WEBVTT
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Taking risks.
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Life involves risks.
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And we need to keep on taking risks.
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Some risks work, other risks don't.
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But even if you've taken a risk and it hasn't worked out, I want to encourage you to keep on taking risks.
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Someone said that faith is spelt R-I-S-K.
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Faith involves taking risks.
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Let's have a look at Joshua chapter one.
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And I'm going to read verse one through to verse nine, and then we're going to look at principles from this passage that will help us know how to take risks that'll help us and avoid risks that will harm us.
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Joshua chapter one and verse one.
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After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' aid, Moses, my servant, is dead.
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Now then, you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them to the Israelites.
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I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
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Your territory will extend from the desert to the Lebanon, from the great river Euphrates, all the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
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No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.
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As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
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I will never leave you or forsake you.
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Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
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Be strong and very courageous.
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Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you.
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Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
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Keep this book of the law always on your lips.
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Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be able to be careful to do everything written in it, for then you will be prosperous and successful.
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Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous.
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Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
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We see in this passage seven keys to taking positive risks.
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Joshua took a risk to cross the Jordan and take possession of the promised land.
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If we don't take risks, we will not take possession of our full inheritance.
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Joshua chapter 1, verse 6 tells us, you will lead these people into their inheritance.
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And God wants us to take a hold of all that He has promised us.
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He wants us to take a hold of His promises in our lives, but it involves taking risks.
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So seven keys to taking positive risks.
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The first we see in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 1.
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The first key is only take risks when you have a clear word from God.
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Don't fall into the trap that many Christians do by just adding the words, thus saith the Lord, thinking somehow that's going to make God move on your behalf.
00:03:47.889 --> 00:03:54.770
In fact, the Bible warns us that we shouldn't say God said if God has actually not said.
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Listen to Proverbs chapter 30, verse 5 and 6.
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Every word of God is flawless.
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He's a shield to those who take refuge in him.
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Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
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People try and force God's hand by saying God said.
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But in actual fact, that's not faith.
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That's foolishness or presumption.
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And we know that God will only complete what he has started.
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It says in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
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He's only obliged to finish what he's authored.
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It says in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6, he who started a good work in you will bring it to completion.
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If he didn't start the work, he is not obliged to complete it.
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So let's make sure before we take the risk, we've clearly heard from God.
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Before you step out, make sure you know that God has spoken to you.
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The second key we see in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 2.
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The Lord says, Moses, my servant, is dead.
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And in verse 5, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
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The second key is we need to leave the past behind to take a hold of our future.
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We need to leave behind past failures.
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We need to leave behind past successes.
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In Philippians chapter 3, Paul says this in verse 13, this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, I press on to the high call of God in Christ Jesus.
00:05:35.649 --> 00:05:40.769
God has promised us his presence and he has a wonderful future for us.
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He says, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
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And God has a plan and purpose for us, but in order for us to take a hold of what God has for us, we need to let go of the past.
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For Paul in Philippians chapter 3, it wasn't letting go necessarily of negative things, even though there were some negative things he had to let go of.
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He let go of some positive things.
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He put his confidence in his education.
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He put his confidence in his heritage.
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And sometimes God wants to get us to a place where we let go of those things and our confidence is firmly in Christ.
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That we know who we are in Christ and as such we go forward, knowing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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The third key we see is in verse 3.
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In Joshua chapter 1, verse 3, he says, Now arise.
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The third key to taking risks that will help you and not harm you is to get the timing right.
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And man, I find this one difficult.
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So often we need to recognize that doing the right thing in the wrong time becomes the wrong thing.
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It's so important for us to recognize God's time.
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Joshua had waited 40 years to go into the promised land.
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If we go back and looked in our Bibles in Numbers chapter 13 and 14, when the twelve spies were sent in, he was numbered among them.
00:07:04.930 --> 00:07:07.250
Ten said no, two said go.
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Joshua and Caleb said, We can we well label, we can take the land.
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But uh as a result of the ten, and as a result of the response from the people, Joshua and Caleb had to wait a whole generation before they had the opportunity to go into the promised land.
