July 2, 2025 • 38 mins
What does it truly mean to finish strong in life? In this powerful exploration of Joshua's farewell message, we discover that finishing strong isn't about perfection—it's about living to please God every day.
Through a humorous story about GPS directions gone wrong, we see how our stubbornness often leads us to wrong destinations despite clear guidance. This mirrors our spiritual journeys where we frequently rely on our limited understanding rather than God's eternal wisdom. The central message emerges with crystal clarity: with our power, we finish wrong; with God's power, we finish strong.
Joshua's final address to the Israelites reveals three essential keys to finishing strong. First, remember God's provision—He fights your battles. Looking back at what God has already done provides courage for facing current challenges. Whether you're battling depression, financial strain, relationship difficulties, or spiritual warfare, God stands ready to fight for you.
Second, recognize the cost of sin. Joshua warns that compromise with worldly values becomes "a snare and a trap," eventually destroying what God intends to bless. This isn't about God's rejection but about the natural consequences of choosing paths contrary to His design. As the message powerfully states: sin costs more than you want to pay and keeps you longer than you want to stay.
Finally, make a definitive choice to serve God. Joshua's famous declaration—"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"—follows his challenge to "choose this day whom you will serve." There's no middle ground, no merely "trying" to follow God. The urgency of this choice becomes painfully clear through the story of a man who repeatedly refused Christ even on his deathbed.
Ready to finish strong? Remember God fights your battles, run from sin toward Jesus, and choose to serve the Lord today—because tomorrow isn't promised. What battles are you trying to fight alone? Which throne in your heart holds your ultimate allegiance?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we have been going through a sermon series through
the book of Joshua, and today'ssermon is on finish strong.
Somebody say finish strong,finish strong.
Okay, that was decent.
One more time Finish strong,finish strong.
So a couple months ago my momcame to visit me.
She came here and again, I'vebeen here since October, so less
(00:20):
than a year.
So I still kind of get confusedon where the stores are over in
Hiram.
I'm like, is it on the rightside, the left side?
I don't know yet.
So my mom, we were in the car.
My mom said, hey, I wanna go toSmoothie King.
I'm like, all right, cool, Igot you.
Mom, boop boop, boop, boop.
You know, I don't know whereit's at.
When you get up here you'regonna turn right.
And my mom looked at me and shewas like nah, I don't think
(00:47):
that's right.
I was kind of surprised becauseI'm like well, I don't.
No, mom, hey, mom, when you goup here it's gonna be on the
right.
Then my mom again looked at meas she's driving.
She's like, nah, just, I'm sureit's by Walmart.
And so I'm getting a littlefrustrated.
(01:10):
I mean, I love my mom.
Okay, all right, let's be clear.
But I'm getting frustratedbecause one, she ain't listening
to me.
Two, I'm looking at the GPSright here and I'm seeing it,
and so I show her the phone.
I said, mom, look it.
Says it's up here on the right.
Like I showed her the GPS.
And you know what she said?
No, I just no.
I really think it's up here byWalmart and I'm like you gotta
be kidding me.
So I just stopped talking.
I'm like you know what I'm done.
I'm done, I'm not gonna sayanything.
(01:30):
So I'm watching on the phone aswe're driving.
It's, you know, 9 miles away, 5, 2, .1.
Guess where it's at.
It's on the right, and guesswhat we do?
We drive right by it, we getinto and I'm just, I'm like I
can't understand what'shappening.
So we get into the Walmartparking lot and after my mom
(01:52):
drives around again looking forSmoothie King, that isn't there,
she stops the car and she looksat me and she goes all right,
where's it at?
So, my mom, she finished strong.
All right, where's it at?
So, my mom, she finished strong, but she finished strong in the
(02:14):
wrongway.
So the question for you todayis have you ever finished
something only to realize youended up in the wrong place?
Because sometimes we think weknow best and sometimes we try
to tell God what to do.
Hey, god, I want it this way.
Now we do a little backstreetboys.
(02:36):
We say, god, I want it thatway.
But the truth is, when wefollow what we want to do, the
Bible says in Proverbs, chapter14, there is a way that seems
right to a man, but its end isthe way to death.
Too often we want to do what wewant to do and we want to
(02:58):
finish strong in how we think weshould finish strong.
But we are specifically talkingabout finishing strong for God.
Dr Stephen Covey says it thisway it's incredibly easy to get
caught up in an activity trap.
Anybody busy around here, inthe busyness of life, to work
(03:21):
harder and harder, climbing atthe ladder of success, only to
discover it's leaning againstthe wrong wall.
So sure, you finished, but youfinished in the wrong
direction.
The thought for this morning isthis we're talking about
(03:43):
finishing strong, so let's beclear on what finishing strong
looks like.
The thought is finishing strongis living in such a way that
you please God every day.
That's how you finish strong.
Finishing strong isn't aboutperfection, and I am a robot.
I will never sin.
I am perfection.
That's not what we're talkingabout here, okay, so let's all
(04:04):
just like.
Let's be real here.
Okay, we are a loving church.
This is not a oh, he's talkingabout me.
Okay, but we want to live in away that pleases God.
So, when you fall short becauseyou will, when I fall short,
because I will then when you do,you say, lord, I'm sorry, help
me, give me strength you get upand you move on.
(04:24):
That's how you finishstrong.
Because the big idea is thisthe whole sermon is this, in one
sentence, what we're talkingabout With your power, you
finish wrong.
With God's power, you finishstrong.
Your power.
(04:45):
Sometimes you want to do, asI've said, what you want to do
and how you want to do it, andwhen you want to do it and what
it looks like.
But finishing strong is givingGod the glory, no matter what
circumstance you are goingthrough.
So why does this matter?
Why does this matter that youfinish strong for God?
(05:07):
Well, it matters because if youdon't get this, you will
experience a cheap substitute ofwhat God has for you.
Because, instead of you sayingGod, I'm going to be patient and
I'm going to trust youthroughout these trials and
tribulations and these hardships, if you say, well, you know, I
just kind of want to do my ownthing.
It's just hard.
But if you do that and youchoose to finish strong in your
(05:31):
own way, it's really not goingto be as good as what God has
for youNow.
Sure, when you're in trials andhardships, it may not feel like
God will provide, but, as we'regonna see today and as you
should know, is that God willprovide, because the bottom line
(05:52):
is choose to follow God's planfor your life.
Choose to follow God's plan foryour life.
Too often you see someoneelse's life and it looks good or
it looks easy, they seem tohave it all together and you go
(06:15):
man, why can't I just have that?
