Joshua Chapter 12:1-24

See, somehow we've gotten to the point that we think, you know, being a Christian is all about playing better. It has nothing to do with Biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity is that, you know what, you've been playing on the wrong team.

You need to quit that team and join the right team. And it's all made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David Magee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

We are allied with the creator God who is all powerful. Pastor David encourages us to quit underestimating his strength in our lives as he continues in the book of Joshua chapter 12. But first, when you're in trouble, where do you turn most often?

Do you look to yourself or the advice of your friends or do you go straight to God? We want to help you experience the hope that comes from looking to the Lord when your life turns upside down by sending you Pastor David Magee's CD series titled Lessons from the Wilderness. In this encouraging resource, Pastor David looks at one of the most difficult periods of King David's life to show you how you can wait confidently on God no matter what you're facing. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness.

Now here's David Magee with his teaching, Go God! Let's open the treasure of God's word to Joshua chapter 12. Now we're going to do something that's kind of different tonight and honestly I don't ever remember doing this but I'm actually going to read the whole chapter without stopping and then we're going to look back on what this chapter has, I promise, I'm locked in now.

I'm locked in now so you know and then we're going to look back because I think this chapter is kind of singular in its message and its message, well it just might surprise you. Joshua chapter 12 verse 1, these are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated and whose land they possessed on the other side of the Jordan towards the rising of the sun from the river Arnon to Mount Hermon to all the eastern Jordan plain. One king was Sihon, king of the Amorites who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled half of Gilead from Aror which is on the bank of the river Arnon as far as the river Jabak which is it which is the border of the Ammonites and the eastern Jordan plain from the sea of Chenaroth as far as the sea of the Arabah, the salt sea, the dead sea, the road to Beth-Jashimoth and southward toward below the slopes of Pisgah. The other king was Og, king of Bashan in his territory who was of the remnants of the giants who dwelt to Ashteroth and Ediria and reigned over Mount Hermon over Salcha, over Bashan as far as the border of the Gesherites and the Mekathites and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon, king of Heshbon. These Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel had conquered and Moses the servant of the Lord had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh. Verse 7, and these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan on the west from Baal-God in the valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions. In the mountain country, in the lowlands and the Jordan plain, in the slopes and the wilderness and in the south, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hiphites and the Jebusites.

The king of Jericho won, the king of Ai which is beside Bethel won, the king of Jerusalem won, the king of Hebron won, the king of Jarmouth won, the king of LAishish won, the king of Eglon won, the king of Gezer won, the king of Deir won, the king of Gadir won, the king of Hormah won, the king of Arad won, the king of Libnah won, the king of Edulam won, the king of Genderedon won, the king of Be forum won, the king of Tatea won, the king of Jephthah 1, the king of Aphek 1, the king of Lesheron 1, the king of Medan 1, the king of Hazor 1, the king of Shemron Meron 1, the king of Esphaph 1, the king of Tanakh 1, the king of Megiddo 1, the king of Kadesh 1, the king of Joknim in Carmel 1, the king of Dor in the heights of Dor 1, the king of the people of Gagal 1, the king of Terzah 1, and all the kings 31. Now, the amazing thing is it lists these kings that had been defeated. And you have to kind of ask yourself, anytime you see something like this, you can kind of look at it and go, eh, okay, whatever. You know, a lot of times early on as a young Christian, I looked at the genealogies and I thought, okay, well, whatever, you know. But you know what I've found over the years? There's always something in there. There is always something in here. And the key to this chapter is not some hidden secret, but it's actually in the amount.

I mean, look at this. Joshua went into the land and these kings, 31 of them lost to the children of Israel. 31 kings, 31 armies could not stand up against the children of Israel. These names make a long list of those who had been defeated by the people of God. How in the world did this happen?

It shouldn't have happened. Here is a bunch of renegade ex-slaves coming out of Egypt who really had no military training, going against armies that they were, the numbers were far superior that were against them. They were better trained. They were more equipped.

They were more experienced. How could this have happened? One word, God. All these victories were accomplished through the power of the living God through these people that trusted in Him. So what is this speaking to us? Well, to remind us of that one word, God, that God won all these victories with His people.

Oh, I don't understand the point. We don't stop to consider this in the equation of our lives. We don't stop to think about this.

Oh, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, well, no, no, Pastor David, I do think about the fact that God is with me and stuff, but what is it that you think when you think that? Do you think that God is up there tonight and He's in a big tug of war with the devil and the world and He's just barely winning and that's only as He really pays attention to what He's doing?

Is that the picture you have? This is the God who spoke the worlds into existence. This is the God who with His breath formed the world, the earth, the sea. And somehow we've gotten the picture, and I don't know if it's from movies or from what, but we get the picture that God is this really nice kind of much older gentleman that's always on the verge of being mad.

And He's just kind of struggling to get along and He's in this tug of war and at some point in the future He's going to lean back hard enough that He barely wins the battle. How much of that have we picked up? Way too much, friends.

Way too much, beloved ones. We've got that in our head. We think that God is in this huge battle that He's just barely winning. We've bought into that.