00:07:24.209 --> 00:07:33.250
And you know, God's time is when we are ready, when everyone else involved is ready, and when it fits into God's master plan.
00:07:33.410 --> 00:07:41.730
I love the way it says in Psalm 31 and verse 15, our times are in His hands.
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And what we need to do is we need to prepare ourselves so that when the opportunity comes, we can seize the opportunity, we can take a hold of that opportunity and we can move forward into all that God has called us to.
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Success is when preparation and opportunity meet together.
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We should be preparing ourselves so that when the opportunity comes, we can seize that opportunity.
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We can seize the day, carpe diem, take a hold of all God has for us and pursue it.
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Get the timing right.
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Number four, the fourth key is to do our homework.
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Now we didn't actually read it, but in Joshua chapter 2 and verse 1, Joshua sent two spies into the land and told them, Go and look over the land.
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The fourth key to taking risks is to do your homework.
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We need to be diligent in the spiritual and in the natural.
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Proverbs chapter 21, verse 5 says, the plans of the diligent will prosper.
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Diligence is important.
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Jesus said we need to count the cost.
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It's important for us to count the cost before we go and start building something, before we pursue something.
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In Luke chapter 14, verse 25 to 33, it talks about how we need to count the cost and we need to keep monitoring, and if we get to a place where we realize we don't have enough to continue with this, we need to make sure that we as soon as possible start to make contingency plans.
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And I think that walking in faith doesn't mean that we leave our brains at the door.
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It involves us consciously saying, I'm hearing God, and by choice I'm responding to him.
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And uh and we know that we've heard him, but we also need to do our homework.
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We need to be diligent with these things.
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Key number five is to step out with courage.
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I love the fact that four times in as many verses in Joshua chapter one, Joshua is told, be strong and courageous.
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Be strong and courageous.
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If you have a clear word from God, if you know you're in God's timing, then step out with courage.
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Key number six, make sure that the risk you're taking is consistent with your call.
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In Joshua chapter 1, verse 7, the Lord says to Joshua, do not turn from it to the left or the right, that you may succeed wherever you go.
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We need to make sure that what we're doing is consistent with our call.
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Now, the call on Joshua's life, and we could read about this in Deuteronomy 31, verse 6 to verse 8, where Moses speaks to Joshua and says, God's called you to go and take these people into their inheritance.
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Again, he says it again in Joshua chapter 1.
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I've called you to take these people into your inheritance, verse 6.
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This was the call that God had on Joshua's life, and we need to make sure when we take a risk, it's consistent with our call.
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For example, make sure that what you're doing is what God has called you to do and not what God has called somebody else to do.
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For me to launch a singing career and to try and have a worship album would be crazy because uh I can't sing and I can't play a musical instrument.
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For me to feel like that's what I should be doing would not really work because that's not what God has called me to do.
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God's given me a specific call, and I need to pursue that call.
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And make sure when you take a risk, it's consistent with your call, that you're not stepping out foolishly or presumptuously, but you're staying focused on what God has called you to do.
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It's important for us to stay focused on what God has called us to do and not be distracted by all the needs, but to make sure we've heard from God and that we're responding to Him.
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And finally, number seven, the seventh and final key we're going to look at in this message today, for us to take risks that'll help us and not harm us, is uh to keep thinking, living, and speaking God's word.
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In Joshua 1 and verse 8, the Lord says, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.
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For then you will make your way prosperous and you will have good success.
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In the Amplified Bible it says, Then you will deal wisely in the affairs of life.
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We need to make sure that the very thing that got us where we are is the thing that we keep doing.
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And you know, because of your reliance upon God, because you heard from God, because you've taken his word, because you're living according to the principles of his word, because your your life is to pursue his call, don't stop doing those things, the basics, because God starts to give you some form of success.
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You'll continue having lasting success.
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Success that uh that God wants you to have when we keep doing the right thing, when we keep meditating on God's word.
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We speak keep spending time with Him.
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We keep we keep uh day and night living in a living, dynamic relationship with the Lord.
