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Let’s open our bible to the book of Joshua, we are still on the subject on of spiritual migration
Last night I hadly slept, we were coming from somewhere, we got back home around three in the morning and when we were driving back, this verse just came alive, Joshua 9. I just want us to read through the chapter, and we’ll highlight a few things
Jos 9:1 and it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
Jos 9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Jos 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
Jos 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Jos 9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
Jos 9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
Jos 9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
Jos 9:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
Jos 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
Jos 9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Jos 9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
Jos 9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
Jos 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
Jos 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
Jos 9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
Jos 9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
Jos 9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
Jos 9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Jos 9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Jos 9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
Jos 9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
Jos 9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Jos 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Jos 9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Jos 9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
Jos 9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Jos 9:27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
Something interesting is happening in verse 1. For the first time in the conquest of Canaan, the enemy is the one to make the first move. Israel was invading a nation remember, but now they(the enemy) are making the first move. There is shift, and in this shift they are making the first move. They are no longer responding. There are things I want us to take note of. The bible says “all the kings gathered” So there is an assembly, an alliance, even some of the kings who did not like each other, who might even be competing with one another are now all on the same side because there is a common enemy, the people of God. Look at the entrance of Joshua and that company into this land, and what it does. We see all of them uniting against Joshua.
We need to understand what the gospel does, by the cross, Jesus brought reconciliation. There are relationships which are beyond reconciliation, irreconcilable differences, but with Jesus in the picture they can be reconciled, they can be. Do you know the power of the cross? The cross which was able to unify man and God, you think the same cross cannot solve your marriage problems? Is that what you think? Do you think the Gospel is that powerless?
Marriage is like a triangle, three sides; One side-Husband, One side Wife, One side God, and as long as two sides are holding it won’t fall, the assurance is that God is holding. It begins with an individual’s persuasion that it has to work. Must I teach you geometry? You look at the triangle, the closer you get to the angle the stronger it becomes, so there closer we get to God the stronger the triangle becomes. The closer the couple gets to God the stronger the relationship becomes. So how does it work? Sometimes you can’t find each other at all you’ve missed each other, but just draw closer to God, the both of you draw closer to God and the angle becomes stronger. There is something when Joshua enters the land, people who are at odds with one another come together. Remember the word Joshua means Jesus- ‘Yeshua’,When he enters the land things rearrange in order. There are some problems politicians will never solve. Operation dudula is not the salvation of this nation, EFF is not the salvation of this nation, ANC is not the salvation of this nation. There is something called the unity of the Spirit which is the bond of peace, There are some things which will take God, “by righteousness a nation is established” There are divine things, God the one who came with idea of nations can sustain nations himself. One of the primary reasons we have the church is to restrain evil, the church is not just a pillar of truth in a society. Do you know what is the role and responsibility of a parents in raising up children, they must restrain in their child. The responsibility is for them is to give a mature man and woman to society , and in doing that they must restrain evil in the child, “Train up a child in the way he should go…”
When you read the book of Malachi and God says He hates divorce, If you read why he hates divorce it’s because it is affecting the offspring. There are many reasons to why He hates divorce and these are not reasons you’d think they are. Do you know why He hates divorce? Because of what it does to the offspring. God hates divorce because He loves us, it’s a by-product of His love for us that’s why He hates it.
So all the people in verse 1 they gather themselves, an unholy alliance. The cross does wonders…
I was disturbed by a vision yesterday. We were attending a conference here in Pretoria, I was accompanying a pastor, I was driving him around yesterday, and then when we were there, I saw a very disturbing vision, and I heard a loud sound which is piercing and disturbing, it was coming from the a gigantic cross behind me. In this season we have to proclaim the message of the cross louder than we ever had before, God is bringing us to a place where we will have utterance and we must proclaim the cross like never before, we must make a loud noise like never before,, we must be radical for Jesus like never before, we must be crazy about this Jesus thing.
