Stop the Sun
Key Scriptures: Joshua 10:7-14
So, Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
Lesson One: If the size of the need that you have in your life seems too big for you, it’s just the right size for God.
• God specializes in situations where he is our only hope
Jeremiah 32:27, I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Matthew 19:26, Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Lesson Two: If the size of your vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God.
• What we ask for in prayer is a direct reflection of what we believe about God’s capability, capacity, character and nature
• If we are living in the will of God, we have every reason to approach the throne of God boldly
Lesson Three: If you are going to pray for God to stop the sun, you must be ready to march all night.
• Obedience—God always involves our faith and works before he brings his supernatural works to bear in our lives
1 Peter 2:12, Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 John 5:2-4, By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
1 John 2:3-6, By this we can be sure that we have come to know him: if we keep his commandments. If anyone says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him: Whoever claims to abide in him must walk as Jesus walked.