Choose to follow God's plan foryour life.
Let's pray, father, god.
We thank you for your life.
Let's pray, father, god, wethank you for your word.
God, I ask, lord, that you helpour hearts receive your word
today.
God, help us not to just behearers of the word, but to be
doers of the word.
(06:35):
God, I ask that you help us totrust you in the areas where we
need to trust you the most.
And, god, help us to finishstrong and help me as I teach in
Jesus' name,amen.
So with this finishing strong,we're in Joshua, chapter 23 and
24, the end of the book ofJoshua.
(06:56):
Joshua, he has led after Moses.
He has led the way.
He has told the people aboutGod.
They've had numerous battles.
Joshua is now old in his yearsand he is about to die and
before he dies, he shares amessage.
Now, if someone is about to dieand they know that and they
(07:16):
bring you in to tell yousomething, you should probably
listen up.
So, number one, as we'retalking about finishing strong,
there's three things you need todo, but number one is Joshua
reminds him that God providesfor you.
So chapter 23, verse one, saysthis this is Joshua Again, a
(07:36):
long time afterward, after allthe wars and all the battles and
all the drama and all thethings when the Lord had given
rest to Israel from all theirsurrounding enemies and Joshua
was old and all the things whenthe Lord had given rest to
Israel from all theirsurrounding enemies, and Joshua
was old and well advanced inyears.
Somebody say old.
He was old and well advanced inyears, but the reason why I
bring this up is because, nomatter your age, you have a
(07:58):
message no matter your age, godcan use you to lead somebody to
Christ, just like with thesekids and teens just getting
baptized.
It's to show you who theyfollow.
So let's be clear here.
So then, joshua, he summonedall the leaders.
He summoned all Israel, itselders and heads, its judges and
(08:20):
officers, and then he said tothem I am now old and well
advanced in years and you haveseen all that the Lord, your God
, has done to all these nationsfor your sake, for it is the
Lord, your God, who has foughtfor you.
It's a reminder for them again,that number one, that God
(08:42):
provides for you.
He's close to death.
He has a special message andhe's telling them remember who
God is, remember what God hasdone.
Joshua reminds the leaders thatGod has provided.
He says remember what you sawwith your own eyes, so many
(09:02):
often that you kind of it's easysometimes to forget what God
has done in your life.
It's easy Like, let's just bereal, like have you ever been in
a very hard situation?
You're like Lord, pleaseprovide.
And then God does and you'relike woo, and then like
something else happens andyou're like, oh Lord, where you
been all my life?
Lord, hear me but like it'shuman.
(09:25):
If you read the book of Psalms,you see, david, it's like God.
I love you, god.
Where are you, god?
I love you, god.
Where areyou?
But Joshua's reminding themthat God provided and that God
fights your battles.
He says this.
He said it is the Lord who hasfought for you.
It's a clear reminder of heyguys, let's remember this.
(09:48):
It's not because you are all soawesome that we got some rest.
It's not because you're all soawesome and strong and amazing
that we were able to prevailover these enemies.
It is God.
And God fights your battlestoday, book of Ephesians, for we
(10:08):
do not wrestle against fleshand blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities,against the cosmic powers over
this present darkness, againstthe spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly places.
God fights your battles.
Now listen, I don't know whatbattle you are in today.
I don't know.
(10:29):
Maybe you are exhausted today,maybe you are broke, maybe you
are on the brink of divorce,maybe you are stuck in sin.
Maybe you are dealing withchurch hurt.
Maybe you're dealing withfamily hurt or regret.
God fights your battles andafter he fights
(10:50):
them.
The second part is this Notonly did God fight them, but God
gave them victory over theirenemies.
Okay, you know, I don't thinkwe would ever go to a movie,
like at the movie theater if wealready knew the ending, because
we're like, oh man, I'm notgonna pay $80 to go to the movie
(11:11):
theater and I already know theending.
But there's a difference,because even in the midst of
your battle, you have toremember that we don't fight for
victory, we fight from victory.
Joshua tells him this in versesix.
He says, therefore, be verystrong to keep and to do.
(11:32):
To keep and to do so.
Be a hearer but also a doer,all that is written in the book
of the law, turning aside fromit, neither to the right or to
the left.
So he's reminding them hey,guys, god provides, god wins the
battle.
Hey, and let me remind you also, guys, follow what God says to
(11:56):
do, trust his word.
He tells them to keep, which isto remember, and he says to do
like, get to work, takeaction.
That's what Joshua is saying.
He urged them to remain loyal.
Then Joshua tells them to loveand obey God.
(12:17):
To love and obey God Verse 14,.
And now I'm about to go the wayof all the earth.
And you know in your hearts andsouls, all of you, that not one
word has failed.
Of all the good things that theLord, your God, promised
concerning you All have come topass for you.
(12:40):
Not one of them has failed.
That's not just true for thepeople of Israel, it is true for
you.
God has not failed you.
Now, again, just because you'vegone through some difficult
(13:01):
seasons, that does not qualifyas God not providing for you.
He says not one word has failed, not one.
So, knowing that no word hasfailed, it seems that God has a
perfect record.
He's undisputed, undefeated.
(13:21):
He is the alpha and omega.
He is the beginning and the end.
He will always provide foryou.
So, after Joshua tells thepeople to remember that God will
provide, he goes into more of awarning, more of a prediction
(13:42):
of hey, god will provide, wegonna need to talk about this
real quick.
Of hey, god will provide, wegonna need to talk about this
real quick.
So, after he talks about God'sprovision, let's just, as we
talk about finishing strong,let's just be real.
Number two sin will cost you.
It's gonna cost you.
(14:02):
Sin will costyou.
Verse 12, again, god hasprovided.
Remember all that God has done.
He has fought for you.
Woo, right in here.
He's like woo.
God provided Rah.
But there's a reason Because,again, as I said, we're like
(14:23):
Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
Where have you been?
God provides Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
Where have you been?
God provides Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
How have you been?
It's just who we are, andthat's why you need a Savior
Verse12,.
For if you turn back and clingto the remnant of these nations
remaining among you and makemarriages with them so that you
(14:46):
associate with them and theywith you, know for certain that
the Lord, your God, here we go,will no longer drive out the
nations before you, but theywill be a snare and a trap for
you, a whip on your sides andthorns in your eyes, until you
perish from off this good ground"'that the Lord, your God, has
(15:10):
given you'".
Don't you feel good?
I know, like you're reading,you're like goodness gracious, a
life, holy moly, but it's thecost of sin.
