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All right, amen, so we're in Joshua chapter 1 tonight and Just real quick. So you wonder why I'm up here not pastor Anderson. I'm not sure At how much Liberty I am to discuss where he's at, but he's on his way back You all saw the video that he's in in Ireland. So, you know that much at least but everything's fine. Everything's okay I know last time I think I got up here was kind of a rough announcement, but Nothing like that's going on. So everything's good. Don't worry about it. Don't sweat anything and Anyway tonight I want to preach about a leader's strength a leader's strength is the topic tonight and strength is something that's Very important that leaders must possess It's something that they have to have in order to be successful leaders And really a lot of what I'm gonna talk about tonight could apply You know more specifically to perhaps a pastor or leaders within a church But really we could apply it all of us to our own lives because we're probably all leaders to some respect in our lives whether we're fathers or You know mothers teachers or were even elder siblings teaching the younger ones being an example to them. So Joshua's somebody who represents, you know a great leader in the Bible He was somebody that we can look to and we can learn some things and really there's just three things Three areas where he was a very strong Leader and the first one I want to look at here in Joshua chapter 1 is the fact that he was strong to face the enemy that was one thing that we could say about Joshua is That he was able to face the enemy and he was able to do with strength if you're there in Joshua chapter 1 look at verse 1 where it reads now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the Son of nuns son of none Moses minister saying Moses my servant is dead now now therefore arise go over this Jordan and all that Thou and all this people under the land which I do give to them even the children of Israel Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you as I said unto Moses From the wilderness that is Lebanon even to the great river the river Euphrates All the land of the Hittites under the great sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your coast There shall not be able any man able to stand before the all the days of thy life as I was with Moses So will I be with thee? I will not fail thee nor forsake thee be thou strong and of a good courage So he says there in verse 5 He says that there shall not be able to be a man that would be able to stand against him which you know just infers And tells us the fact that there were going to be men that were going to stand against Joshua And if we've read the book of Joshua we know that's what the vast majority of the book of Joshua is is him going into land and defeating enemy after enemy after enemy and That might come to a shock to some people, you know in in greater, you know, Christian done Maybe not in this church in particular, but Christianity today It might come a little bit of a shock to even consider the fact and to think about That God actually has enemies that there's people out there that God would mark and say this is an enemy of mine But rest assured that God does have enemies. We know this to be the case now keep something there in Joshua chapter 1 and Go ahead and turn over to 1st Peter chapter 5 God has enemies That's why it's important for us a leader to be able to stand strong in the face of an enemy because God's people are going to have Have enemies and God has enemies now Those enemies often are spiritual enemies You know we would know we know that for sure that there that the Satan is one of his enemies and That his minions are his his the enemies of God The Bible says in Ephesians you're going to 1st Peter says finally my brethren be strong the Lord and the power is might Put on the whole armor of God They'd be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for he wrestled not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and powers against the rulers of darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places So we have a spiritual enemy today We have spiritual foes that withstand God and his work in high places You there in 1st Peter chapter 5 look at verse 8 be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walketh about As a roaring lion walk about seeking who me may devour So we see it right there that we have an adversary an enemy called the devil So we see we at first of all that a leader has to be able to stand strong because of the fact that we have enemies and those enemies often are spiritual But not only do we have spiritual enemies we do to some degree Have physical enemies as well in mankind. God has physical enemies now when I say that, you know, we have enemies I'm talking about the fact that because we are God's people and Though they have made and there are people out there that have made themselves enemies of God Then we mark them our enemies, you know, I we hate them that hate the Lord at least we ought to And God has has enemies even in mankind, you know, not just the spiritual enemies but actual enemies in amongst men and If you recall in 2nd Samuel when Nathan was rebuking David He rebuked him and for the sin of Bathsheba and he said to him how be it because by this deed I was given great occasions to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme So we know that God has enemies amongst men now if you would turn over to Deuteronomy chapter 7 Deuteronomy chapter 7 and of course, it's no Surprise to hear that God has enemies at physical enemies and spiritual enemies I mean Joshua had to go and physically defeat the enemies of the Lord He had to go in there and wage a literal physical war against these people in order to possess the land That was promised him now. It took some level of courage to do that it took some level of of Strength and courage and I'm able to go in and do what the Lord had commanded him to do Which is to defeat these enemies physically Now you have to admit the fact that it probably came a little bit more naturally to Joshua to be able to do this considering everything that he'd already gone through all the battles that he'd gone on the other side of Jordan all the things that he had seen With Moses coming out of the promised land or out of Egypt into the into the wilderness All the battles have been fought all the miracles that have been done I don't know that it took a whole lot of faith for Joshua to say yeah We're gonna go over there and possess this land. I'm sure it did I mean God did had to admonish him here to be of a good courage and to be strong and Certainly when he got over the other side, he saw Jericho fall I mean that had to be a real confidence boost to just see God bring down the walls of