Stepping Into God's Promises

Joshua 1:1–9 NRSV

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. 5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

STEPPING INTO GOD’S PROMISES

RECENTLY I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE THAT DESCRIBED THE CHEROKEE INDIAN YOUTH'S RITE OF PASSAGE FROM BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD?

IN THIS RITUAL THE FATHER LEAVES HIS SON ALONE IN A FOREST BLINDFOLDED.

HE IS TOLD TO SIT ON A TREE STUMP THE WHOLE NIGHT AND TO NOT REMOVE THE BLINDFOLD UNTIL THE RAYS OF THE MORNING SUN SHINE THROUGH.

HE IS FORBIDDEN TO COWER, CRY OUT OR SEEK HELP FROM ANYONE.

IN THE RITUAL IT IS SAID THAT ONCE HE SURVIVES THE NIGHT, HE IS A MAN.

BECAUSE EACH BOY MUST COME INTO MANHOOD ON HIS OWN, HE CANNOT TELL THE OTHER BOYS OF THIS EXPERIENCE.

THE BOY IS NATURALLY TERRIFIED. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE ANXIETY, TENSION AND FEAR THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD….HE CAN HEAR ALL KINDS OF NOISES. WILD BEASTS ALL AROUND HIM. MAYBE EVEN SOME HUMAN MIGHT DO HIM HARM.

FINALLY, AFTER A HORRIFIC NIGHT, THE SUN APPEARS AND THE BOY REMOVES HIS BLINDFOLD.

BUT MUCH TO HIS SURPRISE AND DELIGHT HE DISCOVERS HIS FATHER SITTING ON THE STUMP NEXT TO HIM. …… THE PROUD FATHER HAS BEEN THERE THE ENTIRE NIGHT, WATCHING OVER AND PROTECTING HIS SON FROM HARM.

WHEN I FIRST READ THAT STORY I THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS A THIN DIVINE LINE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL INFANCY AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY.

SOME TIMES IN LIFE …..WE WILL BECOME FEARFUL AND FRIGHTENED BY DIFFICULTIES….. FEELING HELPLESS AND HOPELESS, DESPAIR AND DISCOURAGEMENT.

BUT GOD, WHO IS OUR SOVEREIGN, RESOURCEFUL, OMNISCIENT, ALL-WISE HEAVENLY FATHER SEES US AND KNOWS WHERE WE ARE.

EVEN WHEN HE CANNOT BE VIEWED BY US, WE ARE STILL IN HIS VIEW AND FORESIGHT.

THE PROBLEMS WE FACE IN TIME ARE ETERNALLY IN HIS VIEW. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT GOD GIVES TO YOUNG JOSHUA IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING.

THE OPENING WORDS OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA DESCRIBE A PERIOD OF TRANSITION. IT MARKS NOT ONLY A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP BUT A CHANGE IN PURPOSE.

THE PEOPLE WOULD CHANGE FROM MOSES TO JOSHUA AND ALSO FROM WANDERERS TO WARRIORS.

THIS CHANGE WOULD NOT ONLY BE DIFFICULT FOR THE FLEDGING NATION, BUT ALSO FOR JOSHUA.

VERSE 1 INFORMS US THAT MOSES IS DEAD. THE DEATH OF MOSES WAS A HEAVY BLOW TO THE ISRAELITES. HE WAS THE ONE WHO HAD LED THEM OUT OF THE OPPRESSIVE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE.

- WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE DISCOURAGED AND WANTED TO GO BACK TO EGYPT, GOD USES MOSES TO CALM AND RALLY THE PEOPLE TO ‘FEAR NOT, STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD’.

- WHEN THE ISRAELITES WERE THIRSTY, GOD USED MOSES TO CAUSE WATER TO FLOW FROM A STONE.

- WHEN THE ISRAELITES WERE HUNGRY, GOD ANSWERED MOSES' PRAYERS AND SENT QUAIL AND BREAD FROM HEAVEN.

- FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, MOSES HAD SERVED AS THE ISRAELITE'S LEADER. HE ALONE SPOKE FACE-TO-FACE WITH GOD ON THEIR BEHALF. BUT NOW HE WAS DEAD!

HERE ISRAEL IS STILL ENCAMPED ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB, DIRECTLY EAST OF THE JORDAN RIVER, AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE LAND OF PROMISE.