Sin comes at a cost.
So as we talk about this,listen.
Joshua is talking aboutmarrying someone of another
(15:32):
religion, specifically to theIsraelites.
He's helping them understandhey, if you do this, then this
could happen.
He's warning them aboutclinging to the past and he's
saying if you intermarry withsomeone from one of the nations
and you do that, then you wouldfollow one of their false gods,
(15:53):
you would turn away from the onetrue God and you would worship
false gods.
Verse 16, if you transgress thecovenant of die.
(16:21):
And he's saying this.
Do you think this is important?
Now, the thing about thisspecific verse is this isn't
original to Joshua, becauseMoses actually said the exact
same thing to warn the people.
So if we go to Deuteronomy,chapter seven, verse three to
(16:41):
four, this is what Moses issaying right here you shall not
intermarry with them.
Giving your daughters to theirsons or taking their daughters
for your sons For here it is thebiggest part is for they would
turn away your sons fromfollowing me to serve other gods
.
Then the anger of the Lord willbe kindled against you and he
will destroy youquickly.
(17:02):
God is saying specificallyabout these intermarriages.
It's about who they follow andwhat they believe, because at
the end of the day, they willturn God's people away from him.
And so I don't know what you'regoing through in life.
I don't know what may betempting you, but whatever it is
, if it is tempting you to turnaway from God, there is a cost.
(17:26):
And that's exactly why Moses istrying I mean, excuse me,
joshua's trying to help them,but also Moses is trying to help
them.
They're saying the same message.
Why?
Because God does not want youto turn away from
him.
Joshua speaks against activelydisobeying God.
He's saying, hey, don't worshipother gods.
(17:46):
And today, maybe you don'tworship other gods.
And today, maybe you have mademoney, your idol, maybe you have
made your job, your God ormaybe your family, maybe you've
made materialistic things.
I don't know what that is, butif there's something that's more
important than God, that's whatyou are
worshiping.
This is the warning, theprediction that Joshua gave the
(18:12):
people, and I'm going to saythis All right, this is safe
space.
This is safe space.
I'm going to say this God willnot bless your mess.
Now there's a difference.
Let me be clear here.
There is a difference betweenGod I have fallen short, help me
(18:37):
, forgive me.
That's true repentance VersusLord.
I know I probably shouldn't dothis, but uh, can you bless it,
(18:58):
lord?
I know I shouldn't be doing it,but, lord, I just, I just uh,
come on now, just uh.
One more time, one more time.
But again, this this isn't myopinion
right?
This is the warning that joshwas giving the people because,
specifically, of the actionsthat they will take will turn
them away from God.
So in their sin, god would nolonger drive out the nations.
In their sin, then they wouldthe nations that they previously
(19:21):
defeated.
They would be a snare againstthem, there would be a whip on
their sides, there'd be a thornin their eyes.
You can't sin and worship Godat the same time.
Now some of y'all are lookingat me like I'm the problem.
I'm just reading with.
I'm just hey, I've already,like God already beat me upside
the head with this message okay,but it's the truth.
(19:45):
God will not bless your mess,tom Constable.
He says it.
Okay, but it's the truth.
God will not bless your mess,tom Constable.
He says it thisway.
The book of Joshua demonstratesthat God is perpetually at war
with sin.
He hates it and will judge it,not only because it is an
offense to his character, butbecause it destroys the people
(20:10):
he created for fellowship withhimself.
Sin will destroy you, andyou've probably seen sin destroy
people that you love, andsometimes it looks good, it's
enticing, but it's not, but sinwill destroy you.
I've heard it said that sinwill cost you more than you
(20:34):
wanna pay and it'll keep youlonger than you wanna stay.
Is that true or true?
Billy Graham says it this waythere's no room on the throne of
your heart for two gods.
There's no room.
You have to choose.
(20:57):
Jesus said this in Matthew,chapter 12, whoever is not with
me is against me, and whoeverdoes not gather with me scatters
.
Christ made it very clear Again, because with your power you
(21:22):
finish wrong, but with God'spower you finish strong.
So Joshua is helping theIsraelites.
He's talking to them aboutfinishing strong.
Again, he talked about how Godprovides for them.
Remember that God provides foryou.
And then he says hey, everybody, sin comes at a cost if you do
(21:44):
these things.
These are the consequences.
And then, lastly, the thirdpoint is we're talking about
finishing strong.
Is this Choose to serve theLord.
Everybody say choose, choose,choose.
After Joshua, chapter 23, weget to Joshua, chapter 24, and
(22:12):
he summons the people again.
He summons them one more timeand he tells them about how God
provided.
He lists things all the wayfrom Moses, he lists things from
Egypt, he talks about how Godprovides and then he gets into
choice.
Verse 15, chapter 24 says thisVerse 15, chapter 24 says this
(22:33):
and if it is evil in your eyesto serve the Lord, choose this
day whom you will serve, whetherit be gods your father served
in the region beyond the river,or the gods of the Amorites in
whose land you dwell.
But as for me and my house, wewill serve the Lord.
So, choose to serve the Lord.
(22:59):
Number one is this choose thisday whom you will serve.
That's what Joshua talks aboutChoose this day who you will
serve.
You know, in Star Wars there'sa quote where they say do or do
not.
There is no try.
And really this is choose orchoose not.
There is no in between, there'sno
try.
You know, I would love to bedriving down the road, speeding,
(23:22):
which I don't.
Okay, this is just a okay, allright, okay, there's an officer
in here, I'm just saying so.
I would love to be down.
You know, driving down the road, speeding, driving 80 miles per
hour, making my way downtown,I'm gone, I'm gone.
Car pulls me over, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop.
It's like hey, can I see yourID?
I show up.
It's like Mr Wilson, you werespeeding, you were going 60 over
(23:46):
.
And then I look at him and Isaid, well, I'm trying, I'm
trying to follow the law officer.
I'm trying.
Do you think I'm gonna get outof that ticket or probably could
not get arrested?
That is a question, yes or no?
No, yeah, but I'mtrying.
So you either choose to servethe Lord or you
(24:11):
don't.
Now, I know that it is what itis.
That's not my opinion.
It's just what the Bible says.
He's not forcing them to chooseGod, he's reminding them to
choose God.
You can choose to follow falsegods.
(24:32):
So I wanna make sure you knowthat you can choose to follow
false gods, and this is whatJoshua says.
He says the gods your fathersserved in the region beyond the
river.
Or you can follow the god ofthe Amorites in the land you
dwell.
You can follow those people.
