It Happened Between Good Night and Good Morning, sermon 03.26.17

Posted on April 2, 2017 by growintheword

Synopsis of Sermon 3/26/17

Delivered by Bishop Walker

2 Chronicles 20:14-17 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

God has a plan or strategy for our lives. He gives a word often in the midst our situation, before it comes to pass. We have to know God keeps his word. If he said it, you have to know that it will come to pass.

Today we are talking to the person that has been under attack and has found a united front has formed against them. This is a time where we shouldn’t crack under pressure, but instead trust the Word of God. God has a unique way of working between good-night and good-morning. Whatever you are stressed about, know that your being here, is not an accident. God works things out between good-night and good-morning.

What is interesting in the scripture today is that God decides to fight this battle for his people. Jehoshaphat’s son wants to prove that he is worthy of war, but Jehoshaphat’s wisdom will have to take over and remind him that this battle they were about to face was not his, but instead the Lord’s.

When facing battles, we must learn to:

I. Consult God when you are in danger

You need to learn to consult God when you are in danger.

  1. It’s better to ask God than to ask people. Jehoshaphat declared a fast amongst all the people concerning his problem. 2 Chronicles 20:3 (NKJV) says 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. – Jehoshaphat didn’t give into his fear; he ran to God. He knew the only way they could win was with God.
  2. You need to recognize that we all need God, so why not turn to him?
  3. Jehoshaphat goes to God. It is important to know that you have to stop going to your resources. When you have problems, you need to go directly to the source.
  4. God will remind you this is not your fight. Jehoshaphat’s natural urge was to go and gather the army, however, this time he didn’t need to. Know that you won’t need to fight this battle this time.
    1. Save your time and your energy, because we don’t need you to loose countless nights fighting stuff you were not designed to fight.
    2. Stop wasting you energy trying to fight somebody or something you weren’t designed to fight.
        1. John 16:33 (NKJV) says 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”- In this season the greatest test will be threats from multiple enemies.

    3. Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV) 17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me, ”Says the Lord. – No weapon formed against you will prosper. What is it in your life that you are fighting right now, that really is a battle that you shouldn’t be fighing?

II. Can you have church in the dark?

Once it was explained to the people that they didn’t have to fight, they began worshiping and praising God in the dark. When you worship, it often leads to praise!

  1. You’ve got to know who he is when you don’t know how he’s going to do it.
    1. 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NKJV) says 20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”,
    2. Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) says 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.- God has never failed you before. If he said it, know that it will come to pass
    3. 2 Chronicles 20:17 (NKJV) says 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” – They didn’t have to fight, so they worshiped. Before God does what he says he is going to do, you need to go ahead and worship him.
    4. 2 Chronicles 20:18 (NKJV) 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. -. – When you can give God glory before he does what he said he is going to do, then this is true worship.
  2. Worship is who God is, but Praise is what God does.
    1. 2 Chronicles 20:19 (NKJV) 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.- The Levites were praising God. The others worshiped God as well. They are doing all of this at night knowing that God had promised something would happen for them in the morning. This is preemptive praise! God’s promise should change your praise!
  3. God’s promise should change your posture. This isn’t the time to look defeated.
    1. God didn’t just save them from the fight, he preserved their strength.
      1. The reason you trust God and not take things into your hands is because God wants you to save your strength. 2 Chronicles 20:25 (NKJV) 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, [a] and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. – If you waste your strength fighting what you don’t have to fight, you won’t have the strength to take what God is trying to bless you with. There was so much to gather after the battle, it took them 3 days to gather the spoils.

