Trinity Fellowship Assembly of God

Becoming a Crossover Person – Part 1

Joshua 3-4 Pastor Tom Squashic

MAIN THOUGHT: Every believer can become a crossover person by paying attention to the commands of Joshua.

BACKGROUND: Imagine what it would be like to be a 40+ year-old adult who had been marching in the wilderness your whole life time. Now you stand on the banks of the Jordan River, which is overflowing its banks at flood stage. You are anticipating entering the Promised Land, a promise given to your relative, Abraham, some 700 years before. Will I actually cross over this huge river and enter the land of Canaan? Or will I give way to unbelief and become just like my mother and father?

The words “cross over” used 17 times in Joshua 3:1 to 5:1.

Crossover “something with tremendous epic significance”

– crossing a boundary – physical, political, moral

“Crossing over the Jordan meant entering a new kind of life in the Promised Land, a decisive transition – inheritance and finding ‘rest’.”

– dangerous moments of a new beginning – emphasizes the decisive nature of this moment in the history of the Hebrew people and distinguishes it from everything that had gone before.

– opportunities fraught with tremendous potential difficulties (Jordan at flood stage)

“Move out from your positions and follow it.”

Joshua 3:3 NIV “giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.’”

Position of being “in Christ” – Ephesians 1:3

Ephesians 1:3 NKJ “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”

Position of your authority as a believer

Ephesians 2:6 NKJ “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

Position of order – 12 tribes arranged by God to move as a unit

Position of submission – willing to take their places

Move out…and follow. – Time to get out of your rut

Individual Crossover Times

birth – from womb to the world

childhood crises – bike stolen, hit on head with a rock

teenage years – crowd you chose to run with

salvation experience – from death into life

baptism in the Holy Spirit – into a new supernatural power

healing – Dad’s healing – changed him

college – moral decisions

job

marriage

crisis experience – accident, fired from job,

40th / 50th birthdays – a milestone

divorce

disease

death – The final crossover!

“Then you will know which way to go.”

Joshua 3:4 NIV “‘Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before…’”

Knowledge / understanding follows obedience, not before.

Psalm 111:10 NKJ “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who DO His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

“‘Consecrate yourselves…the Lord will do amazing things among you.’”

Joshua 3:5 NIV “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’”

God can only lead a holy people.

To Be A Crossover Person, You Must…

Think forward. Don’t get stuck in the past or the present.

Let go of bitter experiences. forgive, let go, give it over

Have a focused outlook. eyes on Jesus, off tail-spin people,

dwell on possibilities with God, promises / power of God

Be obedient. You do not have to understand what God tells you. Just do it! (“Stand in the river.”)

Stop negative mind chatter. Talk back with faith-filled words.

“I am walking in faith!” 2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 1:17; Gal. 3:11

“I am not afraid!” Psalm 3:6; 27:1; 56:3, 11; 112:7

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Phil. 4:13

“I have abundance of grace…” Romans 5:17

“By God’s grace, I am able.” 2 Timothy 2:1; Hebrews 4:16

“The Lord is my Helper.” Psalm 30:10; 54:4; John 14:16, 26; 16:7

Fill yourself with Scripture.

Colossians 3:16 NKJ “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”

Be saturated with God’s thoughts and ways of thinking.