God's Formula For Success

There is a common desire inside everyone to want to succeed

• Because we measure our worth on the basis of how successful we are.

• How we measure that success is often based on a worldly standard rather than a godly standard.

• Success by the world’s standard often means luxury, wealth, and possessions, achievements, notoriety, and fame, beauty, brains and brawn.

• But the problem is if we measure our lives by the world’s standards

• We will have an inaccurate and incomplete view of whether or not we’re successful.

• God’s standard of measurement is nothing like the world’s standard.

If you have ever spent anytime in a book store you’ll know that there isn’t a shortage on books out there that claim they can make you successful.

• One of the books I have seen was by a man by the name of Ned Grossman,

• And it was called quite simply How to Succeed in Life.

• And as I looked through this book Ned claimed there were 6 steps

• 1. We become what we think about.

• 2. Decide exactly what you want.

• 3. Determine the price you have to pay.

• 4. Commit to pay the price.

• 5. Work hard, one day at a time.

• 6. Never give up.

After putting down Ned’s book I found another book on success nearby

• It had 3 formulas for success, similar to the first one.

• But What was really interesting is where I found these books:

• On the clearance table.

Today I want us to look at Joshua 1:6-9

• And what we see in these verses is God’s formula for success

• God’s principles for success is completely unlike the world’s formula.

• And the good news is that His formula works for every person, in every situation,

• It will work if you’re in school, It will work in our business,

• It will work in our families, And It will work in our church.

• The pathway to success can’t be traveled by anyone who does not practice God’s formula for success.

Jos 1:6 “Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors. Jos 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do. Jos 1:8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.

Jos 1:9 I command you—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

There are 3 principles to God’s plan for success that we are going to look at today

Principle #1: BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

• Notice the number of times God brings this command before Joshua. (v. 6, 7, 9).

• Before we go any further we have to ask ourselves the question

• What is courage?

Courage has several synonyms:

• Bravery, Valor, Fearlessness, Heroism, Confidence, Nerve.

• It also has several nicknames: guts, grit, backbone.

• But there’s one very important thing we need to notice about courage.

• You will never witness courage in someone who is at ease

• Courage is seen in the person who’s back is against the wall,

• When the odds are against them, when the pressure is on,

• When the flaming arrows are close,

• When the pain is intense, when the attack is at hand.

• We see courage in David when he walks into the Valley of Elah

• with his sling to take his stand against Goliath.

• We see courage when Moses stands eye to eye with Pharaoh.

• We see it in Elijah when he challenges the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.

• Courage can only be seen in the midst of conflict and struggle.

But Why did God tell Joshua that he needed to be courageous?

• What was Joshua about to face that was so difficult that he would need to be courageous?

• Well besides being the leader of the nation of Israel,

• God had asigned Joshua a project to complete.

• And His first task was to lead his army into Canaan and drive out the people who lived there.

• Now when we look at the overview of this it sounds like an easy job,

• But remember, 40 years before this under Moses’ leadership he had sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan.

• And these spies had came back with stories of giants living in the land who made them look like grasshoppers.