Be Strong and Courageous

The Book of Joshua- Wk.1

Good morning, Church.

Grab your Bibles and make your way to the book of Joshua.

Alright, let’s get after this thing— but before we do- we gotta do a little back storying so we understand the context of what is about to happen and the magnitude of the event that is going to place.

Because in the Book of Joshua the Israelites are at the land of Canaan, its the Israelites- Jordan River- Canaan. So close they can taste it. Picture it: a land dripping with promise, a place that’s been whispered about for generations, and it’s not just dirt and rocks—it’s the heartbeat of God’s covenant with His people. So buckle up, scooter, and let’s see what’s what.

Way back in Genesis 12:1-3, God grabs Abram—later Abraham—out of nowhere and says, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

That’s the spark, right there. Canaan’s not even named yet, but God’s pointing to it like a neon sign—this is where the story’s headed.

A land for a people who don’t even exist yet.Crazy, right?

Then in Genesis 13:14-15, after Abraham’s nephew Lot splits from Abraham, God doubles down: “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are… for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.” Canaan’s the target, locked in—a gift with a forever warranty.

Fast forward to Genesis 15:18-21, and God gets specific, drawing the map: “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites…”—you get it, a whole laundry list of “-ites.”

This isn’t some vague dream; it’s real estate with borders, occupied by folks who aren’t exactly throwing welcome parties. But God’s like, “This is yours, Abraham. I’m signing the deed.”

Why? Because God’s not just playing house—He’s building a nation to bless the world through, pointing straight to Jesus. That’s the thread.

Now, flip to Genesis 17:8—God’s renewing the promise: “And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” There it is—Canaan, named, claimed, and tied to God’s presence.

It’s the spot, the future home. But here’s where it gets gritty—Abraham’s crew doesn’t stay put. A 7 year famine is about to throw a wrench in the gears.

Genesis 37. Joseph—great-grandson of Abraham, the dreamer with the coat of many colors—gets sold out by his brothers, thrown into slavery in Egypt. By Genesis 41, Joseph’s running Egypt’s food under Pharaoh- he is the #2 in Egypt. He is the assistant to the regional manager of Egypt incorporated.

Why? Because a seven-year famine’s coming, and God’s gave him the meaning behind Pharaoh's dreams that no one else could interpret. (Genesis 41:28-32): “Behold, there are seven years of great abundance… After them will arise seven years of famine, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt.” That famine’s not just Egypt’s problem—it’s gonna hit Canaan too.

Now, Canaan’s not flowing with milk and honey anymore—it’s a dust bowl. Genesis 42:1-2, Jacob (Joseph’s dad) hears Egypt’s got grain. He tells his sons, “Why do you keep looking at one another? … Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” The famine’s choking Canaan, and they’re desperate.

Verse 5: “Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.” That’s the tipping point. They’re not just popping down for groceries—they’re about to relocate.

By Genesis 46, Jacob’s whole clan—70 people—packs up and leaves Canaan for Egypt. Why? Joseph’s there, running the show, and God’s greenlighting it.

Genesis 46:3-4, God tells Jacob in a vision: “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again.”

So, they roll out—Genesis 46:6: “They took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt.” Canaan’s abandoned, a ghost town, because survival trumps the promise in the short term. Seven years of famine drive them out, and Egypt becomes home.

But God’s not done. Genesis 15:13-16 had warned Abraham: “Your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years… And they shall come back here in the fourth generation.” Egypt’s a pit stop—temporary, but long.

By Exodus 1, those 70 souls multiply into a nation, enslaved under a new Pharaoh. Canaan’s a distant memory, a fairy tale told over brick quotas. Yet God hasn’t forgotten.

Exodus 3:8, He tells Moses at the burning bush: “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites…” There’s that list again. Canaan’s still the prize, but now it’s a rescue mission.

God’s about to flex with plagues and a parted sea to get them there. Exodus 6:8 seals it: “I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.” That’s not a suggestion; that’s a done deal.

So, they’re out of Egypt, wandering the wilderness, and Numbers 13 rolls around.

Moses sends spies into Canaan—scouting the promise. Verse 2: “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel.” They come back with grapes the size of your head (Numbers 13:23), but also a report: “The land’s great, but the people are strong, the cities fortified, and we saw giants—sons of Anak” (Numbers 13:28-29).

And the people just melt down, whining, “We seemed like grasshoppers!” (Numbers 13:33). Fear wins, faith loses, and God says, “Fine. You don’t trust Me? You’re not going in” (Numbers 14:22-23).

For their disobedience and not trusting in the Lord- they are sent to wander the desert for 40 years. So that generation will die off and the next generation will be obedient to the Lord.

