July 25, 2021

God Can Use Anyone

Passage: Joshua 1:1-9
Service Type:

God can use anyone

Joshua 9:1  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

2  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

3  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

4  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

5  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right

 8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God can use anyone, but you must be willing

 

Throughout history, God has always used the least qualified and the most unqualified to provoke change. God even uses quitters, as the Bible demonstrates through the life and ministry of Peter. God can use people who fail, curse and betray Him like Judas.

 I.  Joshua

    A.  He had courage

 Joshua 1:7  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

    B.   He had faith

Joshua 3:5 H And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you

      C.  He feared the Lord

Joshua 4:24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

      D.  He was persistent & steadfast

Joshua 23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

8  But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.

II.  Fisherman

  1. Disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, & John)

Matt. 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

 

III.  Murderers

  1.    Paul - became a great leader

Acts 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

      2.  David - man after God’s own heart

II Sam 11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

 

Ps 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

 

Act 13:32  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

 

    3 .Moses  -  led the children of Israel

Ex. 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

 

Ex 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

III.  Women:

  1.   Phoebe

Rom. 16:1  I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

2  That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

 

     2.    Priscilla

Romans 16: 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

 4   Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

      3.  Esther

Esther 8:11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

 

Conclusion: Step out of the box, do things you have never done before.

 Example  -  Abraham

 Gen. 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

4  So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

 

 

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