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So before you take a risk, I encourage you, make sure that you've looked at some of these things.
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Have you heard from God?
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Is it consistent with your call?
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Are you in a place where you've done your homework?
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Are you in a place where you're in God's time?
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If that's where you're at, be strong and courageous.
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God has a wonderful inheritance for you.
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He said, Ask me, and I'll give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for your possession.
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I encourage you today.
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Let's take a hold of all that Christ Jesus has taken a hold of for us.
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God bless you.
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Be strong and courageous.
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Taking risks.
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Life involves risks.
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And we need to keep on taking risks.
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Some risks work, other risks don't.
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But even if you've taken a risk and it hasn't worked out, I want to encourage you to keep on taking risks.
00:00:46.769 --> 00:00:51.409
Someone said that faith is spelt R-I-S-K.
00:00:52.210 --> 00:00:54.609
Faith involves taking risks.
00:00:55.090 --> 00:00:56.929
Let's have a look at Joshua chapter one.
00:00:57.090 --> 00:01:10.770
And I'm going to read verse one through to verse nine, and then we're going to look at principles from this passage that will help us know how to take risks that'll help us and avoid risks that will harm us.
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Joshua chapter one and verse one.
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After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' aid, Moses, my servant, is dead.
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Now then, you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them to the Israelites.
00:01:31.890 --> 00:01:36.129
I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
00:01:36.530 --> 00:01:48.129
Your territory will extend from the desert to the Lebanon, from the great river Euphrates, all the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
00:01:48.370 --> 00:01:52.049
No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.
00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:55.730
As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
00:01:55.969 --> 00:01:58.049
I will never leave you or forsake you.
00:01:58.209 --> 00:02:06.849
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:09.490
Be strong and very courageous.
00:02:09.810 --> 00:02:14.209
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you.
00:02:14.449 --> 00:02:21.569
Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
00:02:21.889 --> 00:02:24.930
Keep this book of the law always on your lips.
00:02:25.170 --> 00:02:34.050
Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be able to be careful to do everything written in it, for then you will be prosperous and successful.
00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:39.090
Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous.
00:02:39.250 --> 00:02:46.449
Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
00:02:47.009 --> 00:02:51.569
We see in this passage seven keys to taking positive risks.
00:02:51.969 --> 00:02:58.449
Joshua took a risk to cross the Jordan and take possession of the promised land.
00:02:58.689 --> 00:03:03.409
If we don't take risks, we will not take possession of our full inheritance.
00:03:03.650 --> 00:03:09.889
Joshua chapter 1, verse 6 tells us, you will lead these people into their inheritance.
00:03:10.050 --> 00:03:13.810
And God wants us to take a hold of all that He has promised us.
00:03:14.050 --> 00:03:19.810
He wants us to take a hold of His promises in our lives, but it involves taking risks.
00:03:20.210 --> 00:03:23.650
So seven keys to taking positive risks.
00:03:23.969 --> 00:03:26.930
The first we see in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 1.
00:03:31.250 --> 00:03:37.650
The first key is only take risks when you have a clear word from God.
00:03:38.129 --> 00:03:47.650
Don't fall into the trap that many Christians do by just adding the words, thus saith the Lord, thinking somehow that's going to make God move on your behalf.
00:03:47.889 --> 00:03:54.770
In fact, the Bible warns us that we shouldn't say God said if God has actually not said.
00:03:55.009 --> 00:03:57.969
Listen to Proverbs chapter 30, verse 5 and 6.
00:03:58.210 --> 00:04:00.370
Every word of God is flawless.
00:04:00.530 --> 00:04:03.330
He's a shield to those who take refuge in him.
00:04:03.650 --> 00:04:09.569
Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
00:04:09.810 --> 00:04:13.569
People try and force God's hand by saying God said.
00:04:13.810 --> 00:04:15.729
But in actual fact, that's not faith.
00:04:15.889 --> 00:04:19.169
That's foolishness or presumption.
00:04:19.409 --> 00:04:23.649
And we know that God will only complete what he has started.
