Claiming God's Promises: A Journey of Faith
Summary
In our gathering tonight, we reflected on the profound theme of victory in Jesus, drawing inspiration from the story of Caleb in Joshua 14. Caleb's unwavering faith and patience, even at the age of 85, serve as a powerful reminder of God's enduring promises. Despite the challenges and giants he faced, Caleb's conviction in God's word never wavered. He boldly claimed the mountain promised to him, demonstrating that God's promises are not nullified by time. This year, we are embracing the theme of "Higher Call," focusing on the victory and promises God has for us, much like Caleb's journey.
The book of Joshua, which we will explore in our Sunday morning series, is a testament to the victory that is ours in Christ as we exercise faith. It parallels the New Testament teachings in Ephesians, emphasizing the riches and inheritance we have in Jesus. As we delve into Joshua, we will learn about possessing the grace and divine enablement to conquer the giants in our lives. This journey is not just about enduring the Christian life but enjoying it, experiencing the victory that God intends for us.
We are also reminded of the importance of community and outreach. Our church is blessed to be in a growing community, and we are committed to reaching out and serving others. Through various ministries and events, we aim to spread the gospel and make a meaningful impact. Our motivation is Christ, and we strive to be fishers of men, putting as many hooks in the water as possible to reach souls for His kingdom.
As we move forward, let us claim the mountains God has promised us, face the giants with faith, and embrace the higher call He has placed on our lives. Together, we will labor for the faith, trusting in God's promises and His unfailing love.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith and Patience in God's Promises: Caleb's story in Joshua 14 teaches us the importance of unwavering faith and patience. Despite waiting 45 years, Caleb's conviction in God's promise never faltered. This reminds us that God's promises are not voided by time, and we must hold onto them with steadfast faith. [23:15]
2. Victory Through Faith: The book of Joshua illustrates the victory that is ours in Christ as we exercise faith. Just as Caleb claimed his mountain, we too can claim the promises and victory God has for us by stepping out in faith and trusting in His word. [28:11]
3. Facing Giants with God's Strength: The giants in our lives are opportunities for growth and faith. Caleb's courage in facing the Anakims shows us that with God's strength, we can conquer any obstacle. Our faith is strengthened as we rely on God's promises and His power. [34:43]
4. Community and Outreach: Our church's commitment to outreach and community involvement is vital. By putting multiple hooks in the water, we reach more souls for Christ. This approach emphasizes the importance of diverse efforts in spreading the gospel and serving others. [50:19]
5. Embracing the Higher Call: This year's theme, "Higher Call," encourages us to live a victorious Christian life, enjoying the journey rather than merely enduring it. By claiming God's promises and facing challenges with faith, we fulfill the higher call He has placed on our lives. [38:37]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [08:15] - Opening Prayer and Announcements
- [20:17] - Celebrating Community and Fellowship
- [23:15] - Caleb's Faith and God's Promises
- [25:40] - Personal Reflections and Inspiration
- [28:11] - Joshua: A Book of Victory
- [29:46] - Exercising Faith for Victory
- [31:26] - Joshua and Jesus: Leading in Battle
- [32:09] - Old Testament Stories and New Testament Truths
- [33:01] - Caleb's Patience and Conviction
- [34:43] - Facing Giants with Faith
- [35:49] - Claiming the Promised Mountain
- [36:51] - God's Promises Are Timeless
- [38:04] - Identifying and Overcoming Giants
- [40:45] - Embracing the Higher Call and Theme for the Year
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Victory in Jesus
Bible Reading:
- Joshua 14:6-15
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Caleb's request to Joshua in Joshua 14, and why was it significant? [23:15]
2. How does the sermon describe Caleb's faith and patience over the years? [33:01]
3. What role does the book of Joshua play in illustrating victory through faith, according to the sermon? [28:11]
4. How does the sermon emphasize the importance of community and outreach in the church's mission? [50:19]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does Caleb's story teach about the relationship between faith and patience in receiving God's promises? [23:15]
