“I feel stuck,” with waterworks, tissues & me sitting across from them in my office saying to God, “HELP!” Health, finances, marriage, job, kids, emotions – for this person everything felt stuck. Taking new ground felt impossible, unrealistic, even laughable in that moment – But God!
Joshua and Israel are about to take new ground for the first time in 40 years in Joshua 3, and here are three special observations from their generation and community that will help you and I take new ground for God’s kingdom too . . .
- Your people are in unity after God. It’s not just about you. Taking new ground for God’s kingdom is dependent on the community around you – your friends, your family & your church. These question will help you move forward . . .
- Who are your friends? Are they going fully after God? How are you affecting them FOR God?
- What is your NEXT STEP in affecting your family for God?
- How are you contributing to the spiritual atmosphere at Journey Life Church? What is your NEXT STEP in adding to what God’s doing (ie. in worship, prayer, serving, Life Groups, etc.)?
We are better together. You might be able to take ground alone, but you certainly won’t be able to occupy and hold it without a community. You need people around you in unity after God.
- You have a leader worth following. Obviously, God is the real leader. However, in taking new ground for the God, He delegates to human leaders like Joshua. So here are some questions to move you forward toward your leadership . . .
- Who are the direct and most accessible spiritual leaders at Journey Life Church for you? For some that will be a Life Group leader, serving leader, others that will be a staff person.
- How can you PRAY FOR those close spiritual leaders and SUPPORT them so that their work is a joy! (Heb. 13:17)
- How can you pray for and support the other spiritual leaders in your life (staff, pastors, group leaders, me-pray for me!)?
- You have an ALL IN attitude. The Reubenites & Gadites said to Joshua that as God’s with you and you’re strong and courageous we will do, “WHATEVER . . . WHEREVER . . . [and] FULLY OBEY!” That “all in” attitude is required to take new ground for God’s kingdom. Here are some questions to diagnose your attitude . . .
- What stipulations are you giving to your leadership in order to follow them? Are they – God’s with you and “be strong and courageous”? Because if not, then you might need to re-evaluate.
- How are you making yourself available to God and the spiritual leaders in your life to move God’s kingdom forward? Realistically, what are your schedule, action and heart limitations to being able to make a statement like this without reservation?
You may feel stuck right now too, BUT GOD has new spiritual ground for you to take personally, and I believe it’s directly tied to the ground we’re taking as a church also. Take a moment, go back through the above questions and let God speak to you for breakthrough.
jaredstepp 