FOR 30 DAYS THEY MOURNED MOSES, THEIR BELOVED LEADER, BUT NOW IT WAS TIME TO INHERIT THE LAND GOD HAD PROMISED TO ABRAHAM AND THEIR FOREFATHERS HUNDREDS OF YEARS EARLIER. JOSHUA, GOD’S NEWLY ANOINTED AND APPOINTED LEADER OF THE ISRAELITES, ACCORDING TO NUMBERS 27:22 AND 23, HAD BEEN COMMISSIONED BY MOSES BEFORE HIS DEATH, AND HE WAS NOW BEING ORDAINED BY GOD. SO LET’S WALK THROUGH THESE OPENING VERSES OF THE CALL OF JOSHUA AND CONSIDER THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF POSSESSING GOD’S PROMISES.

I. WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN

VERSE 1 IS AN HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF THE DEATH OF MOSES. BUT VERSE 2 IS THE ACTUAL RECORDING OF GOD’S VISIT WITH JOSHUA…..THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK…… ‘MOSES MY SERVANT IS DEAD.’

LET ME STOP LONG ENOUGH TO REMIND YOU THAT LIFE HAS A WAY, THAT IN GOD’S SOVEREIGN WAY, OF SHIFTING, MOVING AND REARRANGING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PLAN IN HIS OWN TIME AND IN HIS OWN WAY.

HE WILL ALLOW SOME THINGS, PEOPLE AND SPIRITUAL MOMENTS TO FADE OFF THE SCENE SO THAT HE MAY SET UP HIS NEW PLAN AND PURPOSE; IN ORDER THAT HE MAY REINFORCE THE FACT OF HIS SOVEREIGNTY AND GLORY.

GOD WAS SAYING TO JOSHUA IS THE VERY THING HE IS SAYING TO US RIGHT NOW; AND THAT IS THAT HE HAS A PLAN FOR US.

I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE….I KNOW YOU’VE HEARD ME SAY IT….AND I’M SURE YOU’VE HEARD OTHER MINISTERS SAY IT….. AND…… IT’S ONE THING TO HEAR IT; BUT IT’S ANOTHER THING TO BELIEVE IT, MUCH LESS TO CARRY IT OUT IN A WAY THAT HONORS AND PLEASES GOD.

IN A REAL SENSE, JOSHUA WAS CALLED TO STAND UP AND FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN EVEN WHEN HIS FAITH WASN’T SURE, THE FACTS SAID HE WASN’T THE RIGHT CANDIDATE, AND HIS FEELINGS DIDN’T WANT TO COOPERATE.

QUESTION: CAN YOU FOLLOW GOD’S GOAL AND PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE EVEN WHEN YOUR FAITH IS SHAKEN…..AND YOUR FEELINGS AREN’T ON BOARD?

THIS ACCOUNT OF JOSHUA ON THE EDGE OF POSSESSING GOD’S PROMISE IN FOLLOWING GOD’S PLAN IS THREEFOLD:

A. IT IS A PLAN FOR FREEDOM (VERSE 2A)

HE SAYS PROCEED FROM THIS PLACE AND GO ‘OVER THE JORDAN’ TO THE PLACE ‘I AM GIVING TO THEM’.

THERE ARE TWO PIVOTAL MOMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, BETWEEN THE BOOK OF EXODUS AND JOSHUA.

ONE OF THEM HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES; THAT IS TO GET THEM OUT OF EGYPT.

THE OTHER WAS TO TAKE PLACE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOSHUA; AND THAT IS TO GET EGYPT OUT OF THEM!

THE PICTURE OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TO THE LAND OF PHARAOH IN EGYPT IS SYMBOLIC OF YOU AND I, THE BELIEVER’S, ENCOUNTER WITH THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.

THOSE OF US, YOU AND I, WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM THE ENEMY (PHARAOH, SATAN) AND FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, THE WORLD, BUT THE OTHER END OF THE FIGHT IS TO GET THE WORLD OUT OF YOU.

• 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 SAYS, ‘IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE; THE OLD THINGS PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW.’

• ROMANS 8:9 SAYS, ‘…YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, IF INDEED THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU. AND IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NOT HIS.’

GOD WANTED THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE FREE.

HE WANTED THEM TO BE FREE OF PHARAOH AND OF EGYPT, BUT HE WANTED THEM TO ALSO BE FREE OF AN EGYPTIAN MINDSET AND WILDERNESS MENTALITY.

