Retreat 12/6/25 (part 2)

by Pastor Martin Storey

Step free Luke 4:18-21
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a] 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”


It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.


Joshua 5:1-12
Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.[b] 4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal[c] to this day. 10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after[d] they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.


Faith decision/actions:
Stepping my feet into the water before the waters has parted

Something in me, or on me that God wants to get out of me before He can lead me through the breakthrough

1. You'll need freedom for your future
- I need to be fully free to fully possess
- God lifts us in faith in the discomfort of our challenge
- do not fall into the moment of compromise

Lord here I am, whatever, wherever, whenever ..

2. There's freedom, and there's freedom
- freedom actually is a process
- you're uncursable because of Jesus
- we need to renew our covenant with God to be fully free

Romans 2:28-29
A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.


Colossians 2:10-11
and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[a] was put off when you were circumcised by[b] Christ,


3. The best time for circumcision is "on the way"
- God wants us dead cause He wants us alive

When faced with tough situation with others:
A. Don't speak
B. Resolve that God at work and believe that He is bringing me to another place
C. Forgive quickly, and continue again
D. Jesus is thinking of others, do not be consume in my own circumstances but focus on others

4. The lord wants to lift off you, what should never have got on you
- Sometimes we can come out but still have something on us
- maybe we grow up from household that carry struggle, poverty or pain

5. When it's time, its time
- it's today today