Sermon Synopsis 7.27.25

Delivered by Bishop Craig Oliver

Let’s go to Joshua 17:14–18, where we find a powerful conversation between the people of Joseph and Joshua:

Joshua 17:14-18 (NKJV)

14 Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now?”

15 So Joshua answered them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”

16 But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

I.                      Introduction

• I want to share with you what God has placed on my heart concerning what He’s doing in the life of this church—and what He wants to do in your life as well.
• Let me help connect some spiritual dots between what God is doing corporately in Mount Zion and what God wants to do personally in your life. Because Mount Zion is not just a multisite church—it is a movement. It is a model of multiplication.
• Look around—God has expanded our reach, increased our campuses, and just recently gave us a historical landmark here in Nashville. That’s expansion! That’s divine elevation. And I think you ought to give God praise for that!
• But this is more than real estate—it’s revelation. What God is doing corporately, He also wants to do individually. Somebody shout, “MORE!”
• The same principle that’s fueling this church’s expansion is the same principle that God wants to apply to your life—your marriage, your ministry, your business, your finances, and even your walk with Him.
• We don’t serve a stingy God. He is a God of abundance, of increase, and of more.
• But here’s the tension: Do you believe that what you currently have is all God wants to do in your life? Or are you willing to believe Him for more?
• It would be a shame to be connected to a multisite grace and still live with a single-site mentality.
• Say that again—multisite grace with a single-site mindset. How can you be part of a church that’s taking territory—and you stay stuck?
• God wants more for your life too.

II.                  Proactively Eliminate the Disposition of Entitlement

14 Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now?”

• Look at verse 14. The people of Joseph come to Joshua and said, “The hill country is not enough for us.”
• Now they weren’t wrong in saying that what they had wasn’t enough—but here’s the issue: They approached it with entitlement.
• They didn’t say, “Joshua, thank you for what you’ve given us, but we’ve outgrown it. May we have more?” Instead, they said, “This isn’t enough!”
• The spirit of entitlement will rob you of expansion. You can’t expect more when you aren’t grateful for what you already have.
• Some of us suffer from CED—Chronic Entitlement Disease. I’m talking to some parents—you’re thinking about your kids right now! They think everything belongs to them. They don’t say thank you, and they don’t think they should work for anything.
• I was raised in the ’70s. You didn’t just go in the kitchen and just take what you wanted. You had to ask, “Mama, can I…?” Anybody else grow up like that?
• We’re raising a generation that wants inheritance with no initiative. Rewards without responsibility. Blessings without burden.

III.              Properly Estimate Your Dynamic Endowment

17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

• Verse 17 says Joshua reminds them, “You are a great people—and you have great power.” He calls out what’s already in them.
• He tells them, “You’re not deficient—you’re disengaged. If you want more, you need to reintroduce yourself to yourself”. Some of us have spiritual amnesia. We’ve forgotten who we are and what God has placed inside of us.
• You’ve been endowed with gifts, purpose, power, authority, the fruit of the Spirit, and the mind of Christ!
• Stop underestimating your endowment. When you do, you mismanage your opportunities.
• You are blessed, not just a beggar.

IV.             Purposefully Evaluate Your Designated Environment

18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours;

• Verse 18 says “The hill country shall be yours, although it is a forest…”
• Did you catch that? You’ve been asking for more—but can you see it through the trees?
• God said, “It’s yours, but you’ve got to clear the forest.” You want a developed blessing—but God gave you undeveloped potential. You want a finished product—but God handed you raw material.
• You’re praying for elevation, but don’t want to chop down any trees. Let me make it plain: You don’t want to do the work
• Some of you want the grill that’s already assembled—but it costs more. The one in the box? That’s cheaper, but it requires assembly.
• You want the blessing on the floor, but you don’t want the blessing in the box.

V.                 Persistently Eradicate Your Detrimental Enchantments

18b says… for you shall drive out the Canaanites

• Joshua told them: “Drive out the Canaanites.”
• Let me introduce you to a few modern-day “ites”:
• Complacency – You’re stuck, not because you’re cursed, but because you’re comfortable. You won’t read. You won’t grow. You’re just…lazy.
• Compromise – You’ve traded conviction for convenience. You’ve sacrificed principles for preferences.
• Comparison – You can’t appreciate your life because you’re always scrolling through someone else’s highlight reel. It’s a filter! It’s not even real.
• Control – You’ve got a messiah complex. You want to be God. You won’t surrender.
• Carnality – You’re led by your flesh, not the Spirit. You’re chasing feelings instead of following faith.

VI.             Prophetically Elevate Your Divine Entrustment

18c says though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

• He said, “I’m giving you the Hill Country.” This is not just expansion, it is elevation.
• But here’s the order:
• Climb it
• Clear it
• Claim it
• You’ve moved from entitlement to entrustment.
• This isn’t just about you. It’s about those coming after you. You said you were a numerous people—well, your blessing must be big enough for generations!
• Legacy is on the line. You are not just receiving more for your enjoyment. You’re receiving more for your assignment.
• What God is doing in this church… He wants to do in your life. But don’t sit back naming it and claiming it—go get an axe. Be willing to work for it.

Mount Zion, I love you. I pray this word will inspire you to believe again, to work again, and to expect MORE.

God bless you!