IN THE SAME WAY, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE FOR THE BELIEVER CAN BE A DIFFICULT LIFE UNLESS YOU ARE LIBERATED FROM LEGALISM, LAZINESS AND LETHARGY.

YOU MUST BE FILLED WITH GOD'S SPIRIT AND KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO BEING A CHRISTIAN THAN JUST BEING SAVED.

B. IT IS A PLAN FOR FULLNESS (VERSE 2B) ‘I AM GIVING; INHERITANCE’.

WHEN WE READ THE WORD "AM," WHICH IN HEBREW IS `ASAH AND MEANS "ACCOMPLISH, BESTOW, PERFORM, OR FULFILL," WE SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING. THIS VERB DESCRIBES SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT TENSE AND THE ACTIVE VOICE. THE PROMISE FOR THIS LAND WAS GIVEN TO ABRAHAM HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE, AND NOW ISRAEL ARE AT THE ACTUAL MOMENT OF POSSESSING THE LAND WHICH GOD PROMISED TO THEM. THEY ARE STANDING ON THE BANKS OF THE JORDAN RIVER AND CAN LOOK ACROSS AT THE PROMISED LAND.

VERSE 6 USES THE WORD “INHERITANCE”, NACHAL IS THE HEBREW WORD FOR "INHERITANCE." THIS IS THE CENTRAL CONCEPT IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, WHICH REVOLVES AROUND THE ISRAELITES TAKING POSSESSION OF THE LAND WHICH GOD HAD PROMISED THEM.

THE HEBREW PEOPLE HAD BEEN LIVING OUT IN THE DESERT FOR FORTY YEARS.

IT WAS A ROUGH AND DIFFICULT LIFE. THEY COULD NOT RELAX.

THEY WERE ON THE MOVE, PICKING UP THEIR TENTS AND GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE.

THEY WERE SURROUNDED BY DANGERS ON EVERY SIDE.

THEY HAD THE PROMISE OF GOD THAT THEY COULD SIT UNDER THEIR OWN OLIVE TREE IN THE NEW LAND, BUT NO SUCH PLACE EXISTED IN THE DESERT.

JESUS HAS CALLED US TO A PLACE OF REST. "COME UNTO ME ALL OF YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."

THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT NO BATTLES WOULD BE FOUGHT IN THE NEW LAND OF VICTORY; IT JUST MEANT THAT SUCH BATTLES WOULD BE FOUGHT FROM THE GROUND OF BLESSING RATHER THAN FROM THE GROUND OF A CURSE.

SOME OF YOU TODAY NEED TO MOVE INTO YOUR CANAAN REST. GOD WANTS YOU TO LAY DOWN SOME BURDENS TODAY.

C. IT IS A PLAN THAT REQUIRES FAITH (VERSE 6A, 7A, 9B)

CONSIDER JOSHUA WAS LIKE SOME OF US, FOR A MOMENT.

JOSHUA MUST HAVE BEEN ANXIOUS AND FEARFUL BECAUSE OF ISRAEL’S PAST FAILURE TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND AND BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF MOSES.

IN VERSE 6A, GOD’S MESSAGE TO JOSHUA IS “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.” THE MESSAGE WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT GOD REPEATS IT THREE TIMES.

HE SAYS, IN A REAL SENSE, GO BACK TO THE TIME WHEN YOU WENT OUT TO SPY THE LAND, HAVE A TENACITY TO TAKE IT.

WHILE IT WONT BE EASY, THE INFERENCE IS THAT IT HAS TO BE FOUGHT.

BUT NOW REMEMBER, JOSHUA, THIS IS NOT YOUR FIGHT. YOU MAY BE IN THE FIGHT RIGHT NOW, BUT REMEMBER THAT IT’S NOT YOUR BATTLE.

• 1 SAMUEL 17:47 SAYS, ‘…THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S’.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS......AS YOU FACE YOUR FUTURE AND THE ADVERSITY OF LIFE, YOU CAN RESPOND IN FEAR OR FAITH.

YOU CAN LET CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE YOUR ACTIONS, OR YOU CAN HAVE FAITH IN GOD TO GIVE YOU DIRECTION.

SOLOMON WRITES, “TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT UNTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS.”

AS YOU FACE ADVERSITY IN LIFE YOU CAN RESPOND IN FEAR OR IN FAITH. I CHALLENGE YOU TO RESPOND IN FAITH.

II. WE ARE COMMANDED TO TREASURE GOD’S PRECEPTS (VERSES 7 AND 8)

Joshua 1:7–8 NRSV

7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.

