Encouraging Words For The Servant of God

Introduction:

The book of Joshua teaches us a great deal about the faith walk of God’s people. Life here is full of pitfalls, struggle, sin, failure and brokenness.

Warren Wiersbe states, “In Christ, we have all that we need for victorious Christian living, but we must possess our inheritance by faith, a step at a time.”

In Christ, we have all that we need for victorious Christian living, but we must possess our inheritance by faith, a step at a time

The book of Joshua for us teaches us as followers of Jesus how to have victory and walk in the new life Christ victoriously provides for us. How we can inherit the promised land, our Canaan of abundant life and victory. The people of God had been wandering, searching for rest, and Canaan, the promised land, is their place of rest from wandering.

, “Indeed, you have not yet come into the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.”

God had promised his people Israel a land of rest. He has promised us the same in Christ. In Christ we have the inheritance of our faith, not just in the future, but even now in the present. As God’s children now we are freed from the slavery of sin and are now in Christ set free. The book of Joshua also teaches us what happens when we do not believe and obey God, as God’s people had done previously that led to their wandering in the wilderness. Far too many professing Christians today are wandering. They wander because of disobedience and fail to experience the full abundant life Christ provides. In the opening verses of Joshua we discover a challenge, promises and encouragement from the Lord.

9 Indeed, you have not yet come into the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.

I. Moses is Dead - God’s Purpose is Still Alive

We face a multitude of challenges as churches and individuals. Leadership is crucial and leaders need courage. But leaders don’t live forever. Change in this area is inevitable. Each generation faces the challenge of new challenges and one of these challenges involves transitions in leadership.

As someone once said, “God buries his workmen, but his work goes on.”

Hope in the Future is Not Produced by Embalming the Past

We think of our nation’s founding and we think of men like George Washington. We revere him, name states and cities after him and have built monuments of his likeness. A wonderful leader, but he has been dead now for a long time. Moses was a revered leader. But he is dead. Now God’s people need a new leader. Joshua is commissioned. God’s purpose is not dependent on men - God’s men are dependent on God’s purpose.

J. Oswald Sanders writes: “A work originated by God and conducted on spiritual principles will surmount the shock of a change of leadership and indeed will probably thrive better as a result” (Spiritual Leadership, p. 132).

Too often a former leader is

Moses is not forgotten, but Moses is not the focus. Respect is given to the past, for from it we can learn much, but purpose does not die just because a former leader has died or moved on. What matters is not the servant, but the Lord.

“A servant is not greater than his master...”

We Must Be Unified Around God’s Purpose - Not our Own (v.2)

The people were to go together, all of them. Unity in a church is crucial. Individual projects or solo acts don’t normally build a healthy body - one part isolated from the others is ineffective. When there is relational strife or seeking personal agenda’s the body is harmed and progress halts.

We Must Remember God’s Grace (v.2b)

The land the people were going to inherit is a gift from God - they would not be able to conquer it and enter into it apart from the power and provision of God.

The word give is very common in the Old Testament. It occurs over 2,000 times, 89 times in Joshua alone. It is translated from the Hebrew to english as “give”, “grant”, “deliver”, “put”, “let”, “hand over”, “subject” and others. The point is this: God gives the land to his people. Even when we act upon his promises, we are acting on God’s behalf. The verb for “give” in the Hebrew is used in the perfect form in Joshua 42 times, meaning that God’s has already accomplished the fact of giving the land, even when the historical event had not occurred. God is completely in control, he has the title deed to the promised land in hand already.

So it is with us - we are powerless to save ourselves or to walk in spiritual victory apart from Christ. The title deed for our Canaan was purchased by Christ - it is paid in full - We must walk in victory and from victory and not for victory. The moment we forget this we will fall just as the Israelites did in their setbacks in the book of Joshua.

II. Courage is Needed - God Provides Promises (vv.4-6)

Notice some promises God gives here:

Promise of Possession & Distribution of the Land (v.3-4, 6b)

2. Promise of God’s Protection (v.5)

3. Promise of God’s Presence (v.5b)

Promise of God’s Presence (v.5b)

, “If God be for us who can be against us?”

Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Leaders need strength and courage - God provides. He promises to be with Joshua, just as he was with Moses. “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.”

God chose a man and provided him with the strength he would need to lead the people. Notice that God did not tell Joshua how, but only that they would conquer the land. Likewise, faith calls for us to have courage even when we don’t see the full picture of how God’s promises and purpose will be fulfilled.

God’s promises would be fulfilled as Joshua and the people exercised faith. I do not understand the mysteries of divine sovereignty and human responsibility - but I know that we are not to feel as though we have no responsibility to exercise faith by simply claiming God’s sovereignty. The sovereignty of God encourages us to trust God and follow him with all our heart. To paraphrase Charles Spurgeon, “Joshua was not to use the promise of God as a couch upon which to get lazy, but as a call to action”

III. Courage is Needed - God Provides His Word (vv.7-8)

We have already seen how that God’s purpose continues even when changes around us take place. God’s possession for the people is a grace gift that is certain. Now notice how that the Word of God should control or guide Joshua. It would be his map that would lead him to victory. The keys to success were found not in military strength or strategy, but in direct connection to his obedience to God. Moses wrote the law of God as God delivered it to him - this law of God, the “Book of the Law” or first five books of Moses (Genesis - Deuteronomy) was left to Joshua, his successor.

Acting on God’s Word

“to observe” or “to do” - action was required.

2. Obeying All of God’s Word

3. Staying with God’s Word

4. Saturate in God’s Word

Do not confuse meditation with some “new age” philosophy of emptying the mind common with eastern religions. But this idea of meditation involves:

Focusing on God

Verbalizing the Word of God

Reading the scriptures aloud or speaking them. This is why it was not to “depart from your mouth”

We need to as a church remember:

God’s Commission to Us

, “ Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Back to unity, that all the people were to cross over..there was a shared goal and common purpose. Far too often in churches this is not the case. Effective teamwork falters when individual goals or ministries take precedence over the mission of the whole. Leadership is not primarily about taking charge and getting things done, especially in the context of the local church. We are a family and we cannot operate on business principles when it comes to the ministry of the church. I recently read a quote that stuck with me: “effective leadership is not about being in charge, but about taking care of those who are in your charge.” Great leaders are first great followers - and always humble.

The Courage and Commands God Provides

Success is obeying God - when we do that we experience victory.

, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

Conclusion:

Joshua could be confident and courageous because God is all powerful and will keep his promises

Joshua could depend totally on God because God is totally dependable.

The key to victory in the Christian life is to remember the fundamentals. Baseball players understand the importance of implementing and practicing the fundamentals in order to be successful. We need to remember God’s principles and promises as outlined in his word if we are to steer clear of chaos and wandering in our lives.

New Life Baptist church has been privileged to have wonderful pastors and other leaders that have influenced and blesses this fellowship. We thank God for the past, but we now must lean into the future. In periods of transition, the greatest threat is a faltering faith. When we fail to practice the fundamentals. Do not place your confidence in human leaders, but in the God who has promised.