God's Promise to His Prophet
The circumference of our text shows, Joshua, the successor of Moses in a one on one discourse with God. Joshua is known for the Battle of Jericho, known for leading the children of Israel into Canaan. He is known as one of the great leaders of Israel. The bible refers to him as the servant of the Lord. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex. 17:8–16). He became Moses’ servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (Ex. 32:17). He was also one of the twelve who were sent on by Moses to explore the land of Canaan (Num. 13:16, 17), and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report. Under the direction of God, Moses, before his death, invested Joshua in a public and solemn manner with authority over the people as his successor (Deut. 31:23). The people were encamped at Shittim when he assumed the command ( Josh. 1:1 ); and crossing the Jordan, they encamped at Gilgal, where, having circumcised the people, he kept the Passover, and was visited by the Captain of the Lord’s host, who spoke to him these encouraging words ( 1:1–9 ).
As Joshua faced the tremendous task of conquering Canaan, he needed a fresh word of encouragement. From personal observation Joshua knew that the Canaanites and others were vigorous people who lived in strongly fortified cities. Frequent battles kept their warriors in trim fighting condition. And for the most part the land was mountainous, a fact that would make war maneuvers most difficult. But when God gives a command He often accompanies it with a promise, so He assured Joshua a lifetime of continuous victory over his enemies, based on His unfailing presence and help.
Perhaps, Joshua reflected on the many years of leadership Moses had given to Israel. Perhaps he could not avoid recollecting the hardships, the toils and the people Moses had to endure. I imagine this must have been of some concern of Joshua’s. After all just because the leadership changes doesn’t mean the people change. In most cases they get worse. Be that as it may, Joshua had a task before him and it called for some reassurance and direct encouragement from the Lord. God saw the necessity to tell Joshua that He would be with him.
Rev. Gass, I know that you’ve been here 17 years and I can only imagine that 17 years is not long enough for you to forget your first year. However, I also know that you know that if God had not been with you, down through the years you wouldn’t be here right now!
In this dialogue with God we find Joshua doing the listening and God doing all of the talking. You know every now and then it serves best if we would just listen and hear what God is saying to us rather than us telling Him what we want to hear.
Joshua is here being comforted by God, through God’s Divine Promise that He would take care of him, like He took care of his predecessor Moses. I just want to take a moment here and say that if you don’t know by now, God will take care of you if you allow Him to. As a matter of fact, there is neither problem nor any situation too big for God.
It just looks like that’s what God was telling Joshua. It appears he was saying look, Josh its going to be rough. You are going to have some bumps along the way. People are going to doubt you. Some folk are going to take you for granted. Joshua, you’re going to have to deal with some folk that won’t even hear what you’ve got to say because they will feel like they know more than you know. They will try you, because some of them are older than you. They remember how Moses did it. They will smile and say they love you, but meet with other people about how much they disagree with you, but don’t let that get next to you Joshua because I’m gonna be right with you every step of the way!
You’ll have to struggle with your enemies, but everything I promised Abraham, everything I told Moses will come to pass! Don’t worry Joshua because I’m with you all the way.
He said “This is what I want you to do I want you to stay encouraged, stay strong and remain faithful. I don’t know about some of ya’ll but I believe God is saying the same thing today to many of His Pastor’s. Stay strong, stay encouraged, and remain faithful, I’m with you. And you know when you got God with you there is nothing that can hinder nor impede your progress.
Today God speaks to us and says He is with us and in total control.
I just wanted to take a few minutes tonight and kind of leave a few suggestions, points, hints, and bullets as we look at the Promise of God. We first note…
I. God Won’t Disappoint You
His words I will not fail you literally means, you will never be disappointed. Friends may let you down, folk may not show up when you need them, but God will never disappoint you!
Even if it looks bad, even if the odds say you can’t, remember God has the final say! There are some situations that may pull at us and even drag our confidence through misery but remember God never fails.
It just seems like this was meant for me tonight Rev Gass. I recall, in this one year that there have been sometimes it looked like I wasn’t going to make it and the more I tried the harder it seemed to get. I had to take a different approach, I changed my perspective, instead of looking down, I started looking up! Sometimes you have to look up even when you know it’s getting worse.
