Walking in Godliness—Joshua
Possessing the Promise! Part 1 of 2
Joshua 1:1-9
Intro: Horton Hears a Who! - Faithful 100%
I meant what I said, and I said what I meant! An Elephant is faithful 100%!
Wow that is a great statement! I meant what I said, and I said what I meant! An Elephant is faithful 100%!
Have you ever been faithful 100%? Have you ever made a promise and kept it?
The truth is in our day and time people make promises all the time and never ever keep them… Why do you think divorce is so common?
Today a person’s word is not what it used to be. But thankfully we serve a God who is faithful 100%! And His promises are true every day!
Today we begin a new Series, that will take us a while, entitled Walking in Godliness—Joshua as we will walk through the book of Joshua and see how Joshua and Israel followed God and they took the Promise Land that God had for them, that He set up long ago through Abraham.
When I look at this series and this book I see where the Lord is leading his church. I believe God has some great things in store for us as we begin to take Possession of the Promises.
Let us begin with looking at Joshua 1:1-18
Joshua 1:1-18 (NIV)
As we start Joshua we must begin with:
Question: Who was Joshua?
He was a Warrior. Exodus 17:10
Soon after the people of Israel crossed over the Red Sea and were delivered from the hand of Pharaoh. The Amalekites attacked and it was Joshua who was sent out to wage battle against them as Moses stood with his hands and staff in the air. When the staff was in the air Israel was winning but when Moses lowered his hands they were losing… Joshua was a warrior for Israel.
He was Moses’ Assistant. Exodus 24:13
Soon after the battle with the Amalekites Joshua became Moses’ assistant and scripture tells us Joshua was the only one who went up the mountain with Moses when he received the 10 Commandment of God. Joshua was the closes one too everything that happened.
He was a Missionary. Numbers 13:8
Was also one of the 12 spies sent out into the Promise Land to scout it out and see the course of action. Listen to Joshua report: Numbers 14:7-9 The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. (NIV)
Joshua was only one of 2 out of the 12 that said take the Land God has promised us… And the people were ready to stone both him and Caleb…
He was a Leader. Numbers 27:18-23
Joshua was anointed by the Lord to lead the people of Israel after Moses was dead.
Now talk about filling some big shoes or sandals Joshua had some pretty big ones to fill in what Moses left as a legacy...
Question: What is a Leader?
Leadership is the activity of influencing people to cooperate toward some goal which they come to find desirable. Ordway Tead
This was Joshua assignment from the Lord to influence the people of Israel to cooperating in the goal of taking possession of the Promise Land. Wow! And this was something that even Moses did not accomplish now Joshua will do it.
Can you just imagine Joshua standing on the banks of the Jordan river God is saying now you Joshua will lead these people… over a million people into this land I have been Promising and take possession of it.
Wow and in the middle of it all Now Joshua had some traps in Leading:
He had struggles in delegation.
Alright, leading a million people and keeping them organized and together… So Joshua had to learn how to delegate…
For any great leader you must learn how to release things and allow others to take on the responsibility to lead in the area God is calling.
If a leader does not delegate he will become over worked and overloaded.
At Calvary it can be no different… I must delegate and others must lead.
He battled the internal vs. external priorities.
Joshua have the very difficult task of keeping the people balanced between the physical task of conquering the land and the less obvious task but more important task of maintaining spiritual vitality.
This is the same task we will face this year… we must keep the Lord first in our assignment or we will lose the battle that God has called Calvary to do.
He battled those who were resistant to change.
Like Joshua, we must carry out the gifts and commands God has placed on us for our time.
So how is Joshua going to be able to do all of this?
How is Joshua going to mean what he said, and say what he meant! A Joshua is faithful 100%!
Therefore; how is Joshua going to Lead: Possessing the Promise:
1. He understood God’s Promise to Give. Vs. 1-5 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (NIV)
God has made the promise to give! This promise does not just start with Joshua it goes back to Moses, to Joseph, to Israel aka Jacob, to Isaac, and to Abraham.
Genesis 13:15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. (NIV)
The word Give: appears twice in vs. 2 and 3 and occurs over 2,000 in the O.T.
His promise to give is firm!
I want to you hear today: God promise to be with you Exodus 3:12 I will be with You!
God will be with us!
God will be with you! He will be with you! He promises and to take from Horton there is only one who can be true and faithful 100% that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
John 14:1-6 (NIV)
Now with God giving that promise of possessing the Land God also gives Joshua another promise:
The Promise God gave to Joshua was nothing will be able to stand up against you.
Wow what a promise! Through this all Joshua is reminded of all the times God was with Moses and how He will be with Joshua too!
Because listen to me “The secret of Moses’ success and Joshua’s success was God’s presence within them!”
Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who is against us? (HCSB)
Today I do not know where you are at but:
Question: What stands up against you?
As you stand on the edge of your river of life what is standing in your way?
A relationship? Money? Job? Family? A private sin? Any type of Sin? Broken Promises? What? What is standing against you?
Because just like Joshua we need to take our eyes off the river and fix them on the God of the river!
Cause in addition to the Lord’s promise to Give Joshua:
2. Joshua also followed God’s Principles for Growth. Vs. 6-9 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (NIV)
Principle 1: Be Strong and Courageous! Vs. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. (NIV)
How? By standing straight and sticking out his chest? No, by leaning on God the same way Moses had done!
Joshua could be confident because God is competent.
He could be dependent because God is dependable.
He could trust because God is trustworthy.
Also, name change: Hoshea which means: salvation to Joshua which means the Lord is salvation.
See Joshua need to know he was the leader but he was not the deliverer, the guide but not the giver. That belongs to the Lord.
One of the biggest reminders to Joshua was found in his very first battle with the Amalekites.
Exodus 17:14 The Lord then said to Moses, Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recited it to Joshua. (HCSB)
Joshua like us all needs to remember that it was the Lord victory that won the battle not him!
Folks we must remember that is it is the Lord who gets the victory not us!
Principle 2: Meditate on God’s Word! Vs. 7-8 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. (NIV)
At the center of Joshua’s faith would be the Word of God!
Meditate could be rendered “mutter”… This means to constantly be thinking about it.
Joshua knew the importance of God’s word:
Exodus 24:13 17-18 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and went up the mountain of God… The appearance of the Lord’s glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain… (HCSB)
Because every time we forget God’s promises and principles for growth we end up in chaos!
It is time to get back to the basic with the Lord….
