I see similarities in the book of Joshua to the book of Acts in the New Testament. God’s movement in both the life of Joshua and Israel and in the apostles and the early church showcased God’s miraculous power and mercy as well as his desire to move his people boldly!
In Acts 4 the believers asked God to lead them out boldly to share the name of Jesus with their neighbors. He shook the place where they were meeting and moved them out of their regular lives and onto his mission. They understood that the power and mercy of God compelled them to “one another” with reckless abandon.
Both in Acts and Joshua, God is establishing the territory by which his Kingdom purposes would be fulfilled. In both instances God silences his enemies, he does the seemingly impossible in protecting his people, and he relentlessly pursues his promise to advance his blessing and glory.
I know in my heart that this same God is alive and working now.
I’m not in the habit of asking God to do the impossible. My prayers have often been safe, generic, and routine. But if I believe that God stopped the waters of the Jordan River, I have to pray differently. If I believe that this same God (2000 years later) gave ordinary men the ability to preach the Gospel in languages they’d never studied or spoke (Acts 2), I am compelled to live differently.
In Joshua 10 God has led the people of Israel to yet another battle against an enemy force who currently occupied the promised land. This enemy force is huge! But Joshua knows the power and rescuing hand of his God. Look at what happens!
12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies… Jos. 10:12-13.
That seriously just happened! And as they pursued their enemies across the battlefield, God also rained down huge stones on the enemy killing all of them.
What’s the point? We serve a big God. He is eager to do amazing things in and through us for our blessing and his glory. He’s not done advancing his purposes and lavishing us with his promises. This coming Sunday White Oak Christian Church, once again, will step into an important moment in the history of the Church. We will celebrate our one-year anniversary of the Shaken initiative. On November 19 our church family will step up to commit once more to God’s movement in and through us. You won’t want to miss this incredible day!
Those who are new to White Oak will be invited to step in with a commitment and join our church family on this amazing journey.
Those who made a commitment one year ago will be challenged to consider that commitment and how much it stretches our trust. We will step up and commit to finishing strong.
Others, who committed last year, will be asked to consider God’s promptings to increase that commitment to a place that truly stretches trust and represents the first and best gift we have to give back to God.
My prayer for White Oak is that we would surrender in generosity that which God has gifted to us so that he will do the big things which I can imagine him doing AND, more so, the amazing things which I can’t imagine him doing! I want to ask big. I feel compelled to trust big. He can do it.
Acts 4:23-31 (The Message):
23-26 As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer: “Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. By the Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, David:
Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples? Earth’s leaders push for position, Potentates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers!
27-28 “For in fact they did meet—Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples, even Israel itself!—met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One you made Messiah, to carry out the plans you long ago set in motion.
29-30 “And now they’re at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.
Shaken by and for Him,
Nathan
Nathan Hinkle
Lead Pastor
White Oak Christian Church