2. How does the sermon connect the Old Testament story of Caleb with New Testament teachings on victory in Christ? [28:11]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that facing giants in our lives can lead to spiritual growth? [34:43]
4. How does the sermon interpret the theme of "Higher Call" in the context of living a victorious Christian life? [38:37]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a promise from God that you have been waiting to see fulfilled. How can Caleb's example of faith and patience encourage you in this waiting period? [23:15]
2. Identify a "giant" in your life that you are currently facing. What steps can you take to confront this challenge with faith, as Caleb did? [34:43]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of community and outreach. What is one practical way you can contribute to your church's outreach efforts this month? [50:19]
4. Consider the theme of "Higher Call" in your own life. What specific actions can you take to live a more victorious and fulfilling Christian life? [38:37]
5. How can you apply the lessons from Caleb's story to claim the "mountains" God has promised you in your personal or spiritual life? [35:49]
6. The sermon mentions the importance of diverse efforts in spreading the gospel. What is one new method or approach you can try to share your faith with others? [50:19]
7. Reflect on the idea that God's promises are not voided by time. How does this truth impact your trust in God's timing and plans for your life? [36:51]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Unwavering Faith in God's Timeless Promises
Caleb's story in Joshua 14 is a testament to the power of unwavering faith and patience. At 85 years old, Caleb's conviction in God's promises remained steadfast, despite the 45-year wait. His life exemplifies the truth that God's promises are not nullified by time. Caleb's faith was not passive; it was active and bold, as he claimed the mountain promised to him. This narrative encourages believers to hold onto God's promises with steadfast faith, trusting that His word is enduring and true. [23:15]
Joshua 14:10-12 (ESV): "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."
Reflection: What is one promise from God that you have been waiting on? How can you actively hold onto this promise with faith today?
Day 2: Claiming Victory Through Faith
The book of Joshua illustrates the victory that is available to us in Christ as we exercise faith. Caleb's bold claim of his promised mountain serves as a powerful example of stepping out in faith to claim God's promises. This narrative parallels the New Testament teachings in Ephesians, emphasizing the riches and inheritance we have in Jesus. As believers, we are called to step out in faith, trusting in God's word, and claim the victory He has for us. This journey is not just about enduring the Christian life but enjoying it, experiencing the victory that God intends for us. [28:11]
Ephesians 1:18-19 (ESV): "Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to step out in faith to claim God's victory? How can you take a step of faith today?
Day 3: Conquering Giants with God's Strength
The giants in our lives are opportunities for growth and faith. Caleb's courage in facing the Anakims demonstrates that with God's strength, we can conquer any obstacle. His story shows that our faith is strengthened as we rely on God's promises and His power. The challenges we face are not meant to defeat us but to develop us, as we trust in God's strength to overcome them. This perspective encourages believers to view their challenges as opportunities to grow in faith and reliance on God. [34:43]
2 Samuel 22:30-31 (ESV): "For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him."
Reflection: Identify a "giant" in your life that you are currently facing. How can you rely on God's strength to overcome this challenge today?
Day 4: The Power of Community and Outreach
Our church's commitment to outreach and community involvement is vital. By putting multiple hooks in the water, we reach more souls for Christ. This approach emphasizes the importance of diverse efforts in spreading the gospel and serving others. As a community, we are called to be fishers of men, motivated by Christ's love, and committed to making a meaningful impact in the world around us. This narrative encourages believers to actively participate in community and outreach efforts, recognizing the power of collective action in advancing God's kingdom. [50:19]
1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV): "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in your church's outreach efforts this week? What is one specific way you can serve your community today?
