Embracing Transitions: Trusting God's Presence in Change

As we stand at the threshold of a new season, it’s important to pause and recognize the spiritual significance of transitions in our lives. Just as birthdays and anniversaries mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, so too do these moments remind us that we are not where we used to be. Each year, each milestone, is evidence of God’s faithfulness—of battles fought, prayers answered, and unexpected blessings received. Even when we don’t feel it, every transition is movement, a sign that God is still at work in us and through us.

This year, our church is not only celebrating another year of ministry, but we are also entering a season called “Restore,” as we prepare a new home for our community. This is more than a physical move; it’s a spiritual invitation to make room for God to move, to heal, to restore, and to awaken faith in our city and beyond. Our prayer is that this new space will be a place where heaven touches earth, where lives are transformed, and where the love of Christ radiates into every neighborhood.

Transitions, however, are never easy. They pull us from the comfort of the familiar into the uncertainty of the new. Like the Israelites standing at the edge of the Jordan River, we are called to trust God in uncharted territory. The path to God’s promises will test our faith and demand our obedience. The familiar gives us a sense of control, but God often calls us to step out, to follow His presence even when the way forward seems impossible.

The Israelites were instructed to keep their eyes on the Ark of the Covenant—the visible sign of God’s presence—and to move only when it moved. In the same way, we are called to pursue God’s presence through His Word, through worship, and through prayer and fasting. As we set aside this coming week for prayer and fasting, we consecrate ourselves, setting our hearts apart for God, preparing for the amazing things He desires to do among us. Consecration is an act of faith, a declaration that we are ready and willing for God to move.

Let us step into this new season with hearts aligned to God, seeking Him passionately, and trusting that He will lead us into His promises.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Transitions Mark Spiritual Movement, Not Just Time Every milestone—be it a birthday, anniversary, or new season—serves as a reminder that God is moving us forward, even when we don’t feel it. These moments are invitations to reflect on God’s faithfulness, to give thanks for answered prayers, and to recognize growth through trials and blessings. They are not just markers of time, but of spiritual progress and transformation. [02:02]
• 2. The Path to Promise Requires Faith and Obedience Standing at the edge of the unknown, like the Israelites at the Jordan, we are confronted with the reality that God’s promises often lie beyond what is familiar and comfortable. The journey will test our faith and demand our obedience, especially when the way forward seems impossible. Faithlessness can cost us dearly, but trust and obedience open the way to new beginnings. [07:40]
• 3. God’s Presence Must Lead Our Transitions The Israelites were instructed to move only when the Ark of the Covenant moved, symbolizing the necessity of following God’s presence rather than our own plans. In seasons of transition, we are called to fix our eyes on God, to wait on His timing, and to move in step with Him. This requires reverence, patience, and a willingness to let go of control. [12:09]
• 4. Consecration Prepares Us for God’s Miraculous Work Before crossing into the promised land, the Israelites were told to consecrate themselves—to set themselves apart for God. Consecration is a deliberate act of aligning our hearts, motives, and actions with God’s will, removing distractions, and making space for His presence. It is an act of faith that positions us to receive and participate in the amazing things God wants to do. [16:43]
• 5. Pursuing God’s Presence Through Community and Spiritual Disciplines We are invited to seek God together through His Word, worship, prayer, and fasting, especially in this season of transition. Setting aside time for these disciplines, both individually and as a community, creates sacred space for God to move deeply in our lives. The depth of our encounter with God is often proportional to the passion and intentionality with which we seek Him. [14:38]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:11] - The Significance of Milestones
• [00:51] - Movement and Growth Through the Years
• [01:44] - Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness
• [02:32] - Entering a New Season: Restore
• [03:12] - Vision for Our New Home
• [03:58] - God Is Not Finished With Us
• [04:29] - Israel’s Transition at the Jordan
• [05:12] - The Cost of Faithlessness
• [06:08] - A New Generation at the Jordan
• [07:40] - The Test of Faith and Obedience
• [08:30] - The Disruption of the Familiar
• [09:59] - Transitions in Our City and Lives
• [11:03] - Following God’s Presence
• [13:43] - Fixing Our Eyes on God
• [14:38] - Pursuing God Through Prayer and Fasting
• [16:43] - Consecration for the New Season
• [18:16] - Preparing Our Hearts for God’s Move

Bible Reading

Joshua 3:1–5 (ESV) — 1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp
3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.
4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) — You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Observation Questions

1. According to Joshua 3:3-4, what were the Israelites instructed to do when they saw the Ark of the Covenant move? Why was it important for them to keep a distance?
2. In the sermon, what are some examples given of how transitions disrupt the familiar and force us to trust God in new ways? [[09:59]]
3. What does Joshua tell the people to do before God does “amazing things” among them? (Joshua 3:5)
4. How does the sermon describe the Ark of the Covenant and its significance for the Israelites as they prepared to cross the Jordan? [[11:36]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God required the Israelites to wait and watch for the Ark before moving forward, instead of letting them go ahead on their own? What does this say about God’s leadership in times of transition? [[12:09]]
2. The sermon mentions that transitions test both our faith and obedience. Why might God allow us to face situations where the way forward seems impossible? [[07:40]]
3. What does it mean to “consecrate” ourselves, and why is this step necessary before experiencing God’s miraculous work? [[16:43]]
4. How does seeking God “with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13) relate to the way the Israelites were to follow the Ark and prepare for the new season?

Application Questions

1. The sermon encourages us to reflect on milestones as evidence of God’s faithfulness. Looking back over the past year, what is one specific way you have seen God move in your life—even if it was unexpected or difficult? [[01:09]]
2. Is there a transition or change happening in your life right now that feels uncomfortable or uncertain? How might God be inviting you to trust Him in this area? [[09:59]]
3. The Israelites were told to move only when God’s presence moved. Are there areas in your life where you tend to rush ahead with your own plans instead of waiting for God’s direction? What would it look like to “wait on God” this week? [[13:43]]
4. The sermon calls the church to a week of prayer and fasting. What is one practical way you can set aside time this week to seek God—through prayer, fasting, or another spiritual discipline? [[14:38]]
5. Consecration involves removing distractions and aligning our hearts with God’s will. What is one distraction or habit you sense God asking you to set aside in order to make more room for Him? [[17:31]]
6. The new church building is described as a place where “heaven touches earth.” How can you personally contribute to making our church community a place where people encounter God’s love and presence? [[03:12]]
7. The sermon says, “The people who encounter God most deeply are the ones who seek the Lord most passionately.” What is one step you can take this week to seek God more passionately, either on your own or with others? [[16:28]]