The Land of Promise-Part 1- A Time of Transition

Introduction- Joshua 1:1-9

In this passage we find the children of Israel at a crucial moment as Moses, the leader who brought them out of Egyptian bondage has died.

This time of transition would ultimately propel them forward into the land that God had promised to begin to take possesion of it.

This book is aptly titled the book of Joshua as now Joshua steps out of the background and into the foreground of the history of the Israelites.

This Sunday evening we have young children in the service as well as adults of various ages and this portion of scripture will teach us all some valuable lessons.

The reality is that there will come a day when God will speak to each of the young people here and will ask you to take on a larger role in ministry and service to the Lord.

Some of those in previous generations will have gone on to be with the Lord and if the work of God is to continue you must step up!

Listen for the Voice of God (Vs. 1-5)

As we begin this study we find the Lord plainly speaking to Joshua concerning the role that he will now play in leading the children of Israel into the promised land.

Up to this point God had spoken dirctly to Moses and Joshua had served Moses accordingly.

One important truth that we must not miss is that Joshua had witnessed God speaking to Moses in the past and this had prepared him to be receptive now that God was speaking to him.

There is much in this portion of scripture that references the pattern that Joshua had seen in Moses life and the expectation that this pattern would continue now in his own life.

Have those in the generation behind you witnessed you responding to God when He has spoken to you?

Parents have your children seen you respond to the voice of God as He has spoken to you?

Joshua had seen Moses communing with God and responding then to what God had said on numerous occasions and now he will have the opportunity to do the same.

Joshua learned to listen for the voice of God and how to respond to it from the pattern that he had seen in the life of Moses.

There is no doubt that in this moment Joshua felt insufficient for the task that God had outlined for him just as many of you may one day feel insufficient to the task that God has called you to.

Yet God reassures Him that He will be with Him just as He was with Moses.

Young people can I challenge you tonight to listen intently for the voice of God and be ready to respond when He calls.

Receive Reassurance from God (Vs. 6-7a)

Here we see a phrasing that is repeated all throughout this first chapter as God calls Joshua to “Be strong and of a good courage”

It seems that in this moment Joshua must be feeling weak and fearful as he considers the call that God has just revealed for his life.

God promises Joshua that he will be successful in the task that He has given him to undertake.

It is precisely Joshua’s weakness and fear that makes him perfectly suited to take on such a monumental task.

Joshua recognized his own insufficiency and thus he knew that to be successful he would need to depend upon God.

God cannot use the man who is convinced that he is capable in himself of doing the will of God.

If God has called you to a task, you can be confident that He will enable you to do what He has asked of you.

Joshua could never have led the Israelites to victory on his own for no amount of human wisdom or ability would have been sufficient to overcome their enemies.

Joshua responded to this encouragment and confidently stepped into the role that God had given him with a newfound strength and courage.

It is ok to be tentative when God calls us to do something that we know that we are incapable of doing on our own, but if it is God who has called us to do it He will strengthen us and give us the courage to undertake it.

Follow the Commands of God (Vs. 7b-8)

The Lord also made it clear to Joshua what His expectation were of him.

Joshua was to do what Moses had commanded and was not to veer away from the path that Moses had already laid out.

Moses had received the law from God and had delivered it to the people and Joshua had a thorough knowledge of the standard that God had given.

If Joshua was to prosper he would have to adhere to the standard that God had set and resist the temptation to go his own way.

Moses had set the pattern to follow as he carefully followed God’s commands and now Joshua must do the same.

Do the children and young people here tonight witness us diligently seeking to adhere to God’s commands?

Have we by our actions demonstrated the importance of doing all that God has commanded?

Young people will be tempted to go your own way and to depart from the pattern of those who have gone before you, but let me encourage you to stay the course if you desire to be used of God!

Joshua’s success and prosperity were directly tied to his knowledge of and his adherence to the standards that God had set.

He is instructed to meditate upon God’s law day and night in order that it would be ingrained within him that he would do all that was contained in it.

Trust in the Power and Presence of God (Vs. 9)

Notice the question that God asks in verse 9. Have not I commanded thee?

If we are certain that God has called us to do what we are doing then we have every right to expect that we will be successful.

There is no need to fear and no reason to be discouraged for if it is God who has called you, you can be confident that He will we with you wherever His will takes you.

The wonderful thing about doing the will of God is that we do not have to depend upon our own strength and abilities but we instead learn to depend upon Him!

God desires to do more with your life than you think is possible but you must learn to trust that He will be with you and that His power will be sufficient for success no matter how impossible the task may seem.

Joshua had seen the land, he knew the strength of the enemies, he understood the difficulty of defeating them and possessing the land, yet he was confident that victory would be theirs because God had spoken!

Joshua knew he could never succeed on his own but he was also confident that if he followed God he could not fail!

Conclusion

Those of us here tonight who are presently spiritual leaders must recognize that there is a future generation that is observing us.

May we demonstrate for them what it means to hear from God and to undertake the impossible at God’s direction confident of success purely because God has spoken!

May we like Moses live a life before them that would not give them confidence in us but rather confidence in the God that we serve.

Children and young people would you seek the Lord and listen for His voice.

One day He will surely reveal to you His will for your life and it will surely include undertaking tasks that you feel are beyond your ability.

God wants to use your life if you will but listen for His voice, respond to His call, and boldly step out in faith trusting that He will enable you to do whatever it is that He has called you to do.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 KJV 1900

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.