The thing is they can't saveyou because they don't exist.
(25:00):
Now.
It doesn't matter if you are agood person, it doesn't matter
how much you give to charity, itdoesn't matter how many
followers you have on socialmedia or how much people like
you.
You cannot work, give, serve,sing or pay your way to heaven.
(25:21):
The Bible says this inEphesians for by grace you have
been saved through faith, and itis not your own doing.
It is the gift of God, not aresult of what Works, so that no
(25:44):
one may boast.
In John, chapter 14, jesus saidI am the way and the truth and
the life.
No one comes through the Fatherexcept through me.
You have a choice to believe,to follow Jesus, that he is the
(26:06):
onlyway.
I'll never forget there was aclip from Oprah way back on her
show and you could watch it onYouTube if you want.
But Oprah was talking to peopleabout religion and so one of
the panelists was saying yes,and there are many ways to
heaven.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
(26:26):
You know had his little suit onMany ways to heaven.
And then it got quiet.
A lady in the crowd, she was inthe audience.
She said what about Jesus?
And Oprah was like hold on.
So she walked over to themicrophone, gave it to the lady.
She's like well, what'd you say?
And the lady said well, whatabout Jesus?
(26:47):
He's the only way.
Then the panelists on the stagewas like oh well, hold up, hold
up.
And then there's this biguproar during a live recording
of the Oprah show about how toget to heaven.
You have achoice.
To finish, john Acuff.
(27:09):
He wrote in his book calledFinish, and it's about achieving
impossible goals.
In his book Finish, the quotesays this the future belongs to
the finishers.
Finish the work that God hasfor you.
Finish the work.
If that's to get saved, do it.
(27:31):
If that's to get baptized, doit.
If that's to get baptized, doit.
If that's to start a group orto teach, do it.
Whatever God is calling you todo, whatever his plan is for
your life, do it.
And again, just because it'sGod's plan does not mean that
there are no trials, notribulations, no
hardships.
Let's see what happened againto Jesus.
(27:53):
We serve a personal God who wasbetrayed by the people who said
they loved him.
He was hit, he was mocked, hewas beaten.
And then sometimes we thinklike, oh man, I got a flat tire,
ain't nothing but the devil.
See, I knew it, god, I knew it.
It's like you got a flat tire.
See, I knew it, god, I knew it.
It's like you got a flattire.
(28:16):
And sometimes, sure, you may gothrough some very difficult
things, there is no questionabout it, but you are called to
finish strong, you're called tofinish.
Joshua kept the faith untildeath and just before he died,
(28:37):
as he was asking the Israelites.
He was talking about them andhe said hey, will you serve the
Lord?
Will you choose to serve theLord Just before he died?
In Joshua, chapter 24, thepeople responded and they said
we will serve the Lord.
So they knew that they had achoice and they chose to follow
(29:03):
the Lord.
And you have a choice to finishstrong, and I encourage you to
follow theLord.
So how do we do that?
How do we finish strong,despite whatever you are going
through, whatever again,depression, feeling like you are
not enough, feeling like Godhas not provided yet?
(29:26):
Maybe you have asked God tomove so many times in a
situation and it seems likebetter is never coming.
So what do you do?
Number one is you remember Godfights your battles, not you.
(29:50):
God.
That's how you finish drama.
Number two is you run from sinand towards Jesus.
Say Jesus, I'm sorry, jesus,please help me.
Run from sin and towards Jesus.
Say Jesus, I'm sorry Jesus,please help me.
Jesus, show me a better way.
(30:11):
Jesus, protect me.
Jesus, open the door that needsto open and close the door that
needs to close.
That's how you finish.
Number three choose to servethe Lord now.
Now Joshua was 100, he was over100 years old as he's about to
(30:35):
die.
But did you know that tomorrowis not promised?
So the longer you keep puttingoff what God has called you to
finish, the more you're playinga game of risk.
Because why does this matter?
(30:56):
If you don't get this, you willcross the finish line, going in
the wrong direction.
You will attempt to fight yourown battles and you will fail.
You will run towards sin andstay and, lastly, you will
choose to serveyourself.
(31:18):
About two years ago, a friendof mine.
He told me a story about hisdad.
His dad had gotten sick and hisdad didn't have long.
His dad was on really thedeathbed of the hospital and he
was sharing with me that he knewhis dad wasn't a Christian and
(31:40):
this would be the moment.
So my friend told me he's likehey, man, james, as I met with
my dad and he's lying there inthe hospital bed and I tell him,
I said, dad, he was at a pointwhere he couldn't talk, but he
could still move his head.
He said so, james, what I didwas I asked him.
I said dad, you don't have long.
(32:02):
I know that you've been hurt inthe past, but, dad, could you
believe in Jesus?
Dad, could you place your faithin Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, dad please?
And my friend, he told me.
He said, and my dad slowlyturned his head to me and then
(32:25):
my father did this and he saidwell, james.
I said, dad, please, dad, I begyou.
Dad, today is the day.
Dad, follow Jesus, you don'thave long, dad, please.
His dad turned to him again,slow, he looked over at him and
(32:50):
he did this.
He shook his head.
No, shortly after that hisfather passed away.
And a day after that his fatherpassed away.
He had a choice and he madeit.
(33:17):
Hear the words of Joshua, hearthe words of God From the Bible.
He gives you an invitation totrust and to follow him, because
with your power you finishwrong, but with God's power you
finish strong.
Please close your heads andexcuse me, close your eyes and
(33:38):
bow your heads.
And maybe today you are tired,you're just exhausted, barely
came in today.
But God has a plan for you andmaybe you have been on the brink
(34:00):
of quitting at whatever it is.
But if you are a follower inChrist, I wanna pray with you
because God has called you totrust him and to
finish.
So, for my brothers and sistersin Christ, let me pray and say
God, thank you for thesebrothers and sisters in Christ.
(34:22):
God, I don't know whatsituation they are in, god, some
are just hurting.
God, we need you to provide andGod you will.
God, you know the situation,you know the heartache.
Father and God, I ask that youhelp all of us to trust you.
Give us strength, lord, tofinish well, to finish strong.
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God, we give you the situationand we give you the glory in the
midst of the battle, and it'sin Jesus'
name.
And some of you may be in hereand you can't say that prayer
because you haven't given yourlife to Jesus, you haven't
surrendered and made him theLord of your life, and I can't
(35:09):
do it foryou.
But what I can tell you is thatthe Bible says confess with
your mouth that Jesus is Lord,believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead and youwill be saved.
Finish strong and trust him.