So they come together, that’s what the cross does it brings reconciliation. The bible says the is one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus. They all came together. The bible in the book of John tells us that Jesus was taken to the hall Judgement, and in the hall of Judgement he is Judged the night he was taken to Pilate and took him to the Jews to king Herod. When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Pilate marveled at him so He took Him to Herod and Jesus did not open his mouth and said absolutely nothing even when Herod requested for a miracle Jesus said nothing at all. Jesus will never do miracles to show sceptics a sign, God never does miracles to settle arguments He does miracles to convict people. God knows, He did miracles in Egypt, was Egypt saved? I’m certain that even if God appears now atheist will still not believe. “They refused to know God that’s why od has given them over to their vile affections”
So Jesus before Herod who requested for a miracle said nothing, in this he fulfilled a scripture that says “ like a lamb before its hearers so he opened not his mouth” Isaiah 53 so Herod took Him back. But He’s silent for a reason, Herod killed John the Baptist, he silenced the prophetic, he killed a prophet so God will say nothing, you silenced my prophet so he Jesus said absolutely nothing and then he was taken back to Pilate, and Pilate says, I’m paraphrasing “Don’t you know that I’ve got the power to set you free?” this Pilate said because he longed to set him free and Jesus responded by saying, “ you have no power me, I lay down my life I take up again” this Jesus said because he knew that he must die. And the bible says “and then Herod and Pilate began to be friends and talk” and then the bible says “ Herod and Pilate were enemies before” We see by Jesus coming into the picture, Pilate and Herod were not even on speaking terms but because Jesus just passed Along the line Herod and Pilate are now on speaking terms again, because of this man Jesus.
The cross has got the power to restore relationships. The cross has got the power to the restore things that are broken. Just bring Jesus in the mix, allow the Holy Spirit room in the mix.
These nations becomes a confederacy one with another. Verse 2. Have you seen in those movies, whereby two armies are getting ready to fight and another army is bringing reinforcement and they are about to meet in the battle field and then it’s a cut scene and we go over to see an insignificant scene like a drama in a village but the battle is going on why are you showing us this. The same thing is happening in verse 2. The bible just shift the narrative from the gathering of armies to fight with Israel and then it lists the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite and goes somewhere. It lists them, this just let’s us know that they are coming to fight. So as you are reading you are expected to hear more about this fight to hear more out this battle so what happened here is so underwhelming, the whole chapter just shifts. This is an important detour.
In Verse3 we see that the inhabitants of Gibeon are not among the people are gathering for the war they are doing something different. Verse 4 we see that the people of Gibeon are coming to deceive.
Here is something I want you to notice, Chapter 9 as you would have guessed happens just after Chapter 8, in this Chapter 8 they Win against Ai and Joshua read the whole law “not one word that Moses commanded did he not read” he read it before all of them and then Chapter 9 happens. So the enemy will always respond when we gather at the word of God, the last three verses of Chapter 8 they’re reading through out the entire law, Chapter 9 and the enemy Gathers. The moment we go back to the Word just know you are provoking principalities, the moment you go back to the pattern just know you’re angering some demons, the moment you go back to the Word of God just know that even gate keepers in cities even the religious systems, they’re angry the moment we revisit the word the moment we go back to the word the moment we open up the word, the moment you ae pursuing the Word you are rattling some chuckles you’re rattling some feathers, you’re making people uncomfortable just by going back to the Word. So there is an aggravation simply because they’re going back to the Word. If you gonna be a called one of God really, if you’re really gonna serve God in your generation then get ready to make enemies get ready to offend some religious people, get ready to offend the old order get ready to make some people upset because you are going to follow the word to the letter. If you gonna believe God at His word just get ready to offend people. Do you know that your faith offends people? Some people are offended by what you’re believing God for because deep down is an inditement of how they limited the Holy one of God. The of Hebrew Chaper 2,3, & 4, what do we see? God is angry and He said, “therefore I was angry with that generation…” He is giving us the whole story of Exodus, Numbers, and Deutoronomy, He’s/ they giving us the whole story and when he’s giving us the story he says do you know what’s my problem limted me that’s why I swore in my wrath they will not enter into my rest. Psalm 68 speaks about the great sin, it says “they limited the Holy One of God” Be careful that you don’t limit Him. They limited the Holy One of God therefore he swore in His wrath that they will not enter. Let us not limit God with small thinking, Don’t insult God with small thinking.