Jericho and He'd be able to just march right in and take over that land over that city So what we do also have to understand here is that he was still standing on the promises of God when he went in there It wasn't as if you know Joshua was able to just go in there without any doubt or any fear God had to admonish him to stand strong in the face Of God's enemies and if you look there in Deuteronomy chapter 7 Bible says in verse 7 and thou shalt say in thine heart these nations are more than I how can I dispossess them thou? Shall not be afraid of them but shall remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt The great temptations which thine eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the stretched out arm Whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out so shall the Lord thy God do unto all them of whom thou art afraid Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them until they are Until they are left and hid hide themselves from thee be destroyed thou shalt not be a frighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty and God and terrible and the Lord thy God will put on those nations before thee little by Little that thou may consume them at once lest the beast of the field increase But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction until they be destroyed And he shall deliver Lee in the hand Into thine hand and thou shalt destroy their their name from under heaven there shall no man be able to stand before thee Until thou hast destroyed them so when he was going in there and having to be strong to face this physical enemy He was still standing on this promise of God in fact That's what was repeated to him there at the end of that those verses in Deuteronomy 7 That's repeated in Joshua 1 if we notice that that there would be no man able to stand against him Now keep something in Deuteronomy and turn over to Romans chapter 12 So tonight we're talking about leaders now leaders have to be strong whether it be in a church Whether it be in a job setting whether it be in the home If you are a leader tonight, it's acquired of you to have strength, and I'm not talking just about physical strength now No doubt we shouldn't disregard physical strength I mean no doubt Joshua was was a very strong man I mean he was able to wage these wars and go out and that took a Deal a great deal of physical strength But more important that was the spiritual strength that he had to have and possess and display And it's important for us as leaders to have that kind of strength the strength to be able to strut to face the enemy Now of course You know physical confrontations today. They're not on that level right. We're not being told by God to go out and you know Dispose you know we push people out of a land and dispossess them and destroy them You know we we have a very different as New Testament believe is a very different battle We fight a you know a spiritual battle. We have a different goal. It's a spiritual one It's not an earthly possession that we're seeking well. We're saying we're seeking to take others into heaven We're going out fighting a spiritual battle when we go out soul winning and knocking doors In Fact we're even admonished in the old in the New Testament by Jesus often to to suffer evil to allow the enemies of God to Some degree to do what's wrong? Jesus said I say unto you that you resist not evil But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also So when it comes to this physical confrontation You know it's not that we should be Quick to just get in a scuffle with anybody that wants to bash us for our religion or what we believe at the door If we're outdoor us soul winning or anything like that You know Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world Then would my servants fight so we saw it We're not talking tonight about having about having to get into a physical battle with somebody We understand that in the end the physical is going to be one for us the physical and the spiritual now We fight the spiritual battle today We need strength for that, but we understand that the physical battle one day is going to be one as well But not by us if you're there in Romans chapter 12 look versus verse 17 where it says recompense to no man evil for evil Provide things honest in the sight of all men if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay sayeth the Lord so we know that we don't have to go out and fight a physical battle today Because of the fact that one day God's gonna fight it for us and one day that he will win that that he will take vengeance and he will repay Now it's not to say that we're never gonna have physical confrontations if you've been here for a little while You've probably seen one or two here right at church. There's been some physical Confrontations right now. What am I talking about? Well? It would you normally what we've seen here is You know protesters or people standing up and disturbing a service. You know they and they have to be physically Confronted and asked to leave and You know and I'm sure that's about the worst that we get it here But there are other places in the world where the physical persecution is much more real So we have to have the strength to be able to physically face God's enemies and We've seen people here that have to be physically dealt with you know and let's just have a little public service announcement right now For all of the the freaks and weirdos that are out there in YouTube land all the people that call this church and leave nasty voicemails and send Nasty emails a message and threaten how they're gonna You know come down here and cause a ruckus and things and things like that. It doesn't bode well for you That is the that is the public service announcement is that the freaks get bounced at F WBC they get bounced you know they get thrown across the room like a dirty shirt That's what's gonna happen if you come down here and try to start something You know it's good to just kind of throw it out there Just to kind of remind them every once in a while that if you come in and you want to start something You know you someone's gonna start something right back and drop you like yesterday's doughnut you know you're gonna you're gonna be showing the door and A leader has to have that that willingness to be able to do something like that and praise God We've got a leader like that I mean I've I've we had years ago some freak come in here and go around telling everybody that It was a she when it was a he or vice versa I can't remember and and basically a tranny who came in here and pastor Anderson had to confront the thing and You know what I was standing by just waiting and he and I got to lay hands on that freak and out the door So that kind of a physical confrontation does take place from time to