Claiming God's Promises and Raising Up Disciples

The meeting transcript captures a spiritual talk given by Joseph Peer who shares his family's journey of faith and ministry. Joseph begins by recounting how he and his wife moved to Hunter Army Airfield in 2005, following a calling from God. He shares promises from Ezekiel 36 that God gave him about rebuilding desolate places and multiplying people like flocks.

 

Joseph then transitions to the biblical story of Gideon, using it as a framework to explain how God works through people who are willing to trust Him despite their fears and inadequacies. He emphasizes that God isn't looking for large numbers but for pure, trained, and equipped individuals who are ready to be used by Him. Joseph draws parallels between Gideon's 300 chosen men and how God selects people today who are tactically sound and properly trained.

 

Throughout his talk, Joseph shares personal stories of ministry, including how he met a soldier cleaning his Harley Davidson who became the first person in their ministry at Hunter. He also recounts his family's seven years in Jordan, where they opened a CrossFit gym that became a platform for sharing their faith with military personnel, including a commander who sacrificed his life in a firefight against ISIS after hearing the gospel.

 

Joseph discusses the importance of being equipped with God's Word and being part of a community that helps equip one another. He references 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Ephesians 4:11-12 as key scriptures about equipping believers for ministry. He encourages the audience to look for people God is already working in, comparing it to Philip finding the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8.

 

Toward the end of the meeting, Joseph and his wife, Katherine, engage in a Q&A session about balancing family and ministry. They share insights about different seasons of life, the importance of children seeing their parents have quiet times with God, and how they've involved their children in ministry. Their sons also briefly share their experiences growing up in a ministry family.

 

Joseph concludes by challenging the audience to seek new promises from God for their generation and to be on the lookout for people God is preparing, like modern-day Gideons, Elishas, and Timothys. He prays for the group, asking God to equip them and use them to reach their military units and beyond.

Joseph begins by sharing his family's story of coming to Hunter Army Airfield in 2005. He mentions that God gave him promises from Ezekiel 36 about rebuilding desolate places and multiplying people like flocks. Joseph explains that he wants to show how these promises from 15 years ago are being fulfilled today and will continue into the future. He also introduces the biblical story of Gideon as a framework for understanding how God works through people.

The story of Gideon and God's selection process [00:11:02]

Joseph delves into the story of Gideon from Judges 6, highlighting how God called Gideon a 'mighty man of valor' even though he was hiding and fearful. He explains that God first deals with idolatry in Gideon's life before using him. Joseph shares how he would walk onto the base looking for people like Gideon - those whom God was already working in. He tells the story of meeting Josh Brown, who was cleaning his Harley Davidson and had just prayed for help in his spiritual life.

God's preference for quality over quantity [00:21:24]

Joseph continues with Gideon's story, explaining how God reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 men. He interprets this as God looking not just for willing people but for trained and equipped individuals. Joseph suggests that the 300 men who lapped water with their hands were tactically sound and properly trained. He emphasizes that God doesn't need large numbers but pure, ready, and equipped people who can trust Him for the impossible.

Personal ministry experiences in Jordan [00:19:05]

Joseph shares his family's experience of moving to Jordan for seven years where they opened a CrossFit gym. He recounts how God brought the commander of Jordan's special forces to his gym, which led to opportunities to train various elite military units. Joseph tells how he shared the gospel with the commander three days before the man sacrificed his life in a firefight against ISIS, saving another Jordanian soldier's life.

Being equipped with God's Word and community [00:36:16]

Joseph discusses the importance of being equipped with God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and through the gifts of others in the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). He compares this to how a 12-man ODA team works together with different specialties. He encourages looking for people God is already working in, like Philip finding the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, and emphasizes that evangelism is about discovering what God is already doing in people's lives.

Q&A on balancing family and ministry [00:52:43]

Joseph and his wife, Katherine, respond to questions about balancing family and ministry. They discuss different seasons (kairos) of life and how they've adapted their ministry approach based on their family's needs. Katherine shares that they invited people into their home so their children could see authentic Christian living, including failures and reconciliation. They emphasize that parenting isn't about perfection but about letting children see how to handle mistakes.

Children's perspective on growing up in ministry [01:03:25]

Joseph’s sons briefly share their experiences growing up in a ministry family. They mention relationships with people who lived with them or were close to the family, particularly during their time in Jordan. The older son expresses appreciation for seeing how God works in other people's lives and how encouraging it is to witness their spiritual journeys.

Understanding and claiming God's promises [01:13:51]

Joseph responds to a question about claiming promises from the Old Testament. He explains that there are general promises for all believers, life promises specific to individuals, and situational promises for particular times. He recommends a book called 'Praying the Promises of God' and shares how God gave him Isaiah 58:12 as a life verse, which was confirmed when he heard Jim Downing speak about the same verse being foundational to the Navigators ministry.

Closing challenge and prayer [01:28:42]

Joseph concludes by challenging the audience to seek new promises from God for their generation, beyond the Ezekiel 36 promises he received 20 years ago. He encourages them to be on the lookout for people God is preparing, like modern-day Gideons, Elishas, and Timothys. He prays for the group, asking God to equip them and use them to reach their military units and beyond to the ends of the earth.