Lift Your Head and See: Occupy the new land!

Purpose for the session: To apply the call to occupy the new land personally.

Worship: Listen to the song throughout the week or at group We Praise You – Bethel Music. Let you praise rise to God, lifting His name to break down every wall and respond in victory.

Check-In: Share how you have been able to follow through on the shifts you needed to make to follow God out of obedience in this new era.

Bible Reading: Read Joshua 4:19; Joshua 5:2-3; Deuteronomy 30:6; Joshua 5:9; Philippians 3:13; Joshua 6:1-2; Joshua 5:1-2; Joshua 6:6; 2 Chronicles 20:21-22; Joshua 5:13-15; Zechariah 4:6

Preparation and Discussion for Group Time: In preparation for group, as you read through the above verses, write down what stands out to you from your reading and your notes from Sunday. Prepare to share that at Group.

1. What can we learn from God’s command and the people’s response in Joshua 6? Share with the group, what your response is to what God is commanding you about how you are to occupy your new land.
2. As we read Joshua 6:6, we see that the ark (the presence of God) went ahead. What does a new level of GOD FIRST look like for you personally?
3. We have been challenged to be a PEOPLE OF PRAISE, praising God in the valleys before the victories. Have you been able to do this? If so, how did you express your praise?
4. Read Joshua 5:13-15 again in various translations. We see that Joshua comes face to face with the presence of God. Share how you are declaring your complete dependency on God’s presence for today and for the things that lie ahead (Zechariah 4:6).

Check out and Prayer time: Pair up and pray for one another, asking God to lead and help each other in this season. Check in during the week with that person.

Others:
I often wonder how we are doing in reaching those in our worlds who are ‘unchurched’. Each week we encourage each other to keep talking to those we are praying for, keep reaching out to them, inviting them to join us.

This past Sunday I got the opportunity to pray with someone who was invited to join us online. We just never know the day someone says ‘yes’ to Jesus.

Here’s an article by Carey Nieuwhof that I found insightful and also reminded me to be real with those I’m sharing (or trying to share) my faith with https://careynieuwhof.com/15-characteristics-of-todays-unchurched-person/

Daily Practices to follow:
Memorize Philippians 3:13 (NLT). Read this verse daily, putting aside the things that have gone before and pushing ahead into the new that God has. Journal what God is saying to you as you do this daily.

For personal study, here are some suggested YouVersion devotionals:

• Every day in His presence by Charles Stanley
• The practice of the presence of God by Brother Lawrence