Breakthrough Amidst Great Challenge | Luke 1:39-45
Elyria Church of the Nazarene
Sunday, July 18,2021
Breakthrough Amidst Great Challenge!
Luke 1:39-45 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
“Don’t let what you see make you forget what
I said.”
Breakthrough Amidst Great Challenge!
Conditions for Breakthrough…
Joshua 3:1-5 1Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[about 1000 yards] between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
Joshua 3:1 1Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
And Joshua rose early in the morning; (KJV)
Respond Immediately!
Spontaneous reaction…
Unthinking response…
Joshua 3:1-2 …Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp,
Respond Courageously!
They had 3 days to look at the Jordan…
It took a courageous response for the people of Israel to move forward!
Joshua 3:14-16a 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.
God Can Make It Happen…
“When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, ‘He's so big we can never kill him.’ David looked at the same giant and thought, ‘He's so big I can't miss.’" (Victor)
Joshua 3:2-3 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.
Recognize the Presence of God!
Recognize, acknowledge, respect…
Hosting His Presence…
Joshua 3:4a 4a Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.
Recognize God is at Work!
When we are “all in” – “consecrated” - doors open for “amazing things” of God’s handiwork to unfold!
Joshua 3:13 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
Joshua 3:17 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
They encountered God’s supernatural intervention!
“Never measure God’s unlimited power by our limited expectations or experiences.”
Romans 8:31 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?