Dry Season Testimonies

The Lord dropped a little nugget in my spirit for this night. And if you have your Bibles, turn with me to Joshua chapter 4. Joshua chapter 4. Hallelujah. Job Joshua chapter 4 is a setting where Israel has just crossed the Jordan River into the promised land. We are witnessing the priest carrying the ark of the covenant standing in the midst of Jordan. And God commands Joshua to appoint 12 men to take stones from the riverbed. And where the priest stood, they would take stones and carry them over to the camp. But also they would take stones and place stones in the middle of Jordan at the feet of the priest where the ark had rested. And I started looking at this scripture and I'll read it for your your understanding. And it came to pass when all of the people had passed clean over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua 7, saying, Take ye 12 men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, and command you them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priest's foot feet stood firm, 12 stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place where ye shall lodge this night. Then Joshua called called 12 men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel out of every tribe of man. And Joshua said unto him unto them, "Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, "What means ye these stones, then ye shall answer them that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over Jordan. And the waters of Jordan were cut off, and these stones shall be a memorial unto the children of Israel forever. And the children did so as Joshua commanded, and took up 12 stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

That's significant. But listen to what would happen next. And Joshua set up 12 stones in the midst of Jordan in the place which bear the ark of the covenant stood and they are there unto this day. I don't know if you caught that. The 12 tribes took stones to the shore. The 12 tribes took stones to the beach. But the man of God put stones in the middle of the Jordan River. A place that could never they could never be moved. They could never be changed. They could never be manipulated. they would be there. The Bible says unto this day, I want to preach to you for just a little bit if you would help me on this subject. Dry season testimonies. Somebody say that with me. Dry season testimonies. If you would lift your voice and lift your hands all over this house, help me pray right now. Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you, Lord, for what I feel, what I know, what I have come to understand through the course of studying this scripture. I pray right now that all minds and all hearts would be fixed upon you. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. And can somebody shout, "Amen." Would you one more time clap your hands unto the Lord? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. If you're going to help me preach, uh, you may be seated. Dry season testimonies. Memorials are God's way of securing remembrance.

Sometimes, and I would dare say a lot of times, we are quick to forget what God has done. Israel had already forgotten the miracle after a short time in the wilderness of crossing over the Red Sea. God wanted them to have something visible, tangible, and lasting for his people to point to and say, "This is what God did for us. This is what God did for us. But I submit to us on this Sunday evening that every generation needs reminders of the faithfulness of God. How many in this room tonight can could unequivocally say uh that God has been faithful unto you? I think it would be a good thing from time to time uh that families uh husbands, wives, mamas, and daddies uh they should set up some memorials uh that would say, "You know what? I remember uh when God did this." Uh it's a testimony. Uh it's a story. Uh it's an answer prayer. Uh when we didn't know how God was going to come through, uh he came through one more time. I believe sometimes uh we need to make memorials uh to reflect and remember upon. Amen. Some of you in this room, you journal. You journal God's goodness. You journal God's power. And as a way of reflection and remembrance, but I'm telling you, there's more than just something for you to remember. When you set up memorials and when you talk about what God's done in your life, when you remember and reflect and you tell your grandchildren and your children, they will know the power of God. Uh they will know that God is still a healer. Uh that God is still a provider. Uh this memorial that I'm preaching to tonight uh and preaching about was not for God to remember. That's right. See, memorials are not for God to remember. Uh but it's for us not to ever forget. That's right. When you create memorials in your life, uh it's not for God to remember. Uh it's for you to remember. Uh when you're weak and weary, uh you can point back to a time and you can say, "God, you've done it before and you can do it again."

I began to look at the two places that the stones would be placed. Joshua 4:20 said, "And those 12 stones which they took out of Jordan did Joshua put in Gilgal." Gilgal was Israel's first camp in the promised land. The place where they prepared to fight their battles. They were going in to possess the land. They were about to go visit Jericho and watch God's hand give them that city. They were beginning the pursuit and conquest. And from Gilgal, every time they would return to Gilgal, they would see these stones. And remember, we serve a God who can make a way out of nowhere. Uh he can make a way where there seemth to be no way. Uh I've come to preach to you this evening uh that we still serve a God who can make a way out of nowhere. You see, every time they came to Gil, they would see rocks and it would be a sign, these s these stones are a public declaration that God did the impossible and to every generation that would come after and to every nation that would walk by and wonder, "What are those 12 stones about?" They would echo and they would speak loudly. God did this. God brought us through. The stones on the land represented a visible testimony of faith. What people see in our lives, what people come to understand. When others look at us, uh, do they see the evidence that God has worked a miracle in our life? Our testimony is not only for us, but for our children. It's for those around us. Uh, even unbelievers when they come by your life and they walk and they see the evident change in your life. Uh, what meanth these stones? What meanth this God you serve? Uh, what meanth all of these changes that I'm seeing in your in your life and all of the things that are happening? What do these stones mean? There are visible stones that people will see in your life every single day that point them to a God who found you, who saved you, uh, who rescued you, uh, who brought you out of the miry clay. Uh and it's not to point you uh to him. You're already pointed in that direction. Uh but it is a reminder. Uh it is a memorial. It is a place where others will see and ask questions of Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