III. Can you celebrate what He did?

Obedience is better than sacrifice

  1. Do what God says and you will witness what God can do. His command was for them to stand still and watch. Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) says 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ,
      1. 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NKJV) says 20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” – Enemies come against you during night. Based on the amount of people you are expecting to come against you, you are probably thinking that you are going to have a bad night, however, God gave you a word in the middle of the night where He says let them come, because you probably won’t have to fight this fight!
        1. The enemy comes at night, but you won’t have to worry. – If you don’t believe God, you are in trouble. If you don’t believe the man of God that is assigned to your life, you are in trouble, because what the man of God is getting ready to tell you, won’t make since in the natural, but it will in the spiritual.
      2. 2 Chronicles 20:21 (NKJV) says 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”[a]- Jehoshaphat put the praise warriors in formation on the front line. The natural thing to do, is to round up the man of valor or the skilled soldiers out front. God don’t do things this way. He had Jehoshaphat to put the singers out front and they put the praise warriors out front. If you don’t believe God and his promise, then you will not prosper. Remember that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
    1. Your praise releases His power. Mercy holds back consequences. We give God praise in advance for what did not happen to us that could have happened. We give praise for what we didn’t have to go through in advance!
  • There’s power in your praise. 2 Chronicles 20:22-23 (NKJV) says 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. – Your praise will confuse your enemy. Your praise will turn your enemies against themselves. When they sang praises to the Lord, God set ambushes against the enemies and the enemies were defeated. The enemies got confused and ended up destroying each other.
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From Tears to a testimony, Sermon 3.19.17

Posted on March 21, 2017 by growintheword

 

Synopsis of Sermon 3.19.17

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Psalms 30:5 says For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

None of us are immune to pain. We have to learn to shift from what has occurred in our lives and turn to a point of a testimony. You must learn transcend your pain and move to the glory of God. The enemy knows if you tell somebody God is able, then they too, will come out of their situation, just like you did.

It is not only important that you come out, you got to come out whole. Know that what you go through is not just for you. Make up in your mind that your story will not end like your situation is right now. God will transcend you from tears to testimony. People whose life was in desperation transcended from the situation, because they saw God’s hand moving to bring them out!

This Psalms is a psalm dealing with the house of David and how he came back from a terrible situation. David was in a bad place psychology and physically. Psalm 30:3 (NKJV) 3 O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.[a]–  When David was writing this, he was aware that God sustained him during a point that was designed to take him out.

David was gravely ill. In Psalm 30:2 (NKJV) it says 2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. – Healing can happen in a variety of ways. You can be healed emotionally, spiritually, or physically. God can not only heal you, he can heal you without scars. You have to let others know that what was about to take you out, became your testimony.

There are some things about God that must be understood.

I. Revelation of his anger

Psalms 30:5a – For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; …

  1. Whatever you go through as a child of God, it is important that you don’t let the enemy control the narrative of who God is in your life. The nature of God is not determined by your situation, but instead it is determined by revelation.
  2. God doesn’t hold grudges, he extends grace. God never remains angry. God is not like man and holds grudges for years and years. Certain people hold grudges for years. God’s grace will keep you from being consumed by the test of your trials.
  3. We live in a world where we want God to punish people. God is not like man. The fact that you are here is a testimony of God’s grace. We all got our list of stuff that has ticked us off. I give God the glory, because he looked beyond my faults and saw all my needs!
  4. God wants everything connected to you to live. God extends his favor to you so that it flows from God, to you. 2 John 15:1-2 (NKJV) says 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, God takes away;[a]and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.- Gods desire is that everything connected to you, must bear fruit. If things that are connected to you don’t bear fruit, then he disconnects it. Stop running after stuff God disconnected from you. Hanging on to stuff that is disconnected, will spoil your vine.
    1. Those things bringing forth fruit, God prunes so that it can bear more fruit. Where you are going, you can’t take people who are comfortable producing in one season, but not in the new season.
    2. You can’t go with me, if you don’t grow with me. John 10:10 (NKJV) says 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have itmore abundantly. – It is God’s desire that everything in your life lives. God doesn’t hold grudges; he gives me My existence today is a result of what I don’t deserve. Everything connected to me in this season, must live. Don’t get mad when God prunes you. Everything connected with you directly and indirectly will live because of the favor over your life.
    3. His anger is but for a moment and his favor gives life.

 

II. Rest in his assurance

When you understand this, you can rest in the promises of God.