time you know And we're not those types of people are not welcome here. You say well. You're not the pastor believe me I have the pastor's mind on this you know we're on the same page here The freaks and the fags and the weirdos aren't welcome here And if it comes down to having a physical confrontation with them that that's what that's what it takes So we see even to some degree we do have to have a little bit of strength to be able to Resist God's enemies physically you know and if you have a problem with a leader Physically removing the unruly then you're really gonna have a problem with Jesus Christ You know when he comes back on a white horse and devours the enemies You know when it when his word consumes them At Armageddon or how about when he went into the temple right and made a scourge of course and dray them out of the temple So you know consider that before you're quick to criticize somebody for throwing out some freak out of faithful word So we see first of all that leaders have to be strong that is a There's several different areas that we have to be strong the one area is that we have to be able to face the enemy Be it spiritually be it physically to whatever degree We have to be strong as leaders not only that but leaders must be strong to face The unknown that's something else that we have to be able to face if you would turn back to Joshua chapter 1 If if you're not there already Joshua chapter 1 It says in Joshua chapter 1 verse 9 have not I commanded thee be strong and of a good courage Be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the light Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest Now Joshua obviously he knew the region. He must have been familiar. I mean God told him a little bit about it About the coast, you know the great river Euphrates all the land of the Hittites So he was kind of familiar with the region But I don't think he knew a lot of the details and he certainly didn't know everything He knew that he was gonna go in and possess the land He believed that but I don't think he knew exactly how it all was gonna play out I'm sure he didn't understand everything that was gonna take place when he started to go into the land and start to battle I mean in chapter 1 he certainly didn't know about chapter 10 and if we know chapter 10 We know that's where after he defeats AI the Battle of the Five Kings they all they all freak out because he's coming in and he defeats AI and the five other kings get together and They start to you know They start a war and they take on the Gibeonites and Joshua has to go and deliver the Gibeonites What's he end up doing he has to march all night long and then he has to fight literally the longest battle on record Like the longest day on record he has to cause the earth or not the earth But the Sun to stand still and he has to go and into the well It was was the earth that stood still. Excuse me. Let me clarify that But from his perspective the Sun stood still so he had to go in there and the Sun stood still and he went in There and he had to fight that long battle. He didn't know that in chapter one. He didn't know about Everything that was gonna happen when he went into the land so we have to be strong to face the unknown He knew the promise of chapter one as it says there that the Lord will be with him whithersoever thou goest And if he had to go somewhere he knew that God was gonna be with him and that no matter what happened when he got there that God would be with him and This is something that we see a lot even in our own lives Especially when we want to apply it to perhaps like leaders in a church of pastors, for example They have to go out into uncharted territory a lot of times if they want to do the work of God you know we think of our pastor who's doing a lot of traveling going out having to Preach in different churches and hold these marathons and things like that and soul winning Times in different parts of the country and even in the world, you know And that's something that you don't always know what's gonna happen, you know, and when you get somewhere I mean pastor Anderson. He doesn't know half the time. He's gonna be let in the country You know, he has to go there and find out So we have to fake be able to face the unknown as leaders often And you know, that's why we should definitely try to cut our leaders You know our pastor some slack when he's traveling abroad and having to do all this and this work It's not just because he's out sightseeing and taking in, you know, the world. He's trying to do a great work He's trying to start something. He's trying to get a movement going, you know, and it's been successful So and you know, we think well, yeah, that's great. You know in that regard. We'll cut him some slack I don't think anybody here would ever object to that. Well, what about when he says hey, it's time to go to our Tukey All right, it's time to go to that unreceptive neighborhood Right. You should cut him some slack when you know, we asked to take that he says it's time to go soul-winning in that local Uncharted neighborhood that white big white spot over there on the south of South Mountain called our Tukey And you have to go there. I mean we have to go the Bible says we have to go to all all you know the whole world So we should be willing to go into that uncharted charity go face the unknown You know, that's a good tip for people who are you know? Maybe haven't started soul-winning because of the fear that they have of maybe they don't know what's gonna happen Then that door opens and who what that for how that person is going to respond I mean that's a legitimate fear that some people have they honestly worry about how they're going to be received at the door and The you know, the best advice is you know, just start going and if you go to an unreceptive neighborhood You'll get calloused real quick. You don't have to worry about it Like though you you'll get used to people being rude to you at the door And you'll realize real quick that the worst thing people can do is just say no or give you just a dirty Look and or say I'm not interested and you find out real quick that it's nothing really to even be afraid of Well, what about leadership within a family I mean that's really if you want to talk about facing the unknown that's that's another area Where we have to be strong as leaders is within our families And Especially when you start to consider the type of world that we're late raising our children in I mean we're raising kids today in an anti-christ society a society that's becoming more and more hostile to the things of God They're not becoming more Christian more friendly to the things of God. They're becoming more hostile to the things of God We're raising children in a godless culture They're the things that they're