 days
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