But I'm not so much preaching tonight for the stones on the land. Because what I've discovered, stones on the land can be manipulated. stones on the land can be moved and eradicated. Another generation rise up. Another generation can come by and they can have plans and they can try to just they they they can move those stones. They can shuffle those stones. And you know what? Those stones in a few hundred years could could no longer be. But the stones in the riverbed, come on now. that hidden witness that Joshua would set up 12 stones in the midst of Jordan and in the place where the priesthood. These stones were covered by water when the river returned to its flow. Amen. They could not be seen every day. They could not be seen in that daily relationship or that daily passage by. uh they could not be seen by the children and the grandchildren to come. Uh but they remained in that river Jordan. Uh and I'm of the impression and I'm of the belief that those stones are still there even today. Uh they have not been moved and they have not been cut. The Bible says uh that he laid them there and are there unto this day. Amen. I can't talk about brother Chris. I can't talk about the stones on the ground. They may or not be there. But there are some stones that you put in secret places that necessarily cannot be seen by others. They are the hidden testimony beneath the surface. But they declare that even when you can't see them, God has been there. when nobody else can see them around you. You see, sometimes testimonies are public while others are private. There are things that God has done in your life that no one else may never know, but you know he did it. It's hidden in the secret place of your heart. Uh it's h it's hid there and nobody may ever know it. But you know what? He's done it and you know it. Deep in the riverbed of your heart are stones of remembrance, hidden victories, secret deliverances, personal answers to prayer, though unseen, they are no less real and no less powerful.

What are you trying to say, pastor? Do you know the time? If you'll help me just for a few moment, do you know the only time that those those stones would ever be seen by men? Do you know when it would be? In the middle of a drought. That's right. In the middle of a dry season. In the middle when you know what I I don't know what God's doing in my life. And it feels like that I'm in a dry season. Uh can I tell some mama and some daddy? Uh why don't you take a trip to the riverbed and say, "You know what? I've got a dry season reminder. I've got a dry season testimony in my dry times. I don't throw in the towel, fold my hands, and I don't quit, but I say I go into the riverbed and witness my dry season testimony." Those stones are there. Yeah, those stones are in the river. Well, I'm dry. I'm dry. I've got a dry I've got a dry season testimony for you. If he's ever done it one time, he can do it again. I've got a dry season reminder for some of you. When's the last time you've been to Jordan? When the last time you went down memory lane? Because those stones in the riverbed are only seen in the season of drought. You're not going to see them every day. You're not going to see them when you get up most mornings. But oh, there's every once in a while your heart's a little weary. You're a little thirsty for a move of God. And seems like, God, what are you doing in my life? What are you doing in my world, God? I I remember what you did a few years ago. I remember how you healed my body. I remember how you saved my son. I remember how you touched my grandchildren. I remember all of these things. You see, Joshua 4:24 said, "That all the children of the earth might know the hand of the Lord that is mighty, that ye might fear the Lord forever." You see, these the purpose of these stones are as a reminder uh that wasn't necessarily about them. They were about future generations to come. Yes. So children can ask parents uh and parents could testify of the goodness of God. See some of your dry seasons, you you need to your mouth needs to be filled with reflection, not complaint. It should be filled with gratitude, not grumbling.

Because if God's ever done anything for you at any point and any time in your life, uh there ought to be a memorial. Uh and there ought to be some of the driest times of your life. Uh some of the driest seasons. Uh and it seems like God, where are you? What are you doing? Uh you need to get yourself uh you need to pick yourself up uh from the seed of despondency. uh and say, "I'm taking a trip to the river uh where I know God was. Uh I'm taking a trip to the altar uh where God met me. Uh where God delivered. There's power in this altar. There's power in these altars. Uh because here healing took place. Uh deliverances took place. Your lives were changed here. Yeah. Every once in a while, you just need to go to the place where it all happened. Every once in a while, you just need to stand where you know the chains were broken. I'm talking about a dry season testimony. Trying to find my way. I feel a little lost, but if I can just get back to the place where I knew God was. I knew God was there. I know it felt I know what it felt like. I knew what God did for me.

