Owners of the Promise: Consecrate Your Life to Enter

Jan 11, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Consecrate Yourself for God's Wonders

This year, God desires to do wonders among you. Just as the people of Israel were called to set themselves apart before crossing into the Promised Land, you are invited to consecrate your life. This means living differently, intentionally setting aside what distracts, and preparing your heart and mind for the miraculous. When you dedicate yourself to Him, you create space for God to move in powerful ways, bringing to pass the dreams and prayers you've held close. Believe that God has miracles and the life you've dreamed of in store for you. [41:14]

Joshua 3:5 (ESV)
Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life you can intentionally set apart this week to invite God's wonders and miracles?

Day 2: The Hidden Cost of Internal Damage

It is often easier to address external appearances than to confront the deeper, internal realities of our lives. While things may look put together on the surface, internal damage can lead to an inevitable breakdown. Just as Achan's hidden sin affected the entire nation of Israel, there are "devoted things" in our lives—things we hold onto that God has called us to release—that can subtly sap our strength and hinder the full work God desires to do. These hidden struggles, if left unaddressed, have the potential to destroy the covenant and blessings God intends for you. [42:28]

Joshua 7:1 (ESV)
But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

Reflection: What internal "devoted thing" or hidden struggle might be subtly hindering God's full work and blessing in your life?

Day 3: Get Up: God's Call to Fight Again

When faced with the consequences of sin, it's easy to feel weary, defeated, and tempted to settle for less than God's best. Like Joshua, who fell on his face in despair, you might find yourself questioning if it would be easier to just stay in a comfortable, yet unblessed, place. But God's word to Joshua, and to you today, is clear: "Get up!" He doesn't condemn or blame; He calls you to restore the covenant, to renew your commitment, and to keep fighting. His grace and the blood of Jesus are sufficient to empower you to rise again and walk in freedom and healing. [52:22]

Joshua 7:10-11 (ESV)
The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.”

Reflection: In what area of your life have you felt weary or tempted to settle, and how might God be calling you to "get up" and fight again with His strength?

Day 4: Make War on Sin by Loving the Promise More

Overcoming sin isn't merely about willpower or trying harder; it's about cultivating a deeper love for God's promise than for the sin itself. Just as Joshua cast a vision of the Promised Land to motivate Israel to remove the devoted things, we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. When we truly grasp the joy and abundance of the life He offers, it empowers us to lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely. This fight is won not by self-discipline alone, but by passionately pursuing the greater treasure of God's presence and purpose. [55:02]

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Reflection: What specific promise of God do you need to fix your gaze upon today to empower you to overcome a persistent temptation or struggle?

Day 5: Live as an Owner, Not a Renter, in God's Promise

God desires for you to fully occupy and live in His promises, not merely to visit or observe them from a distance. Moses, a man who walked closely with God, was allowed to see the Promised Land but not enter it due to his anger and sin. This serves as a powerful reminder that while God's grace is sufficient for salvation, He offers a life of abundance, purpose, and joy here on earth. Don't settle for being a renter in God's promise, cautiously enjoying it from afar. Instead, embrace your identity as an owner, taking full possession of the life Jesus came to give you—a life that brings heaven to earth. [01:08:31]

Deuteronomy 34:1-4 (ESV)
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. And the Lord said to him, “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.”

Reflection: In what area of your life are you currently "renting" rather than "owning" the abundant life Jesus offers, and what step can you take to fully occupy that promise?

Sermon Summary

The congregation is urged to move from surface religion into deep, inward consecration so that the wonders God promised can be realized. Drawing on Joshua 3–7, the narrative shows Israel’s spectacular external victories followed by a crippling internal failure: the hidden “devoted things” taken by Achan that infect the whole community and render them unable to stand in battle. Consecration is framed not as ritual posture but as a costly, practical clearing of what corrupts covenant life—an inward holiness that enables God’s power to flow and preserves the integrity of God’s promises.

Sin is described with stark honesty: it saps courage, settles people for less than God intends, and, when allowed to grow, leads to devastating consequences. The preacher contrasts outward religious activity with the harder work of internal inspection, using vivid metaphors—a car with hidden alignment damage, an untamable tiger—to show how small compromises quietly destroy destiny. The biblical remedy is a spiritually rigorous response: get up, take an honest account, remove the devoted things, and make war on sin through community, confession, and disciplined practices.