`IN VERSE 7 AND 8 THAT IT MUST BE PERSONAL. THIS IS THE HEART OF HIS INSTRUCTION BY GOD.

THERE ARE FOUR PARTS TO JOSHUA’S INSTRUCTION TO TREASURING GOD’S PRECEPTS.

A. GOD’S WORD MUST BE KNOWN. THAT IS, HE WAS TO READ IT AND STUDY IT. NEITHER THE WORD KNOW NOR STUDY IS USED IN THIS SECTION, BUT THE OTHER WORDS PRESUPPOSE THEM. IF THE LAW OF MOSES WAS TO BE JOSHUA’S GUIDE, AS THESE VERSES CLEARLY INDICATE IT WAS, THEN JOSHUA WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT LAW SAID.

PSALM 119:11 SAYS, ‘THY WORD HAVE I HIDDEN IN MY HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE.’

PSALM 37:31 SAYS, ‘THE LAW OF HIS GOD IS IN HIS HEART; NONE OF HIS STEPS SHALL SLIDE.’

B. GOD’S PRECEPTS MUST BE SPOKEN. THE TEXT SAYS, “DO NOT LET THIS BOOK OF THE LAW DEPART FROM YOUR MOUTH” (JOSH. 1:8).

JOSHUA WAS TO TALK ABOUT THE BIBLE IN HIS NORMAL DAY-BY-DAY CONTACTS WITH FAMILY, SOLDIERS, FRIENDS, AND OTHERS WHO WERE PART OF THE NATION.

TRUTH BE TOLD..... MOST OF US WOULD RATHER TALK TO GOD ABOUT PEOPLE THEN TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT GOD’S WORD.

C. GOD’S PRECEPTS MUST BE DIGESTED.

THE HEBREW WORD FOR "MEDITATE" IS HAGAH, WHICH LITERALLY MEANS "TO MUTTER" OR "TO MURMUR."

BIBLICAL MEDITATION IS FILLING OUR MINDS WITH GOD'S WORD. THOSE IN BIBLICAL TIMES MEDITATED ALOUD. IMAGINE RECITING SCRIPTURE ALOUD AND ANSWERING IN SPOKEN PRAYER.

D. GOD’S PRECEPTS MUST BE LIVED.

THE LAST ELEMENT IN THIS LIST OF REQUIREMENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

NOT ONLY WAS JOSHUA TO KNOW, SPEAK ABOUT, AND MEDITATE ON THE LAW OF MOSES, HE WAS ALSO AND CHIEFLY TO OBEY IT.

GOD SAID, “BE CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THE LAW MY SERVANT MOSES GAVE YOU; DO NOT TURN FROM IT TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT.… BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT” (JOSH. 1:7–8).

SOMEONE HAS SAID THAT, ‘MEN DO NOT REJECT THE BIBLE BECAUSE IT CONTRADICTS ITSELF, BUT BECAUSE IT CONTRADICTS THEM.

WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS......

JOSHUA HAD BEEN ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SPIES SENT OUT TO SEE THE PROMISED LAND.

THE MEMORY OF ITS BEAUTY HAD NOT DIMMED.

BUT HE ALSO REMEMBERED THE WALLED CITIES AND TRAINED ARMIES.

BUT NOTICE, JOSHUA’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUCCESS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE UPCOMING BATTLES.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL, JOSHUA HAD TO DO THREE THINGS. JOSHUA WAS TOLD TO MEDITATE ON GOD’S WORD AND TO TALK ABOUT GOD’S WORD, AND BE CAREFUL TO DO ALL THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW.

IF HE DID, HE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, YOU NEED TO LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD’S BOOK.

THAT MEANS THAT YOU NEED TO OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS, NOT JUST PICK AND CHOOSE.

HE DOESN’T WANT US TO CHANGE THEM TO SUIT OUR NEEDS.

FAITH AND OBEDIENCE ARE EVERY WHERE, LINKED IN SCRIPTURE........TRUE FAITH RELEASES US FROM OUR FEARS AND RESULTS IN OBEYING GOD.

JUST LIKE JOSHUA, YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO FORGET THE LAW OF THE LORD.

I READ IN A STORY IN OUR DAILY BREAD.......ABOUT A MAN NAMED SAM. HE WAS ON VACATION AND STOPPED IN MONTGOMERY, AL FOR GAS.

