Sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, Cornerstone Church

• God won't send you back the same way you came today. He will fill you with His grace, anointing and presence. 

John 19:30- When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

• It is finished. 

Joshua 21:45- 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled. 

• Everything that was spoken to you by the Lord will be fulfilled! • Everything will be fulfilled! By the name of Jesus, the people of the New Covenant will see EVERYTHING He has spoken to them come to pass. 

2025 is a Year of divine fulfilment of all that God has spoken to you 

• 2025- It's all the multiples of 5. Five stands for grace. God’s Holy Spirit said this is a year where God’s grace will be multiplied to you. It is not 3 +3. By 5 X 5! • Out of His s fulness we have received Grace upon grace. 

2025 This is a year of walking in His Grace and Favour. 

• You will walk in His grace. Just like Paul said, ‘I am what I am by the grace of God’. These same words will become your reality. 
• This is your year! Grace upon Grace 

The Holy Spirit said- This is your year! The year of the Joshua generation! Joshua in Hebrew means Yahweh is salvation. 

• It's the same name as Jesus. Yeshua is Joshua. He is a saviour. He saves me not just from my sins but from every trouble, difficulty, fear and problem. • It is said about Joshua- God performed and fulfilled everything that HE had spoken to Joshua.

Grace Grace Grace. This year will bring growing grace for you. 

WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT JOSHUA? 

1. LOVED THE PRESENCE OF GOD

• As seen in Exodus 33:11, Moses would go back to His camp after meeting with God in the tabernacle, But Joshua still lingered on in the presence of God. • The people who walk in the Promise of God are those who pay a price to be in the presence of God and to come to the church of God.
• They are willing to wait for hours, weeks and months for God’s Presence. 

Some of you will wait on his presence of weeks together! To be with Jesus in 2025. A year of encountering His presence and linger on in his presence tasting HIM 

• Joshua valued God’s presence above everything else. He would wait for GOD’s presence to before Him. Only if the ark goes in the front he would go behind it. The ark symbolises the presence of God. River Jordan was overflowing. But he waited for the priests to step in first with the ark and then followed as the waters parted.

It is His presence that takes you into HIS promises. 

Joshua 19:49-50- 49 When they had [c]made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt in it. 

• Caleb entered into the promised land and said ‘GIVE ME MY MOUNTAIN’. If I get that land I will plant some rubber trees. I need MY land. 
• JOSHUA did not do that. He equally divided the land for the 12 tribes of Israel as God had commanded. He gave everyone what was rightfully theirs. He sought first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness 
• The congregation said we want to give Joshua an inheritance according to God's way. That’s what we read in Verse 49.
• Caleb got a Mountain. Joshua got a town. Joshua got a town as He sought first His kingdom. Mah iournwill be done. I will give to all what belongs to them.

Holy spirit is saying in 2025, God will give you cities and towns. A city will become church. 

• There will be Revivals in cities, beyond what you can imagine! 

Mathew 5:14- 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 

Joshua was given the city that was on top of the mountain.

This is the Word for the church for 2025- You will be above ONLY! IT'S AN ‘ABOVE ONLY YEAR’. NOT BELOW BUT ABOVE ONLY. 

• The devil wanted to pull you down. But God has destroyed that snare and you will be above only. You will be like a city on a hill.

2. JOSHUA IS A ONE WHO SHOUTED PRAISES.

• He got the city when he shouted out praises of God. Hallelujah is not a word to be said softly. Shouts of victory resounding the tents of the righteous of the Lord. 

Joshua 6:20- 20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 

• When they shouted loudly, the walls fell and the Jericho city was delivered into their hands. 
• There is a normal praise and then there is a loud shout. The Hebrew meaning is split the ears! We don't reduce our sound when we shout our praise unto God. We shout loud enough to split the ears when we celebrate the Lord.

It is above only year. 

Deuteronomy 28:13- 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you [a]heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 

WHAT DOES ABOVE ONLY MEAN? 

1. Above only means moving in another realm

• Above ordinary or common existence. Beyond an ordinary level. • In new testament language it means – ‘You are existing in royalty and authority’ 

1 Peter 2:9-10- But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 

• We are a royal priesthood. not ordinary, but a Royal priesthood. A chosen generation. A Joshua generation- A generation that works with Jesus. • The heirs of Jesus. Co heirs with Christ. Generation that walks in the Presence of God. 

2. A realm of distinction. You stand out. You are distinct.

• 31st night people are dancing in clubs and you are dancing in God's presence. • You are Gods peculiar treasure. You are precious. You are a Holy nation. You cannot be like others. God's grace will multiply upon me.
• I will walk in royalty and authority. I will not allow fear to overpower me this year but only faith and trust in God's love for me.
• Unusual grace of God will abound towards me! 