A New Testament anchor from Hebrews reframes the task: lay aside every weight and look to Jesus as the founder and perfecter of faith. Practical pathways are emphasized—joining a group, engaging in recovery ministries, accountability among leaders—so that repentance becomes sustained action rather than a seasonal resolution. The sermon presses believers to love the promised life more than the temporary pleasure of sin; the only reliable way to fight is to treasure the promise above the temptation.

Finally, the call is to ownership: not to rent the promise of God but to possess it, to live inside the land God has given rather than only glimpse it from a distance. The tragic example of Moses, who viewed the promised land but did not enter it, is invoked as a solemn warning about the cost of unresolved sin. The address closes with an invitation to begin a relationship with Jesus—an urgent offer of grace that makes new beginnings possible and equips people to move from brokenness into the fullness of God’s life and promise.

Key Takeaways

1. Consecrate the inward life [41:14] True consecration targets the interior—thoughts, motives, hidden habits—rather than mere external compliance. When the inner life is purified, outward worship becomes the fruit of transformation instead of a mask. This process requires intentionality and the willingness to let God expose uncomfortable things so He can heal them. [41:14]
2. Sin destroys when left unchecked [43:25] Small compromises are not harmless; they metastasize into patterns that steal courage and sideline destiny. The example of the devoted things shows how one person’s hidden disobedience can fracture communal blessing. Confronting sin early protects vocation, relationships, and spiritual inheritance. [43:25]
3. Love the promise more than pleasure [01:03:40] The only sustainable fight against temptation is to cherish the promised life more than transient satisfaction. Loving the future God offers reframes daily decisions and reorders affections away from what erodes destiny. This reorientation produces disciplines that endure beyond New Year resolutions. [1:03:40]
4. Take an honest account now [55:40] Recovery begins with communal, thorough appraisal—bringing the concealed before God and trusted people. Hebrews calls believers to “lay aside every weight,” which means naming burdens and engaging practical supports like groups and recovery ministries. Accountability turns private liabilities into public pathways toward freedom. [55:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:37] - Greetings & campuses
[40:41] - Joshua 3:5: Consecrate yourselves
[41:14] - Call to inward consecration
[42:28] - Devoted things explained
[45:10] - Hearts melted: Israel's failure
[47:49] - Repentance and holiness urged
[51:10] - Alignment analogy: hidden damage
[53:39] - Command: remove devoted things
[55:40] - Honest account & Hebrews blueprint
[1:00:05] - Achan: sin's consequence
[1:06:19] - Live, don't just visit promise
[1:11:45] - Invitation: begin with Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

Joshua 3:5
“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.’”

Joshua 7:10–13
“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own possessions. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up, consecrate the people and say, “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, ‘There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.’”’”

Hebrews 12:1–2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Observation questions

According to Joshua 3:5, what is the specific requirement given to the people before they can expect to see God perform wonders among them?
In Joshua 7:10–13, what does God identify as the specific reason Israel was unable to stand against their enemies? [53:39]
What does Hebrews 12:1–2 instruct believers to "lay aside," and who are they told to fix their eyes upon while running their race? [55:02]

Interpretation questions

The "devoted things" in Joshua 7 were items meant for destruction that were kept in secret. How does hidden sin function like "alignment damage" in a car, where the exterior looks fine but a breakdown becomes inevitable? [51:10]
Joshua 7:5 describes the hearts of the people "melting and becoming as water" after their defeat. Why does unresolved sin often lead to a loss of spiritual courage and a desire to settle for a life that is "safe" but not blessed? [46:29]
Joshua had to bring the entire nation together to take an honest account and find the "devoted things." Why is it necessary to involve community and accountability when trying to identify and remove weights that "cling so closely"? [55:40]

