A Call to Courage
Crossing the Jordan
Joshua 3
A Call to Courage
1. By faith, make appropriate preparations
2:24" We're sure the LORD has given us the
whole country," they said. "The people there
shake with fear every time they think of us."
3:1Early the next morning, Joshua and the
Israelites packed up and left Acacia. They went
to the Jordan River and camped there that
night. 2Two days later their leaders went
through the camp, 3-4shouting, "When you see
some of the priests carrying the sacred chest,
you'll know it is time to cross to the other side.
A Call to Courage
1. By faith, make appropriate preparations
You've never been there before, and you won't know
the way, unless you follow the chest. But don't get too
close! Stay about half a mile back." 5Joshua told the
people, "Make yourselves acceptable to worship the
LORD, because he is going to do some amazing things
for us." 6Then Joshua turned to the priests and said,
"Take the chest and cross the Jordan River ahead of
us." So the priests picked up the chest by its carrying
poles and went on ahead. (CEV)
A Call to Courage
1. By faith, make appropriate preparations
 When God speaks, we should take
measures to act swiftly
 “…to get the people ready to cross the
Jordan River…” (1:2)
 “True faith and godly works go hand in
hand” Gene Getz
A Call to Courage
2. Hearing the leading of God
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I
will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all
Israel, so they may know that I am with you
as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who
carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you
reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go
and stand in the river.’”
A Call to Courage
2. Hearing the leading of God
 When God asks you to do something
impossible he usually shows you the how to
do it !
 Remember if God wants you to do
something, he will help you do it!
A Call to Courage
2. Hearing the leading of God
“I prayed for faith and thought that some day it
would come down and strike me like lightning. But
faith didn’t seem to come. One day I read in
Romans that “faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the word of God.” I had up to this time, closed
my Bible and prayed for faith. Now I opened my
Bible and began to study and faith has been
growing ever since.” D.L. Moody
A Call to Courage
3. Speaking out the things of God
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here
and listen to the words of the LORD your
God. 10 This is how you will know that the
living God is among you and that he will
certainly drive out before you the
Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites,
Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
A Call to Courage
3. Speaking out the things of God
11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord
of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead
of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men
from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
13 And as soon as the priests who carry the
ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—
set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing
downstream will be cut off and stand up in a
heap.”
A Call to Courage
3. Speaking out the things of God
 7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I
will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all
Israel…”
As the Lord leads, exercise humble
God-honouring faith
 The Lord of all the earth
A Call to Courage
3. Speaking out the things of God
• Psychological and spiritual release
• Deeper conviction
• Gives others the opportunity to hear God
• Mobilizes a people for the Lord
• Opportunity for added discernment
• Opportunity for accountability and
meaningful relationships
A Call to Courage
4. Just do it and watch God move with power!
14 So when the people broke camp to cross
the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the
covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the
Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest
[The water in the river had risen over its
banks, as it often does in springtime]. Yet as
soon as the priests who carried the ark
reached the Jordan and their feet touched the
water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream
stopped flowing.
A Call to Courage
4. Just do it and watch God move with power!
It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town
called Adam (‘adamme’) in the vicinity of Zarethan,
while the water flowing down to the Sea of the
Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut
off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17
The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of
the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and
stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until
the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry
ground.
A Call to Courage
A Call to Courage
4. Just do it and watch God move with power!
2:10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the
water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of
Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two
kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you
completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our
hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed
because of you, for the LORD your God is God in
heaven above and on the earth below.
A Call to Courage
4. Just do it and watch God move with
power!

Issue of War in the Old Testament
1. A Loving God
2. The Culture of the day
3. The life of Christ
As the Lord leads, exercise humble
God-honouring faith