Year of the Wind - part 4 - PATHFINDERS
HAVE YOU EVER FELT LOST?
What does it feel like?
- physically…
- mentally…
- emotionally…
Deuteronomy 1:19 - 28 NLT
19 Then, just as the Lord our God commanded us, we left Mount Sinai and traveled through the great and terrifying wilderness, as you yourselves remember, and headed toward the hill country of the Amorites. When we arrived at Kadesh-barnea,
20 I said to you, ‘You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the Lord our God is giving us.
21 Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’
22 But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’
23 This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes.
24 They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it.
25 They picked some of its fruit and brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.’
26 But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to go in.
27 You complained in your tents and said, ‘The Lord must hate us. That’s why he has brought us here from Egypt—to hand us over to the Amorites to be slaughtered.
28 Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, “The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!”’
THE PRESENCE OF PROBLEMS, DOES NOT TELL YOU IT IS NOT GOD’S PLAN!
Deuteronomy 2:1 - 3 NLT
1 Then we turned around and headed back across the wilderness toward the Red Sea, just as the Lord had instructed me, and we wandered around in the region of Mount Seir for a long time.
2 Then at last the Lord said to me,
3 ‘You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SPIES WAS TO GO INTO ENEMY TERRITORY and make a path for others to follow.
SPIRITUAL PATHFINDERS
“Pathfinders: In the Company of Strangers” is a movie regarding a true story in American History of World War II soldiers, whose mission it was to parachute down behind enemy lines the day before the “D Day” Invasion:
- set up and operate drop zones,
- pickup zones
- and landing sites.
They were sent ahead of other airborne troops to prepare the way.
THEY WOULD HAVE A WAY TO SIGNAL TO OTHERS THE PROPER LOCATION FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH TO A SAFE LOCATION WITHIN ENEMY TERRITORY…
To accomplish this meant they had to cut through some things…
- meant they had to get uncomfortable…
- meant they had to get into enemy territory…
In the midst of darkness and chaos - LIGHT would provide a way for others to head in the right direction!!
THEY WOULD CREATE DROP ZONES so others could
- get supplies,
- get support and
- get some set up
YOU ARE A PATHFINDER!
:THE
1. THE EUREKA
THIS IS VITAL… the Transponder was to communicate with the aircraft carrying the reciever (the Rebbecca) attached to planes carrying thousands of U.S. Paratroopers assigned to parachute in German occupied France….
IT WOULD SEND A SIGNAL… AND IT WOULD WAIT TO RECEIVE A SIGNAL!
YOU MUST PRAY AND PAUSE!
Hebrews 3:7 - 8 NLT
7 That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice,
8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.
WHEN = He expects you to hear His voice… but you have to practice “active
Passive listening = He speaks and it surprises you… that is not his goal…
ACTIVE LISTENING = HE SPEAKS AND YOU WERE EXPECTING IT!
IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO
A soft heart = a heart that can be impressed.
Galatians 5:16 NLT
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
“LET” HIM ~ MEANS IT IS YOUR CHOICE…
There is NO ANOINTING TO FOLLOW THE HOLY GHOST! ~ it is a
Pathfinders do not find their own way.
GOD IS ALWAYS SPEAKING…
WE ARE NOT ALWAYS LISTENING…
Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit needs to become our HIGHEST PRIORITY IN LIFE.
GOOD NEWS = He does not just give us guidance… but HE is a GUIDE.
WHEN YOU HEAR HIS VOICE… IT is because HE IS WITH YOU.
YOU ARE A PATHFINDER!
- YOU HAVE TO PRAY ~
- AND YOU HAVE TO PAUSE
Do not pray then do what you want to do and ask God to bless your mess…
FOLLOW THE GUIDE
WE have more practice being led by BY OUR FLESH THAN BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT.
2. THE
When PATHFINDERS land with orders from their leader… they pull out a compass to find TRUE NORTH.
“TRUE NORTH” = in sociology
- are your core values
- what never changes about you
- it is how you live regardless of what is going on around you
Is your TRUE NORTH your
TRUTH IS TRUE REGARDLESS OF SITUATIONS OR FEELINGS.
John 17:17 - 18 KJV
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Do not focus on how you
Proverbs 3:5 - 6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
WHEN GOD PUTS US IN ENEMY TERRITORY - WE NEED TO CONSTANLTY SAY -
- WHAT WORD DO I HAVE HIDDEN?
Your ability to trust depends on your orientation to the truth!
Matthew 6:33 KJV
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
SEEK = GREEK zéteó - to investigate to reach a binding (terminal) resolution.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE KINGDOM and GOD’S WAY is?…
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD.
3. THE
There were some basic tools that the pathfinders would have to chop away and cut away things that were in their path… and sometimes to create a clearing that made a landing strip for the forces to show up
THE MACHETE IS THE WORD OF GOD SPOKEN.
OFTEN - God puts us in enemy territory…
- where the storm is raging…
- where the problem is at…
- where things have overgrown to take over where God wants to establish a Kingdom presence…
Matthew 16:19 KJV
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Keys show
YOU ARE A PATHFINDER: You are put in situations to bind and destroy.
God’s Word on your lips IS AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THINGS.
IF IT IS NOT HAPPENING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD…
YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!
IF THE GRASS AND THE TREES ARE HOLDING YOU BACK FROM WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED…
REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A PATHFINDER!
Deuteronomy 1 1:21 NLT
21 Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’
OCCUPY - HEBREW = YARESH - cast out, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, driving out, enjoy, expel.
The Holy Spirit will put us into moments to follow Him into TERRITORY we are called to CHANGE for KINGDOM!
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
YOU BECOME THE LANDING STRIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BY SPEAKING WHAT GOD SAYS AND PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD!
Mark 11:23
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
4. THE
Matthew 5:14- 16 KJV
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
DO NOT HIDE YOUR LIGHT!
We activate our identity when we refuse lies and walk according to HIS truth.
Hebrews 11:11 NLT
11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed[b] that God would keep his promise.
- WE followed the leading of the Holy Ghost.
- WE hid in our hearts your true North of scriptures in the Word.
- WE cut down the enemies strongholds BY DECLARING!
NOW WE SHINE BRIGHT SO THAT OTHERS CAN SEE IT
~ AND COME TO KINGDOM PROMISES!
PATHFINDERS WOULD USE THEIR TOOLS…
WITH NO INITIAL EVIDENCE THAT ANYTHING WAS COMING…