00:04:23.889 --> 00:04:30.289
It says in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
00:04:30.529 --> 00:04:33.569
He's only obliged to finish what he's authored.
00:04:33.730 --> 00:04:40.289
It says in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6, he who started a good work in you will bring it to completion.
00:04:40.449 --> 00:04:44.129
If he didn't start the work, he is not obliged to complete it.
00:04:44.289 --> 00:04:48.689
So let's make sure before we take the risk, we've clearly heard from God.
00:04:49.170 --> 00:04:54.769
Before you step out, make sure you know that God has spoken to you.
00:04:55.250 --> 00:04:58.769
The second key we see in Joshua chapter 1 and verse 2.
00:04:58.930 --> 00:05:03.250
The Lord says, Moses, my servant, is dead.
00:05:03.410 --> 00:05:09.810
And in verse 5, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
00:05:10.050 --> 00:05:16.050
The second key is we need to leave the past behind to take a hold of our future.
00:05:16.209 --> 00:05:19.170
We need to leave behind past failures.
00:05:19.329 --> 00:05:21.810
We need to leave behind past successes.
00:05:21.970 --> 00:05:35.329
In Philippians chapter 3, Paul says this in verse 13, this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, I press on to the high call of God in Christ Jesus.
00:05:35.649 --> 00:05:40.769
God has promised us his presence and he has a wonderful future for us.
00:05:40.850 --> 00:05:43.889
He says, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
00:05:44.050 --> 00:05:50.850
And God has a plan and purpose for us, but in order for us to take a hold of what God has for us, we need to let go of the past.
00:05:51.089 --> 00:05:59.889
For Paul in Philippians chapter 3, it wasn't letting go necessarily of negative things, even though there were some negative things he had to let go of.
00:06:00.290 --> 00:06:02.769
He let go of some positive things.
00:06:03.009 --> 00:06:05.490
He put his confidence in his education.
00:06:05.649 --> 00:06:07.730
He put his confidence in his heritage.
00:06:07.889 --> 00:06:14.449
And sometimes God wants to get us to a place where we let go of those things and our confidence is firmly in Christ.
00:06:14.610 --> 00:06:23.009
That we know who we are in Christ and as such we go forward, knowing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
00:06:23.250 --> 00:06:25.970
The third key we see is in verse 3.
00:06:26.129 --> 00:06:30.930
In Joshua chapter 1, verse 3, he says, Now arise.
00:06:31.730 --> 00:06:39.009
The third key to taking risks that will help you and not harm you is to get the timing right.
00:06:39.170 --> 00:06:41.250
And man, I find this one difficult.
00:06:41.569 --> 00:06:48.930
So often we need to recognize that doing the right thing in the wrong time becomes the wrong thing.
00:06:49.170 --> 00:06:52.529
It's so important for us to recognize God's time.
00:06:52.769 --> 00:06:56.850
Joshua had waited 40 years to go into the promised land.
00:06:57.009 --> 00:07:04.689
If we go back and looked in our Bibles in Numbers chapter 13 and 14, when the twelve spies were sent in, he was numbered among them.
00:07:04.930 --> 00:07:07.250
Ten said no, two said go.
00:07:07.410 --> 00:07:10.769
Joshua and Caleb said, We can we well label, we can take the land.
00:07:11.009 --> 00:07:23.970
But uh as a result of the ten, and as a result of the response from the people, Joshua and Caleb had to wait a whole generation before they had the opportunity to go into the promised land.
00:07:24.209 --> 00:07:33.250
And you know, God's time is when we are ready, when everyone else involved is ready, and when it fits into God's master plan.
00:07:33.410 --> 00:07:41.730
I love the way it says in Psalm 31 and verse 15, our times are in His hands.
00:07:41.970 --> 00:07:55.649
And what we need to do is we need to prepare ourselves so that when the opportunity comes, we can seize the opportunity, we can take a hold of that opportunity and we can move forward into all that God has called us to.
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Success is when preparation and opportunity meet together.
