Shout - Day 2 - Tuesday, Oct 25th, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 8:44AM Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. Josh 6:12-14
Notice the order of the way they marched. They had armed men in the very front and back (the rear guard) Then the were priests blowing the trumpets. Immediately behind them was the ark of the Lord. And following the ark were the rear guards. Today I want to focus on the ark of the Lord. Let's go back to when God showed His people exactly how to make it.
“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. Ex 25:17-22
The ark was built, as was the entire portable tabernacle the people were commanded by God to build, during their time in the wilderness after being delivered from Egypt. There the people met with the Lord. They had to follow incredibly specific instructions in order to meet with the Lord and the nation be forgiven of their sins. In the very heart of the tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies, sat the ark of the covenant. There in the Holy of Holies, God's very presence dwelt. Once a year, after following to the letter the instructions of the Lord, the high priest would enter behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies, and present an offering of blood on top of the mercy seat, on the ark itself. If one thing was done wrong or out of order, the priest would be wiped out by the sheer power of God's holy presence, and they would have to drag him out with a rope. If all was done right, the sins of the nation would be forgiven and washed away for the past year. And the preist would breath a huge sigh of relief!
Guys, that same ark of the covenent was placed in Solomons temple in the time of Jesus. The nation of Israel still followed that pattern. Yet you probably know what happened on the day Jesus was crucified - His blood, the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, was applied to the mercy seat and the sins of all mankind were removed past, present and future - Praise God!. And the veil, or curtain, that seperated mankind from being in the presence of God, was torn, top to bottom, revealing the ark of the covenant to us all. We, who worship Jesus and trust in His blood to make us righteous before God, are now priests of the Most High who have full and complete access to the very presence of God Almighty!
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Rev 1:5-6
So back to Jericho and the instructions God gave Joshua to destroy the city and take the land He had promised them. The priests, who we have now become in the New Covenant that Jesus established by offering Himself as the spotless lamb, were to blow their trumpets with the ark directly behind them. People, we must go with the ark! We must go with the presence of God! And how do we go into battle with the presence of God with us? Worship, worship, worship, it is about worshipping our Lord with total abandon - blowing our trumpets for all to hear that we love our God, we serve Him, we trust Him, and He is exalted above all the earth! Worship confounds the enemy, fixes our minds on God, strengthens our spirits for battle, and brings down the walls!! One more quick story:
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 2 Chronicles 20:15-23
Guys, to turn the corner in your life from survival to taking ground, you must begin to have a lifestyle of worshipping the Lord! Blowing your trumpet and announcing that you are coming in the name of the Lord with the presence of God with you! You can worship anywhere, anytime. In your car, in the shower, etc. etc... And when we gather together as the people of God in corporate worship - let your heart soar in total abandon unto your King, singing, clapping, shouting, jumping, and we will see the walls come down!
DAY 2
*You just read your lesson for today!
*Now take a time to worship and pray.
*Pray about the second of The Seven Areas of Life:
Psychological - My Mind, Will and Emotions
Pray that the Lord will align your mind, will, and emotions with what He wants for you. Ask the Lord to renew your mind through His word, and to give you power to not let your emotions control your decision - but His truth and His truth only will control the decisions you make each and every day.
*Pray for your church, it's pastor, leaders, people and community.
*Finally, close by letting everything go and simply worshipping Him. Put on a worship song or slip your headphones on with a worship song on and stop everything - tell Him you love Him and that He is your God, your loving Father, your everything! Let your heart forget everything else and focus only on our awesome God! The Hly Spirit will fill you friends, the enemies of your soul will be thrown into confusion, and the walls around the new ground you are about to take will start to weaken and begin to crumble. WORSHIP HIM WITH COMPLETE ABANDON!
God bless you all today, I can feel the praises rising already :)
Love you, Pastor Kenny
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