producing the films the you know, the movies the shows the music. It's not edifying It's not to cause your mind to dwell on the things of Christ It's to think on the things of the world to think on the things of Satan and and to defile you So that takes a little bit of courage and strength and a leader's part to raise a family today in this world And it's no reason to back down and say well, you know, I'm just not gonna get married I'm just not gonna have kids the world's too wicked. Now. That's a cowardly attitude. We need to have courage We need to have strength. We need to be able to be willing to do that and raise a godly seed You know think about this and perhaps even we could apply this a little more down Help this hit home a little bit more. We talked about homeschooling right mothers are gonna start homeschooling a child Especially when it's the first child it's time to start teaching that can be very daunting that can be very overwhelming To sit there and think that you have to educate that their whole Intellectual well-being, you know is resting upon your shoulders how smart they're going to be, you know is is depending on you That's a big responsibility It's huge and it can be very overwhelming I you know, I think one tip that my wife got early on was that you don't have to know Everything right out of the gate, you know, you don't have to be able to teach calculus in kindergarten You just have to be able to teach kindergarten right and then first grade That's the only grade you have to teach and then so on and so forth You just got to stay that one step ahead and you know for a lot of us if we're homeschooling It's kind of going back into uncharted waters, isn't it? Facing the unknown maybe more of the forgotten, you know, and that beyond remembered is what we're teaching But there is an element of that where we have to have the courage to be able to do that Especially when you have family that's gonna tell you, you know, you're crazy. What are you doing? You shouldn't be homeschooling You need to get those kids in a public school and and this and that you can receive a lot of blowback and a lot Of criticisms. It's gonna take some strength to be able to tow that line What about when we face the unknown of the promised tribulation that's going to come or the promise Persecution that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer if we're gonna live godly in Christ Jesus We shall suffer persecution. We don't always know what shape that's gonna take We don't always know how that's gonna come at us. We're facing the unknown and if we weren't strong, you know We if we weren't gonna be courageous about it, you know, we might say I don't want to face that You know, I don't know that it's worth it but it is worth it Excuse me, so we need to be strong in this area of facing the unknown And of course, there's that great tribulation that's coming. You know, we don't know when that's gonna happen. That's unknown We don't know what generation that's gonna fall out on to is it gonna be us? Is it gonna be our children our grandchildren? We don't know But we do know one thing that if we go through it the Lord will be with us just as he was with Joshua So we see first of all that leaders they have to be strong when they're facing God's enemies They have to be strong when they're facing The unknown but when the last plate when the last places I want to look is that leaders have to be strong To face the facts to face the facts. Now. What do I mean by that facing the facts a leader has to be strong to get up and call it like it is to tell it like it is to call a spade a Spade and just preach the Word of God and let the chips fall where they may look there in Joshua chapter 1 look at verse 7 Says in Joshua 1 verse 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 Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whether so ever thou goest Now it's interesting there and then the other two examples he said be strong and courageous be strong and courageous But here in this instance, he's saying be strong be very courageous. He puts an emphasis on this one And why is it why is that he has to be very courageous to do all the law You know, it's not always easy to do all the law. It's not always easy to carry out God's commandments There's certain things that a leader has to do Within a church or a family that require him to to carry out some hard things out of the Word of God Things that people aren't going to like things that are gonna rub people the wrong way It takes courage. It takes strength in order in order to do that. That's why he's emphasizing it here and saying be very courageous You see pastors they have to draw a hard line within the church if they're gonna do their job, right? I mean don't don't get me wrong. There's plenty of pastors out there there You know, they're they're soft as you know a kitten when it kind of comes this kind of thing They'll roll right over for the congregation. They won't draw any hard lines And you know what that doesn't require any strength that doesn't require them having to be courageous. That's easy That's the easy way to go But it takes some strength. It takes some courage to get up and actually tell it like it is to face the facts Pastors have to draw that hard line They have to they have to deal with sin in the church They have to be able to willing to call that out and deal with that in a church They have to be willing to call up and a false doctrine and call out the heretics I mean don't take that for granted don't think that a pastor just gets up that and that's just you know a walk in the Park that's you know, I I've been down in Tucson for a little while Thankfully I've had to do anything like that, you know, but I've been preaching down there for a little while not very very long You know, but I'm starting to get a sense of this a little bit That when you're dealing with people, you know, it's easy to say yeah when I get up there I'm just gonna rip face and I'm just gonna tell everyone how it is But when you're starting to face people week in and week out you get to know them You know their kids you start to care about them. You start to understand their situation I mean be real tempting to say boy if I preach this so-and-so might get upset. I don't want to hurt their feelings Well, that's cowardly. You know, you can't have that you can't have that kind of attitude You have to be willing to face the facts and tell it like it is no matter who gets offended No matter who gets upset because you're not doing people any favors by just not telling them what's wrong We're not helping them get things right in their life So pastors they have to draw a hard line within the church. They have to stand against in they have to deal with false doctrine And there's a lot of things that