Psalms 30:5b – Weeping may endure for a night …

  1. The tendency here is for us to convince ourselves that we are super-human. God doesn’t need this from us. Some of this stuff that happens, hurts. Sometimes people just don’t appreciate your value. Know that it is ok to cry.
  2. Many of us were taught that men were not supposed to cry, but know that there is nothing wrong with crying.
    1. There is not wrong with crying if you cry in faith. God moves when our faith is in actions, not our feelings. If you are in your feelings, this is why God isn’t moving. God don’t move in your feelings; he moves in your favor.
    2. Romans 12:15 (NKJV) 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. – People around your cry. We as Christians, cry too, but not like the world cries.
    3. 2 Corinthians 4:8 (NKJV) says 8 We arehard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; – Your tears and your trouble both have term limits. Weeping is optional, but the night season is inevitable. Weeping may endure for a night!
    4. Your tears and trouble should have term limits. Don’t give your tears tenure. Whatever you are going through, know that this too, shall pass! Whatever it is, know that it is temporary!
    5. Don’t make permanent decisions during temporary situations. Cry and get out. After today, it’s done! What is ahead of me is better than what’s been!

 

III. Rejoice with awareness

  1. Psalms 30:5c says Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. – How is the conjunction in the scripture relevant? Conjunction, junction, what’s your function? Conjunctions cancel out preexisting actions. When we get to the “but” which is a conjunction, it disqualifies the power of what has happened before it. i.e. “They said I would never be nothing, but …”
  2. You change, before it changed. In the midst of your tears, you received revelation that God was still working on your behalf. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) says 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – When you get a revelation, it will change everything. Joy comes in the morning.
    1. Joy has nothing to do with happenings, but instead internal revelation and revelation comes in the morning.
  3. When we understand God’s plan for our lives, it generates a response of thanksgiving, even if my situation has not changed. The joy came from the revelation in the night.
    1. It can still be dark, when joy shows up. Note that the morning is not determined by the To prove it, we say “good night” at midnight, but at 12:01 we say “good morning”. It’s still dark, but it’s still morning. Everything looks the same at 12:01am, but the one thing that has changed is my awareness. I am aware that it is morning, even though it looks like it’s night. In like manner, you got an awareness that God is up to something and he has shifted you into a new season even though your situation still looks dark.
  4. If you’ve changed and your situation hasn’t, why are you acting as though your situation has? The reason we give God the glory with a smile on our face, despite how our situation looks, it is because we survived the night!

 

 

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Joshua Part 2, Synopsis of Bible Study 2/22/17

Posted on March 1, 2017 by growintheword

 

Joshua Part 

Synopsis of Bible Study 2/22/17

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

 

We see in this lesson, God transferring the mantle. It is very important us to notice God confirming the leadership of Joshua. The Children of Israel would be led by Joshua from here on out.

I. Introduction

  1. They come to a place called Gilgal. The name Gilgal means wheel or rolling. It is believed to have derived from the circle it formed from stones around it.
  2. We are able to understand that Gilgal was a place of rest and preparation.
  3. In Gilgal, the Israelites complete the steps to get right with God, before going into the Promised Land. Now they would -be people viewed as covenant people which held strict adherence to the word of God.
  4. Joshua 1:3 (NKJV) says 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. – In other words, God was saying that the Children of Israel were going to a place where God show them. In doing this, God shows them how he moves them into a place or mindset.
  5. What we discover about the enemies of the Children of Israel is: Joshua 5:1 (NKJV) says 5 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan,  and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we[a] had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel. – In other words, everywhere the Children of Israel went, the enemies feared their arrival, because they had a reputation of God fighting their battles for them. When you walk knowing God will fight for you, you walk with a different kind of confidence.
  6. Joshua 1:2 (NKJV) says 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
  7. They used a flint knife to circumcise the children again. Joshua 5:4-5 (NKJV) says 4 And this isthe reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. – All the men of war had died on the way from Egypt to the Promised Land. We are now dealing with two or three generations after coming out of Egypt. All those that came out of Egypt’s captivity died, before going to the promise.