If that is you and you want tosurrender your life to the Lord,
all you need to do is justrepeat after me.
(35:30):
You can say it in your own head, but you say dear God, thank
you for my life.
Thank you for Jesus dying onthe cross for me.
Forgive me of my sins.
Forgive me of my sins.
Help me to live for you.
Be the Lord of my life.
Help me to finish strong, andit's in Jesus' name I pray.
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Amen.
Put your hands together foranybody who surrendered their
life to Jesus.
Jesus, as we're talking aboutfinishing strong, what an
opportunity we have to respondin worship.
What an opportunity you have tofinish strong this morning and
(36:17):
to sing out to God, whateveryour situation is.
Trust him, finish strong.
So why don't you go ahead andstand up, everybody, as we
worship the Lord with our finalsong?
So we have been going through a sermon series through
the book of Joshua, and today'ssermon is on finish strong.
Somebody say finish strong,finish strong.
Okay, that was decent.
One more time Finish strong,finish strong.
So a couple months ago my momcame to visit me.
She came here and again, I'vebeen here since October, so less
(00:20):
than a year.
So I still kind of get confusedon where the stores are over in
Hiram.
I'm like, is it on the rightside, the left side?
I don't know yet.
So my mom, we were in the car.
My mom said, hey, I wanna go toSmoothie King.
I'm like, all right, cool, Igot you.
Mom, boop boop, boop, boop.
You know, I don't know whereit's at.
When you get up here you'regonna turn right.
And my mom looked at me and shewas like nah, I don't think
(00:47):
that's right.
I was kind of surprised becauseI'm like well, I don't.
No, mom, hey, mom, when you goup here it's gonna be on the
right.
Then my mom again looked at meas she's driving.
She's like, nah, just, I'm sureit's by Walmart.
And so I'm getting a littlefrustrated.
(01:10):
I mean, I love my mom.
Okay, all right, let's be clear.
But I'm getting frustratedbecause one, she ain't listening
to me.
Two, I'm looking at the GPSright here and I'm seeing it,
and so I show her the phone.
I said, mom, look it.
Says it's up here on the right.
Like I showed her the GPS.
And you know what she said?
No, I just no.
I really think it's up here byWalmart and I'm like you gotta
be kidding me.
So I just stopped talking.
I'm like you know what I'm done.
I'm done, I'm not gonna sayanything.
(01:30):
So I'm watching on the phone aswe're driving.
It's, you know, 9 miles away, 5, 2, .1.
Guess where it's at.
It's on the right, and guesswhat we do?
We drive right by it, we getinto and I'm just, I'm like I
can't understand what'shappening.
So we get into the Walmartparking lot and after my mom
(01:52):
drives around again looking forSmoothie King, that isn't there,
she stops the car and she looksat me and she goes all right,
where's it at?
So, my mom, she finished strong.
All right, where's it at?
So, my mom, she finished strong, but she finished strong in the
(02:14):
wrongway.
So the question for you todayis have you ever finished
something only to realize youended up in the wrong place?
Because sometimes we think weknow best and sometimes we try
to tell God what to do.
Hey, god, I want it this way.
Now we do a little backstreetboys.
(02:36):
We say, god, I want it thatway.
But the truth is, when wefollow what we want to do, the
Bible says in Proverbs, chapter14, there is a way that seems
right to a man, but its end isthe way to death.
Too often we want to do what wewant to do and we want to
(02:58):
finish strong in how we think weshould finish strong.
But we are specifically talkingabout finishing strong for God.
Dr Stephen Covey says it thisway it's incredibly easy to get
caught up in an activity trap.
Anybody busy around here, inthe busyness of life, to work
(03:21):
harder and harder, climbing atthe ladder of success, only to
discover it's leaning againstthe wrong wall.
So sure, you finished, but youfinished in the wrong
direction.
The thought for this morning isthis we're talking about
(03:43):
finishing strong, so let's beclear on what finishing strong
looks like.
The thought is finishing strongis living in such a way that
you please God every day.
That's how you finish strong.
Finishing strong isn't aboutperfection, and I am a robot.
I will never sin.
I am perfection.
That's not what we're talkingabout here, okay, so let's all
(04:04):
just like.
Let's be real here.
Okay, we are a loving church.
This is not a oh, he's talkingabout me.
Okay, but we want to live in away that pleases God.
So, when you fall short becauseyou will, when I fall short,
because I will then when you do,you say, lord, I'm sorry, help
me, give me strength you get upand you move on.
(04:24):
That's how you finishstrong.
Because the big idea is thisthe whole sermon is this, in one
sentence, what we're talkingabout With your power, you
finish wrong.
With God's power, you finishstrong.
Your power.
(04:45):
Sometimes you want to do, asI've said, what you want to do
and how you want to do it, andwhen you want to do it and what
it looks like.
But finishing strong is givingGod the glory, no matter what
circumstance you are goingthrough.
So why does this matter?
Why does this matter that youfinish strong for God?
(05:07):
Well, it matters because if youdon't get this, you will
experience a cheap substitute ofwhat God has for you.
Because, instead of you sayingGod, I'm going to be patient and
I'm going to trust youthroughout these trials and
tribulations and these hardships, if you say, well, you know, I
just kind of want to do my ownthing.
It's just hard.
But if you do that and youchoose to finish strong in your
(05:31):
own way, it's really not goingto be as good as what God has
for youNow.
Sure, when you're in trials andhardships, it may not feel like
God will provide, but, as we'regonna see today and as you
should know, is that God willprovide, because the bottom line
(05:52):
is choose to follow God's planfor your life.
Choose to follow God's plan foryour life.
Too often you see someoneelse's life and it looks good or
it looks easy, they seem tohave it all together and you go
(06:15):
man, why can't I just have that?
Choose to follow God's plan foryour life.
Let's pray, father, god.
We thank you for your life.
Let's pray, father, god, wethank you for your word.
God, I ask, lord, that you helpour hearts receive your word
today.
God, help us not to just behearers of the word, but to be
doers of the word.
(06:35):
God, I ask that you help us totrust you in the areas where we
need to trust you the most.
And, god, help us to finishstrong and help me as I teach in
Jesus' name,amen.
So with this finishing strong,we're in Joshua, chapter 23 and
24, the end of the book ofJoshua.
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Joshua, he has led after Moses.
He has led the way.
He has told the people aboutGod.
They've had numerous battles.
Joshua is now old in his yearsand he is about to die and
before he dies, he shares amessage.
Now, if someone is about to dieand they know that and they
(07:16):
bring you in to tell yousomething, you should probably
listen up.