in the New Testament that the Bible says You know pastors are responsible for making sure these things aren't in a local church We won't take the time to turn there But in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and you know It talks about the fact that the fornicators the covetous the extortioners the idolaters They're not to be keep we're not to keep company with them the drunkards They're not allowed in church and you get caught in one of these sins, you know That's that's something you get called out for even publicly if that if it needs to be That's not easy to get up and always do I'm sure So You know when a preacher is calling out people or he's calling out sin and really this is the Application that we need to make for ourselves out of the sermon or one of them You know, we have to you know We're trying to get to the get you to understand the fact that leaders have to be strong. It's not optional They can't they can't you know, you know be wishy-washy. They have to take a hard stand. They have to be courageous They have to tell it like it is they have to be willing to preach the whole law You know then do all the commandments of God So when a preacher is doing that That's not the time to start expressing your disapproval of something about him That's not the time to express, you know, your discomfort with the situation Well, I just don't think you know that could have been handled differently. Well, you're not the pastor though You know, you're not the leader. You're not the one who has to do any of it You just get to sit back and have an opinion and there's nothing wrong with keeping an opinion to yourself you know that was It's funny but true, you know, I've said it once, you know Was a great day when I learned that I didn't even have to have an opinion You know everyone that's the thing like people think they always have to have an opinion about everything and make sure everybody knows about It and get on Facebook and tell everybody but you know Sometimes we don't even have to have an opinion about it. Let alone Express an opinion. So when a pastor is getting up and he's dealing with something, you know He's calling out somebody for being a Judas, you know And the facts are all laid out on the table and it's plain as the nose on your face that somebody's rotten to the core That's not the time to say well I just don't know how I feel about that and it's certainly not the time to come to your pastor and start attacking him Over that decision, you know if you feel that way fine just shut up and keep it to yourself And maybe you'll feel differently down the road maybe down the road you'll start to understand. Oh, he was right maybe you'll see some other things come to light and You'll start to understand that the pastor was indeed, correct He doesn't really need it for many of us I mean the preacher you think about it He receives enough blowback from the world as it is, you know, I've been the deacon for a few months now Let me tell you there's plenty of blowback and what I love about it is, you know A lot of these people that are trying to attack pastor Anderson They're they call and leave these voice messages and things they think that he's listening to him he's not you know and I I Guess I'll talk a little bit about a little behind the scenes here But there's this one freak that calls this church on a regular basis and leaves the most vulgar nastiest lengthy I'm talking minutes long like sometimes several times a week and it's been going on since like I don't know I Since I've been here and I now I know the guy's number like I go through the Google Voice I just see that number and you just click on it and it's just a list of like this with all the expletives bleeped out And it's just like delete Delete and he always starts everyone pastor Anderson. Like he's like pastor Anderson's actually gonna listen this and you know, I'm sorry Maybe I got in the flesh a little bit, but I finally I messaged him over the voice I said hey, I just want to let you know we screen out the freaks here, you know We we archive anything that's slightly threatening including yours and pastor Anderson hasn't heard a second of your ranting get a life You know and he and he responds with like You know calls some more expletives and I was just like, yeah think of all that time you wasted Could have been doing something with your life. I don't know why I'm going off on that, but I Thought it was funny But you know Pat that's it the preacher he receives enough blowback from the world He doesn't need it from the people he's trying to leave the people he's trying to protect the people he's trying to Strengthen in the Christ and and and and to pastor and to lead them to come to him and ask him and and express their Disapproval about how he's going about doing it Because he already has to draw a hard line look at verse 8 Look at verse 8 the Bible says this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein Night and thou that thou mayest observe to do according to all that has written therein It's interesting there He's telling him basically they asked to be very courageous to do all the law and that that law should not depart out of his mouth Now what's it doing his mouth? You know, it's not he's not chewing on it It's in his mouth because he's speaking it He wants him to be speaking all of these things the law should be what's being spoken out of his mouth You know it takes strength to teach the Word of God to teach the commands of God Not just knowing what they are and understanding them able expounding them but to take the ones that are hard to take the ones that are difficult to take the ones that people don't like to hear and Get up and teach those and have those in your mouth when you're behind the pulpit that takes strength And why is that? Why is it that it takes strength to do that? Because the people that are being taught often they are they are led the people that are led by those that would teach They're prone to err they're prone to err they're prone to sin we all are we're all sinners You know nobody in here is perfect, you know the and pastors and preachers. They don't have to go around, you know wondering You know what sin they can preach on that's gonna offend somebody if you preach at all It's gonna fall in somebody's lap eventually because nobody's perfect because nobody's you know arrived So it takes strength be able to do that because people you know, they they mess up it's gonna fall in their lap one day And you think about the example of Achan right here in the book of Joshua You know Joshua had to have the strength and courage to carry out God's command I mean don't you think that was a pretty hard command that God gave Joshua to take this man? Who had defiled the children of Israel by taking of the accursed