ntro: Joshua is a book about victory. It is not victory through superiority but through surrender. Surrender to the presence, promises and provision of God. Deuteronomy and Joshua have divisions between them but are written more like a part 1 and 2 of the same story. In Deuteronomy the Children of Israel fail to live by faith so they wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Now the generation that would not obey God is dead and a new leader has arrived. Still the obstacle and barrier of disobedience and disbelief remain. What will they do when faced with apparent impossibilities? What will we do?
There are many songs that are loved by the church that sing about across Jordan’s stormy banks, Canaan land, that speak as though this land is Heaven. But the Promised Land for believers right now is walking in godliness and righteousness with the Lord here on this planet.
Why call this study of Joshua steps to victory? Every time the Israelites decided not to walk how and where and when God told them they wandered aimlessly or found themselves in slavery. Every time you step away from God it leads to barrenness.
Jeremiah 10.23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
Psalm 37.23 “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Proverbs 16.9 “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
God wants us as His children to experience Deuteronomy 11.21 “as the days of heaven upon the earth.”
Joshua is a wonderful illustration of how we can face sin, failure, defeat, saying good bye to the old life of disobedience to God’s will and step into the victorious presence and rest of God. Paul teaches us these truths in the Book of Ephesians. Joshua tells the story of how it can be a reality in Joshua.
God had given them the land 1.3 but the people still had to step forward in faith and obedience to poses what God had given them.
I. God’s promise of victory
A) The promise of God’s presence in your daily life
This is the same promise given to Moses. Joshua has taken up the leadership mantle and God speaks to him. Understand that you have to go all the way back to Genesis 12.7 to find God giving the promise of the land to Abraham. Even though Moses is dead Gods work is not. We are all replaceable. It is never the workers that are important but the work. Joshua has already proved his skill in warfare. He was the leader of the Israelite army when they defeated the Amalekites. Raw ability and gifting is never enough when we face spiritual barriers. God promises not only Joshua but us that He will be with us.
God doesn’t only promise to be with us He promises to never leave us. The Hebrew word used here is raphah, which means slacken. God is saying I will not let loose of you. I will not drop you; I will not let you go. When we trust Christ alone for salvation God grips us. He grips our hearts and heads. This is what brings victory walking through this life knowing God has hold of us.
So why was this promise given to Joshua and to us? Mission. God had promised the land to the descendant’s of Abraham and now it was becoming a reality. God has promised His presence for us as we move forward with His mission. We are to be about the mission of making disciples. If disciples are not coming from Immanuel Baptist Church then God will remove His presence from this body. (Revelation 2.5)
Warren Wiersbe “God didn’t explain to Joshua how He would accomplish these things, because God’s people live on promises not explanations.”
God led us to begin the food pantry ministry, clothes closet and others. He didn’t tell us how to do it but he did promise to be with us. He has and will be he will not let go of us.
God is telling us to step toward obedience with the mission center. He hasn’t told us how he will provide but that He will be with us. Dream and vision of turning present building into mission building. What will it take? Trust in our father to provide, faith in our giving etc.
With God’s presence comes God providing for you needs daily.
B) The promise of God’s providing in your daily life
Read 1.2, 3, 6
God promised to give them the land. However you have to understand what that implies. All the weapons, all the wagons, all the resources they would need would be included in providing for them to take the land.
“I will give”
God continues to promise to give and we continue to live as paupers.
2 Peter 1.3 “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” NLT
But notice he has given us everything we need for living a Godly life!! How do we get these things? When we start a relationship with Jesus Christ!
II. God’s principles for victory
A) Learn who I am
Joshua 1.9 “the Lord your God” What is the main purpose of the Bible? To reveal who God is and that He paid for our sins in the person of Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah 29.13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” NIV
Jeremiah 29.13 “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
What we are to do and where we are headed is dependent on who God is.
B) Listen to what I say
Why do so many people seek out horoscopes, life coaches, so called gurus and experts? God desires to speak into your life. When God speaks to you it brings life.
Listen to this promise spoken to Joshua, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.”
He tells us in 1.8 to meditate on this book of the law. Understood in Joshua’s day was the Pentateuch the first five books of the Bible. We can understand that to mean the entire revelation He gives us from Genesis to Revelation. What does God give us in His word?
Instruction, Correction, encouragement, warning, hope, truth. We are told to meditate on it. That Hebrew word means literally to mutter it during our day. (Cow chewing its cud) As it always comes back to Adam and Eve bad things happen when we don’t listen to what God says.
C) Live how I direct
God’s commands are God’s enablement for those who obey Him by faith.
III. Our practice of victory
1.7, 8, “observe to do”
It is really time for a generation of Christ followers to do what God commands even if it’s uncomfortable, unpopular, and unprofitable. The first aspect of Christian practice is being. New life rebirth leads to new thoughts and right action. Paul says walk worthy of your calling. If your steps are ordered by God then why do they look like non-believers?
". . . [Meditation] does not mean theoretical speculation about the law, such as the Pharisees indulged in, but a practical study of the law, for the purpose of observing it in thought and action, or carrying it out with the heart, the mouth, and the hand. Such a mode of employing it would be sure to be followed by blessings." 17Keil and Delitzsch, p. 30.
A popular way to say that our practice as believers is we don’t fight for victory but from victory.
A) The words you speak
Encouragement vs. discouragement
Building up vs. tearing down
Words of faith vs. words of fear
Stop muttering what you see and start muttering what God has said!
B) The way you give
C) The way you go
Observe to do! Ephesians 2.10 “We are His workmanship (masterpiece) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
What good works do we have before us? Getting the mission center prepared (vision) continuing to be faithful to God’s call to food pantry ministry. Foster/adoptive care, Celebrate Recovery ministry, Mechanic ministry. God has so much planned and prepared for us. We have to step toward victory.
How has God told us to go? Strong and courageous! Some people are going to think what we are doing is for our reputation. Some people are going to think we are insane. How do we become strong and courageous? Remember the promises of God. He will be with us. No man will be able to stand before us all our days. Joshua had seen the giants and the fortified cities. But his focus was on the living God. Courage and strength come from experiencing the promise of God in practice in your daily life!!
AW Tozer, “Only when you bring your life in line with your faith are you a believer.”
It has been and never will be about being acceptable to God by what we do. However I have to ask. If the life and light of God has been placed in you where is the desire to please your daddy with good works?
Conclusion: What obstacles and barriers do we face stepping toward victory in Christ at Immanuel?
What individual barriers? What corporate barriers? As we study the book of Joshua we will see that the life of faith is not perfect but it is powerful and purposeful. The life of faith always pushes and presses toward mission. Toward being used of God to enlarge the kingdom of God.
Warren Wiersbe “It is impossible to stand still in Christian life and service; for when you stand still, you immediately start going backward.”
God’s challenge to His church Hebrews 6.1 “Let us go on!”
Foot picture: Provided for you is a footprint. I want you to take the footprint this week and write in it the steps God has revealed to you to take toward a closer relationship to Him and victory as a follower of Christ this week. On the second half of the foot write down steps you believe we need to take as a Church and pray over them and text them to me this week.