Flint Knife

 

II. The time of preparation.

  1. Joshua 5:6-9 (NKJV) 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord—to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”[a]7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whomHe raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.8 So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal[b] to this day.-They did not obey the voice of the Lord. Circumcision was a covenant. This generation hasn’t been circumcised. God had to take away the sociological stigma and the mental block, before he could proceed to bringing them to the Promised Land.
  2. Gilgal means to roll away. The trauma of slavery doesn’t just affect those in slavery. It affects people 2 or 3 generations later. A lot of the complaining the Children of Isreal did was a result of the forefathers slavery.When people look at the Children of Israel, they say, those are the ones that was once saved.
  3. God rolled away the approach. He is preparing them mentally, spiritually, and socially for what they are about to encounter.
  4. Immediately, they began to have Passover. The Passover was a time of feast. The Passover always represented a particular kick-off.
    1. Joshua 5:10-12 (NKJV) 10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. 11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day. 12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year. – They had a party. Passover was a celebration. They were now on the verge of going to The Promise and the Passover was a celebration that they were almost there. You have to celebrate over what God has promised you.
    2. They ate grain and fruit from the ground. God has their mind right and their spirit right at this point. The Children of Israel is almost there and what they are used to is manna falling from the sky. From now on, they will eat from what is produced from the land.
  5. They ate produce of the land. Joshua 5:12 (NKJV) 12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year. – After the celebration (the Passover), they started eating fruit from the ground. They were close to where they are about to be God is shifting their appetite. They are used to manna falling from heaven. In the wilderness, you ate what came from the sky. God however had promised them occupation. Now you going to eat what comes from the earth.
  6. God is preparing their palate for what is around the corner. He doesn’t want them to be in shock. Ex – You been eating Taco Bell all your life. God will give you an experience in Taco Bell, so you won’t go into shock when you go to the 5-star restaurant. God is giving you a preview, so that you can get used to what is coming. When you get into the Promised Land, there will be no more blessings coming out of sky. The ground will be so fertile; you will reap from it.

 

III. The destruction of Jericho

  1. Joshua has an encounter. In Joshua 5:13-15 (NKJV) 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “AreYou for us or for our adversaries?” 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is” And Joshua did so. – Joshua has an experience with an angel. God is trying to get you to take off your shoes, because He is reminding us that he will take over from here. In this space, it is not ground for complaining or griping; this is Holy Ground! God doesn’t need your help for this one!
  2. Joshua moves in the space of Jericho. Joshua 6:1 (NKJV) 6 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.  – The city is shut up, because the harvest has come in. They are not worrying about anything. The city of Jericho thought they were big-stuff and they thought the children of Israel was too small to conquer them. They had sealed their walls around the city and didn’t think anyone could get in.

 

  1. Joshua 6:2-5 (NKJV) says 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, andthe mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”- God gives these instructions. They were told to march around the city for 7 days and on the 7th day, they would shout, and the walls of Jericho would fall down.
  2. Joshua relayed the instructions to his people. Joshua tells them that when they would go in and take the land (after the walls had fallen), they were to watch for a red rag hanging out of a window. He gave instructions not to bother that household nor the people in it.
    1. If you will remember Rahab, she was the prostitute that helped the spies that were sent in on behalf of the Children of Israel to spy on the land. She hid the spies by hiding them in her house. As a result, they promised that when it was time for them to take over the land, they would not harm her or her family. It was agreed that she would hang a red tow in the window so that the men of war would pass over that house when they would go in and take the land, just like the blood over the door post at Passover.
  3. Rahab as you know, helped the spies. Salmon in the genealogy of Mathew was Rehab’s husband. Matthew 1:5-6 (NKJV) 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.
  4. More instructions: When they went into to the camp, there were things they were to do. Joshua 6:16-19 (NKJV) 16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! 17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who arein it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”- Joshua told them by all means abstain from the accursed things. They were instructed not to take the gold silver and bronze. It belonged to God and therefore, was supposed to go to the Lord’s treasury. If anyone was to take any of Jericho’s treasures for themselves, it would bring a curse upon them and upon their camp. Anytime you take what God consecrated for himself and place it inside your house, you cause curse to come into your house. Sort of reminds you of the tithe principle.
  5. Why was it so significant not to take the gold and silver and instead put it into God’s treasury? Remember when the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, they left with lots of riches, but instead of putting it to good use, they made a golden calf to worship. If they had given it to God, they would have forever had all they needed. They no longer needed treasures, though, because their blessings would from now on, come out of the ground.