God asks Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” it’s a question. Gabriel comes to mary saying with God all things are possible. All things are possible!!! If you’ve sat under my teaching and you believe that some things are not possible and you still believe that some things it means I’m not teaching right.
Man in his nature is hostile to the Word of God. There is a depravity in man to always be hostile to the Word of God. Just go and do street evangelism you’ll see. Man is hostile to the Word of God. There is a nature of Sin that Hostile to Word. That’s why it needs boldness to be Spoken. That’s why it needs to be spoken with authoring , man is hostile to the Word of God. Man can watch TV two man kissing and they’re not even bothered. Even Christians are not even bothered any more, they don’t even change the channel. Man in his nature has always been hostile to the word of God.
Chapter 9:4 The men of Gibeon propose to Israel to make a covenant with them. In doing so, their approach is deceitful. They speak the right language but the bread they’re giving is mouldy, it has got some fungus on it and they say there is power “old wine” they say it’s the spirit, they say its miracles signs and wonders. They’re here to deceive with lies, with mouldy bread and the people of God discern that this bread is mouldy this word is a mouldy word. There is no discernment. Verse 13 So they’re looking the part that we are so old, look our clothes, look at everything we are from far country. So they’ve got their act right, they’ve got their story right they’re got even their evidence right that we are from a far country but there are still questions that they can’t answer, they still can’t name the country they say a very far country
Verse 14 “and the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD” Here is the issue, they said nothing, they did not speak to God, they did not speak to God, they sought not counsel at the mouth of the LORD, God is not in the picture. They took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD, Pause and think about that, so much deception. What is the principle here ? The principle is simple, before you enter into relationships, seek counsel before God, before you enter into an alliance with people, seek counsel. Before you date that sister seek counsel. Before you marry ask the LORD, before you do somethings ask God because they’ll fail you in the future . “They sought not counsel at the mouth of the LORD” Let us make it a habit seek the counsel of the Lord before making major decisions, What does God have to say about this? I know that He’s your type but what does God say about your type? Many enter into business without seeking the Lord’s counsel, many take deals without seeking the Lord’s counsel. Many even accept doors without seeking the Lord’s counsel. Many people because they want to be relevant and because you’re bishops, you want to be connected with politicians and then you end up in scandals you did not even know about because you just wanted to look the part. You wanted seats at rallies. You wanted to open with prayer at the ANC gathering. Honestly, pastors have made fools of us, they ask you to come and pray and then go, don’t contribute anything, don’t say anything, pray then leave. In fact pray next to a Sangoma then leave. Some opportunities are not opportunities, they are not.
“they sought not counsel at the mouth of the LORD” We enter into deals. We enter into relationships. We enter into associations. We accept things which have the potential to alter our lives journey without consulting the Lord. There is no detail about your life that God is not concerned about. There is no detail about your life that God does not have a say about. Just seek counsel at the Lord.
“They asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, and made league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel journeyed and came unto cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.”
It says that, we were sore afraid of our lives. So what these guys did here they saved themselves, literally they saved themselves because they have now entered into a covenant with them by the name of the Lord and they can’t go back on that covanent lest God kills them. So these ones outsmarted them using the Word God. They outsmarted them and now they’re here. Yes, they’ll be slaves and they’ll still be alive, they’ll be slaves but they’ll still be here, they’ll be slaves they still live on.