thing? To take that man and his possessions and his children and his wife and stone them and burn them I mean, thank God we don't ever get that put on us. That's a tough one That's that's really hard that must have taken some real strength on Joshua's part to be able to carry that out See preachers they have to be strong to preach the whole council of God Not just the stuff that people like not just everything the stuff that gets people's motors going or makes them feel feel good I mean, that's why Paul had to charge Timothy before God He says I charged thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove Rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine he had to charge him with that and not just say hey Paul or hey Timothy It's just Paul saying this he say look I'm charging you before God himself that you preach in this manner and what was the manner and what she was to preach To reprove to rebuke to exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine If you look there in Joshua chapter 8 go to Joshua chapter 8 I Want to actually read a little bit of the story to kind of let that settle in a little more It says in Joshua chapter 8 verse 28 and Joshua burnt Ai and made it a heap forever Even a desolation of this day and the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide and as the Sun was gone was down Joshua commanded that they should take his carcass down from the tree and cast it at the entering of the gate and Raised there upon a heap of great stones that remain at the end of this day now I kind of I can't just walk by this verse without kind of commentating a little bit here because I Mean good night. How much does the guy have to get it? I mean he gets killed and he gets hung on a tree then he gets thrown back in the gate Then he has stones piled on him. I mean what what there's there's proving your point, right? There's defeating your enemies and then there's like making an example out of them and that's really what's going on here I mean, he's not just killing the king and going on He's killing the king hanging him on a tree throwing him in the gate and then piling up stones a great Heap of stones upon him that remained unto this day. He's making an example, you know a lot of times We'll see the pastor do that we'll see a preacher get up on that and you know some some heresy comes out in the church right and Someone gets exposed as being as just as heretic gets kicked out and then it's just you know back-to-back sermons on the Trinity It's stone upon stone upon stone upon stone just over and over a month later another another Trinity sermon It's you know 50 Trinity moments on YouTube. There's a playlist So why does the pastor have to keep going on and on about it because he's piling up on stones on this person Because he's making an example out of somebody because it's not just enough sometimes to just defeat your enemy You have to make an example out of them So it's a hard line It's you could see where it starts to take some strength to be The preacher to be the pastor to be the leader be it in a church setting be in your own home It takes strength look at verse 30 then Joshua built an altar under the Lord God of Israel Mount Ebal as Moses the certain of the Lord commanded the children of Israel as Is written the book of the law of Moses an altar of whole stones which no man hath lift up any iron Up any iron they offered there on burnt offerings under the Lord and sacrifice and peace offerings And he wrote upon there upon the stones a copy of the law which Which of Moses which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel? Look at verse 34 afterward He read all the words of the law the blessings and the cursings According to all that has written the book of the law there was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before the congregation of Israel with the women and the little Ones and the strangers that were conversant among them So he's got to draw this hard line and he has to remind these people of who God is That God isn't just you know sunshine and roses and puppy dogs and rainbows That there's a real serious side to God and if you get on God's bad side That's not a good place to be and if we could went and if you were to go account You know when he reads the blessings and the cursings there's more cursings than blessings God spends more time warning people about the cursings that will come upon them if they Disobey him than he does telling them about the blessings that will come if they do obey him And he gets up and he reads all of these words and he writes it upon a rock He's putting it in their faces and he wants them to remember these things And he says there that he did that all that is written. That's what he preached That's what he taught everything that was in the book. The whole law was in his mouth Now too many preachers today. They refused to preach all that is written. They don't preach everything that's in here In fact, there's passages. There's parts in here. They go right around it They'll go. Whoops. We'll just skip that chapter Leviticus 2013, huh? You know, no, we're not gonna read that one Judges 19 no We'll go by that story Romans 1 we like the first half, you know and they have some cute ways of getting around it and People like them don't they? Those kind of guys are popular aren't they? They sure they are I mean they have thousands of people go look at Joel East Joel Osteen's Church go look at these guys. They're just nothing but sweetness and light They have they they are very well liked but I got a question. Are they respected they have any respect really? You see in there you say well why are there so many of these preachers that are like that how can they're so popular Because people are content to let preachers be that way because people want it that way They like to hear the smooth things. There's a supply and demand out there, right? They say oh, you know We just want to hear the nice soft easy things of the Word of God a lot of people like that The devil's like well, I got your man for you. You know, I could I could fill that need He's happy to provide those type of preachers So it takes strength to get up and to preach the whole counsel of God that's why so few preachers are willing to do it and to Maybe perhaps step on someone's toes or worse It takes strength for leaders to be consistent What's interesting about Joshua is that he preached the same message The blessings the cursings he preached that same message his whole life go to Joshua 24 You see him preaching it and reminding them there when he's when he's you know rehearsing the law in their ears and Putting up on the stone now here at the end of his life The Bible says where he's well stricken in years where he's very old Doesn't Joshua 24 14 after Joshua gets done just