Everyone who saw the plagues and the parting of the red sea will die in the desert because they thought the walls, the armies, and the giants were too much for God. Everyone but Caleb. Him and Joshua were the two spies who came back with good reports.

That brings us to Deuteronomy, Moses’ swan song. He’s staring at Canaan from a mountain, but he’s not crossing over. Deuteronomy 1:8, he rallies the next generation: “See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.” The torch is passing. Deuteronomy 34:4, God shows Moses the land: “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob… I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” Moses dies, and Canaan’s still waiting.

So, up to Joshua, Canaan’s this pulsing, living promise—milk and honey mixed with giants and walls. It’s God’s faithfulness on display, a land sworn to Abraham, eyed by spies, and now sitting there like a gift with a bow, but the wrapping’s got some thorns. The people are poised at the Jordan, and Joshua’s about to find out if they’ll trust the God who’s been whispering “Mine” over Canaan since Genesis.

Now that we have up-to the border, lets read Joshua 1

Joshua 1 ESV

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ” 12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.” 16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

Lets pray.

Can you imagine the enormity of the situation for Joshua?

This had to feel beyond overwhelming. Joshua could have easily become paralzyed with indecision, fear, but he doesn’t because the promises of God provide peace.

I. Truth #1: Promises Provide Peace (Joshua 1:1-5)

"Alright, let’s just sit in this for a second, because this is wild. Moses is dead. I mean, Moses—the guy who faced down Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, and carried the tablets of the Law straight from the hand of God—is gone.

The guy who’s been the anchor for Israel through slavery, wilderness, and rebellion is no longer breathing.

You never want to be the guy replacing the guy. The expectations are enormous. When Spurrier left Florida- Ron Zook Never stood a chance.

Alabama fans want to fire Kalen DoBoer after his first year because he isn’t Nick Saban.

And here are the Israelites standing on the cusp of walking into the promises of God- the land flowing with milk and honey- the promised land- and Moses is no longer with them and the head coach in waiting is now the guy.

Now, this is just conjecture, okay? The Bible’s over there. I’m over here. This is just my imagination.

But if you were standing in the crowd when God spoke to Joshua—when He said, “Joshua, you’re going to take these people, cross the Jordan, go into Canaan, wipe it out, take it all”—I think if you looked at Joshua’s face in that moment, he’d be like, ’m gonna what now?”

Because here’s the thing—what’s the problem with going into the land of Canaan? Canaanites live there. That’s the problem. And I’ve got to imagine Joshua is thinking, “Uh, hey God, I’m not exactly qualified for this. See, I’m a professional wanderer. That’s what I do. That’s what I know. For 40 years, I have been personally mentored by the greatest wanderer of all time—his name was Moses. I have a master’s degree, a PhD in wandering. I know how to pack up, move when the pillar of fire moves, and stop when it stops. We were basically professional RVers.”

And now—now—God is calling Joshua to be a conqueror. A warrior. And he’s freaking out.

Which is funny because if you rewind back to Numbers 13, Joshua was one of the spies who came back fired up. “Let’s go! We can take this land! God is for us, who can be against us?” That was Joshua back then. But now? Now that he’s in charge? Now that the weight of leadership is on his shoulders? Now he’s like, “Wait, hold up… you want me to do what now?”

And listen, I get that. It reminds me of when I was a youth pastor. When I was a youth pastor for Pastor Micah Strickland down the road, I was an expert in church. I had all the answers. I knew exactly what I would do.

And then the Lord went, “All right, scooter, your turn.” And suddenly I was like, “Do what? You want me to lead?”

That’s how it goes, isn’t it? And I think that’s exactly what’s happening with Joshua here.

And maybe—just maybe—God calls us to things that are way bigger than us on purpose. Maybe He calls us into things we can’t handle so that we have to lean in and trust Him. Because faith is the thing that pleases God. Faith is the currency of our relationship with Him.

So if that’s true—then maybe weakness and dependence aren’t problems in our walk with God. Maybe they’re the whole point. Maybe that’s why He keeps calling you into places that feel beyond your ability—so that you have to rely on His.

So here’s my question: What is God calling you to do?

And listen, if you just want to play the game—if you want to keep showing up, acting like you’ve got it all together, checking the church box—that’s fine. The fake you is doing great. Keep it up. See you next year.

But if you’re ready—if you actually want to lean in and trust God like never before—then let’s be real. What’s the thing in front of you right now that you know God is calling you to step into, but it scares you to death?

Because that might just be exactly where He wants you.

But there’s just one important thing Joshua has going for him- God says Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Israel isn’t going to take the land because they are awesome- they aren’t going to take the land because Joshua is awesome- they are going to take the land because God is awesome.