AFTER PUMPING GAS, HE GOT IN HIS CAR AND HAD DRIVEN MORE THAN 5 HOURS BEFORE HE NOTICED THAT HE HAD LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND—HIS WIFE (OUR DAILY BREAD 1-1-99).

IT IS HARD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW A MAN COULD HAVE FORGOTTEN HIS WIFE, BUT I’M AFRAID WE’RE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.

HOW DOES THE WORLD DEFINE SUCCESS: MORE THINGS AND MORE MONEY?

HOW DOES GOD DEFINE SUCCESS?

THE BIBLE INDICATES THAT WHEN SALVATION COMES TO A PERSON, THAT PERSON HAS BEEN BROUGHT FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.

HE OR SHE IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS TO THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT.

THE VERY LIFE OF GOD TAKES UP RESIDENCE IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CHANGED BY THE POWER OF GOD.

JESUS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD GIVE THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, AND AN ABUNDANT LIFE.

JESUS SAID, “SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.”

IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, ACCORDING TO GOD’S DEFINITION, YOU MUST DO THESE THREE THINGS: KNOW GOD’S WORD, SPEAK GOD’S WORD, DIGEST GOD’S WORD, AND LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD.

IF WE ARE CAREFUL TO DO ALL THAT GOD COMMANDS WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.....WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN.......WE ARE COMMANDED TO TREASURE GOD’S PRECEPTS (VERSES 7 AND 8)

III. WE ARE TO TRUST THE PROMISE OF GOD’S PROVISION

THE LORD COMMANDED JOSHUA TO PREPARE HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE TO CROSS THE JORDAN AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THE LAND.

HE MAKES THREE PROMISES TO HIS NEW LEADER: (1) A PROMISE OF LAND, "'WHEREVER YOU SET FOOT, YOU WILL BE ON LAND I HAVE GIVEN YOU'" (JOSHUA 1:3, NLT);

(2) A PROMISE OF VICTORY, "NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVE" (FROM 1:5, NLT);

AND (3) A PROMISE OF PRESENCE, "FOR I WILL BE WITH YOU AS I WAS WITH MOSES. I WILL NOT FAIL YOU OR ABANDON YOU" (1:5B, NLT).

A. GOD WILL EQUIP US

HERE IS A PROMISE OF LAND: "'WHEREVER YOU SET FOOT, YOU WILL BE ON LAND I HAVE GIVEN YOU'" (JOSHUA 1:3, NLT).

JOSHUA WAS GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE GOD MADE TO ABRAHAM AND REPEATED TO HIS SONS ISAAC AND JACOB.

HE WOULD LEAD THE PEOPLE INTO THE LAND THAT HAD BEEN PROMISED TO MOSES.

THE ISRAELITES WOULD OCCUPY THE LAND FROM THE GREAT RIVER TO THE GREAT SEA.

THE AREA DESCRIBED IS ROUGHLY THE SAME AREA GOD PROMISED TO ABRAHAM (GENESIS 15:18-20).

GOD IS IN EVERY LINE AND DETAIL.

HE HAS PREPARED ALL THINGS FOR YOU AND THEY WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR YOUR GOOD.

OUR LORD HAS LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE.

HE IS NEVER SURPRISED OR CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

HE IS A SOVEREIGN GOD WHO HAS CAREFULLY PLANNED A BEAUTIFUL LIFE FOR YOU.

HE WHO LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW HAS LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE.

WHAT A PERFECT BLUEPRINT GOD OUTLINES! HE PROMISED JOSHUA VAST TERRITORY ON EVERY SIDE—FROM THE DESERT TO LEBANON, TO THE GREAT EUPHRATES RIVER, ALL THE LAND OF THE HITTITES, ALL THE WAY TO THE GREAT SEA WHERE THE SUN SETS IN THE WEST.

GOD ALSO OUTLINES THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST BORDERS OF YOUR LIFE.

GOD’S WILL IS GOING TO BE DONE IN YOUR LIFE IF YOU LOVE HIM, TRUST HIM, AND GO FORWARD.

HE HAS PREPARED EVERYTHING SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU SO THAT ALL THINGS WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR YOUR GOOD.

THE EQUIPPING OF JOSHUA DOESN'T BEGIN FOR JOSHUA WHEN MOSES DIES; GOD BEGAN TO EQUIP JOSHUA LONG BEFORE JOSHUA EVEN KNEW WHO JOSHUA WAS.

YOU'RE A PART OF THE PLAN BUT IT'S NOT YOUR PLAN.

