Josh (08-31-08)
Aug 31, 2008
“The Three Strengths of a Leader” Josh 1:10-18
( God’s Word / followers / prayer warriors )
There is nothing greater for unity & strength within a church … ( or a business / group ) than for its members to state that they will faithfully follow the leadership that the Lord has placed over them …
Without the people of God following the person of God there can be no leadership
1) ( God’s Word ) think with me for a moment … ( when we read thru Josh 1:1-18 ) we recognized Joshua as a man of strength & scripture let us know one of his strengths it was his reliance upon God’s Word ( v7-8 )
v7 only be strong & very courageous be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go
v8 this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day & 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 & then you will have success
2) ( Followers & prayer warriors )
what else do you think was the strength of Joshua it can be found in v16-17
v16-17 it was the heartbeat of the people who were willing to follow him & pray for him
v16 1st .. they promised to follow him
they answered Joshua saying all that you have commanded us .. we will do & wherever you send us .. we will go
& then .. they encouraged Joshua by praying for him
v17 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
The best thing that we can do for our leaders is to pray for them .. & to ask God to be with .. & care for them
( no Christian succeeds .. apart from prayer no matter how successful or experienced we may think they are ) [1]
( turn to Heb 13 with me & lets learn a great lesson from God’s Word about following & praying for God’s leaders )
Heb 13:17-18 / a lesson for all of us
v17 obey your leaders & submit to them for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account let them do this with joy & not with grief for this would be unprofitable for you
v18 pray for us .. for we are sure that we have a good conscience .. desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things
3) ( Unity )
But perhaps even more important is unity
Nothing can bring down & hinder the Spirit of the church more ( or a business / group of any kind ) than to have the people murmuring over the leadership given to them by God
If you think unity & strength is not hindered when we murmur against leadership & don’t pray for them
Then just remember what happened to Israel as they murmured against God’s leaders during their travels thru the wilderness
read: Ex15:24 & 16:2-8 & 17:3-4 also: Num 13 & 14 .. ( esp: 14: 22-24 )
You see .. it is not a wise thing to go against God’s anointed / His leaders for to argue or murmur against them is really grumbling / arguing / murmuring against God Himself / & this is not wise
Also .. I want to mention the Biblical idea of what God says of prosperity / success ( v8 )
( as some of you have asked )
we need to realize that in the life of the Christian believer prosperity & success aren’t to be measured by the standards of the world
These blessings / prosperity & success are the by-products of a life devoted to obedience & knowing God’s Word
note: v8 this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth .. but you shall meditate on it day & 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 & then you will have success
I have lived enough in my faith to see people on both ends of the scale ( extremely successful / unsuccessful )
& I have seen both groups … rich & poor filled with folks who are miserable who live without a purpose within their lives both rich or poor / successful or unsuccessful ( needing a purpose ) that only can be filled by God
You see knowing God & His Word is the only way to find true prosperity & true success
( you see .. in God’s eyes ) true success & prosperity are not riches or positions in life .. but rather
success & prosperity with God is plain & simple
It is peace with Him in all that you do & in all that you are
v7 only be strong and very courageous be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go
v8 this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth .. but you shall meditate on it day & 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 & then you will have success
Note that Joshua’s words to his leaders v11 were words of faith & encouragement
“… you are to cross this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess
Joshua & Caleb had made a similar speech some 40 yrs earlier … but that generation would not listen & now they are gone / dead but the new generation was ready … ready to believe God & listen to His leaders & consequently .. conquer the land [2]
Dr Wiersbe writes in his commentary of Joshua
A pastor friend of his pleaded with his church to build a new educational plant to house the exploding Sunday School classes
But one of the long-time members of the board a prominent businessman in the city said to him .. you’ll do this over my dead body
And Dr Wiersbe writes … sadly they did … a few days later he had a heart attack & died & the church moved ahead & built the much-needed educational plant
Sadly .. there are times when the older we get their is danger that we’ll get “set in our ways” & become the people who say “we have never done it that way before”
Oh boy .. have I heard that often but that doesn’t have to happen
Do you know that Caleb & Joshua were the oldest men in the camp
& yet … they were enthusiastic about trusting God & finding a place for the next generation
you see .. it isn’t a matter of age it’s a matter of faith & believing God ( & it is also ) a matter of taking care of God’s next generation & stop looking out for .. ”our own needs” & caring for the other person
Phil 2:3-4 / says it best
v3 do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves
v4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests .. but also for the interests of others
Look .. I thank God for “the seniors of our church” those of you who are older like me & who have been a part of our church
& yet … still have the passion to trust the Lord & His leadership & wish to move forward …
To pass the baton of faith to the next generation
v12-13 so Joshua reminds the tribe of Gad / Reuben / Manasseh of the promise they made to Moses some years ago for they did not wish to cross the Jordan but wished to keep their land on this side of the Jordan ( Num 32:1-15 )
Joshua was concerned about one major issue ( & that is ) … that Israel be a unified people so that they would conquer the land & worship the Lord in unity & he knew from Moses that he needed all of the people to do battle in the Promised Land
But they did not all keep their promise
You see … in the nation of Israel ( the men who were able to go to battle ) were men .. 20 yrs & older Num 1:3 & the record shows that the 2 & 1/2 tribes had 136,930 men available ( 26:7 .. 18 .. 34 )
But we are told in ( Josh 4:12-13 ) that only 40,000 men / out of the 136,930 actually crossed the Jordan & fought for Israel in the Promised Land
( Do you know what this reminds me of )
It is like so many within the church who allow … the others to do battle while .. they sit back & watch
They represent the many today who get .. close to the action but because of .. some reason or another
( lack of time / talent / hurt feelings / fear / etc )
they never quite get into the action & serve their Lord
But would rather stay “in a safe place” allowing others to get the battle scares ( & by the way .. the ultimate blessings ) of serving & ministry unto the Lord [3]
Verses:
Heb 13:17-18
Ex 15:24 / 16:2-8 / 17:3-4 Num 13 & 14 / ( esp: 14: 22-24 )
Phil 2:3-4
Num 32:1-15
Josh 4:12-13
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[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 1:16). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.