Thats why 3 times in 4 verses- God tells him to be strong and courageous- if someone has to tell you to be strong and courageous back to back to back- its because your weak and afraid, weak and afraid, weak and afraid.

John Wayne once said “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”

I tell Judah the only time men can have brave is when we are afraid.

I literally said that last night to one of the kids last at the parent’s night out because he didn’t want to go home and be in his new room by himself.

Courageous. It is strong. It loves a risk and a challenge.

The best leaders—the ones who leave a mark on history—are always the ones willing to take risks. The greats, the champions, the heroes of the past weren’t playing it safe. They were the ones who laid it all on the line for something bigger than themselves.

They were the generals who led from the front, the soldiers who charged into battle with everything at stake. They ran through minefields. They took enemy strongholds on their own. They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t shrink back. Because real leadership, the kind that matters, always requires courage.

The kind of men who change the world aren’t the ones playing it safe. They’re the missionaries like Stan Dale, who stood his ground until the fiftieth arrow finally took him down—but not before. They’re the scientists who push into the unknown, taking on impossible challenges to bring breakthroughs that benefit humanity. They’re the entrepreneurs who don’t just chase success, they redefine it.

They’re the athletes who push beyond their limits, not because they have to, but because they love the risk, the challenge, the thrill of doing what others won’t.

If there’s a war, they’ll be on the front lines. If there isn’t, they’ll find their own battlefield. Maybe it’s Mount Everest. No one needs to climb Everest. There’s no five-star restaurant waiting at the top. There’s nothing there. No view you haven’t already seen in a picture. But some men still go—because something in them won’t let them sit still.

And if culture doesn’t build risk into everyday life, they’ll find another way. They’ll scale a rock face, even if they’re paraplegic, because deep in a man’s wiring, there’s a hunger for the edge.

A real man, the kind who refuses to settle, is the one who embraces the risk, leans into the challenge, and steps into the unknown—because that’s where life is really lived.

Alright, with all that in mind, let’s open up to 1 Corinthians 16—1 Corinthians 16. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, a church made up of both men and women, obviously. But there’s something in this passage I want you to see, something I don’t want you to miss. Look at 1 Corinthians 16:13

1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

We don’t have time to break down the whole verse, but I want to zoom in on one phrase—“Act like men.”

Now, as soon as I read that, a question pops into my mind—what does that even mean? What does it mean to act like a man? Are we all supposed to act like men? And if so, how do men act?

Let’s dig into the Greek here. That phrase, “act like men,” comes from a verb that literally means to conduct oneself in a courageous way. And get this—it’s a hapax legomenon, meaning this is the only place in the entire New Testament where this verb appears. That means when Paul chose this word, he did it on purpose. He’s making a point.

So what does it mean to act like a man? It means be courageous. Step up. Face the challenge. Take the risk. Refuse to shrink back. The essence of biblical manhood is courage—not passivity, not comfort, not playing it safe.

And look at what phrase comes right after—“Be strong.” Those two go together: act like men, be strong. Courage and strength. Strength and courage. That’s the heart of what Paul is calling us to. Be Strong and Courageous

So the question isn’t just, “Are you a man?” The real question is, “Are you acting like one?”

And to be a true man you have to be be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Putting on the whole armor of God. Because they are going to war- to conquer.

And God doesn’t even give Joshua a week to process it.

He’s like, ‘Hey, Joshua, Moses is dead. Get up. Cross the Jordan. I’ve got land for you to take.’

Now, listen, this isn’t just a historical footnote. This is God’s Word pressing into your life right now. Because here’s the deal: every single one of us is going to hit a moment where the thing we leaned on—the leader, the job, the relationship, the plan—dies. It’s gone.

And what God says to Joshua in that chaos is what He’s saying to you: ‘I’ve got promises bigger than your loss.’ God doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t stutter. He says, ‘The land’s yours. Every place your foot hits, I’ve already stamped it with your name.’

In verse 3- God is says I have given to you. Its already done. You just follow me.

Let’s not miss this: God’s promise to Joshua isn’t some motivational poster kind of hope- with the kitty on the tree limb saying “just hang in there”.

It’s specific. It’s dirt-under-your-feet real. He’s talking about Canaan—land flowing with milk and honey, land He swore to Abraham way back in Genesis 12.

And catch this in verse 5: ‘No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.’ That’s not Joshua’s résumé getting him through the Jordan; that’s God’s faithfulness. That’s God saying, ‘My promises don’t die with Moses. They don’t expire with your last season. They’re alive, and they’re yours to step into.’

