4 Steps of Courage into Uncharted Territory
Joshua 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 7 viewsJoin us as we explore Joshua 3 and discover how to follow God into uncharted waters with faith and courage. This inspiring message outlines four practical steps for navigating unknown paths: letting God lead, preparing yourself through full commitment, trusting His plan, and identifying obstacles with wisdom and faith. As we embark on the journey to our new land and building, this sermon will challenge and encourage you to step forward boldly, trusting in God’s power, provision, and purpose every step of the way. Don’t miss this powerful word about following the Lord into the extraordinary!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
We are disciples of Jesus Christ.
Meaning we have renounced the ways of this world and follow the way of Christ.
We walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We are in the process of forming new discipleship groups. These are groups of 3 or 4 followers of Christ with a Spiritual mentor to guide you into the fruit of the Spirit. If you’ve never walked this path with other brothers and sisters, it’s time.
I feel like we’ve all gotten into a boat and shoved off from one piece of land and we are headed to new destination. And as we push off people begin to ask:
Is the trip dangerous? There is danger along the way.
Will there be storms on this sea? More than likely.
Will it be rocky? In some spots.
Will there be waves? For sure.
Have you charted the course? Yes we have
Will we make it to the other side? Yes we will
Reliant is moving into uncharted territory.
We have never built a community center before.
We have never effected the community on this level before.
We have never raised the amount of capital we need to build.
We have never had as many people as the Lord is going to bring.
In many ways we are in uncharted waters.
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.
4 Steps of Courage into Uncharted Territory.
4 Steps of Courage into Uncharted Territory.
Let God Lead the Way
Let God Lead the Way
Key Thought: The path may be unfamiliar to you, but God knows it intimately. Trust Him to go before you.
Follow the Leader:
Follow the Leader:
Leader Lesson One: Great leaders rise early to seek the Lord, ensuring they have something worth following.
Leader Lesson One: Great leaders rise early to seek the Lord, ensuring they have something worth following.
If you don’t know where you’re going get out of the drivers seat.
The Lord is the guide into uncharted territory. Jesus described the religious leaders of his day as blind guides.
14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Follow the Lord
Follow the Lord
Follow His Word: The Bible is not just ancient; it’s a living, reliable roadmap.
Follow His Word: The Bible is not just ancient; it’s a living, reliable roadmap.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Follow His Spirit: The Holy Spirit whispers truth into your heart when the path feels unclear.
Follow His Spirit: The Holy Spirit whispers truth into your heart when the path feels unclear.
4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”
My Brother’s Cocker Spaniel Mandy
Don’t get out ahead of God
Don’t get out ahead of God
Watch the movement of the Lord and then follow. It takes all the guessing out of it.
Watch the movement of the Lord and then follow. It takes all the guessing out of it.
Many follow anticipating the next move. If your not careful you get juked.
Many follow anticipating the next move. If your not careful you get juked.
Me playing cornerback.
“Your present pathway is new to you, but it is not new to your God.”
C.H. Spurgeon. June 23, 1872
2. Prepare yourself.
2. Prepare yourself.
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Key Thought: Preparation fuels the courage to step into the unknown.
Consecrate Yourself: To consecrate means total dedication.
Consecrate Yourself: To consecrate means total dedication.
Like the pig in breakfast, full commitment is required—not partial participation.
Like the pig in breakfast, full commitment is required—not partial participation.
Walking with God into uncharted territory demands your whole heart. Half-heartedness won’t suffice.
Walking with God into uncharted territory demands your whole heart. Half-heartedness won’t suffice.
Live in Expectation
Live in Expectation
Live in anticipation of the might works of God in and through your life.
Live in anticipation of the might works of God in and through your life.
When you take risks to follow the Lord, He rewards you with His wonders.
When you take risks to follow the Lord, He rewards you with His wonders.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ”
Leader Lesson Two: Wherever God leads, He provides. As you experience His power, remember to give Him the glory.
Leader Lesson Two: Wherever God leads, He provides. As you experience His power, remember to give Him the glory.
3. Trust the Plan
3. Trust the Plan
Key Thought: God’s instructions may defy logic, but they’re always purposeful.
9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
God does new miracles for a new Generation
God does new miracles for a new Generation
The parting of the Red Sea was 40 years ago.
The parting of the Red Sea was 40 years ago.
God reveals himself to the new generation with new wonders.
God reveals himself to the new generation with new wonders.
The Plan of God always accomplishes the purpose of God even when you don’t understand it.
The Plan of God always accomplishes the purpose of God even when you don’t understand it.
As crazy as they might sound they might just save your life.
As crazy as they might sound they might just save your life.
Trust the plan and know that God has a purpose for your life. Nothing he commands is in vain.
Trust the plan and know that God has a purpose for your life. Nothing he commands is in vain.
4. Map out the obstacles and Obey.
4. Map out the obstacles and Obey.
Key Thought: Faith is not blind—it’s intentional and informed.
Put your obedience in front of your obstacles
Put your obedience in front of your obstacles
“Oh God if you get me out of this mess then I will...” instead say, “Oh God I will obey and let you work out the rest.”
14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
Recognizing your obstacles doesn’t mean doubting God; it’s about preparing wisely while relying on Him.
Recognizing your obstacles doesn’t mean doubting God; it’s about preparing wisely while relying on Him.
Netflix: The Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jordanson mapped out The Dawn wall before they free-climbed it.
They repel down first and map out each hold on the wall before trying to free-climb it.
3 Takeaways for the Congregation
1. Keep God in the Lead: Trust His timing and direction, even when the way feels unclear.
2. Fully Commit: A life set apart for God is the foundation for courage in uncharted territory.
3. Follow Faithfully: Trust His plan, prepare for obstacles, and move forward in obedience.
R-Group Questions
1. What does it mean for you to let God lead in your current circumstances? Where might you need to step out of the driver’s seat?
2. How can you practically consecrate yourself this week to prepare for what God wants to do in and through you?
3. What obstacles are you facing, and how can you map them out while trusting God to bring you victory?