 

  1. If you have nothing but a preacher and choir, you have all you need to defeat Jericho. In Joshua 6:2-5 (NKJV) 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, andthe mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”– God says the first thing he wanted the children of Israel to do was stare the city down. God wanted them to take a good look at what he was about to give them.
  2. Marching around the city. The city of Jericho was 9 miles in diameter, so to march around the city one time their Sunday School or beginning step of faith. And we have to recognize that when we are walking for God, it is not a casual and nonchalant walk. When you are walking for God, this is a brisk walk. Ex – A test was done to simulate what the Children of Israel must have been going through during the walk around the sitting. How long would it take to walk this city of 9 miles. The test that was done set a brisk walk at 3.5 speed. Each time around the city would be around 2.5 miles and the test revealed that it took a great deal of time to make one lap around the city. After 6 days, you would be exhausted. It would be hard to stay on course. On the 7th day, we would have to finally give it to God, because we couldn’t handle it.
  3. It takes 17hrs to walk this 6-day journey out (at the speed of 3.5). On the 7th time, the Children of Israel would be beat, but they had to walk continue walking and then shout at the end of the 7th time around.
  4. You think the wall fell when they shouted. The revelation is when they walked around the wall, they walked with calibration. They were walking in cadence. One person, not in synch, can blow the whole thing! They walked in agreement. It this began seismic activity against the ground. In other words, as they walked, the wall started to crumble. The wall started to crumble, because they were in agreement.
  5. They had to have agreement for the shout to work. We have to be together. When we come together and shout, that’s when walls will fall in your life! How bad do you need it? You need to learn how to shout!
  6. It took them walking almost all day, every day, to complete the task, but it took 17hrs to complete 6 days. We need your agreement! This this is our 17th year! The wall is going to fall this year! This is the year of now! Walls of debt and sickness is going to fall! Wall. Every wall in your life is going to fall!
  7. You are so close to seeing the mighty hand of God! You going to say, I saw it coming, because you set the stage in my life. This is going to be a Passover Praise!
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Genesis VI, Bible Study 12/14/16

Posted on January 5, 2017 by growintheword

genesis

Synopsis of Bible study 12/14/16

Delivered by Bishop Walker

 

  1. Introduction
  2. This book reveals the 12 tribes of Israel. The narrative around these tribes is not just limited to the Old Testament. It also goes with the New Testament as well.
  3. The children of Israel worked in the fields and they moved often. They didn’t stay in one place very long.
  4. There is a promise of the word of God through Joseph. Genesis 50:25 (NKJV) says 25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” – There was sense that they would get to promise, but they didn’t get there at this point in time in the scripture.

 

  1. The Birth of Joseph
  2. Rachel’s barrenness
  3. Sarah and Rebekah both were barren. Rachael was barren as well.
  4. Rachael prayed to her husband Jacob. Genesis 30:1-2 (NKJV) 30 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!”2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
    1. Gen 30:1- Rachael says to her husband, that she would give him children or die.
    2. Gen 30:2-God heard Rachael’s prayer and eventually He opens up her womb up.
  5. Genesis 30:23-24 (NKJV) 23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 So she called his name Joseph,[a] and said, “The Lord shall add to me another son.”- Rachael’s first son was In Hebrew this name means, “God will add or God will bless”.
  6. Jacob has a son by Racheal named Joseph.

 

  1. Jacobs Departure from Laban’s House.

Genesis 30:25 (NKJV) 25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country. – There is a lot of family drama happening in this setting. Laban has other sons who are in their feelings about Jacob. They felt like Jacob has come and taken a lot of their family inheritance.

  1. Laban is starting to deal differently with Jacob than he did at first.
  2. Laban’s attitude has changed toward Jacob and he starts cheating Jacob, so Jacob makes the decision to leave.
  3. Although they were leaving, Racheal and Leah did not want to leave empty handed. They wanted some of their inheritance. Jacob took all that he had accumulated and started towards his father house. Racheal went back and stole some of Laban’s household idols. Genesis 31:19 (NKJV) 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. – She was determined not to leave empty handed. She took this stuff and hid it among all their belongings.
  4. They are heading out on their way to Jacob’s house. Laban realizes that he has been tricked and as a result, Laban pursues them and he catches up to with them. The whole time he was searching, he never found the household idols.
  5. Laban has a conversation with Jacob. Genesis 31:48-50 (NKJV) 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also Mizpah,[a] because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”- Here a father covers his daughter.
  6. Who’s leaving? Jacob, Leah, Rachael, and a bunch of hidden idols.