Here’s where this gets personal. Some of you are staring at your own Jordan right now—a new job, a hard diagnosis, a kid who’s walked away from the faith—and you’re thinking, ‘I don’t have what it takes.’ Fair enough. You don’t. Neither did Joshua.

God will never give you more than you can handle- is a lie from the pit of hell. God will 100% give you more than you can handle because we are to be reliant upon the Lord.

We can’t but God can.

We have a God who says, ‘I’m giving it to you.’ Not ‘Earn it.’ Not ‘Figure it out.’ ‘I’m giving it to you.’ That’s grace, y’all. That’s the gospel breaking into Joshua 1 like a freight train. God’s promises provide peace—not because the river’s shallow or the enemies are weak, but because the One who promised is unbreakable.

Think about it: every divine calling—whether it’s Joshua crossing the Jordan or you stepping into whatever God’s got next—that next step of obedience- the first step of obedience is to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord- the second step of obedience according to God’s Word is to be baptized- and the third thing is whatever God is calling you to do. And when you do that thing- the Lord 's presence is with us.

He’s not sending you out like some cosmic Amazon delivery guy with a ‘Good luck!’ wave. He’s saying, ‘I’m in this. I’ve already mapped the land. I’ve already won the fight.’ That’s why you can have peace when everything else is shaking. That’s why Joshua doesn’t curl up in a tent and cry about Moses being gone. He gets up, because God’s promise is louder than his grief.

The Promise of His Presence provides Him a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Truth #2-Ponder God’s Word for Strength.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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.

So God’s already told Joshua to obey—now He’s about to show him how to obey. He’s not just throwing out a command and leaving Joshua to figure it out. No, God lays it all out. He’s shown Joshua what’s theirs, told him to get ready, and now He’s handing over the battle plan. This is the key to victory—the way Israel is going to step into the promise. Because listen, the land is already theirs by God’s word, but possessing it? That’s going to take obedience, faith, and action.

How is he to be obedient? By meditating on God’s Word.

A W Tozer: "Read it much, read it often, brood over it, think over it,  meditate over it—meditate on the Word of God day and  night. When you are awake at night, think of a helpful verse.  When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel,  think of a verse and make the Word of God the important  element in your day. The Holy Ghost wrote the Word, and  if you make much of the Word, He will make much of you.  It is through the Word that He reveals Himself. Between those covers is a living Book. God wrote it and it is still vital and effective and alive. God is in this Book, the Holy Ghost is in this Book, and if you want to find Him, go into this Book.

Joshua 1:8 isn’t a throwaway line—it’s a lifeline. God’s laying it out for Joshua, and He doesn’t stutter: ‘This Book of the Law? Don’t let it leave your mouth. Ponder it. Day and night. Chew on it like your life depends on it.’

That word ‘meditate’—in Hebrew, it’s hagah. It’s not some quiet, candlelit devotional moment. It’s raw. It’s muttering, growling it under your breath, turning it over in your gut like a cow grinding grass ‘til it’s part of you.

Listen, when God tells us to keep His words on our lips, to store them in our hearts, and then to live them out, He’s not just handing us a rule book. He’s not after religious robots. He’s saying, “I want you to know Me. I want you to listen to Me. And I’ve given you My words so that you might actually know Me and hear My voice.”

We want to be saturated in God’s Word.

In Deuteronomy 6, we get the Shema, that foundational prayer. It starts: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” And then it commands them to keep these words close—on their lips, in their hearts, written on their doorposts, bound to their foreheads.

Why? Because God knows that every single day, there are voices in this world fighting for your attention—competing, distracting, derailing. And you better believe Joshua and his people faced that.

Think about it. Do you think they ever wrestled with doubt? Do you think they ever came up against a battle and wondered if God had abandoned them? Absolutely. But the more they pressed the truth of who God is—His promises, His character, His faithfulness—deep into their souls, the more strength and courage they found. Imperfectly, yeah—they failed, they stumbled, but God’s presence never left them.

And listen, you and I? We’re no different. Some of you are in the middle of it right now. You’re up against something that’s tempting you to forget that God is with you. You’re walking through something that makes you wonder if He has abandoned you. But here’s the good news—we have something even greater than Joshua had. See, in his day, all they had was the first five books of the Bible. But we? We have the full revelation of God.

And in this Word, we don’t just find a promised land—we find a Promised One. A greater Joshua. You remember Deuteronomy 18? The prophecy about one greater than Moses who would come? Joshua wasn’t that guy. He even says in Deuteronomy 34, “There has never been another prophet like Moses.” But we know who that greater One is. His name is Jesus. And check this out—Jesus is actually the Greek form of the name Joshua. His name literally means “God saves.”