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We should be preparing ourselves so that when the opportunity comes, we can seize that opportunity.
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We can seize the day, carpe diem, take a hold of all God has for us and pursue it.
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Get the timing right.
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Number four, the fourth key is to do our homework.
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Now we didn't actually read it, but in Joshua chapter 2 and verse 1, Joshua sent two spies into the land and told them, Go and look over the land.
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The fourth key to taking risks is to do your homework.
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We need to be diligent in the spiritual and in the natural.
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Proverbs chapter 21, verse 5 says, the plans of the diligent will prosper.
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Diligence is important.
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Jesus said we need to count the cost.
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It's important for us to count the cost before we go and start building something, before we pursue something.
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In Luke chapter 14, verse 25 to 33, it talks about how we need to count the cost and we need to keep monitoring, and if we get to a place where we realize we don't have enough to continue with this, we need to make sure that we as soon as possible start to make contingency plans.
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And I think that walking in faith doesn't mean that we leave our brains at the door.
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It involves us consciously saying, I'm hearing God, and by choice I'm responding to him.
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And uh and we know that we've heard him, but we also need to do our homework.
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We need to be diligent with these things.
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Key number five is to step out with courage.
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I love the fact that four times in as many verses in Joshua chapter one, Joshua is told, be strong and courageous.
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Be strong and courageous.
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If you have a clear word from God, if you know you're in God's timing, then step out with courage.
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Key number six, make sure that the risk you're taking is consistent with your call.
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In Joshua chapter 1, verse 7, the Lord says to Joshua, do not turn from it to the left or the right, that you may succeed wherever you go.
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We need to make sure that what we're doing is consistent with our call.
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Now, the call on Joshua's life, and we could read about this in Deuteronomy 31, verse 6 to verse 8, where Moses speaks to Joshua and says, God's called you to go and take these people into their inheritance.
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Again, he says it again in Joshua chapter 1.
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I've called you to take these people into your inheritance, verse 6.
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This was the call that God had on Joshua's life, and we need to make sure when we take a risk, it's consistent with our call.
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For example, make sure that what you're doing is what God has called you to do and not what God has called somebody else to do.
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For me to launch a singing career and to try and have a worship album would be crazy because uh I can't sing and I can't play a musical instrument.
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For me to feel like that's what I should be doing would not really work because that's not what God has called me to do.
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God's given me a specific call, and I need to pursue that call.
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And make sure when you take a risk, it's consistent with your call, that you're not stepping out foolishly or presumptuously, but you're staying focused on what God has called you to do.
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It's important for us to stay focused on what God has called us to do and not be distracted by all the needs, but to make sure we've heard from God and that we're responding to Him.
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And finally, number seven, the seventh and final key we're going to look at in this message today, for us to take risks that'll help us and not harm us, is uh to keep thinking, living, and speaking God's word.
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In Joshua 1 and verse 8, the Lord says, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.
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For then you will make your way prosperous and you will have good success.
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In the Amplified Bible it says, Then you will deal wisely in the affairs of life.
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We need to make sure that the very thing that got us where we are is the thing that we keep doing.
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And you know, because of your reliance upon God, because you heard from God, because you've taken his word, because you're living according to the principles of his word, because your your life is to pursue his call, don't stop doing those things, the basics, because God starts to give you some form of success.
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You'll continue having lasting success.
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Success that uh that God wants you to have when we keep doing the right thing, when we keep meditating on God's word.
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We speak keep spending time with Him.
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We keep we keep uh day and night living in a living, dynamic relationship with the Lord.
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So before you take a risk, I encourage you, make sure that you've looked at some of these things.
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Have you heard from God?
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Is it consistent with your call?
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Are you in a place where you've done your homework?
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Are you in a place where you're in God's time?
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If that's where you're at, be strong and courageous.
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God has a wonderful inheritance for you.
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He said, Ask me, and I'll give you the nations for your inheritance, the ends of the earth for your possession.
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I encourage you today.
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Let's take a hold of all that Christ Jesus has taken a hold of for us.
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God bless you.
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Be strong and courageous.