you know Reciting the entire history of the children of Israel up to that point reminding of them who they are What God had done for them and why they need to serve him he says in verse 14 Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods What your father served on the other side of flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord and if it eat seem evil Unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve Whether the gods of your father whether the gods what your father served that are another side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites and whose land you dwell, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord I mean that was always Joshua's message. He was always consistent with that serve God do right that was his message his whole life That's what he preached And take strength to do that especially into your old age when you're well stricken in years I mean a lot of pastors, you know might just say you know what I'm gonna give up the fight I've been fighting this fight a long time and I'm old man now I'm just gonna take it easy and coast and let let other people it's not gonna You know, I've only got a little bit further to go You know, you know, it's gonna be it's not gonna be any skin off my teeth if things go bad So it takes some real integrity to do that take some strength to take some courage And it's interesting when he tells them there. He says that he wants them to serve him They want him to serve God in what in sincerity and truth I mean, that's really all leadership wants people to do is just be real Just to be real with God because if you're real with God, you'll be real with everybody else The pastor don't have to worry about your whether or not you're a you know A fake or a backstabber or you just some flake or something if you're real with God, you know You don't have to worry about that. That's why pastors and preachers and leaders That's what they want more than anything for their people is just like Joshua to serve God in sincerity and truth That's where they're trying to get everybody You See we'll respect leadership when we are sincere with God when we're sincere with God We'll automatically respect the leadership that God has put in our life If you've still got something in Deuteronomy, I know I told you to keep something there a while ago But if you still got something in Deuteronomy go over to 34 Deuteronomy 34 verse 9 if not, I'll read it to you It's just one verse and Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom For Moses had laid his hands upon him and the children of Israel harken unto him and Did and did as the Lord commanded Moses now, there's not a lot that's kind of a lackluster verse I mean Moses is dying He's passing off the mantle unto Joshua and it just says there that the that the children of Israel They harken unto him and I said, okay, we'll do what he says But it's not like they were you know, really doesn't seem to me like they're real excited about Joshua It doesn't seem like they're really all in with Joshua, but they'll harken to him. I mean, it's the guy Moses picked So we'll we'll go we'll go along with it. I mean after all it was Moses, right? So Moses knows what he's doing Well look in Joshua chapter 4 look at Joshua chapter 4 It's interesting what happens later not soon thereafter Or shortly thereafter, excuse me When Joshua does take over and starts to lead them in the promised land their attitude kind of changes towards Joshua It says in verse 11 it came to pass of course, this is when they're coming over the river Jordan They're going into the land of indicating land. They're growing to ready to start fighting these battles They're going into battle the war that says in verse 11 it came to pass and all the people were clean passed over that the ark of the Lord passed over and the priests and the presence of the people and the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the children of Israel as Moses spake unto them about 40,000 prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle to the plains of Jericho on that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they feared Moses all the days of his life So he's read that in Deuteronomy 34 how they're like they hearken unto him then we get here where it's he's magnified in their sight And they fear him as they feared Moses all the days of his life now what happened? Well, it's right there in those verses, isn't it? Of course you could say well It's probably because of the fact that he dried up You know the Jordan dried up for Joshua right there and they passed over we got to remember I mean they saw that not they didn't see it But they heard they and their parents saw The fact that the red when the Red Sea was split and they passed over that Now when they came out on the other side of Red Sea did they have a lot of respect for Moses? They chode with they they tried with Moses in the wilderness, didn't they? They were crumbling complaining all the time. It didn't seem like they had a whole lot of respect for him So I don't think it's necessarily because of the fact that Jordan River dried up that they were now fearing Joshua I think it's because Of what happened what they saw it says there the children of Reuben the children of Gad passed over armed before the children of Israel prepared for war unto battle They saw the fact that it was getting real that that they're now going to war This wasn't just some pipe dream off in the distance. This is just someday. We're gonna go over there It's at their door. They're actually doing it. It's there. It's getting real They're going to battle now and what happens they fear Joshua. They say man This guy is leading at this really happening. This guy is really doing it We're really going to battle now and they have this newfound respect for their leader You see we'll respect our leaders if we'll follow them into battle And that's why it's important to follow your leader into battle You know when the when the when the heat comes from the world or the devil the enemy wants to attack And there's a fight going on. That's not the time to back out That's not the time to you know to quiver and shake and get away from the battle That's the time to get in it And what you'll find is that you'll respect the leader a little bit more if you haven't weren't already You see it was the reality of the battle is the reality of war. I believe that exalted Joshua So, you know in closing I just kind of want to make the point What's the point of sermon of getting up here and telling you about how leaders are supposed to be strong? I mean, we're all going to be leaders to some degree But are we all going to be pastor someday? Are we all going to lead a church? Are we all going to be you know, leading our own whatever probably not, you know