2. Believing God: Part 4 When routine follows revelation

3. To receive a miracle I need to: I. Prepare myself to listen to the Word of the Lord

4. “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" (Translation: Are you for us or against us?)

5. "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." (Translation: I have not come to take sides. I’m here to take over.) Am I ready for the Lord to “take over” or do I still want to be in charge?

6. Notice what Joshua does: 1. He fell face down “Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence…”

7. 2. He asks what the Lord wants to say to him (We tend to do tell God want we want, not ask want he wants to say) “…and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

8. 3. He took of his shoes is direct instantaneous obedience. “The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.” Josh 5:13-15

9. II. Receive the Revelation A miracle is the direct result of a promise of the Lord. A Bible promise is a specific promise to you about a specific need that you have.

10.  Receive a Bible promise from the Lord about the miracle that I need.

11. Standing on the promises 1.Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring; glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God.

12. Refrain: Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God.

13. 2.Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.

14. 3.Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to him eternally by love's strong cord, overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword, standing on the promises of God.

15. 4.Standing on the promises I cannot fall, listening every moment to the Spirit's call, resting in my Savior as my all in all, standing on the promises of God.

16. Once God has made a promise it is as good as done even though we cannot see it.

17. “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” Joshua 6:1-2

18. “He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” Romans 4:17

19. “May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise.” Ps 119.41

20. III. Be prepared for the day to day Routine “March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark..

21. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout;” Joshua 6:3-5

22. Do you think that what the Lord said made sense to Joshua – whose specialty was war strategy? Do you think this plan made sense (logically) to the general rank and file members of Israel?

23. 1. Often times, the day and day out routine will not seem to line up with the revelation. “March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.” Joshua 6:3

24. 2. This routine requires faithfulness / obedience “Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.” Joshua 6:4

25. 3. This routine will probably not make sense to me or to others. “When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout…” Joshua 6:5

26. IV. Long for the Realization “…then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.” 5b

27. Most of us just want to skipped right to the Realization of the miracle but it would appear that God has a much greater concern with building our character.

28. It would also appear that God is much more interested in the process that He is in throwing miracles our way.