This covenant of compromise lived long up until in the days of Saul. When Saul afflicted the Gibeonites God avenged them because God honours covenant, That’s why when Ananias and Sapphire made a covenant that they were going to give with everything, they did not God came and smote them. Let us be people who keep our word. Let us be man who keep our word. Especially to men here is a challenge, be an oath keeper. Keep your word. You spoke something, keep it, stick by it. Be a man of your Word. Be a man of integrity then do it. A person of substance, I said it, I’m doing it. Keep your word. Long after the excitement has lifted, keep your word. Bible says, “they were afraid for they’re lives” the word ‘life’ is nephesh, it means soul. They were afraid for they’re souls. They wanted to preserve their souls. What is the soul? It is the seat of the intellect, will and emotions. So they wanna preserve themselves, intellect, will and emotions.
Here is what’s happening, Joshua has invaded the land, and Joshua saw that he’s butchering everything saving nothing, and now they are afraid. So Jesus has come in revival and he has taken his whip he’s butchering everything, with his sword the word. So Joshua has entered the land and he’s butchering literally everything with his sword and the enemy is looking forward for his own interest, he’s trying to protect his own interest and he is saying come let us make a deal, let us compromise a bit. He says you know what God, fine I’ll stop cheating on my wife but let’s compromise, let me have three wives let’s compromise and I won’t cheat on anyone of them. Let’s compromise, I’ll only drink one glass, let’s compromise its one glass I’m not drunk its one glass.
You know there is a man of God who was attacked, I believe it was an attack, though he has fallen, Pastor Brian Houston. It’s a sad story of Hillsong, he just stepped down this week. If you’ve been following the story and really following the story, you’ll realise that there was an issue with his dad and his father not really right in his mind anymore so there is an accusation on his father that he was molesting some people but he’s and not well mentally and Pastor Brain protected him and hid the information, that was the first issue five month ago, now there is another issue, this guy has been battling anxiety and depression, it is known and he started to overdose on the medication that’s when he started taking alcohol a bit with the medication, and he did some things under the influence he was not supposed to do, today he must resign. I think he’s probably a person of integrity, I don’t thing he’s a bad guy personally but there are some bad decisions he has taken and those bad decisions got him here. So you can see that he was casual with drinking wine and then years later he’s struggling with depression and he’s taking pills, overdosing with pills taking them with wine and you know what happens when alcohol is mixed with wine, he starts doing stuff. But shall a man of high calibre in the kingdom because of little compromises he made early in his journey today they come back to bite him.
This message is about those little things we make agreements on, we don’t even consult God we just decide that this one I’ll do it and then later on they come back to bite us. We don’t even consult God that this one I’ll do I, his one I won’t do it. You know you are married and you’re attracted to this sister, you don’t run, you says no, you gonna fight and stand, you say to the pure all things are pure. The bible never tells us to fight sin. Never. Run, Flee. “Flee sexual immorality” it never said fight and stand your ground against an erection, stand your ground man of God nothing will happen, proclaim quotes verses , quotes the scriptures, stand your ground. Show me one person who prophesied an erection away. You’re doing these things that’s why I would say them bluntly, who prophesied it away? You run! You run! But no, we want to negotiate. you know that this person that something is happening and start feeding the interest and the enemy sees an opportunity . You start entertaining things, small things, saying no, you can look but not touch. That’s what you do, you look but don’t touch. Your looking will end to gazing. Job says, I have made a covenant with my eye, that I will not even look lustfully at a virgin. But that minor adjustment to the Word of God…
But the bible says “They were afraid for their lives” they say God let’s make a deal, let’s compromise, let’s tone it down a bit.
In our journey as we are on migration, we are entering on migration, the enemy sometimes, he comes like a roaring lion, here we are seeing two faces of the enemy, Subtle serpent and a roaring lion. We see in verse 1&2 they are gathering themselves as a roaring lion ready to fight and then from verse 3 we see Gibeon coming as a subtle serpent. The enemy doesn’t always come fighting, sometimes the enemy comes very slightly, subtle, as a subtle serpent. They could not see it. Satan himself is transformed as an angel of light to deceive.