It's in those dry seasons that testimonies come alive. Not only for your children to ask and you to testify, but that unbelievers would know the God of Israel is the true God. Those stones were just not just mere stone. They were for also Israel to never forget the mighty hand of God. Telling you what I felt in prayer yesterday and again today. Memorials are not just purple. They're not just personal. They are missional. The things that you have been through, the battles that you have fought, and even the battles that you have won are not just personal things. But if you could hear your pastor tonight, there is a mission attached to what you've been through. There is a purpose connected to where you are even right now in your dry season. Uh our testimonies uh not only point you back to Jesus uh they point others to Jesus. Uh when people see what God has brought you through they will know that God he is real that God he can help. If I I know I used illustrations this morning but if I were to pass this microphone around and I would say tell us your story. Tell us what you've been through. Tell us where you're at. Tell us about the time. You would hear stories such as, "I was once an alcoholic, but God delivered me. God took the taste out of alcohol out of my mouth. I once was a drug addict. I was strung out on drugs. I was needles were my friend. Cocaine was my companion. You just go down the list. methamphetamines, prescription drugs. Uh I can point you to people in this room right now. We look good on a Sunday night. But if you only knew where we've been. Uh you would think another story. Uh you want to know why we can sit and stand on a Sunday night. Uh it's because uh in our dry seasons uh in those moments where we felt like it's in those moments when we felt like giving up and going back to a life of addiction knowing that God did it. Something was revived. Something was activated and a dry season testimony came alive.

Some of you, you've weathered relational relationship problems. Some of you have been through bitter divorces. Some of you have went through the pain and loss of a child. You've went through seasons where, oh God, what are you doing? What's transpiring? What's taking place? See, it's easy to look at the stones on the beach. It's easy to look at the stones on the beach and recognize what God's done. Testify. But I'm preaching to somebody. You're in the battle of your life right now. You're in the battle for your soul right now. And the stones on the beach have been displaced in your mind and in your heart. But I've come to resurrect a remembrance inside of you that there are some stones of remembrance in the in the middle of that sea in the driest moments of your life that are about to become a visible testimony. Uh not only for everybody else to see, but for you to be reminded of. Uh the stones in the riverbed spoke of a hidden testimony. I've come to get the spirit of revived inside of you that you're going to remember just how good God has been. Just how faithful God has been in your life. Uh,

I know it seems like your world's falling apart. Uh, but can I tell you as an apostolic minister of the gospel, your world is not falling apart. It's falling in place for you to be and become all that God has purposed. Every once in a row, brother Kohhorn, you just got to remind yourself that God is worthy to be remembered. Both in what is seen and what is unseen. He's worthy to be remembered. If we can build memorials in our lives, so our children, so our church, and so our world can see us and know there is a God. There is a God and what he has done for others, he can do for me. I had to ask myself this afternoon, what stones am I stacking? today that are for another generation. What stones am I leaving behind at the sanctuary community church that the next generation is going to pick up and say, "I remember, pastor. I remember the faith of our pastor who believed God could do anything, who believed God. He believed God could heal. He believed God could could do just you name it, God can do it. I want to leave for the next generation a faith in God. Uh that no matter how big the mountain, your voice and your mouth can activate the mountain moving God to move every obstacle uh that can move everything standing in your way. Uh you mean he can still deliver? Yes, sir. Uh you mean he can do that for me? Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir. We serve a great big God who is still available.

I've heard so many testimonies in this church. Literally, there are stories sitting all around you. But I've come with a I've come with a mandate from the Lord. And I've come to I've come to empower mamas and daddies in this house. I've come with a mandate. Mom and daddy, it's time to activate some dry season testimonies. It's time to let your children hear you talk about and point to moments of God's faithfulness. It's time for for them to hear, "Oh, I don't know how we're going I I don't know how we're going to make the land payment. I don't know how we're going to make the mortgage payment. I don't I don't know how how we and one of y'all need to speak up. I don't know how we're going to make it back and forth to church. I don't know how we're going to have enough gas money to get from here from point A to point B. I don't know how we're going to manage all that we've got to manage this week. And I don't know, but I need a daddy and a mama to take the mandate that I've got from the Lord tonight. Both of you can't be weary and welloing. One of y'all got to say, "Oh, I I we've been here before. Yeah, I've seen him do it too many times before. Uh I I I I know the circumstance. I know it don't add up on paper. Uh but I know what it's like to put the mission check in the I know what it's like to write the check and not have enough. I know what it's like to look at all the bills and look at all of the obligations and don't know how it are going to meet. But don't you remember that time that we obeyed what God told us? Don't you remember? We did it. And before we could barely blink our eyes, we opened the mailbox. We got the phone call. We got the email. We got the promotion. We got exactly what we wanted and what we needed. Amen. I'm talking about dry season testimonies that come alive inside of you. Uh

