John Wells - June 23rd 2024 - Lessons from the life of a Spiritual Warrior
be strong and very courageous - be careful to do all that is written in
the book of the law – then you will have good success ” Josh 1:7
Scripture reading
1. Joshua 1: 7-9 then you will have good success
2. Joshua 1: 11 prepare
3. Joshua 3:3 when you see the ark of the covenant move – follow it
4. Joshua 3:5 Sanctify yourselves – I will begin to magnify you
5. Joshua 5:2-3 & v 9-10 – make sharp knives – cutting off the flesh
6. Joshua 6:17 & 21 the city was devoted to destruction
7. Joshua 11:11 – utterly destroyed them not sparing anyone that breathed
8. Joshua 24: 15 - Choose who you will serve
4 Principals for a Successful Life
1. Mediate on the Word of God
• Read it / Hear it / Obey it - pray over it and let it take root in your heart
• No substitute for God’s word - it brings: conviction, conversion, conformity, cleaning
• Why meditate on the scripture ? it produces growth, wisdom, fellowship, fruit bearing
• Make your decisions based on biblical principles/ store the WORD in your heart
2. Mortify Sin - cut it out / do not let sin reign in your mortal body
• It’s in your nature (the FLESH) / it’s at the core of your being / The heart is deceitful
• Sin separates us from God / breaks communion / destroys spiritual desires
• Sin is the greatest life long battle you will have - it’s taken many good men down (David)
• Promise / Preparation / Prayer / Pain / Process
3. Move in Step with God
• Abide in Him / hears his words / walk in fellowship with Jesus Christ
• Walk in truth / Walk in the Spirit
• Do not grieve the Spirit - by failing to act on His prompting / or by acting on evil desires
• Walk by faith not by sight / not paralyzed by fear / stepping out on the promises of God
4. Serve God and Him only
• Make life altering decisions
• No Idols in your life
Mortify Sin – Joshua 3:10 ”I will drive out the enemy”
• Why ? Either you will destroy sin or it will destroy you
• Promise – confidence in God “I will be with you, I will drive out the enemy”
• Amalek – Joshua learned a lesson in Exodus 17:16 “ The Lord will war with Amalek”
• Prepare - Joshua 1:11 “prepare for the task” – 3:5 Sanctify yourself
• Pain - the sharp knives at Gilgal / the cutting off – separation
• Process - are there set backs ? Joshua ch 7 – reminds us about Ai
• Power – where does the power come from ? The Holy Spirit & the Word
• I will be with you. You will meditate on the Word . I will destroy your enemy
• You must be a willing participant to overcome - Be strong and disciplined
* Elevate conviction over Emotion
NT scriptures that teach us to mortify sin
• Matt 5:27-30 & James 1:14 - Lust give birth sin & destroys you
• Romans 8: 13 - Mortify the deeds of the body – and you will live
• This is an ongoing battle / remember the Good Samaritan / Gal 6:1
• I Corinthians 10:13 With many of them God was not pleased
• Temptation is common to man / God is faithful / provides escape
• Colossians 3: 5 Mortify (put to death) what is fleshly in you
• Set your affections / seek above living
• Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from covetousness (love of things)
• “ I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU “
