We are in a season where God is stirring up dreams and ideas that will change our world and the world of all of those around us.
Joseph dream saved a nation and in order to fulfill the promises of God to Abraham it took a Joshua to believe in the dream and then make it happen
Our dreams will not be fulfilled just but sitting and watching life go by, we must push into the Holy Spirit ask the questions, build the relationship and plan to move forward
Joshua 2:1-21
Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
2 But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”
Before we go any further let’s se how this story played out
SKIT
Joshua was given a dream, a vision, a plan from God, a clear instruction to go into Canaan and take the country
- It is OK to plan when God gives you a dream
Joshua 2:1
Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
2) In the planning of a dream the Holy Spirit will lead us.
Now you may not have a dream but you have something ahead of you that you need guidance.
The Holy Spirit will do that, lead you and guide you just as he did the two spies
If we have been given a directive by the Lord, or have a dream of the Lord’s leading we always will do better if we seek Him for his directive
Spend time in prayer, the word, and fellowship with other believer’s
It makes it so much easier to fulfill God’s design for your life if these disciplines are part of your daily life.
Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (ESV)
The Message
We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.
Everything in life is a “next move” if we just randomly allow life to happen then we have chaos. If we trust that the Holy Spirit does have a plan, and we have built that relationship with him, we will be effective, safe, and accomplish everything we need to.
The Holy Spirit enabled them to know what to do, when to do it, and whom to trust. Here is a quick example of how the Holy Spirit can lead us and guide us like this
Proverbs 15:1,2
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
How many times has your anger or frustration only caused more problems for you?I always ask people in dealing with conflict with others to ask themselves what is the outcome I want from this conversation? You can win and argument and lose the whole concept or a friend…it is not that you compromise your convictions you simply through wisdom choose what is the real outcome that you want
it doesn’t need to be just the big plans that He will guide us it can also be in the day-to-day reactions
James 1:19,20
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
The Holy Spirit can remind us of wisdom and/or insight we need to accomplish something at work or at home with someone.
The Holy Spirit will give you success in all you do as you learn to wait on and trust His work in and through you. It does take time to learn but if you are open and patient you will learn to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide, which can have a far greater impact than you could ever imagine…we’ll see in a bit
4 Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” 6 (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) 7 So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut
Just as a little cultural thing, the King’s men would have never entered the home of another person without their permission. So as long as they followed protocol the spies were safe from the guards
- What God is doing in you now will go ahead of you and open or close doors
Joshua 2:8-11
8 Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. 9 “I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
When we trust the Lord, have that connection with him on a daily basis we can’t help but reflect Him in everything we do
Our reputation will go ahead of us as a person of integrity
God and man will give us favor because our reputation has gone ahead of us.
As we continue to walk with integrity following the Lord’s principles because we are in the Word, prayer, and fellowship our impact grows greater and people will be concerned about failing if they don’t listen to us because we have a proven track record
God gives us more wisdom, the Holy Spirit’s guidance causes us to shine as lights in the darkness and we gain more favor
Proverbs 22:1
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
Colossians 1:3,4
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
When we act like Jesus because we know His word, are steady in prayer, have spent time with other believers in regular fellowship people hear about who we are and they are looking for what we have
Our faith grows which ends up blessing us because we worry less, overcome more and see the accomplishment of all God has for us in greater ways
12 “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13 when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”
14 “We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
15 Then, since Rahab’s house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window. 16 “Escape to the hill country,” she told them. “Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way.”
17 Before they left, the men told her, “We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions. 18 When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house. 19 If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death. 20 If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way.”
21 “I accept your terms,” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.
4) This is prophetic of the Lord’s plan of redemption.This story shows the process of the price paid for us…The spies made a promise to Rahab and her entire household, if you will follow our specific instructions then you and your household will be saved but if not it is on your own head…The scarlet chord was the object of this promise
When Adam and eve sinned the blood of animals (scarlet thread) was shed to cover their nakedness
When Cain and Able made offerings the cost of life and blood that Able offered was the scarlet thread to offer and pure gift to the Lord
The Passover lamb and example of Christ was the scarlet thread to tie in the redemption (purchasing price) for the children of Israel
The scarlet thread (rope) that Rehab offered was the promise of the spies to redeem Rahab and her whole family from the culture of Jericho. It was also a sign to the nation of Israel that the Land of Canaan had been purchased for them already
Jesus shed blood on the cross was predicted through each of these acts as he was the scarlet thread that purchase us from the bondage, ignorance and wickedness of this world.
Side NOTE>>>>why did the spies go to Jericho? They didn’t get any new intel, everything was the same but we are introduced to Rahab and her family….for sometime now Rahab most likely was searching for the God of heaven and earth and God knew it…he sent the spies just to answer Rahab’s hearts cry…..how far will God go for you?
– Once again, If you don’t have a dream or idea for your future God wants you to have one, because He already has one for you! Come and allow us to pray for you
– If you know the dream, vision or plan God has for you but need insight into what the plan is, allow someone to pray for you and see what the Lord has to say
– If you are struggling with, “God is anything I am doing now, really matter to you?” Come and allow us to pray for you that we might be able pray and the Lord will show you what you are doing that matters or what you can do where you are that matters.
– Last but most certainly not least…we all need the scarlet thread of redemption in our lives, we all need to have our sins covered and eliminated by what Christ did for us on the cross, if you have never asked the Lord to forgive you and cover your sins then please come and allow someone to pray with you about that