The soul is where your intellect is, your emotions are, where your will is. So the soul is the intellect, will and emotions. “they were afraid for they’re lives” the word ‘life’ in Hebrew is nephesh, it means soul. They were afraid for they’re souls. They wanted to preserve their souls. What is the soul? It is the seat of the intellect, will and emotions. With intellect it’s our opinions, I still wanna maintain my opinion, emotions, how I feel, will, you desires and ways. You wanna keep to your own desires, you wanna keep to your own ways, you wanna keep to your own opinions, you wanna elevate your feelings above the Word of God, you ae saying God let us negotiate, come on I can’t forgive my wife for this one, let’s negotiate, I can’t forgive her, I won’t forgive her. Let’s negotiate. We are bringing to the negotiating table our intellect, will and emotions. Our intellect is our opinions. Some of you hold opinions which are contrary to the Word of God. Your own opinion which concerning homosexuality, your own opinion concerning gender, your own opinion concerning many things which are contrary to the Word of God. You wanna preserve your intellect, opinions. I’ve got an opinion on this and my opinion on this weighs higher than the standard of God’s word. Our will, this speaks of our desires and our ways, we don’t wanna let go of wicked ways cause it’s nice and it works for us. We don’t wanna let go of some things. You are fifty four, you are still partying every Saturday night, you don’t wanna let go of some things. There are something’s you still wanna hold on to. There is anger which has built an altar in your heart and you won’t let go of it. Intellect will and emotions, things we don’t wanna let go. Some of you are from homes or backgrounds where marriage is not a thing. And I’ve seen some ladies struggling with this confessing that they don’t want to marry and you’re holding on to this idea, elevating it above God’s Word. There are few things which are as meaningful as starting a family. I’m addressing both men and women. There are few things which are as meaning as that. There is depth achievements can’t fill, there is a depth careers cannot fill. There are longings deep in the residues of us that cannot fill but we love compromising, let’s compromise a bit. You guys are too serious with this Jesus thing of yours, I think you are taking this Jesus thing a little bit too far. Come on can’t I be gay and be a pastor? Why are you like that ? He knows the Word of God.
“They took mouldy bread and old wine” that’s what we are eating, mouldy bread and old wine. So they took old shoes, they took old clothes, they took old wine skin, they took old bread. This is the old order trying to preserve itself. The old order won’t let go, the old order won’t allow God to do something new. The old order is holding on, but guess what the old order knows the Word of God so they know how to deceive because at some point they walked with God. Old bread, Old wine, Old shoes, shoes of the gospel, you’ve been walking in the Gospel long enough but you are a crook. Fat cats on the pulpit, serving their bellies. There are many fat cats masquerading as man of God. “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their bellies” Their favourite verse, do not comment about the man of God. Do not say anything about the man of God.
Jesus in the book of revelation says “to you church I hold this into your favour tried them who claimed to be apostles but they were not” Jesus says bravo for testing someone who claims to be an Apostle, who claims to be a Prophet but they are not.
You have your opinion, I’ve got a verse. You say touch not the Lord’s anointed first of all who said they’re the Lord’s anointed. Who said it? Stop making Holy things cheap, who told you that they are the Lord’s anointed? Who said it? It’s old bread, old wine. God is at work.
Our intellect, our will, our emotions they are coming to the part. but they know gonna happen Matthew 10:34 “Think not that I am come to send peace on the Earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” Look at what they are doing, he send them as a sword to slaughter all nations but they wanna make peace with them, but we are trying to be at peace with everyone that let’s agree, it’s fine, You can still sell oil. There is a difference between using oil and selling it. Hallelujah. You can still sell oil but let’s be friends. You can still sleep with girls it’s okay you’re a man of God, you’ve done great things in the city and because you’ve done great things in the city, it’s fine sleep with girls, what’s ten or eleven? Thousands have gotten saved under your voice so It’s okay, for every thousand have a girl, have concubines for every thousands who are we to judge? Sleep with as many as you want, it’s okay we must still celebrate and speak against the men of God and don’t you dare, don’t you dare.
