TThe Power of Crossing Over             Genesis Chapter 12

I. There is Great Power in Crossing Over and giving yourself to a whole hearted decision to move forward.

A. Some don't have a problem because of a bad decision, they have a problem with no decision.

B. Things happen when:

- Cross over beyond what has been normal
- Step out to attempt more than you have before.
- Expand your mind, think of greater possibilities.
- Instead of I can't & that won't work
- It is: why not, I'm crossing beyond that boundary of unbelief and believing that God is able.

II. Genesis Chapter 12: Abraham Leaves Home

Ge 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." 4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

A. We had a question in discipleship class: What was the difference between Jew, Hebrew, and Israelite.

1. Word Hebrew originated with Abraham.

2. It meant: The man who crosses over the river. 
- It was used of anyone who ventured out
- Then became associated with Abraham

3. It eventual became a name that designated all of the descendants of Abraham

B. God uses strong language:

Leave your country NIV and in KJ Get out of your country!

- God had already told Abram once

Ge 11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.

- This isn't what God told him to do - This was still on the wrong side of river.

Stephen gives us some more details
Ac 7:1 Then the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?" 2 To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 3 'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.' 4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.

Abram settled in Haran

- Why did they stop short
- They intended to go to Canaan
- God didn't say stop
- The settled in Haran

Sure they had good reason
- Father Terah may have been sick
- But after Terah's death, Abram had to be told again, so he may have gotten comfortable.

SATAN OFTEN STOPS US WITH THE GOOD REASONS TO NOT DO WHAT GOD SAID TO DO.

I can't because…..

Jesus mentions this:

Lu 9:59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
(NIV)

Whatever the reason God had to tell him again: Get Going!

- Time to dust off your promise or call
-God is saying today - GET GOING!
- You got stuck in Haran
- good reason?
- Get Going!

III. The 2nd time God spells it out for Abram

Ge 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

Leave:
- Your country
- Your people
- Your father's household

In other words leave:
- Security
- Familiarity
- Comfort

IV. Finally Abram Crossed Over

A. In Haran he was still on the same side of the Euphrates
B. Haran was 60 miles out of the way.
C. To get there they had to follow the river without ever crossing it.

We can fool ourselves into thinking that we are stepping out and crossing over by our activity.

1. We can do everything but what God has specifically spoken to us about.

2. Ever have something you need to get done and you get sidetracked with everything

V. God's Power is Linked to Crossing Over

Finding what God is saying to you today! And going after it

A. If Abram would've stayed in Ur, or Haran we wouldn't know his name.

B. But because he crossed over
- He became extremely rich
- Defeated armies

- Ge 15:1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield..

Received:
- promise of protection
- promise of a land
- promise of blessing the entire earth
- father of a nation

- Had miracle children

- All of God's word came to pass

ALL BECAUSE ABRAHAM CROSSED OVER - Believed God enough to obey Him

VI. Abraham's faith was what he did, not Just what he believed.

Jas 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-- and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

A. And when he left Haran his faith and actions were finally working together.

VII. Principle: God Waits for you to Cross Over before He pulls out the Big Guns

A. He waited on Abraham

B. Jesus crossed over and became a man

Joh 1:4 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

C. Cornelius: Roman Centurion crossed over what was normal, comfortable, safe.

Ac 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

He crossed over - this was unusual - even awkward - took faith

Result: God met him there

God sends an angel and Peter

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Compare OT & NT how similar:

God said to Abe:
Crossing over,
Leaving country, family, father's house
will result in:
1. Land
2. Protection
3. A people/nation
4. Blessing
5. Earth will be blessed through you.

Jesus said to his disciples:

Mr 10:28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

God rewards those who cross over with His power, presence, and provision.

VIII. Examples of How We Can Cross Over

A. Missions Trip

B. Talking to somebody at work about Christ

C. Pursue a promise given to you years ago
- Somebody was given a promise years ago and you laughed at it
D. I took a beer while working on a bar
- I was eating dinner that night and felt the conviction of God.
- I left my table and drove to the bar and told them what I had done and paid for the beer.

E. Scott's Story
- Left the church mad
- I had a dream about this guy where I was talking to him in his front yard
- Coming home one night I was telling Jennifer about this dream.
- I realized we were a few block away from his house.
- He was standing in the front yard
- I cranked the car into his drive way (This was my Rubicon - committed now)

- Told him through weeping that I missed him and wanted him to come back to church.

F. In Iowa I was telling my daughter about witnessing as we drove in the car.
- As we stopped in front of the church I saw these migrant workers across the street. - God compelled me to walk across/cross
over/ the street and witness to them.

G. Many in the last few months have said - Pastor it is time for me to follow Jesus

- They crossed over to Jesus

WHERE IS HE CALLING YOU TO CROSS OVER?