1. Ezekiel 22:30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me …:
but I found none.”

2. 3. Get Equipped for the battle Eph. 6:10-18
To effectively “stand in the gap” you must:
1. Accept your Responsibility Eph. 5,6
2. Know your enemy Eph. 6:12.
3. Get Equipped for the battle Eph. 6:10-18

3. P: Prayerful…Provider…Protector O: Observant (Aware, committed)
An effective “Point Man” is…
P: Prayerful…Provider…Protector
Patient…Persevering…Partner
Patterned after Jesus…
Perceptive. P:
O: Observant (Aware, committed)
Open (honest) …Optimistic (courageous)
Obedient (to God)
Objective (Focused, Mission Minded!)

4. I: Inspires (by being) Intentional: Purposeful, focused
Involved: Interested, (takes) Initiative, Intimate
Models Personal Integrity (In their Walk and Talk)

5. N: Nerve
N: Noble P:

6. 1. Nerve Joshua 1 when facing a demanding situation.”
“Steadiness, courage, and sense of purpose
when facing a demanding situation.”
The “Demanding Situation” Joshua 1:2
“Moses my servant is dead;
now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to the children of Israel.”

7. 1) Joshua was there 40 years earlier!
Numbers 13:31-33  ”But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32  And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying,
The land, through which we have gone to search it,
and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33  And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak…
and we were in our sight as grasshoppers…”
Even God said their “height was like cedars” Amos 4:9

8. 1 Sam 17:4 “Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.”
Andre the “Giant” was only 7’4”
1 Sam 17:4 “Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.”
That’s 9 ½ feet

9. 1. Nerve B. “A Sense of Purpose” Joshua 1:5-6
“for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”
1) He would lead Israel into the Promised land,
thus fulfilling God’s Promise!
2) Of course this would involve many battles.

10. 1. Nerve (To face the battles)
C. “Steadiness, courage.” Joshua 1:5,7
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee…
Be strong and of a good courage: as I was with Moses,
so I will be with thee!
I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law,
which Moses my servant commanded thee:
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left,
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”

11. 1. Nerve Joshua 1 for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous,
C. Source of “steadiness and Courage” is based on:
1) A Readiness to obey the directions of the
Commander. Joshua 1:8
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe
to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous,
and then thou shalt have good success.”

12. I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
C. Source of Courage based on
2) The quality of our Relationship to our
Commander. Joshua 1:9
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee…”
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;
I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness.”

13. Endurance, Courage and Self (God) Control!
Nerve: (Application)
Endurance, Courage and Self (God) Control!
It takes NERVE (courage) to follow God.
(Particularly into demanding situations.)
It takes NERVE (courage) to lead others.
God gives NERVE (courage) to those who will obey him.
Isaiah 40:29-31 “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”

14. 2. Noble Position: “Belonging to a hereditary class with high
social or political status; aristocratic.”
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.” Ro 8:16-17
(High Born)

15. 2. Noble Position: “Belonging to a hereditary class with high
social or political status; aristocratic.”
1 Peter 2:9 “ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people;
Peripoi’ēsis: Purchased (Priceless), preserved, possession.
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God...”
(High Born)

16. 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
2. Noble
B. Principled: “having or showing fine personal qualities or
high moral principles and ideals.”
High Character!
Eph 4:1 “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…
22 put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

17. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth…
2. Noble
B. Principled: “having or showing fine personal qualities or
high moral principles and ideals.”
High Character!
Col 3:1-2 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth…
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, (worthless lusts) and covetousness, which is idolatry…:”

18. Learn to say “No!” 2 Tim. 2:4 To live Nobly and with Nerve we must…
“No man that warreth entangleth himself”
a) To Temptation/Distraction. (Heb. 12:1,2)
 Sometimes from others. (Pr. 1:10-19)
Pr. 29: “Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul…
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” (śāgab’: strong)
Ultimately from ourselves! (James 1:12-16; 4:1)
“tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts…”

19. To live Nobly and with Nerve we must…
2) Learn to live in the “Now!” (Phil. 3:13-14)
“I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

20. Jesus is our “advocate”. 1 Jn. 2:1-2
2) Learn to live in the “Now!”
a) Satan is “the accuser” (Katēgore’ō: Plaintiff) Rev. 12:10
His Name literally means “slanderer or accuser!”
Rev 12:10,11 “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
(See also Job 1)
Jesus is our “advocate”. 1 Jn. 2:1-2

21. Jesus is our “advocate”. 1 Jn. 2:1-2
Rev 12:11 “And they overcame him by:
“the blood of the Lamb”
“the word of their testimony”
Cleansed/changed Conduct! (Eph. 5:8; 1 Jn 1:9)
We need to stop giving Satan so much ammunition against us! (Job 1:8)
and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Commitment to Christ and their commission! (2 Ti. 2:3,4)
(Christ Ro. 8:37)
(martyri’a: evidence!)

22. Heb. 4:12-16

24. Am with thee: be not dismayed; for
“Fear thou not; for I
Am with thee: be not dismayed; for
I am thy God: I will strengthen
Thee; yea, I will
Help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of
my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10