There are secret alliances we have made, there are covenants we have made in our hearts, there are agreements that we have made with our hearts and God confronting us today about them, He says they are affecting your journey with me, they are affecting your walk with me, they are affecting your obedience, they ae even creeping into your marriage, they are affecting and compromising destiny. There are covenants you have made. “take for us the little foxes, it is the little foxes that spoil the vine” You have been crying why I’m I not seeing results in this area, you have been crying, why are things not moving, I’m putting in so much efforts, there are some alliances, some compromises that the Holy Spirit wants you to let go of.
“They came in wilily” fear them, they can sweep you off your feet. Just like the Gibeonites, they will come wilily, he would say, you see this ring is old, I just wear it but there is nothing anymore. I love you, don’t look at this ring it’s old ring, I love you and we are in a process of divorce. A typical sister will consider that , we’ll entertain the conversation because there are affections in us which have not died, we’ll entertain that conversation that my wife made me angry… As a woman of God, no man must even mention his wife in a bad way to you ever. If a man, speak ill of his wife even once, just know he wants once thing from you. There is an itch, and recently his wife has not been scratching that itch, he thinks that maybe you can scratch that itch, that’s it.
Even you brother, when you visit, recognize the father of the house, recognize that there is something going on here, greet properly.
These are skills to speak successfully to anyone, a small tip, repeat what they saying, it show you were listening. Don’t narrate your own story about what happened. When I enter a home and there is a significant other, let me recognize that significant other. Soon, my office we’ll open, there we’ll be a secretary and that person who is always answering the phone, you will be wise to make your friends with them. Why? If this person, for example, it might not even be me ,it might be the president it might be someone, but this person they are always answering the phone, that means they’ve got the power to influence their opinion of you, so be cleaver, be nice to them. Learn how to handle people, be wise as a serpent.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
This is one the painful things, sometimes you get persecuted for your faith, it doesn’t happen with everyone but it does happen and it’s painful when it happens but stand in your faith, it’s just the devil. Have you not noticed how weird it is that you find that a pupil is at the corner smoking and drinking he parties, the parents know and it’s not an issue, he’s just a boy, he drinks and smoke he tattoos himself it’s fine and the other one gets saved it’s a problem. What did you do ? you got saved. You’re respectful, you do your chores, you are the ideal child, you are saved and it’s a problem, and you are persecuted for that another one is a drunkard and it’s fine. The boy is 17 years, he’s got three kids out there its fine. Another one gets saved. I sometimes wonder what our parents are thinking, shouldn’t you be glad ?
We wrestle not against flesh and blood
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
These are the areas where we compromise. We love the Gibeonites more than God. Anything we love more than God, we’ll lead us to a place of compromising. If you love anything more than God, that thing, at some point will require you to elevate it against God’s standard somewhere somehow.
That why you must love God with all your heart, soul, with all your strength. That’s why you must find a man who loves God more than you. If a boy tells you are my world, run away. You are their world?! You love Hollywood too much, you love romeo and Juliet too much. Nonsense. First of all when you watch romeo and Juliet, those kids, one was 12 years and the other was 14 years. They are young number one, number two, that’s is such a dysfunctional relationship, they meet today tomorrow they are killing themselves for one another. The lack of communication to say that romeo, I’m gonna drink something and it’s gonna make me look like and dead for few days, they can’t even communicate that and you say wow this is relationship goals. They both ended up dead and no one killed them. No one killed but they are both dead. The family didn’t kill them. You love Hollywood too much. We like elevating these standard too much.
