Kingdom Come Part 1: Getting Ready for Greater Things

Pastor Dwayne Eslick, December 29th, 3012. Joshua 3:1 - 4:2, preached at New Life Rogers Park in Chicago.

The people of Israel got stuck in the desert for 40 years. A whole generation dies.
A new generation is ready to enter the promise land.

Moses dies and Joshua is selected to lead the people to go to war and take the promised land.

Before they can begin to take the land they had to cross the Jordan River.

Joshua 3 NLT

3:1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove[a] and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. 2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile[b] behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”

”Since you have never traveled this way before.” — God is wanting to take you places where you have never before.

“When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark… move out.. “ Pay attention and follow the leading of God.

VERSE 5 (NIV): Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

1) Clean House.

What is God’s standard? Holiness. No Compromise with sin and the world.

Consecrate yourselves.

1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

2 Timothy 2:20-21 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

Keep the standard God has for you. His standard is a high standard. If you want to be used by God to do great things, you have to live a consecrated life.

Jesus never rebuked the disciples for desiring to be great in God’s kingdom. He rebuked them for the way they wanted to be great. If you want to be a leader in God’s kingdom, you must be a servant.

They way you make a difference for God and do great things, clean your house. Your physical house and your heart.

Joshua went through the crowds crying out: Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do, amazing things among you!.

SUMMARY: The next day, priests were carrying a gold plated giant wood box with poles.

The water is in flood stages. As the priests step in the water, about 17 miles upstream God stops the water. We don’t know how long it took for the water to stop upstream and clear to the point where they were crossing.

Joshua 3:15-16 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah(that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

Sometimes you feel like you are stepping into something and you are in over your head and waiting for God move. That is exactly where God wants you to be to wait on him.

The whole nation crossed through the river. Afterwards, Joshua had a representative from each tribe go back into the river and get 12 stones and carry them to the shore on the other side and see what God had done.

Joshua 4:2-3 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

Consecrate yourselves today so that God will do amazing things among you tomorrow.

Don’t just keep your testimonies of the great things God has done in the past. Consecrate yourselves and keep praying for tomorrow.

2) Take a step of faith.

If you haven’t been baptized, get baptized.

If you haven’t joined a small group, get connected.

If you haven't starting serving in a ministry, get started somewhere.

If you can’t fast 21 days, can you take a step and fast 24 hours?

-> Eat late lunch/early dinner on Sunday afternoon and don’t eat until after sunset on Monday. That is great way to start learning to fast 24 hours.

“God, I want you to change the city and please start with me.”

If you have medical conditions, start out with fasting from social media and television.

3) Write down what God is doing.

When God starts to move and answers your prayer, write down how God has moved.

Illustration: The grandma who had a box of rocks.

Journal or box of prayer requests.

Hebrews 12:1-2a Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…