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The book of Joshua talks about a story of conquest and fulfillment for the people of God. After many years of slavery in Egypt and 40 years in the desert, the Israelites were finally allowed to enter the land promised to their fathers. Abraham, always a migrant, never possessed the country to which he was sent, but he left to his children the legacy of God’s covenant that promises them to be the owners of the land of Canaan. (Gen 15:13, 16, 18 and 17:8)
Joshua was destined to turn that promise into reality. In fact, earlier on in his life Joshua was called Hoshea which means “salvation”. But later Moses changed his name to Joshua, meaning “The Lord saves” or “The Lord gives victory”.
Joshua 1: 1-9
Today, God wants to remind us that we are the spiritual Joshua, and our 12 schools are our first 12 promised land, where we will enjoy rest and prosperity.
The people during Joshua’s time wanted a land of their own, where they can rear their children, a place of shelter, a place of work and a place of enjoyment.
In the same way, we want to claim our schools for Jesus. We don’t want to be alien in our schools, where its’ always the secular influence that overcomes our biblical stand. No more fighting, flirting, smoking, backstabbing, selfishness, gossip, vulgar. We want to have our own people in the school. Every day we will meet together like what they did in Acts churches. We can find and build true and everlasting friendship with the people of God. Our CG can study together, with the same uniform, doing the same homework given by the same teacher in our own schools. We can knock on any of the classroom, to seek help or just share our sorrows with our church friends any day, any time.
Not everyone in the school may convert, but more and more people will come and know Jesus through us. Our community in school will grow, from a CG to a unit, from a unit to a sub-district, then to a district and so on and so forth. Then the people of God won’t remain as alien in God’s Promised Land, instead it will be those who have yet to come and know God who will be alien in the land of God’s people.
And today the good news is- God is giving the schools to us. He says that all authority on earth and heaven has been given to us. (Joshua 1:6, 9)
Last week, we witnessed the power of God when He moves. We had 34 converts + 1 more from West- 35! But do you think this is it? Is God such a miser God that He only gives 34 souls from our promised schools? Far from it! So what’s next?
A) Giving all honor and glory to God (Acts 12: 21-22)
B) Continue to pray and fast to rely on God
C) Serve with greater expectation and faith
i) Retention
ii) Outreach
We can do it people! God will be doing some incredible work among us this week once again! :D