we're in a season right now of reflection and remembrance. And I'm preaching a message right now. Some of you, God's woke up this week in prayer. Some of you, God got you out of the bed this week. Why has God waking me up? Why has God put me on a mission and sending me here? God said, "I've just come to show you that I've not forsaken you nor forgotten you. I can speak to you and put rocks in your bed and get you about and send you to that chair of prayer. You don't know what you're praying for. You It may never be revealed, but many times they're revealed." Yeah. in your driest of seasons to cause you to reflect and remember he really does love me. He really does care for me. He really does have his eyes upon me. It's tough to process when you've done all that you can do to stand. And the Bible says stand therefore. It's hard to look and see the evidence staring in front of you. And it's hard to declare the goodness of God in the land of the living when it seemed like everything around you is barren and dry. But it's in the driest of seasons. It's in the barrenness of seasons that God takes you to the riverbed and makes you come eye to eye with stones to remind you if I've done it one time I can do it again. There's hidden testimonies in the heart. And if we were to write a book,

it would be too big to to even bind together. But with a mandate from the Lord, I stand before you that this week that you will stand. You will stand at the riverbed and you will be called into action as you are remembering. I don't know how And I don't know when, but I know he's able to do it again. I don't know what doctor's report you're going to hear or face or see. I don't know what surgeries lie ahead of you. I don't know what call you're going to get this week or even a text you may get this week. But don't you forget the words of this pastor tonight. Some of you are going to be driving down the road. Some of you are going to be going along your daily routines and God's going to call to your remembrance things that he's done in your past. Oh, people leave you, forsake you, talk about you. I'm preaching to somebody. You've been lied on. You've been you've been slandered. But hear me in the Holy Ghost tonight that God keeps good records and he's seen your faithfulness and he knows exactly where you are. Uh and if you would just go to that riverbed one more time, uh get back up in that pool pit one more time. Get back up on the shores uh of miracles of days gone by and gander into the dust. Uh gander into the dryness and look again. You're going to see a memorial. Come on. I'm a memorial of what God has done before. How did God get you out of that court case? How did God get you out of that situation? How did God bring you through all of that? How did God spare your life and your friend's life got taken? How did God do all of that? I don't understand all the providences of God. But I do know one thing that in your driest of seasons, in your seasons of misunderstanding and not understanding, God brings you to places for you to look at and for you to remember just how good God has been.

I want our musicians to come right now. I'm telling you, I I preached tonight exactly what the Lord put in my spirit. And here's what I sense that some of you are sitting, but you're sitting in darkness. You're sitting and you're wondering. Some of you cried yourself to sleep last night begging God. God, I got to have a change in my life. I got to have something to shift. I can't keep doing what I'm doing. I can't keep I can't keep living my life like this. I can't keep living in these circumstances. I can't keep putting a mask on and masquerading that everything's okay. You're right. You can't. But here's what you can do. If I could call your mind to remembrance and if I could call your heart to a place where you know God met you. A season of your life of bewilderment. A season where you didn't know if you could even live another day. And God caused light to come in the evening time. God called the light and it pierced the darkness. God called you to remember his goodness and his faithfulness. Something's about to shift and transition in this room. Some of you are about to make a walk to this altar and God's going to meet you here and something that has been private that you have been dealing with is about to be placed in the hands of the almighty God. Yes, some testimonies are public, but I've come for the private matter tonight. It's between you and God. There is a hidden witness that's about to be revealed in your heart and be transported into his presence. We walk by faith and not by sight. But as you stand all over this building, as you stand in this sanctuary, some of you are feeling something you may have never felt before, but you're standing near people who have, and they're here to help. The goodness of God is in this room right now. Some of you are here today only by his goodness. And he wants you to remember. He wants you to remember God's foraging dry season testimonies in your life. Some of you, when you walk into this altar, what you're doing is walking to the edge of the riverbank. And I want you right now to just gaze. Gaze into the place. Gaze into the place where you know God worked. Where you know God moved. Where you know God's hand brought you through. When you do, you're going to look and see a memorial. You're going to see stones stacked to let you know if he's ever done it before, he can do it again. He lift your voice right now as they begin to sing.