ILL: A man was in the store and he had his son with him and his son was just hollering and wining and throwing a tantrum. The man continued to say it’s gonna be alright Gary. Okay, it’s going to be fine. You are going to be alright! The boy just seem to get worse and as the man was leaving the store a woman stopped him and said, Excuse me sir I couldn’t help but notice your patience and I wanted to commend you on how well you acted and kept your cool while little Gary continued with his tantrum, and even though you could not calm him down you kept telling him that it was going to be alright! The man said “Oh Maam, His name is David, I’m Gary!”
Every now and then you have to encourage yourself. You have to tell yourself it’s gonna be alright!
I can’t fail because I know that God did not bring me this far to leave me. It’s gonna work out! It will be just a little while longer, I have to be where I am and when God is ready I’ll be ready, but as for right now I’m just going through a little development time, some work time some fix it time. God won’t fail me! He won’t let me down. I refuse to give up! God will not fail me!
-Rev Ike said, “I can’t lose with the stuff I use.”
David would tell you what he told Saul, “I’ve been down this road before. There was a lion and a bear in my path and God brought me through, so this Giant ain’t nothing for me and God!”
Noah said they all laughed at me but I kept building my boat.
Joseph said, my brothers threw me in a pit, but I ended up in a palace.
Elisha said, He met me on Mt. Carmel and made it rain fire.
What are you saying White, I’m saying it may look rough but remember God will not fail you. Therefore you cannot fail while doing his will!
Secondly, God Promises…….
II. God Won’t Desert You vvs.5
It’s quite comforting to know that you can make it through life when you’ve got some help! It’s motivating to see others beside you working, just as hard, if not harder than you are. When people surround you and say “go ahead I got your back!” “We’re in this thing together.” Don’t worry if you have a problem, I’ll pick up the slack! “If you need me call!” “I’m behind you all the way!” It is soothing and often relieving to know that you got some help and you don’t have to do it by yourself. But what happens when those same folk that said they would be there are nowhere to be found? You find out that the very ones who had your back are somewhere way in the back. Your helpers become hurters. Your workers become worriers. Your supporters become stumbling blocks, and your friends become foes!
It’s right there in verse 5, nor forsake thee. The word forsake, in its Hebrew translation, means to abandon leave behind, to depart from, or let go.
God appears to be telling Joshua that there will be times when it will seem like he is alone and all by himself; however, he won’t be alone. God wants him to know that all of his friends may turn on him, his relatives may be unreachable, there will come times that you may have to do it all! Clean the pews, wash the dishes, cut the grass, clean the church, change the light bulbs, pick up the bags from the bank, lead the devotion, you might feel abandoned, you may feel left alone, left behind, but don’t worry I’m right there with you every step of the way.
This is how you know when God, when He’s with you, Gass. When even in the midst of it all you still have some joy, you still have your sanity; you’re still being blessed, while others are complaining you are basking in the blessings of God. They wondering why you are still going, how you got that, when did that happen for you and all you can say is God promised never to leave me! And every time I thought I was by myself He just kept adding to my life, to let me know you’re not alone! I’m right here giving you some more power! I’m right here, you’re not alone. You know what; every now and then he’ll send somebody to remind you that you are not alone.
That’s the kind of God we serve He does not forsake His children.
He was with the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace
He was with Jeremiah in the dungeon!
Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him!” What Job was saying was, “I don’t know why I’m going through this, but I know that since his hands are on me He is right here with me.”
Though it may seem like it, you are not alone. God is with you all the way.
God not only promises He won’t Disappoint you, nor Desert you, but He also promises…
III. God Will Defend You
It’s right there in the beginning of the verse. God says, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.” In other words He’s saying, “I’ll take care of you. When your enemies come after you they got to go through me. God promises, protection, from your enemies. When they pick a fight you don’t have to worry I’ll make certain you don’t lose the fight. They won’t be able to stand, they’ll fall. They will trip over their own weapons, hurt themselves, and damage their own credibility. Sometimes the enemy is not necessarily on the outside of the camp, but sometimes the enemy is within. But God said don’t worry I’ll take care of you.
You do understand that the lord fights the battle of His servants don’t you. You do know that when you choose to fight the man of God you’ve chosen to fight God! When you challenge him, you challenge God, when you lie to him you’re lying to God. He is Gods man, God’s voice, God’s representative. God has no other choice but to defend him.
Ps. 20: 6 says, Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
Ps. 105:15, says, “Touch not Mine anointed, And do My prophets no harm.”
Isaiah said it like this, “no weapon formed against me shall prosper”