Never go with someone saying you are my whole world, that’s creepy number one, I’m your whole your ? That is creepy, that is the making of a horror movie. That is the newspaper article in the making. Just know, somewhere you gonna end up in the news. You are my whole world?! What you give my life meaning , what ?! That is an unhealthy relationship. In the kingdom, one plus one does not equal two, one plus one equals one. Adam and Eve, the two shall become one. God didn’t say the half shall become one. You complete me, Nobody completes you. You are complete. You are not missing, there is no part of you that is missing . None whatsoever, “You complete me” so all this time you were incomplete ? that means even your choice of me is worrisome because you made that choice while you were still incomplete. You love Hollywood and you make it a standard for marriage. You complete me whilst Christ is present. Colosians 3 “You are complete in Him”
The Gibeonites, they come to deceive. They come with old things; old clothes, old shoes, old wine, old bread, they are coming to deceive.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
What I’m showing you is the characteristics of the old order. Here to deceive. And if you fall for it it will be with you for generations.
Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me
Gibeonites, “we heard of the Lord thy God and we are here to serve Him” their hearts are far, very very, far.
There are a few thoughts I want you to ponder on in Chapter 8 of the book of Joshua, the last three verse of Chapter 8, they are reading every word in the law of Moses. Every word they are reading it, they read every letter and then that very word in Exodus, is says “no Canaanite city must be spared” it’s Exodus 23. Joshua just read this to them that they must not spare any city, and these ones come and sparred a city. So what is it then ? They just heard the Word, the Gibeonites are just coming to test their hearing.
I’m hear to announce, every Monday morning, Gibeonites visit. Every Monday, the Gibeonites are here, they ask what was the message preached in church. Sometimes your anger is a Gibeonite, sometime your colleague is your Gibeonite, they are coming to test your hearing.
Number two, these Gibeonites knew that in Deutoronomy 20, they said that, “ there are cities which are outside of Canaan, you can spare them” they Gibeonites saw that they are not among the Perrizites, Jebusites, Hitites… they saw a loophole to use
Number three, Deutoronomy 7 says “You shall not make any covenant with them” and they made covenants, that’s why Joshua says “they did not consult the LORD” in fact they did not need to consult the Lord cause they just read this verse. So Gibeonites come to test our hearing.
The Word of God which is spoken over your life, the word of God which is spoken to you, your hearing will be tested. And this is how we wages a good warfare. Taking up the Sword of the Spirit. You must practice that word. You hearing will be tested. So do not just be hearers only, but doers. Your hearing will be tested. The enemy does not always come like a roaring lion, sometimes, he’s a subtle serpent.
We see that all of them gathered together against Joshua in Chapter 9 verse 1 & 2. We see the Pharisees who believe in resurrection and Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection and miracles coming together with romans to kill Jesus. The Romans don’t like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, The Sadducees and the Pharisees hate the Romans, the Sadducees and Pharisees do not love each other but Pharisees, Sadducees, and Romans came together to kill Jesus. So we saw all of them coming together against the El of God. When you study this verse, it is thirty one nations, in the hills and in the valleys which come together against Joshua. When you look at the word ‘El’ which is the name of God, the Gematria of the Word ‘El’ is thirty one. So they are coming together against the name of God. And in Joshua the Lord reveal himself as El. What is gematria, it is the numerical value of every letter in the Hebrew alphabet, because the Hebrews they did not have numbers, they used the same letters as numbers. The same letters as El, they also add up to thirty one. Thirty one nations gather themselves together to fight against God, and they don’t consult God in their decisions. Let’s make a deal, let’s compromise.
God had this Word for someone. Someone has to go to WhatsApp and block some numbers, some of you have to go to Instagram and unfollow some pages cause they’re only feeding your lust. Little things which cause you to compromise. Somethings we don’t defeat them by strength, we defeat them by wisdom. Have an accountability part, remove the temptation. I love sleep, so what do I do? I know when the alarm sounds, you snooze so I put it away making it difficult to snooze.
How do you defeat a habit, a wrong habit, first thing, make it difficult to perform the habit