Above every generational bondage and darkness.

• This message is for the church of Christ. For the situation in the world outside Christ will be frightening. 

Isaiah 60:1-2- Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 

• HIS glory shall be seen upon me. You carry the glory of God and not the darkness of this world. 

3. Realm of exception

• The darkness of this world will not touch you. You are excepted by the grace of God.

You are above every darkness and calamity. Above only! 

You are above every kind of shortage and scarcity.

• The light from the word. Catch that. This is not some emotional shake up. Let the light of this Word enlighten you.

Deuteronomy 32:13- “He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, And oil from the flinty rock; 

• Above only means- No shortage

Isaiah 33:16- He will dwell on [a]high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure. 

• You will not walk in lack and poverty but in blessing. Your bread and water shall be sure. You will suck honey out of the rock. You will be above Only! 

Joshua did not say ‘my land’. He said take the lands to the tribes. Then God commanded to the children of Israel to give the city of the hill to Joshua.

Joshua 19:50- According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt in it. 

Ephraim means double fruitfulness. Timnath Serah means Portion of abundance.

If God said it, He will do it! 

4. It is a realm of provision.

• You shall not lack provision this year, to buy land, to build houses to pay fees, to increase business. 
• You will not suffer for need.

There will be dimensions of resources coming into your life.

• Crorepatis and millionaires rising up here. It will be the grace of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit lifting you up. 

Above the enemy and his powers and his forces.

• The witchcraft will not stand against you. It won't even enter into your neighbourhood! 
• No weapon fashioned against you shall stand. The Blood of Jesus will speak for you. 
• Suppose you are on the 70th floor of a building having a cup of tea and there is a dog barking at ground floor. Will that bother you? Or you are sitting on the 75thfloor and there is a snake hissing on the ground floor. Will that bother you? No, because you know that it cannot touch you.

Above only means you are on top, seated with Christ. 

2025, a year above the enemy 

Ephesians 1:19-23- 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality[a] and [b]power and [c]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 

• He will fill all in all. Today Holy Spirit will fill all in all.

5. It is a realm of domination.

• God created man and gave Him dominion. What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. You shall trample upon snakes and scorpions and nothing shall harm you. 
• The Joshua generation does not fear the devil and his demons. You are filled with the Spirit of the Most High God.
• Ephesians 2- You are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. You are above only.

Your size in God is too big for any yoke to come upon you. Your neck is too fat for that yoke of affliction to come upon you. 

By the anointing you are above personal limitation and challenge.

• Pastor I am a weak person, I am a new believer. I can’t pray for hours. You will rise above your limitation in 2025. 

Weakest saint is stronger than the strongest demon.

You shall be over that limitation. Singleness may be your limitation. Bareness or may be some inherited diseases or poverty or work-related issue may be a limitation. But do you have the desire to come out of it? 

6. Realm of liberation

• Those who come into the presence of Jesus is free. He whom the son sets free is free indeed. Your personal limitation won’t stop you. God can rise you beyond that.

Joshua said that this city is enough for him.

WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT JOSHUA? (Contd.) 

3. JOSHUA WALKED WITH MOSES

• Moses looked at a camp with 6 million Jews and he found only one person who he could lay his hands on. That was Joshua. He was filled with the spirit of wisdom. I believe in impartation. Moses couldn't go anywhere without Joshua.

Walk with pastor. Walk with the church. 

4. JOSHUA DID NOT COMPROMISE ON GOD’S PRESENCE.

• Value his presence. That's why we dedicate children, cars, houses and pray. • Joshua learnt from Moses- ‘don’t send me anywhere unless your presence goes before me”. They would follow the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day.

Miracles are within the presence of God. 

5. JOSHUA HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD

• Sheep hears the voice of the Shepherd. Lamb hears the voices of other sheep. • It is a sign of maturity, a spiritual maturity.
• Joshua has lost wars and was defeated too when he did not listen to God’s words. 

You are going to walk into an ABOVE ONLY year. Say this- I refuse to Down. I will worship, I will meditate on the Word’. 

Joshua 1:8- 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[a] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

• Make your way prosperous by meditating on the Word. Not one word will fall to the ground. 
• I will sit in God's presence and read the Word, I will worship, I will meditate on GOD’s Word.

To walk into you promise, rely not on the arm of the flesh. Don't put your confidence in your own flesh and your strength. 

Take a new year resolution- I will worship and read the Word. I will have ‘off-web’ time. SPEND TIME WITH GOD!