Application questions

It is often easier to fix what is on the outside than to change what is on the inside [42:28]. In what areas of your life are you tempted to maintain a "consecrated" appearance while ignoring things hidden in the "tent" of your heart?
Sin has a wearying effect that can make a person want to give up or stop fighting. If you feel like you are "on your face" today, what would it look like for you to hear God’s command to "get up" and begin restoring the covenant in your life? [52:22]
A tiger cannot be tamed; when it is fully grown, it brings destruction [59:00]. Are there "small" compromises or habits in your life that you have been trying to tame rather than eliminate? What is one practical step you can take this week to "make war" on that sin?
The only sustainable way to fight temptation is to love the promised life more than the temporary pleasure of sin [01:03:40]. What specific promises of God—for your family, your peace, or your future—do you need to treasure more deeply to help you turn away from distractions?
There is a significant difference between being a "renter" and an "owner" of God's promises [01:10:52]. Owners take responsibility for the "house" and make necessary changes. What is one practical way you can move from just "visiting" the promise to actually possessing it (e.g., joining a group, engaging in recovery, or seeking leadership accountability)?
Moses was able to see the Promised Land from a distance but was unable to enter it because of unresolved issues [01:08:31]. How does this warning motivate you to deal with "devoted things" now rather than waiting for a later season?

Sermon Clips

35s

#OccupyThePromise

“``every time we gather, it is an opportunity for us to once again return to the Lord. Every time we come to an altar, every time we come to a worship service. My main idea for us today is this, repentance and holiness will allow me to live in the power and the promise of Jesus. I don't want you to visit the promise of Jesus. I don't want you to see the promise of Jesus. I don't want you to hear about the promise of Jesus. I want you to occupy the promise of Jesus in 2026.”

23s

#NewCovenantFreedom

“What do we do with hard passages of scripture? What do we do with moments in scripture that feel like they're hard for us to wrap our mind around? Well, the first promise that you get to stand upon today is that we are new covenant people. I'm thankful that Jesus took that kind of pain and that kind of punishment upon himself. Therefore, you and I might not have to.”

35s

#LordAloneForVictory

“Hear it today as a prophetic warning. There are things that matter more in life. There are things that if left up to you have the ability to sap and to destroy the entire work that God would want to do in your life this year. And as a result, God speaks to Israel and says to them, get rid of all of it. Therefore, it be made known among the nation and among the nations to come that the Lord alone is the reason for victory, that the Lord alone is the reason for wealth, that the Lord alone is the reason for prosperity.”

33s

#PropheticWordNow

“As we begin to read this story, I will give you a warning. This is a hard passage of scripture. It is an aggressive one. I'm thankful we're a part of a church at the father's house that we don't just preach out of parts of the Bible that make us feel good. That's always the easy way out to just tell you you're awesome and tell you life's great and you're not doing anything wrong, but that's not the purpose of the Bible. The purpose of the Bible is to give us an on time, in season word that's prophetic, that has weight into our lives and into our culture.”

32s

#ConsecrateYourHeart

“encouragement to our church today is this. There are real enemies that you are going to need to fight to walk into the promise that God has for you this year. And if we do not deal with the devoted things, it doesn't make you a bad person. It doesn't make you an evil person, but you are entering into a fight with your arms tied behind your back. And God speaks to them, says you gotta get rid of these things. There's a real enemy to fight. So the question becomes for us very practically, how do we consecrate the inside of our lives?”

31s

#LovePromiseOverSin

“You understand something? The only chance that you and I have against fighting sin in our life is to love the promise more than we love the sin. When I first started going to church, I was so frustrated and so intimidated by the pastors because I would look at them, and I assumed that all of them did not struggle with sin in the same way that I did. I was like, oh my gosh. Those guys, those girls, they're perfect. They've got it all figured out. They are not like, woe is me, the heathen that I am. And that became a pastor.”

45s

#HealTheInside

“The truth that is about cars is also the truth about life. The external can look like it is all together, but if the internal is damaged, a breakdown is inevitable. That seems to be the story in Joshua chapter seven for the nation of Israel. Like I said, there have been miracle after miracle that have gone on. They have crossed miraculously the River Jordan. Cities have been conquered. There is, like I said, a festival, a moment where everyone renews and restores this covenant, and yet there were internal things that had gone on. And because of that, they are not able to stand, and they are not able to fight against their enemies.”

24s

#ConsecrateForWonders

“I believe today that that would be a word for our church and for your life. God has wonders for you this year. I believe that God has miracles for you this year. The life you've dreamed of, the life you've only seen in the prayer room, the life you've only dreamed about happening. God could bring it to pass in 2026, and the call, therefore, is is consecrate your life.”

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