Living Decisively

Recap

Decisive Definition

Making all decisions base on the perfect will of God.

Not Fast

Preparing our hearts in advance to make sure we are following God’s word.

Last time we talked about the fiery furnace because three friends refused to bow down when they played music and worship King Nebuchadnezzar. Think about that for a second. How humanly easy it would have been simply bow their head. Even if they didn’t actually pray or worship. Instead they chose to die for their faith in God. As we said before, if you wait to the last second or the heat of the moment, we will fail. We will fall. We will give in to the pressure. We have to steel our hearts and prepare for the trials so that you stand firm in them.

Today we are going to talk about Joshua. Joshua was the leader that God chose to complete what Moses started when he took the Israelites our of Egypt. He led Israel’s armies, scouted enemy camps and beleived that God could accomplish any victory, and when the Israelites walked the desert for 40 years, he was the one of the last survivors. He conquered six nations and thirty-one kings and died at the old age of 110 years old.

Joshua was a man who believed in God in all things. He knew that all things could be accomplished. He was known for his action-oriented behavior and be decisive.

But how was he so successful? How did he know what to do all those times?

We see it in Joshua 1:8–9 “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

After Moses had died, God spoke to Joshua and said this. Meditate on it day and night…observe everything written in it.

This is right before they cross into the promised land. Before they had to fight, before the walls of Jericho fell down. Before the battles for the promised land had begun.

Sounds like our definition of decisive right?

Like all things we talk about, belief in God or Jesus isn’t a passive thing. We don’t just say the words, sing the hymns, and the go about our day. It is active. We seek. We search. We ask and we plead to our God for guidance and help.

God told Joshua that he should prepare his heart and his mind so that in the very very scary times ahead, he could make the right decision based on the words of God and not what he happened to think in the moment.

This is what we have to do everyday. We have to prepare our hearts to the fight ahead and not allow it to sneak up on us.