This Is a Season of Warfare

Transcription

1 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 1 This Is a Season of Warfare Changing Our Mindset or Mental Model Thesis: This is a new season for us. It is a season of warfare. Text: Joshua waged war for a long time (Joshua 11:18). During the first week of October, I had one of those encounters with the Lord where you go, Duh. Let me share with you from my spiritual journal. Spiritual journal: revelation about the season of war Dear Lord: I just realized something this week. I need to change my mental model about this season in which we are engaged. We are a part of the Joshua Generation. That means that we must fight to possess our promised land. We fought in May and June. You gave us breakthrough against the strategies of the enemy as we talked about Isaiah 43 and passing through the waters and fire of transition. We fought in July August with the Seven Days of Worship, Prayer, and Warfare. You gave us victory over witchcraft which had come against us. We fought in August when Apostle Gloria Madugba came on August 19. You released favor, anointing, and inspiration to fight and to achieve breakthrough as Gloria ministered. We fought at the Ministry Leaders Weekend when Doug Stringer was here, September Pull down the strongholds. Raise a new standard. You did both of those things according to Doug s dream on April 23. It was another time of breakthrough in the midst of serious warfare. During these past two weeks (late September and early October), we have been in intense warfare. (There is a long list in another journal entry.) So, here is what I am present to. I see warfare as a one-off situation. We fight briefly; then, we go back to what we were doing.

2 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 2 As I was sharing about our situation and season at Pastors Prayer Group on Thursday, Oct. 4, it dawned on me. We are going to be in a season of battle until we possess our possession. That was true for the Joshua Generation, so it is true for us. Yes, I prefer fighting one battle, and that takes care of it. However, our calling and reality are different than that. This season is an extended period of war. You are giving us instructions on how to fight each battle to possess our possession. It is not a one and done deal ; nope, it is an ongoing season of warfare to do what you have called us to do. Lord, please help me to change my mindset. Please give me your guiding principle for this season. Please help me to lead. We have committed to fighting on Thursday morning during our corporate prayer meetings for the duration. That is one step of action. Another step is to share what you are showing me with the congregation. Please show us what else you want us to do. Lord, thank you for speaking to me through the transformation conversation on Thursday at Pastors Prayer. I am so grateful for how you are speaking, moving, and leading. So, this is a season of warfare. We need to change our mindset or mental models. 1. We are in a new season. This is a season of warfare. a. We focus on the vision set before us or on the joy set before us. i. After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:1-5). 1. The Lord has given us his plans, purposes, promises, and prophetic words. 2. Fighting and overcoming the enemy are not our focus; doing what the Lord is showing us to do and possessing our promised land is our focus.

3 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 3 b. We are learning to fight and to rule and reign with the Lord now, because we are children of the King, members of the household of God, sons and daughters of God Most High, and partners with the Lord forever and ever. i. And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10). 2. As a part of the Joshua Generation, we must fight to take ground and to possess our inheritance. This is not a one-off season. We will fight until we possess our inheritance. a. In the past, corporate warfare has been infrequent for us. b. In this season of warfare, fighting becomes the norm. c. And, the enemy will come against us. i. Trying to deceive us (Gibeonites) ii. Engaging in attacks and counter attacks (kings banded together to attack Joshua and his troops on many occassions) iii. Etc. d. Questions to ponder: These questions are to get you thinking about and reflecting upon the Scripture. i. What are some of the examples in the book of Joshua and the book of Nehemiah about warfare and battles? ii. What were some of the strategies the enemy uses to hinder the advance of the people of God? iii. Those questions are for your homework. 3. Change of mindset: ongoing warfare and battles are a part of possessing the land. a. This is not a short season. i. Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time (Joshua 11:18). ii. When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over (Joshua 13:1). iii. Caleb said to Joshua: "Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! (Joshua 14:10). 1. So, the initial time of possessing their land was 5 years, with work still to be done. iv. So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the

4 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 4 LORD handed all their enemies over to them. 45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45). v. "The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God (Joshua 23:9-11). vi. Joshua dies at 110 years of age (Joshua 24:28). b. Be strong and courageous. i. Don t be surprised, afraid, discouraged, or confused by this new reality of war. ii. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). c. Finish the course and race which God has given to us. i. Don t stop short of what God intends for us. ii. The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you" (Judges 2:1-3). 4. If we fail to understand the season, or if we have the wrong mindset, we will respond incorrectly to the attacks and battles. a. We will respond incorrectly to the intensity of this season b. Common responses when we do not recognize we are in a season of warfare: i. What are we doing wrong? ii. Are we under a curse? iii. Have we missed God? 5. Right mindset: in a season of warfare, as a part of the Joshua Generation, we expect that we will have to fight. a. Our Champion is leading us into battle. He has given us our possession. Now, we go with him in partnership to possess our possession. So, don t be surprised by ongoing warfare. No enemy will be able to stand against us. i. After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot,

5 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 5 as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates all the Hittite country to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:1-5). b. Fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). i. Fight and keep on fighting. ii. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12). c. Stay at your post; don t abandon your place or assignments (2 Timothy 2:4). i. Stay faithful and be strong in the grace that comes from the Lord. ii. Soldier: You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs he wants to please his commanding officer (2 Timothy 2:1-4). iii. Athlete: Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules (2 Timothy 2:5). iv. Farmer: The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops (2 Timothy 2:6). d. Keep on showing up in the grace and power of the Lord, and don t quit. Don t grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6:7-9). i. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:7-9). e. Find fresh strength and encouragement in the Lord (Joshua 1:9). i. Don t give in to fear, fatigue, discouragement, frustration, deception, disappointment, or confusion (Joshua 1:9). ii. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). iii. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of

6 Jeff McGee, CalvaryHouston.com. Date: pg. 6 the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:28-31).