So, number one, as we'retalking about finishing strong,
there's three things you need todo, but number one is Joshua
reminds him that God providesfor you.
So chapter 23, verse one, saysthis this is Joshua Again, a
(07:36):
long time afterward, after allthe wars and all the battles and
all the drama and all thethings when the Lord had given
rest to Israel from all theirsurrounding enemies and Joshua
was old and all the things whenthe Lord had given rest to
Israel from all theirsurrounding enemies, and Joshua
was old and well advanced inyears.
Somebody say old.
He was old and well advanced inyears, but the reason why I
bring this up is because, nomatter your age, you have a
(07:58):
message no matter your age, godcan use you to lead somebody to
Christ, just like with thesekids and teens just getting
baptized.
It's to show you who theyfollow.
So let's be clear here.
So then, joshua, he summonedall the leaders.
He summoned all Israel, itselders and heads, its judges and
(08:20):
officers, and then he said tothem I am now old and well
advanced in years and you haveseen all that the Lord, your God
, has done to all these nationsfor your sake, for it is the
Lord, your God, who has foughtfor you.
It's a reminder for them again,that number one, that God
(08:42):
provides for you.
He's close to death.
He has a special message andhe's telling them remember who
God is, remember what God hasdone.
Joshua reminds the leaders thatGod has provided.
He says remember what you sawwith your own eyes, so many
(09:02):
often that you kind of it's easysometimes to forget what God
has done in your life.
It's easy Like, let's just bereal, like have you ever been in
a very hard situation?
You're like Lord, pleaseprovide.
And then God does and you'relike woo, and then like
something else happens andyou're like, oh Lord, where you
been all my life?
Lord, hear me but like it'shuman.
(09:25):
If you read the book of Psalms,you see, david, it's like God.
I love you, god.
Where are you, god?
I love you, god.
Where areyou?
But Joshua's reminding themthat God provided and that God
fights your battles.
He says this.
He said it is the Lord who hasfought for you.
It's a clear reminder of heyguys, let's remember this.
(09:48):
It's not because you are all soawesome that we got some rest.
It's not because you're all soawesome and strong and amazing
that we were able to prevailover these enemies.
It is God.
And God fights your battlestoday, book of Ephesians, for we
(10:08):
do not wrestle against fleshand blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities,against the cosmic powers over
this present darkness, againstthe spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly places.
God fights your battles.
Now listen, I don't know whatbattle you are in today.
I don't know.
(10:29):
Maybe you are exhausted today,maybe you are broke, maybe you
are on the brink of divorce,maybe you are stuck in sin.
Maybe you are dealing withchurch hurt.
Maybe you're dealing withfamily hurt or regret.
God fights your battles andafter he fights
(10:50):
them.
The second part is this Notonly did God fight them, but God
gave them victory over theirenemies.
Okay, you know, I don't thinkwe would ever go to a movie,
like at the movie theater if wealready knew the ending, because
we're like, oh man, I'm notgonna pay $80 to go to the movie
(11:11):
theater and I already know theending.
But there's a difference,because even in the midst of
your battle, you have toremember that we don't fight for
victory, we fight from victory.
Joshua tells him this in versesix.
He says, therefore, be verystrong to keep and to do.
(11:32):
To keep and to do so.
Be a hearer but also a doer,all that is written in the book
of the law, turning aside fromit, neither to the right or to
the left.
So he's reminding them hey,guys, god provides, god wins the
battle.
Hey, and let me remind you also, guys, follow what God says to
(11:56):
do, trust his word.
He tells them to keep, which isto remember, and he says to do
like, get to work, takeaction.
That's what Joshua is saying.
He urged them to remain loyal.
Then Joshua tells them to loveand obey God.
(12:17):
To love and obey God Verse 14,.
And now I'm about to go the wayof all the earth.
And you know in your hearts andsouls, all of you, that not one
word has failed.
Of all the good things that theLord, your God, promised
concerning you All have come topass for you.
(12:40):
Not one of them has failed.
That's not just true for thepeople of Israel, it is true for
you.
God has not failed you.
Now, again, just because you'vegone through some difficult
(13:01):
seasons, that does not qualifyas God not providing for you.
He says not one word has failed, not one.
So, knowing that no word hasfailed, it seems that God has a
perfect record.
He's undisputed, undefeated.
(13:21):
He is the alpha and omega.
He is the beginning and the end.
He will always provide foryou.
So, after Joshua tells thepeople to remember that God will
provide, he goes into more of awarning, more of a prediction
(13:42):
of hey, god will provide, wegonna need to talk about this
real quick.
Of hey, god will provide, wegonna need to talk about this
real quick.
So, after he talks about God'sprovision, let's just, as we
talk about finishing strong,let's just be real.
Number two sin will cost you.
It's gonna cost you.
(14:02):
Sin will costyou.
Verse 12, again, god hasprovided.
Remember all that God has done.
He has fought for you.
Woo, right in here.
He's like woo.
God provided Rah.
But there's a reason Because,again, as I said, we're like
(14:23):
Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
Where have you been?
God provides Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
Where have you been?
God provides Lord.
We love you.
We go through something, god.
How have you been?
It's just who we are, andthat's why you need a Savior
Verse12,.
For if you turn back and clingto the remnant of these nations
remaining among you and makemarriages with them so that you
(14:46):
associate with them and theywith you, know for certain that
the Lord, your God, here we go,will no longer drive out the
nations before you, but theywill be a snare and a trap for
you, a whip on your sides andthorns in your eyes, until you
perish from off this good ground"'that the Lord, your God, has
(15:10):
given you'".
Don't you feel good?
I know, like you're reading,you're like goodness gracious, a
life, holy moly, but it's thecost of sin.
Sin comes at a cost.
So as we talk about this,listen.
Joshua is talking aboutmarrying someone of another
(15:32):
religion, specifically to theIsraelites.
He's helping them understandhey, if you do this, then this
could happen.
He's warning them aboutclinging to the past and he's
saying if you intermarry withsomeone from one of the nations
and you do that, then you wouldfollow one of their false gods,
(15:53):
you would turn away from the onetrue God and you would worship
false gods.
Verse 16, if you transgress thecovenant of die.
(16:21):
And he's saying this.
Do you think this is important?
Now, the thing about thisspecific verse is this isn't
original to Joshua, becauseMoses actually said the exact
same thing to warn the people.
So if we go to Deuteronomy,chapter seven, verse three to
(16:41):
four, this is what Moses issaying right here you shall not
intermarry with them.