A lot of people aren't going to be leading in the local church That's not really the point of the sermon the point of the sermon is that we understand that it takes strength to be a leader To take these hard lines to make these hard decisions to call out sin and heresy and and to go into battle and to fight these fights And what I really want us as a body to do is to be grateful for strong leaders That's the point of the sermon is that we would be grateful and understand the strength that it takes to be a leader We ought to give heed to what they teach by word and example And we're talking about strength about them being strength. You know what so, you know, we should be strong as well I mean, they're the example, you know, if they're strong it's not just so that we can admire it It's because we ought to be following their footsteps and be strong as well. You know your pastors and the church leaders They're kind of like they're like your spiritual physical trainers You know, they're gonna make you sweat. They're gonna make you have to do some work They're gonna make you, you know, lift the weights and do the work if you're gonna stick around And why is it important why is it important that we you know Have be grateful for strong leaders and that we ourselves are strong as leaders because we have enemies They're also being led by their leaders and they're being strengthened and they're becoming bold and they're becoming very powerful in their own way The Bible says in Philippians 3 brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk So as you have us for an example for many walk of whom I have told you often tell you now weeping That they are the enemies of the cross of Christ and we ought to follow leaders because we have enemies We are in a battle, you know We should see the man of God exalted and learn to fear and respect The man of God because of the fact that we are in a spiritual battle Whether we realize it or not You know and some people they despise strong leadership it rubs them the wrong way and They would probably despise this message. They say oh, you're just you know, you're just sucking up You know, he's your boss. You have to be nice in the pulpit, right? You got it. You got a teacher spec No, it's it's a reality that we need to face You know, we are in a spiritual battle. Are we not? I mean do we is it are we really blind to the fact that the world is is not our not our friend That they're not fans of the Bible anymore around here that they're gonna be coming against us They despise strong leadership a lot of people despise it because it starts to hit home They despise it when the pastor gets up and starts to hit on their sin starts to deal with their problems We have to understand that we should be grateful for strong leaders because of the fact that strong leadership is for our own good It's for our own good go to Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews chapter 13 Bible says in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves For they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief For that isn't profitable for you That's you know, it's interesting how that verse ends it's unprofitable for you I mean, yeah the leader he asked if he has to give a bad account of what took place down here When we get to heaven and he has to give account of the people that were under his charge You know so-and-so just you know What can I say I tried? And he's gonna have to hang his head, but is that gonna be unprofitable for him. It's gonna be unprofitable for you You know, you're the one who's gonna suffer if you don't want to follow the leader You're the one who's gonna suffer if you want to you know buck at the preaching of God's Word. You're the one So Just to kind of brief summary here and just kind of conclude kind of know I kind of was a little bit Around, you know a different thing a little bit over the all over the place, but just to kind of bring this thing home You know as leaders must be strong, you know, that's the title of the sermon is a leader's strength and they must be strong why to face the enemy because we have an enemy there's an enemy out there that dessert that needs to be fought and They need to be able to be strong and to face the unknown You know, there's a lot of things in life as leaders that we're not gonna see coming We're not gonna we're not gonna know all the details We just have to step out in faith and know that's where God wants us and he'll be with us They have to be strong to face the facts to tell it like it is And we have to understand as a body that leaners are there for our own good and if you doubt that if you don't think leadership's there for you, just go without one for a while and See how that goes for you Just go back out on your own go vagabond go out there and just be a lone ranger and see how that goes for you See how you fare spiritually with outside of a local church without any kind of authority, you know, spiritually speaking you know the the teenagers can go out and go ahead go ahead rebel against your parents and Cast off the things that they've taught you and see how that goes for you out there You know, the leadership is there for our own good And if you don't believe that you'll find out the hard way that that's it is the fact The leaders should be respected. You know, they're the ones that are leading us into war into battle They should be respected for their consistent example You know, it takes a takes a lot of strength to live for God over a course of a lifetime That's not easy to do. I mean You know, I've people come and go all the time, you know, I know sometimes life takes people You know because of circumstances beyond their own control and they have to But and that's not always the case. I mean some people they just flake out. They can't take it the heats too much for them You know, they don't want to serve God because the persecution that shall come to those that live godly in Christ Jesus It takes strength to live a consistent life for God So, you know really the point is, you know We shouldn't despise leaders for their strength Because of all these things because the things that they have to do Is the fact that their own for they're there for our own good We should respect them and not despise them for their strength, but rather we should be thankful that they are strong leaders Let's go ahead and pray family father again. Thank you for Lord, thank you for leadership. Thank you for the institution of the local church. Thank you for the family Thank you for an authority structure that you've given to us in our lives and Lord help us to respect it to understand it and Lord as leaders to Lord be strong as we ought to be for you so that we can help those that we lead We ask you to bless the rest of the night in Jesus name. Amen