HE THE DIRECTOR AND YOU ARE JUST THE ACTOR WHO IS ON STAGE PERFORMING FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.

WHILE YOU MAY NOT GET THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THE CAKE; YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT IT’S NOT YOUR PARTY.

B. GOD WILL ENCOURAGE US

HERE IS A PROMISE OF VICTORY: "NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVE" (1:5A, NLT).

GOD PROMISED JOSHUA VICTORY OVER ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY WHO CAME AGAINST HIM.

THIS PROMISE WAS NOT LIMITED TO THE TAKING OF THE PROMISED LAND, BUT WAS EXTENDED FOR AS LONG AS JOSHUA LIVED.

HOWEVER, THIS PROMISE CAME WITH A WARNING.

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE LAND WERE PROTECTED BY POWERFUL ARMIES AND FORTIFIED CITIES.

THE BATTLES WOULD BE HARD FOUGHT.

AS IT WAS IN CANAAN, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF CONFLICT WITH ENEMIES WHO MUST BE CONFRONTED AND OVERCOME.

ALTHOUGH THE OUTCOME OF OUR BATTLE IS ASSURED, WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR CONFLICT IF WE ARE TO CLAIM THE KINGDOM'S EARTHLY PROMISE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (ROMANS 14:17, NLT).

C. GOD WILL ENABLE US

MARK IT DOWN: WHAT GOD APPOINTS, HE ANOINTS.

HERE IS A PROMISE OF PRESENCE: "FOR I WILL BE WITH YOU AS I WAS WITH MOSES. I WILL NOT FAIL YOU OR ABANDON YOU" (FROM JOSHUA 1:5, NLT).

GOD WILL BE WITH YOU, JUST AS HE WAS WITH MOSES.

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.

HE WILL PROSPER YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.

HOW COULD YOUNG JOSHUA BE CONFIDENT AND COURAGEOUS IN THE CHALLENGE OF TOMORROW?

THE ANSWER LIES IN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS JOSHUA HAD OBSERVED IN THE LIFE OF MOSES YESTERDAY.

WHAT HE HAS DONE, HE WILL DO. BE STRONG AND BE ENCOURAGED.

GOD GIVES YOU THE POWER TO DO EVERYTHING HE ASKS YOU TO DO.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CONQUERED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

ISRAEL HAD TO CROSS RIVERS, TEAR DOWN MASSIVE WALLS, AND BATTLE BIG GIANTS.

GOD GAVE THEM THE POWER TO DO THIS.

ISRAEL HAD BEEN AT THIS POINT BEFORE, BUT THEY FELT THE BATTLE TOO GREAT, SO THEY CONTINUED TO WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS.

WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR LIFE YOU NEED TO CONQUER?

IS THERE SOME FEAR THAT PARALYZES YOU? MAYBE THERE’S SOME SIN THAT IMPRISONS YOU? OR PERHAPS THERE’S SOME HANG UP THAT HAUNTS YOU?

FEAR OF TOMORROW CAN BE AS CRIPPLING AS SLAVERY TO THE PAST, BUT GOD IS ALREADY IN YOUR TOMORROW.

HE’S ALREADY BEEN WHERE YOU’RE GOING. CHILD OF GOD, DO NOT FEAR WHAT LIES AHEAD.

HE HOLDS THE FUTURE, AND HE HOLDS YOU IN HIS HAND.

GOD HAS GONE BEFORE YOU AND SECURED TOMORROW ON YOUR BEHALF.

NOTICE GOD DOES NOT SAY, “EVERYWHERE YOUR FOOT SHALL TROD I WILL GIVE YOU,” BUT RATHER, “I HAVE GIVEN UNTO YOU.”

HE’S ALREADY DONE IT.

WITH GOD, THERE’S NO YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW.

HE NOT ONLY SEES THE BEGINNING AND THE END, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END.

TOMORROW IS ALREADY TODAY WITH GOD. DON’T BE AFRAID TO WALK INTO IT.

HE WILL ENABLE YOU!

ISAIAH 40:29-31:

HE GIVETH POWER TO THE FAINT

AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO MIGHT HE INCREASES STRENGTH.

EVEN THE YOUTHS SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY,

AND THE YOUNG MEN SHALL UTTERLY FALL,

BUT THOSE WHO BWAIT ON THE LORD

SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH;

THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES,

THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY,

THEY SHALL WALK AND NOT FAINT.