Day 5: Embracing the Higher Call
This year's theme, "Higher Call," encourages believers to live a victorious Christian life, enjoying the journey rather than merely enduring it. By claiming God's promises and facing challenges with faith, we fulfill the higher call He has placed on our lives. This theme invites believers to embrace the fullness of life in Christ, experiencing the joy and victory that comes from living in alignment with God's purposes. It is a call to rise above the ordinary and pursue the extraordinary life that God has designed for each of us. [38:37]
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Reflection: What does embracing the "Higher Call" look like in your life? How can you pursue this call with intentionality and joy today?
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Quotes
Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people to melt. But I, I love this, wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore that on that day saying, surely the land wherein thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance and thy children forever because thou has wholly followed the Lord my God. And now behold, the Lord hath kept me alive as he said these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word into Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old, eighty-five years old. [00:23:15]
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war both to go. Now therefore, give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day. For thou heardest in that day how the Aeneacums were there, and that the cities were great and fenced. If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said. [00:23:58]
This book of Joshua demonstrates the victory that is ours in Christ. As we exercise faith, notice that, the victory we have in Christ as we exercise faith, you only have victory if you exercise faith, right? We trust in him, but faith is acting upon that trust. I believe the Word of God. I know what it says, and I believe it, but I have to act on it. [00:29:46]
Faith, stepping out in faith, exercising our faith, and realize the inheritance or the abundant blessings and promises we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's about possessing, possessing of the grace, that divine enablement that Christ gives us when we accept Him as Savior to conquer the giants in our life, to conquer the enemies in our life, to conquer the world, to conquer the flesh, to conquer the devil. All of these by the grace of God. [00:30:26]
Caleb was a man of faith. He was a man of patience. He was a man of conviction. Man, was he a man of conviction. He believed the promise of God. He believed the promise of God. He believed that God promised the land to Abraham, so therefore he's going to give it to us. God promised the land to Abraham and his seed, and therefore he will keep his promise. That's Caleb's conviction. [00:33:34]
Can I tell you that the giants in your life are there to help you grow, to help you grow your faith? The faith to grow. And Joshua and Caleb understood that. But again, Israel's heart melted and they did not go into the land that was promised to them, that God said he would fight for them, that God said he would give to them. [00:35:17]
He said this, he said, now therefore give me this mountain, this mountain. God had promised him that mountain. We read it. God promised him that mountain, and he was acting upon faith that God would give it to him. Why did God give him the mountain? Because he wholly followed the Lord. [00:35:49]
God always keeps his promises, always. His promises are true. So when we say the New Testament equivalent of go, and I will be with you, God always keeps His promises. Or I will never leave you nor forsake you, God always keeps His promises. God promised to supply our needs, God always keeps His promises, always. [00:36:51]
What are the giants in your life? So this year, we're going to be preaching a lot on victory, preaching a lot on the giants that we face in life and how to have victory in those places, and that we truly do have mountains that God has promised to us, and that we do have a higher call and enabling grace. And that's our theme for the year. [00:38:37]
And God will give you victory in your life. So I'm excited about that. I'm excited about studying. So we will, on Sunday morning, listen to this. We're going to study the book of Joshua on Sunday morning. We're going to start in chapter one. Now we're not going to do it verse by verse, but we will take chapter by chapter or a couple of chapters, story by story, and go through the book of Joshua. [00:40:02]
We have a lot of mountains in life. I'm thankful for those. I don't think sometimes we don't think about the promises God enough. We have many mountains that God has given us. We need to claim those mountains. Seen a lot of progress in 2024, and I wrote down, and I haven't went back and looked at the numbers per se. In 2022, we had a record amount of baptisms, but I will tell you, this year we've had a record amount of adult saved and adult baptisms. [00:57:06]
We just need to keep on keeping on. We need to keep on striving for the faith, laboring together with God, putting more hooks in the water. I've been using that illustration now for a few years, and I'm going to continue. I like that one the best. I used to use the spokes on a wheel. I think the hooks in the water is even a more biblical illustration of what we as a church should do. [01:00:55]
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