We've bought into it big time. Do you understand? Yeah, there's a cosmic battle going on. Yeah, there's a tug of war, but you know what? At some point in the future God says, okay, this is over, moves His finger and everything changes.

That's it. Why is this important? When you think of God in your life helping you to overcome obstacles, to help you gain control of places in your life that are out of control, whether it's spiritually or physically, financially, whatever, how do you see God in that picture? Do you see Him as kind of barely able to help you? Or do you see Him as Creator God full of power and glory?

Which do you see? Do you see a God that maybe can help you just a little bit so you just barely make it? Or do you understand the significance of God, the Creator God, is on your side? It boggles the mind, doesn't it? It's the same God that helped win all these battles. Oh, but He doesn't really do that anymore.

Yes, He does. What are your battles? Guess who is on your side? Do me a favor. Leave your finger at Joshua. I learned this from another pastor. Leave your finger at Joshua and turn with me to Isaiah, or Isaiah is really the Jewish pronunciation.

Go to chapter 40. Isaiah, chapter 40, we'll pick it up in verse 12. Do you know what I've heard some people say actually talking about the Lord? They go, well, you know, after all there's only so much He can do.

What do you mean? There's only so much He can do. He spoke the world into existence. We're told that the heavens are the span of His hand, and that's billions and billions of miles.

This is not a gingerly old man that might be able to muster up enough strength early in the morning to help you. This is Creator God, omnipotent God. Let's read this in Isaiah. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand? Measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure.

Weighed the mountains and scales and the hills on a balance. Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket and are counted as the small dust on the scales.

Look, He lifts up the aisles as a very little thing, as a very graphic thing. We see God building islands and knocking them down through the use of volcanoes. And notice, He made this earth without counsel. He didn't consult with any of us, did He? I know He didn't consult with me. I'm still a little hurt over it.

I'm still in therapy, but I'm working through that issue. No, I'm kidding. He didn't consult any of us. He didn't need to. He's God. He created the heavens and the earth.

Consider that for just a moment. You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more powerful insight from God's Word in just a moment. But first, no matter how wise you are, listening to your own advice when you should be trusting God is dangerous. That's why we want to send you Pastor David McGee's CD series called Lessons from the Wilderness. Journey through one of the darkest times in King David's life and discover how you can wait confidently on God no matter what struggles you're facing, because His plans are perfect and He always comes through for you. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness. Now, back to today's message. Job 37 verse 14.

He says this, listen to this, old Job. Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know when God dispatches them and causes the light of His cloud to shine? Do you know how the clouds are balanced? Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge? The clouds that we see, God's moving them around. God's moving them with His finger.

God's putting them up in the sky. Psalm chapter, Psalms 8 verse 3 and 4. When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you may visit him? The work of his fingers, the heavens and the sky.

What an amazing thing. Now, looking back at Isaiah, let's go back to Isaiah chapter 40 verse 10. It says, behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand and His arm shall rule for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd.

He will gather the lambs with His arm and carry them in His bosom and gently lead those who are with Him. This is an amazing thing to stop and consider because the first life lesson here is we are allied, are on the same side as creator God who is all powerful. Quit underestimating His strength in your life. We do that. I do that.

You do that. We underestimate the strength of God and it shows. Now, in this life lesson, I am assuming that you have asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins.

You have changed sides. See, somehow we've gotten to the point that we think being a Christian is all about playing better, playing harder. Well, you just play harder.

You just need to apply yourself a little bit more. It has nothing to do with Biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity is that, you know what, you've been playing on the wrong team.

You need to quit that team and join the right team and it's all made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. But how are you estimating the power of God in your life when you pray for yourself, when you pray for others? Well, Lord, heal that person. And then we think, God doesn't really do that. Grow that man a new arm.

New arm? Pastor David, what are you talking about? God doesn't do that. Oh no, He only does that for the octopus, huh?

You realize when an octopus loses an arm, one grows back automatically? Who do you think makes that happen? I'm thinking God. Same God? Same God as you're praying to for somebody else to grow an arm?

Same God. Here's what we do. We measure God by our strength. We do it, we do it, we do it.

Now, probably none of us would admit to it, but maybe a couple in here. We measure God by our own strength. Can we overcome?

Well, I don't know. 1 Chronicles 28, 10 says this, Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary, be strong and do it. So let me continue on with this thought. God is on your side because you've joined the right side. I guess more importantly, you're on God's side now. And this verse says, Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you... Well, then Pastor David is talking to Solomon.

Yeah, but wait a minute. Everybody that comes in has an opportunity to influence and impact the other people that God is bringing in. You can come in, you can help influence, even begin to serve, even possibly begin to lead and influence the lives of others as they come to this body. God has chosen each one of us to be a part of the life of this church right here, right now. God chose you for that.