Giving your daughters to theirsons or taking their daughters
for your sons For here it is thebiggest part is for they would
turn away your sons fromfollowing me to serve other gods
.
Then the anger of the Lord willbe kindled against you and he
will destroy youquickly.
(17:02):
God is saying specificallyabout these intermarriages.
It's about who they follow andwhat they believe, because at
the end of the day, they willturn God's people away from him.
And so I don't know what you'regoing through in life.
I don't know what may betempting you, but whatever it is
, if it is tempting you to turnaway from God, there is a cost.
(17:26):
And that's exactly why Moses istrying I mean, excuse me,
joshua's trying to help them,but also Moses is trying to help
them.
They're saying the same message.
Why?
Because God does not want youto turn away from
him.
Joshua speaks against activelydisobeying God.
He's saying, hey, don't worshipother gods.
(17:46):
And today, maybe you don'tworship other gods.
And today, maybe you have mademoney, your idol, maybe you have
made your job, your God ormaybe your family, maybe you've
made materialistic things.
I don't know what that is, butif there's something that's more
important than God, that's whatyou are
worshiping.
This is the warning, theprediction that Joshua gave the
(18:12):
people, and I'm going to saythis All right, this is safe
space.
This is safe space.
I'm going to say this God willnot bless your mess.
Now there's a difference.
Let me be clear here.
There is a difference betweenGod I have fallen short, help me
(18:37):
, forgive me.
That's true repentance VersusLord.
I know I probably shouldn't dothis, but uh, can you bless it,
(18:58):
lord?
I know I shouldn't be doing it,but, lord, I just, I just uh,
come on now, just uh.
One more time, one more time.
But again, this this isn't myopinion
right?
This is the warning that joshwas giving the people because,
specifically, of the actionsthat they will take will turn
them away from God.
So in their sin, god would nolonger drive out the nations.
In their sin, then they wouldthe nations that they previously
(19:21):
defeated.
They would be a snare againstthem, there would be a whip on
their sides, there'd be a thornin their eyes.
You can't sin and worship Godat the same time.
Now some of y'all are lookingat me like I'm the problem.
I'm just reading with.
I'm just hey, I've already,like God already beat me upside
the head with this message okay,but it's the truth.
(19:45):
God will not bless your mess,tom Constable.
He says it.
Okay, but it's the truth.
God will not bless your mess,tom Constable.
He says it thisway.
The book of Joshua demonstratesthat God is perpetually at war
with sin.
He hates it and will judge it,not only because it is an
offense to his character, butbecause it destroys the people
(20:10):
he created for fellowship withhimself.
Sin will destroy you, andyou've probably seen sin destroy
people that you love, andsometimes it looks good, it's
enticing, but it's not, but sinwill destroy you.
I've heard it said that sinwill cost you more than you
(20:34):
wanna pay and it'll keep youlonger than you wanna stay.
Is that true or true?
Billy Graham says it this waythere's no room on the throne of
your heart for two gods.
There's no room.
You have to choose.
(20:57):
Jesus said this in Matthew,chapter 12, whoever is not with
me is against me, and whoeverdoes not gather with me scatters
.
Christ made it very clear Again, because with your power you
(21:22):
finish wrong, but with God'spower you finish strong.
So Joshua is helping theIsraelites.
He's talking to them aboutfinishing strong.
Again, he talked about how Godprovides for them.
Remember that God provides foryou.
And then he says hey, everybody, sin comes at a cost if you do
(21:44):
these things.
These are the consequences.
And then, lastly, the thirdpoint is we're talking about
finishing strong.
Is this Choose to serve theLord.
Everybody say choose, choose,choose.
After Joshua, chapter 23, weget to Joshua, chapter 24, and
(22:12):
he summons the people again.
He summons them one more timeand he tells them about how God
provided.
He lists things all the wayfrom Moses, he lists things from
Egypt, he talks about how Godprovides and then he gets into
choice.
Verse 15, chapter 24 says thisVerse 15, chapter 24 says this
(22:33):
and if it is evil in your eyesto serve the Lord, choose this
day whom you will serve, whetherit be gods your father served
in the region beyond the river,or the gods of the Amorites in
whose land you dwell.
But as for me and my house, wewill serve the Lord.
So, choose to serve the Lord.
(22:59):
Number one is this choose thisday whom you will serve.
That's what Joshua talks aboutChoose this day who you will
serve.
You know, in Star Wars there'sa quote where they say do or do
not.
There is no try.
And really this is choose orchoose not.
There is no in between, there'sno
try.
You know, I would love to bedriving down the road, speeding,
(23:22):
which I don't.
Okay, this is just a okay, allright, okay, there's an officer
in here, I'm just saying so.
I would love to be down.
You know, driving down the road, speeding, driving 80 miles per
hour, making my way downtown,I'm gone, I'm gone.
Car pulls me over, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop.
It's like hey, can I see yourID?
I show up.
It's like Mr Wilson, you werespeeding, you were going 60 over
(23:46):
.
And then I look at him and Isaid, well, I'm trying, I'm
trying to follow the law officer.
I'm trying.
Do you think I'm gonna get outof that ticket or probably could
not get arrested?
That is a question, yes or no?
No, yeah, but I'mtrying.
So you either choose to servethe Lord or you
(24:11):
don't.
Now, I know that it is what itis.
That's not my opinion.
It's just what the Bible says.
He's not forcing them to chooseGod, he's reminding them to
choose God.
You can choose to follow falsegods.
(24:32):
So I wanna make sure you knowthat you can choose to follow
false gods, and this is whatJoshua says.
He says the gods your fathersserved in the region beyond the
river.
Or you can follow the god ofthe Amorites in the land you
dwell.
You can follow those people.
The thing is they can't saveyou because they don't exist.
(25:00):
Now.
It doesn't matter if you are agood person, it doesn't matter
how much you give to charity, itdoesn't matter how many
followers you have on socialmedia or how much people like
you.
You cannot work, give, serve,sing or pay your way to heaven.
(25:21):
The Bible says this inEphesians for by grace you have
been saved through faith, and itis not your own doing.
It is the gift of God, not aresult of what Works, so that no
(25:44):
one may boast.
In John, chapter 14, jesus saidI am the way and the truth and
the life.
No one comes through the Fatherexcept through me.
You have a choice to believe,to follow Jesus, that he is the
(26:06):
onlyway.
I'll never forget there was aclip from Oprah way back on her
show and you could watch it onYouTube if you want.
