“Overcoming”

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope

Joshua chapter 6 The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors.

What God told Israel to do “You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days.

Instructions from God The armed men before seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns the priest blowing horns; the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

Instructions On the seventh day they were to go around the city seven times. No talking till you are told to Shout!

Instructions On the seventh day, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. The walls fell…

Instructions They utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

Learning about God at Jericho He has power that supersedes, overrides physical laws He is willing to do things for His creation, His created ones For reasons (often unstated), He limits what He does

Jericho - God revelations If He can destroy walls - He could have destroyed the people of Jericho Himself. If His sole purpose was control, or destroy evil, He demonstrated the potential power to do so

God has overcome evil At the Cross

Some may have asked; “Lord if you have that kind of power why we even have to get involved? Why don’t you just do what needs to be done and give us the Promised Land?

Some say it was for their personal growth. He wanted to draw them into a trust relationship with Himself.

God’s actions demonstrate That He seeks a relationship with His creation Because He is God…It must be a relationship based on the true facts. A very foundational fact – God the “I AM” is.

Jericho teaches one main fact In the demonstration of God’s power under control, governed by His own will He is showing that He desires a relationship with us

We have more reason to believe God’s motivation Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

God is calling us into relationship A relationship that accepts human limitations to understand “I am” A relationship that does not cave into the human desire to fully explain Him or Justify His actions

The God Man Relationship Accepts that He gives instruction, That I am to follow Him and trust Him

Gal 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

Gal 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.