 

  • The Reunion of Jacob and Esau
  1. Jacob wrestles with an angel

Genesis 32:6 (NKJV) 6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” – Jacob is afraid at this point, because he has to meet Esau whom he tricked.

  1. Jacob tells half of his men to go one way and the other half to go the other way. Jacob was then left alone. And there he wrestled with a man until the breaking of day. When the man realizes that he wasn’t going to prevail, he dislocated Jacob’s hip. Jacob had put him in a headlock and wouldn’t let him go. Genesis 32:26 (NKJV) says 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks. ”But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”- This man that wrestled with Jacob was God. Jacob wouldn’t let him go until he blessed him. Do you realize how many people let go of God when they are in pain.

Genesis 32:28 (NKJV) says 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;[a] for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”- God changed his name to Israel. God can never elevate you to destiny until you wrestle with him and find out you need him.

  1. After the wrestle, Jacob is left with a limp. Esau sees Jacob coming towards him limping. Jacob is weak in body, but strong in faith.

 

  1. The Rape of Jacobs Daughter, Dinah
  2. For the first time in scripture, we encounter a rape. Genesis 34:2 (NKJV) 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. – The Hebrew word used for took is used the same Hebrew word used in the context of taking a wife or to have intercourse. Shechem took her(raped her), said he loved her, and then asked her to be his wife.
  3. The father of Shechem says to Jacob that his son wanted to marry his daughter. Jacob doesn’t know that Hamor’s son has raped this daughter.
  4. Dinah is terrified, but her bothers know what has happened. While the fathers were trying to negotiate Dinah’s marriage, Simon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, reminded everyone that in order for them to marry, they had to be circumcised. Genesis 34:14 (NKJV) says 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. – As a result, all the men were being circumcised. While they were in pain, the brothers Simon and Levi, took swords and took the city unaware and took their sister back who had been

 

  1. The Death of Rachel
  2. Joseph was Rachael’s first son. The second child she bore, died.
  3. Near Ephrath, Rachel went into a difficult labor with her second son, Benjamin. The midwife told her in the middle of the birth that her child was a boy. Before she died, Rachel named her son Ben Oni (“son of my mourning”), but Jacob called him Ben Yamin (Benjamin).
  4. His name , Ben Oni , means son of my sorrow. Benjamin means “son of my right hand”. Then Jacob renamed him.
  5. Rachael’ dies giving birth to Benjamin. Genesis 35:20 (NKJV) 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.

 

  1. The Death of Isaac
  2. Isaac dies at the age of 180 yrs old. Genesis 35:27-29 (NKJV) 27 Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba[a] (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. – Esau and Jacob buried their father.

 

  1. The Story of Joseph and Family
  2. Jacob and Esau part ways
  3. Genesis 37:1 (NKJV) says 37 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
  4. The story of Joseph is a picture of the son that Jacob loves.
  5. Jacob marries Racheal after Leah. Racheal was barren for years before she could have children. She and Jacob both are old when she finally has children.
  6. This is not Jacobs firstborn, but it is the firstborn of the one he loves (Rachael). Rachael then has a second son Benjamin. Jacob has other kids besides Benjamin.

 

  1. Jacob Settles in the Land of Canaan
  2. Who is Jacob’s first born child? It is Ruben. Joseph is the first-born of Racheal, but not Jacobs first-born.
  3. Genesis 37:3 – 4 (NKJV) 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many – Israel loved Joseph more than the other children. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. – The bothers hated Joseph, because their father loved him more. Imagine that: The first haters in the bible were in a family members.
  4. The coat made for Joseph has long sleeves for a reason. Long sleeve garments, could mean there was a lot of money put inside that coat. People look at what is on the outside of the coat and hate on it, but they don’t know what is inside. This is the same way with you. People hate on you, but they don’t know what God has put inside you.
  5. Joseph was he hated, because a dreamer.

