The 12 Stones

Something about the word “feeling” is, it’s hard to describe with words

That feeling of studying hard but not getting the grades

That feeling of practicing hard but not getting in the game

It’s the feeling of discouragement

We all can relate to it, we all felt it on some level

Discouragement is the loss of something

Loss of hope

Loss of confidence

Loss of courage

Most of us can identify with these losses

Joshua wondered in the wilderness for 40 years and they finally get to the promised land

You remember Joshua and Caleb and 10 other spies went into the promised land and came back

2 gave positive results and 10 gave negative results

So the people listened to the 10 negative results and has a result of their complaining, God caused them to wonder in the wilderness for another 40 years till all those of that generation died off

So now they are at try #2

Can you imagine the pressure Joshua has on him. Trying to follow in the footsteps of Moses

4 times in Joshua 1

God tells Joshua to be courageous

If someone says something a lot then that says there is a issue

Joshua must be feeling some anxiety and discouragement in his life

Joshua 1:9 (NLT): 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

God speaks courage to Joshua because he is probably feeling overwhelmed

God is recognizing that Joshua needs encouragement ahead of time because Joshua is feeling discouraged and overwhelmed and the road ahead is going to be difficult

And that why God speaks encouragement to Joshua ahead of time

Pay attention to the path that lies ahead, especially if it’s a difficult one

When someone is discouraged they talk more negatively and become frustrated

People who are discouraged are usually fatigued followed by physical and emotional exhaustion

Leaders will usually feel the most discouragement after a crisis

They push through the wilderness and then they hit the wall

Another thing Joshua probably felt was failure

40 years earlier Joshua tried to convince the people to listen to him but they didn’t and I’m sure he’ll some affect of failing God

You struggle because you feel like you tried but it didn’t work

You are giving it all you hot but the people around doesn’t think that so you become discouraged

You begin to overthink and tell yourself I don’t know if I can be the husband, father that they’ve want me to be or I don’t think I can be the wife, mother everyone’s wanting me to be

Some people have struggled with a addiction and it has come back worse than before and maybe you have relapsed and you’re just not sure anymore

A lot of us struggle with fear or the reality of uncertainty

For awhile you lived with this false sense of certainty but over the course you begin to see how fragile things really are

Joshua probably felt fear. What if I don’t have what it takes

What if I make a wrong decision

Courage is only has good has what you put your confidence in

God tells Joshua to be courageous and to put his confidence in the right place

Joshua 1:5 (NLT): 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

Joshua 1:9 (NLT): 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Discouragement is a indication of misplaced confidence

People’s confidence has gotten tested and it didn’t hold up so now they are discouraged

Where have you placed your confidence?

How can I place my confidence in God and be filled with courage?

Joshua 4:1–7 (NLT): When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3 Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’ ”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

A reminder of who you had confidence in

Joshua 4:9 (NLT): 9 Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.

Joshua 4:10 (NLT): the people hurried across the riverbed.

Don’t be in a hurry to get to the other side

Don’t miss what God is doing in the middle that we miss it