And Jesus came—according to every single promise of God—to do what Joshua couldn’t do, what you and I can’t do. Joshua failed at keeping all of God’s commands, but Jesus kept every single one. Joshua was a shadow, but Jesus is the substance. And at the cross, Jesus took on our failure, our sin, our rebellion. And in that moment, for the first and only time, Jesus didn’t call God “Father.” Instead, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He lost the presence of God so that you and I never would.

And when He rose from the grave, when He conquered Satan, sin, death, and hell, He didn’t just lead us into a temporary promised land—He secured for us an eternal home, a kingdom that will never be shaken.

So listen—when we keep God’s Word on our lips, when we press it into our hearts, when we don’t just hear it but actually live it, it transforms us. It shapes our character, our decisions, our courage. Because we know—God is with us.

And since we know God is with us; we should know His word more and more and more.

Thats the second truth, the third truth is

Truth #3- Preparation for God’s Mission (Joshua 1:10-15)

Joshua isn’t playing around. God lays it out—"Go. Cross the Jordan. Take the land." And what does Joshua do? He doesn’t sit back, sip his coffee, and overanalyze.

Verse 10? —"Then Joshua commanded the officers." Immediate obedience. No hesitation. No "let me pray about it for a few weeks." He calls his leaders and says, "Get to the people. Tell them to pack up. In three days, we’re moving."

This is what faith in action looks like. It’s not passive. It’s not Joshua laying around, thinking, Well, God’s sovereign, so I’ll just wait and see. No, he hears God’s command and moves. He understands that delayed obedience is still disobedience.

He organizes. He mobilizes. Why? Because God’s mission demands movement. Yes, the land is a promise. Yes, God is giving it to them. But it’s not magically floating across the Jordan to meet them.

And verse 11? "Prepare your provisions." This isn’t just about packing snacks. This is a mindset shift. They’re not heading out on vacation; they’re stepping into battle. Canaan’s got walls. Giants. Armies. This isn’t a walk in the park.

And yet—God’s provision is already built in. He’s promised the land, but preparation? That’s their responsibility. Joshua’s message is clear: God’s got us, but we’ve gotta show up.

And listen—this isn’t just an Old Testament war story. This is us. You. Me. Right now. God’s given us a mission, but it’s not about sweet tea and sitting in the pews. Ephesians 6 lays it out—it’s war. Spiritual war. We talked about it for the last 6 weeks.

Spiritual war against sin. Against doubt. Against the enemy who loves when we stay lazy, distracted, and unprepared. And like Joshua’s people, we don’t get to coast in. We prepare.

How? Through real prayer—not just some "thanks for the food" routine. Through the Word—actually digging in, not treating it like a box to check. Through action—faith that moves, not just talks.

Blair and I have been reading walking through the New Testament together- we are going to read all of the New Testament together- not to check a box but because we want to grow in our love and knowledge for Scripture.

We are going to do that this year.

Joshua has told the Israelites they got 72 hours.

Joshua’s three-day countdown? That’s a wake-up call. God’s provision is secure—Jesus has already won the war—but we’re still called to suit up and step in.

And check this—verses 12-15. Joshua turns to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh. "Yeah, you’ve got land over here, but you’re not done. Your brothers need you. You’re in this fight." And their response in verse 16? "We’re in. Whatever you say, we’re there."

That’s not just logistics. That’s the church. We prepare together. We fight together. You don’t just stockpile faith for yourself—your obedience, your prayers, your study—they’re not just for you. They’re for your brother or sister who’s struggling to keep their head above water.

Here’s the deal—God’s provision is the backbone. Joshua’s not leading on his own strength. The victory isn’t about his strategy. It’s God’s power, God’s promise, God’s faithfulness. Same for us. Jesus is our supply line—His death, His resurrection, His Spirit.

But preparation? That’s where we step up. That’s where we stop waiting to be magically zapped into holiness and say, "Alright, God, I’m in. I’m ready for the mission You’ve already secured."

So the question is—what’s He calling you to?

Some of you, that call is to faith. You’ve been on the fence but. Today is the day. Turn from your sin. Trust in Jesus. Others of you—it’s a step of obedience, a step of courage. I don’t know what it is for you, but I do know this—it’s your turn.

Here is a questions I want to leave with you before we enter into our time of invitation and consecration.

What would I do tomorrow if you were absolutely certain God was calling you to do something and that it wouldn’t fail?

Thats the thing you should be doing. Don’t let excuses get in the way of what God is calling you to do.

Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Lets stand- lets pray- lets respond.

Where we enter this time to do whatever it is God is calling you to do.