Episode 44: Hearing God when you are called to be a Courageous Leader

Jun 16, 2024 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Are you in a leadership position and desperately need God’s help? Do you need God to give you a strategy for the way ahead? Do you need courage for something you are facing? Join us in this latest episode of ‘Hearing God’ as we unpack Joshua’s story in the Bible, how he was repeatedly told to be courageous and not afraid, and the unusual strategies God gave Joshua.

Episode Notes:

Background to Joshua.

  • Moses had liberated the Israelites from slavery under the Egyptians. The Israelites had wandered around the wilderness for forty years and were about to enter the promised land, but Moses was prevented from entering due to not trusting God completely at one time.
  • Joshua was first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 17:8-15. Moses asked Joshua to choose some men and fight the Amalekites. Moses went up to the top of a hill and prayed. When he held his arms up, the Israelites won. When he lowered his arms, the Amalekites won. So Aaron and Hur put out a stone for him to sit on and hold his arms up. The Amalekites were completely wiped out. (The Lord is my Banner.)
  • Numbers 13:16-33. Moses chose 12 men to go into Canaan / the Promised Land, spy it out, and bring back a report about the land, people, towns, city walls, soil, trees, produce, etc. Caleb and Joshua were the only ones with a positive report. The others incited fear and said don’t go. Caleb and Joshua said the Lord is with us.
  • Numbers 27:12-18, the Lord told Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and bless him as the new leader –a man in whom is the spirit of leadership.
  • Deuteronomy 31:1-8. Moses spoke to all the Israelites and said Joshua will lead you into the Promised Land. Moses was about to die and said Joshua would cross over ahead of you. In verse 6 and again in verse 7, he repeats, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you.” When repeated – pay attention!!

First Principle: We can hear God and still be afraid.

  • Joshua told numerous times to be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you.
  • The first thing Joshua does is to tell the Israelites to get ready to cross the Jordan River in 3 days. Meanwhile, he secretly sends two spies to spy out Jericho, the nearest town, up on the hill. They find a prostitute named Rahab and stay with her. The King of Jericho sent men to tell her to send the men out. She said they had already left and hid the men on her roof. The men promised to save Rahab and her family if they were in her house, and a scarlet cord was hanging out the window.
  • Crossing the Jordan River, Joshua did exactly as God commanded him. River flooding but dried up in that spot so they could cross over.
  • Then, a man from each of the 12 tribes would take a stone and pile it up as the memory stones. Joshua 2:6 – In the future, when your children ask you what these stones mean, you can tell them of the miracle.
  • Joshua then proceeds to circumcise every male (as everyone who had been circumcised in Egypt had died in the wilderness, and no-one born in the wilderness had been circumcised.) It was a great time to attack the Israelites, but the neighbouring Kings were afraid as they saw how God was with them and heard the reports about how the Jordan River had dried up until the last of the priests had stepped out of it.

In Genesis 34, read when the son of the Hivite King raped Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, Dinah’s brothers convinced all the Hivites to get circumcised and they would allow intermarriage etc. Three days after all the men were circumcised, and while they were in a lot of pain, two of Dinah’s brothers attacked and killed every male in the city.

Second Principle: We can hear God in numerous ways.

  • Episode 4 – the different ways God communicates with us.
  • God spoke verbally to Joshua but also gave him visions. Joshua 5:13 Joshua looked up and saw a man standing with a sword and realised he was an angel from the Lord.
  • How often do we not recognise it is God?
  • God said to march around the city once with all your armed men. Do this daily for six days. On the 7th day, march around the city seven times with the seven priests at the front of the ark blowing trumpets of ram’s horns. When you hear them sound a long blast, have the whole army give a shout, and the wall will collapse.
  • Joshua told the Israelites not to defile themselves with any idols – otherwise, they will be destroyed. Achan disobeyed by taking some idols. The next time they went to war, the Israelites were badly defeated. Joshua cries out to God as to the reason. God replies because Israel sinned by taking some idols. Found Achor had some hidden. Stoned Achan and all his family and animals and possessions and burned and buried them in the Valley of Achor. (Valley of despair redeemed to a door of hope)

Third Principle: God gives us strategies.

  • Joshua 8 – The Israelites destroyed Ai with an unusual strategy of luring the army out and ambushing from behind.
  • Joshua 9 is where Joshua forgot to ask of the Lord and was deceived by the Gibeonites. They wanted an alliance with the Israelites and pretended they were from afar. They had worn and patched sandals and clothes, mouldy bread, and old cracked and mended wineskins. They went to Joshua and said please make an alliance with us to save us from the surrounding countries. Verse 14 – the Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Made a treaty and realised it 3 days later.
  • The sun stands still in Chapter 10. Five surrounding Kings joined forces to attack the Gibeonites. Joshua had to go to their help due to the treaty. Took them by surprise near dawn, they fled, and the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them and killed them. Joshua said, “Sun stand still”. Verse 13 – the sun stood still and delayed going down about a full day until the nation avenged itself on its enemies.

Summary:

  1. We can hear God and still be afraid.
  2. We can hear God in numerous ways.
  3. God gives us strategies.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him –

  • “God, is there an area of my life where I need to be courageous and not afraid? What is that? What would it look like to be courageous in that area?”
  • “What else do I need to know about that, God?”

Time Stamps:

[0:37] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[4:17] – Background to the story of Joshua.

[7:05] – First Principle: We can hear God and still be afraid.

[12:41] – Second Principle: We can hear God in numerous ways.

[16:37] – Third Principle: God gives us strategies.

[21:09] – Recap the principles.

[21:41] – Prophetic activation.

[22:45] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[24:34] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Exodus 17:8-15
  • Numbers 13:16-33
  • Numbers 27:12-18
  • Deuteronomy 31:1-8
  • Joshua (specifically Joshua 1:1,6-8; 2:6; 5:13; 6; 7; 8; 9:14; 10; 23-24
  • Genesis 34

Connect with Gary & Jane:

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