 

  1. Joseph the dreamer.
  2. Dream one – Joseph had a dream of binding sheaves. Genesis 37:7 (NKJV) 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”- This dream meant that Joseph’s brothers would be subject to him and he would reign over them and they didn’t like this.
  3. Dream two – Genesis 37:9 (NKJV) 9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”- Joseph told his brother about this dream too and again it meant that they would be subject to him. They didn’t like this dream either.
    1. Joseph claimed that his parents would even be subject to him. Genesis 37:10-11 (NKJV) 10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
    2. The Providence of God – God is always working in the affairs of his people. At this point, you have to see God as a puppet master. By this we mean, no matter what happens, you got to realize that God is in it.
    3. Jacob sends his sons to the field. When they saw Joseph coming they said to themselves, “Here comes the dreamer”. Jacob’s brothers were plotting to murder him. They decided instead to sell him for 20 pieces of silver.

 

  1. Joseph is Sold into Slavery
  2. Joseph’s brothers put him in a pit and sold him. They took his coat and put blood on it from a goat and told Jacob that Joseph had been killed.
  3. Jacob is distraught. The caravan sells Joseph to Potiphar. Potiphar is over the army for Pharaoh. Genesis 39: 1-4 says “for the Lord was with Joseph”. His master saw that the Lord was with him, so he put Joseph as overseer of the house.
  4. Joseph went from the pit to the palace, because God was in it. If favor is on you, it doesn’t matter where they put you. Genesis 39:1-4 (NKJV) 39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. – Joseph is walking around with favor on him, because God is with him. He is giving orders to others, because he is in charge. Then a problem arises. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him. Joseph refused and as a result, she says that he tried to touch her. This caused him to be placed into prison.

 

  1. Joseph’s Life in Egypt and the Final Days of the Ancestors of Israel
  2. Placement in Potiphar s house (Genesis 39:1-4)
  3. Genesis 39:1-4 (NKJV) 39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
  4. Proposition and prison (Genesis 39: 7-21)

Genesis 39:7-21 (NKJV) 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. 13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; 18 so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” 19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

  1. Joseph was in the prison with the Butler and Baker. He has two dreams. In one dream one was beheaded and the other one will be freed. When the baker gets out, Joseph asks him to remember him. It is important for us to know that no matter what the situation, God will create a position for you to cause what has been placed inside you to come out.
  2. Promotion to the palace (Genesis 41)
  3. The Butler remembers that there is someone in prison that can interpret dreams. Josephs gift created a job for him.
  4. Joseph interprets eh dream for the pharaoh. He says there will be 7 yrs of plenty and 7rs of famine. He teaches them to store up in the years of plenty for the years of lack.

 

  1. The sons of Jacob in Egypt (Genesis 41)
  2. This is Joseph who went through all of this and now he becomes the Prime Minister. He was in charge of giving food out to families during the famine.
  3. Joseph elected to give bread to the same brothers who sold him into slavery. Sometimes you will have to give bread to people that you don’t like just because the Lord told you to. God elevated him and Jacob sends his sons to Egypt. It is like a cheese or bread line.
  4. As Joseph’s brothers comes towards him, he sees them. He knows it is them. What happens is joseph sees his brothers and reveals himself.

 

  1. Joseph reveals himself (Genesis 45)
  2. Joseph says he is not bitter. Gen 50:20- ..-.God meant it for Joseph’s good. All these people wouldn’t been living if Joseph’s brothers hadn’t sold him into slavery. All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and who are called according to his purpose. Genesis 50:20N (NKJV) 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

 

  1. Jacob and joseph reunite (Genesis 46)
  2. Joseph tells his brothers to go back and bring back their father. Joseph is an Israelite, but pharaoh loves Joseph anyway.
  3. When the brothers come back to Egypt, Joseph introduces them to Pharaoh. They came to Egypt as welcomed guest, because Joseph didn’t disown them.

 

  1. The final chapter (Genesis 50)
  2. That Pharaoh died. Joseph is in Egypt with his family, because Pharaoh invited them to stay. There rose up a Pharaoh that didn’t know Joseph or the Israelites. As a result, he took all of Joseph’s descendants and placed them into slavery.

 

 

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