But Oprah was talking to peopleabout religion and so one of
the panelists was saying yes,and there are many ways to
heaven.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
(26:26):
You know had his little suit onMany ways to heaven.
And then it got quiet.
A lady in the crowd, she was inthe audience.
She said what about Jesus?
And Oprah was like hold on.
So she walked over to themicrophone, gave it to the lady.
She's like well, what'd you say?
And the lady said well, whatabout Jesus?
(26:47):
He's the only way.
Then the panelists on the stagewas like oh well, hold up, hold
up.
And then there's this biguproar during a live recording
of the Oprah show about how toget to heaven.
You have achoice.
To finish, john Acuff.
(27:09):
He wrote in his book calledFinish, and it's about achieving
impossible goals.
In his book Finish, the quotesays this the future belongs to
the finishers.
Finish the work that God hasfor you.
Finish the work.
If that's to get saved, do it.
(27:31):
If that's to get baptized, doit.
If that's to get baptized, doit.
If that's to start a group orto teach, do it.
Whatever God is calling you todo, whatever his plan is for
your life, do it.
And again, just because it'sGod's plan does not mean that
there are no trials, notribulations, no
hardships.
Let's see what happened againto Jesus.
(27:53):
We serve a personal God who wasbetrayed by the people who said
they loved him.
He was hit, he was mocked, hewas beaten.
And then sometimes we thinklike, oh man, I got a flat tire,
ain't nothing but the devil.
See, I knew it, god, I knew it.
It's like you got a flat tire.
See, I knew it, god, I knew it.
It's like you got a flattire.
(28:16):
And sometimes, sure, you may gothrough some very difficult
things, there is no questionabout it, but you are called to
finish strong, you're called tofinish.
Joshua kept the faith untildeath and just before he died,
(28:37):
as he was asking the Israelites.
He was talking about them andhe said hey, will you serve the
Lord?
Will you choose to serve theLord Just before he died?
In Joshua, chapter 24, thepeople responded and they said
we will serve the Lord.
So they knew that they had achoice and they chose to follow
(29:03):
the Lord.
And you have a choice to finishstrong, and I encourage you to
follow theLord.
So how do we do that?
How do we finish strong,despite whatever you are going
through, whatever again,depression, feeling like you are
not enough, feeling like Godhas not provided yet?
(29:26):
Maybe you have asked God tomove so many times in a
situation and it seems likebetter is never coming.
So what do you do?
Number one is you remember Godfights your battles, not you.
(29:50):
God.
That's how you finish drama.
Number two is you run from sinand towards Jesus.
Say Jesus, I'm sorry, jesus,please help me.
Run from sin and towards Jesus.
Say Jesus, I'm sorry Jesus,please help me.
Jesus, show me a better way.
(30:11):
Jesus, protect me.
Jesus, open the door that needsto open and close the door that
needs to close.
That's how you finish.
Number three choose to servethe Lord now.
Now Joshua was 100, he was over100 years old as he's about to
(30:35):
die.
But did you know that tomorrowis not promised?
So the longer you keep puttingoff what God has called you to
finish, the more you're playinga game of risk.
Because why does this matter?
(30:56):
If you don't get this, you willcross the finish line, going in
the wrong direction.
You will attempt to fight yourown battles and you will fail.
You will run towards sin andstay and, lastly, you will
choose to serveyourself.
(31:18):
About two years ago, a friendof mine.
He told me a story about hisdad.
His dad had gotten sick and hisdad didn't have long.
His dad was on really thedeathbed of the hospital and he
was sharing with me that he knewhis dad wasn't a Christian and
(31:40):
this would be the moment.
So my friend told me he's likehey, man, james, as I met with
my dad and he's lying there inthe hospital bed and I tell him,
I said, dad, he was at a pointwhere he couldn't talk, but he
could still move his head.
He said so, james, what I didwas I asked him.
I said dad, you don't have long.
(32:02):
I know that you've been hurt inthe past, but, dad, could you
believe in Jesus?
Dad, could you place your faithin Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, dad please?
And my friend, he told me.
He said, and my dad slowlyturned his head to me and then
(32:25):
my father did this and he saidwell, james.
I said, dad, please, dad, I begyou.
Dad, today is the day.
Dad, follow Jesus, you don'thave long, dad, please.
His dad turned to him again,slow, he looked over at him and
(32:50):
he did this.
He shook his head.
No, shortly after that hisfather passed away.
And a day after that his fatherpassed away.
He had a choice and he madeit.
(33:17):
Hear the words of Joshua, hearthe words of God From the Bible.
He gives you an invitation totrust and to follow him, because
with your power you finishwrong, but with God's power you
finish strong.
Please close your heads andexcuse me, close your eyes and
(33:38):
bow your heads.
And maybe today you are tired,you're just exhausted, barely
came in today.
But God has a plan for you andmaybe you have been on the brink
(34:00):
of quitting at whatever it is.
But if you are a follower inChrist, I wanna pray with you
because God has called you totrust him and to
finish.
So, for my brothers and sistersin Christ, let me pray and say
God, thank you for thesebrothers and sisters in Christ.
(34:22):
God, I don't know whatsituation they are in, god, some
are just hurting.
God, we need you to provide andGod you will.
God, you know the situation,you know the heartache.
Father and God, I ask that youhelp all of us to trust you.
Give us strength, lord, tofinish well, to finish strong.
(34:46):
God, we give you the situationand we give you the glory in the
midst of the battle, and it'sin Jesus'
name.
And some of you may be in hereand you can't say that prayer
because you haven't given yourlife to Jesus, you haven't
surrendered and made him theLord of your life, and I can't
(35:09):
do it foryou.
But what I can tell you is thatthe Bible says confess with
your mouth that Jesus is Lord,believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead and youwill be saved.
Finish strong and trust him.
If that is you and you want tosurrender your life to the Lord,
all you need to do is justrepeat after me.
(35:30):
You can say it in your own head, but you say dear God, thank
you for my life.
Thank you for Jesus dying onthe cross for me.
Forgive me of my sins.
Forgive me of my sins.
Help me to live for you.
Be the Lord of my life.
Help me to finish strong, andit's in Jesus' name I pray.
(35:56):
Amen.
Put your hands together foranybody who surrendered their
life to Jesus.
Jesus, as we're talking aboutfinishing strong, what an
opportunity we have to respondin worship.
What an opportunity you have tofinish strong this morning and
(36:17):
to sing out to God, whateveryour situation is.
Trust him, finish strong.
So why don't you go ahead andstand up, everybody, as we
worship the Lord with our finalsong?
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