I don't know why. I don't know why He chose me. I'm just glad He did. I'm just glad He did because He's going to use us to influence thousands for His kingdom. Romans chapter 8 verse 28 says this, And we know that all things... Say all things. All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, for whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers, moreover whom He predestined, these He also called, whom He called, these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? God is at work in our lives and as it talks about in these verses, us being conformed to His image, it's made very plain that God is for us. And as a matter of fact, if God is for us, who can be against us? Who's going to win that tug of war with God when God with His fingers made the heavens?

I don't think anybody's going to win that battle. And see, this is the thing. We have joined with God through an incredible offer made by Jesus, by His blood on the cross. That offer is made to us. And now we have a very powerful, oh, dare we use the word, friend in God, who is on our side, who is working in our lives, strengthening us and equipping us to be more like, I'm glad you're sitting down, him?

Guys, it doesn't get any better than this stuff. This is no storybook. There's no storybook that it's this good. You know, forever after, you know, when they use that in a fairy tale, that's only until the people die. Forever after for us, you know what that means? Forever after.

Forever after. God is on our side, working in our lives, conforming us to His image, and yeah, we're in battles. Yeah, sometimes we get beat up, sometimes we get scars, but you know what? Since we're on the Lord's side, you need to understand something. We can't lose. We can't lose. Now, we might lose a battle or two.

It's because we probably fought in our own strength, but we win the war. See, at the end of all this, when God says, okay, it's enough already, and He ends it, it's not going to be with this big, long military campaign. It's not going to be through these years of sieges and stuff. God says it's done. It's over. And the precious, victorious Son of God walks onto the stage of this planet and says it's done.

It's done. No struggle. The struggling's over. We can't lose. We can't lose.

The fix is in, guys. And again, this is not some big tug of war. It may look like it at times, but it's only because God's holding back. He's wanting everybody that can get to know Him, to be saved, to have the pleasure of walking with Him and being discipled and being used by Him to further the kingdom. I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but the people that get saved at the last minute, they're never going to know the pleasure of being discipled. They're never going to know the pleasure of seeing God come through in a trial or tribulation.

They're never going to have the pleasure of seeing somebody else come to the Lord. Those are things that we get to do. Now, in this chapter, in Joshua, in chapter 12, part of the amazing thing, too, is this all happened. We're given this whole chapter as kind of a reminder of this, but I want you to remember that before this happened, God told them what He was going to do.

If you remember in other places, but Joshua chapter 1, verse 8, it says, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Do you understand that promise extends to you tonight, right here, right now? God's with you. And you know what?

A life lesson here. God did what God said He would do. God did what God said He would do. He tells us in the book of Jude, in the New Testament, the last book right before Revelation, He says that He will present us faultless before His throne.

Guess what? He's going to do what He said He's going to do. He's going to present us faultless before the throne of His glory. See, there's lots of promises in this word, lots of promises to you, lots of promises to me. Do you realize God will bring them to pass?

Wow, I don't know, Pastor Dave. I've been waiting a long time for some of the promises to come to pass. Praise God, you may wait a little while longer, and that's okay. But if God promised you, it's a done deal. It's not if. We don't hope in this as, well, I hope it works out.

No, we hope as in we know it's going to work out. God's not going to do these things in your life if He can get around to it. Well, I don't know, I'm just real busy right now. God's not up there too busy to be involved in your life. And God never gets bored at working in your life.

How cool is that? Now, you know, at times, I'll be honest, this is, you know, my ability to teach is a totally supernatural thing, because at times, and my wife and my friends and the staff and other leaders will attest to this, I have the attention span of a gnat. I mean, that's just being honest.

Some of you have suffered under that attention span. I apologize, I just, I'm working on it. God, I'm a work in progress, okay? But God has been faithful to say, you know what, whatever you need, whatever gift you need, I'm going to give it to you right at that right time, right at that right moment. I'm going to be there, I'm going to strengthen you as only I, creator God, can do. He's made that promise to each and every one of us. Yeah, go God, go God.

Think about that next time you invite somebody. When you invite somebody here and they end up coming, yeah, go God, go God. When you see them at the end of the service on Sunday morning, making their way down front, kneeling at the altar and accepting Jesus as their savior. Yeah, go God, go God. You know, when you see somebody, they get saved here and then they start serving and they realize it's not about them, it's about Jesus and about serving others. Yeah, go God, go God. As you see people that get, you can see their face light up and their heart light up with the knowledge of Jesus Christ as their personal savior. And all God's children said, yeah, go God, go God. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking Him to help you to live for Him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life. And I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name, amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer, according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said He would not turn anybody away who comes to Him.

And He came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness, those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

So many people look to their friends or within their own thoughts when faced with a problem. Even King David struggled with listening to his heart and not trusting in God's promises. Pastor David McGee wants to encourage you to wait confidently on God through whatever trial you're facing by sending you his CD series, Lessons from the Wilderness. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com now for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness.

You know each day comes with its share of stresses. So what better way to wake up than with an encouraging word from the Lord? Visit crossthebridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotionals. Each devotion includes scripture and a message from the heart of David McGee. It's easy and it's free. Sign up today at crossthebridge.com. And be sure to join us next time on Cross the Bridge as we continue in the book of Joshua. We'll see you then.