Intro: Paul warned and encouraged the Church that Jesus was coming again. Peter warned and encouraged the church that Jesus was coming again. John warned and encouraged the Church that Jesus was coming again? If you have been saved by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and sealed by the Spirit do you realize that Jesus is coming again? If this is so true than why are so few of our steps ordered by the Lord who is soon returning?
Listen to the words of Alan Redpath in his book The Making of a Man of God: Lessons from the Life of David.
“The machinery of the church is put to very severe strain and is working overtime, but that which the machinery produces so often lacks evidence of the heavenly reality. The mass production of industry – all kinds of goods that attract the eye but have little lasting quality – is too often evident in the Christian Church. In days like these I believe it is quality and not quantity that will count.”
This is what the book of Joshua addresses. The Christian life is not about looking good but about being good. Not because we have to live up to God’s standard but because we can’t help it because we live so close to our creator! The Bible is very clear the gospel is not about simply saying you believe in Jesus Christ but in living out that you believe Jesus Christ.
The book of Joshua reminds us that following Christ is a journey that involves conflict, confession, repentance, and victory. How do I define victory walking daily in the truth that Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. That if I am daily living in the presence of God that is the victory. The victory is not getting the money I want, the healing I need, the end of conflict I desperately desire. Why? Because all of these are designed in my life to press me one step closer to Jesus!
There is encouragement in Joshua for those of us who stumble, for those of us who fall and fail. We are reminded that a newborn baby needs to learn how to talk right, to walk right and act right. The same holds true for us as we are born in to the kingdom and family of God.
If you wouldn’t know how to take a step as a child you will not know how to properly place your shield of faith as a child of God facing spiritual battles. If you don’t know how to pronounce words as a child as a child of God you must learn how to claim the promises of God which are yes and Amen (means they are sure and true). So Joshua shows us that we are to surrender to the leadership of God and those he places over us to lead, love and shepherd us.
Victory in Jesus is like a coat. If you don’t take the coat off the hanger and place it on your shoulders it will not give you protection or comfort.
Joshua 1.2,
I. Prepare for God to do something (Joshua 1.1, 11)
A) In your life first
The fact that we hear about Joshua at all is not as much a testament to him as it is to God. He was the son of slaves never having known anything different. As a laboring slave he would likely have had little or no education, no education and certainly no possibility of freedom. What an unlikely man to lead the army of Israelites into battle and victory over hardened and seasoned Canaanites. Why did Joshua become a man we are talking about and even studying today? Because it is not about Joshua! But it is about what God did in him. The key is never found in our ability or opportunities it is always found in the sovereign plan of God. Joshua is often thought of as a great man. To look at history from that viewpoint is to miss the mystery of history. Joshua was just like you and me with faults and failures as well as skills and strengths. Joshua was an ordinary man serving a great God. A Great God can get all the glory when he uses an ordinary man.
With all that Joshua had seen he still needed an encouraging word from God. Haven’t I told you be strong and courageous. There must have been hints of fear in Joshua. This is encouraging to me as a Pastor and leader. There will always be times where we need to hear God’s encouragement to move forward with the mission.
Courage in the world is to mix 5 parts stupidity with 1 part strength. In Gods economy it is made from the mixture of the person and promises of Jesus. I will not leave you or forsake you. But merely accepting the words is never enough you must encounter the Person!!
God will always do something in you before he will do something with you! Disobedience leads to dryness and wandering.
B) With your life next
In a day of Super Star Christians God is not looking for the next great whatever. He is looking for surrendered slaves. He is looking for people who have no other choice but to trust in His faithfulness. I believe the reason we have such shallow faith in this church and others in the US is we don’t have to trust Jesus.
If you understand that it is God and obedience to His word and will that bring joy and _____
This will lead to
1) Complete (1.8)
“Be careful to do everything that is written in it.” If you love me keep my commandments. How is it possible to keep the commands of God? Complete surrender to His Spirit. You will be like whatever you surrender to. We cannot pick and choose from God’s word. Gluttony, Gossip and Greed are not the three acceptable sins in the Bible. It is too often that we treat God’s word as a buffet that we can pick and choose what of God’s word and will we obey.
Martin Luther, “If we obey the first two commandments we will not disobey the rest.”
2) Consistent
Churchill said, “Wars are not won by evacuations!” Individual believers and churches don’t make a difference by being content with the status quo. We, too, must move forward. (We talk about building relationships, being on mission, etc) Are we?
Tony Dungy, “Character begins with the little things in life. We must show that we can be trusted with even the trivial things.”
“Do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” This is a call for Consistent ongoing character that reflects the reality of who God is, He's faithful. What a difference it would make for the church to be faithful in such an unfaithful generation.
II. Prepare with unity 1.2 “now you and all this people cross over the Jordan”
What is the common seed when planted in the soil of the body of Christ that produces unity?
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “It is not perfect fellowship but fellowship with a perfect savior.”
John 1.7 “But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” HCSB
So what God is looking for is not an outward unity that looks good. He is looking for an inward unity of the spirit that allows all things to work for the good.
There is so much talk about community today in the church. It is the new buzz word for the cool church preachers, teachers etc. The root of community is unity. Unity comes from the presence of the Spirit of unity. Why was it so important for God to speak to Joshua and us about unity? Every work of the devil is designed to destroy the unity of the body and the community of Christ.
Genesis 11.6 We are told they had one mind and one language and nothing would be impossible for them.
How do we know if the seed and Spirit of unity is in us? The seed of unity produces a specific type of fruit.
A) The fruit of the Spirit
Read Galatians 5.13-26
The fruit of the flesh leads to a self-centered, self-promoting, self-satisfying, selfish lifestyle.
The fruit of the Spirit leads to a self-sacrificing, self-controlling, self-giving, selfless lifestyle.
In fact Paul says, 5.24 “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 “Therefore if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
If you fellowship with a perfect savior His personality should rub off on you!!
B) The fruit of humility
C) The fruit of deference
III. Prepare for conflict (Joshua 1.11) “take possession”
The Israelites had God with them, Red Sea salvation, and pillar and cloud presence. Now they were about to obediently enter into the conflict with all the people of Canaan. The same goes for us as we trust Christ and are born again. When you trust Christ you are commissioned to enter the conflict between disobedience and obedience.
The fall caused this conflict. Have you ever thought about all the military terminology that Paul uses?
Ephesians 6.11-18 The full armor of God to face the artillery of the enemy
Why do we need the armor of God? Same reason Joshua and his army did. We fight. But we don’t fight against Canaanites, Girgashites, Hittites or any other ites.
Ephesians 6.12 We fight against the unseen armies of the enemy and the unseen warrior of our old nature. Are you prepared for the conflict?
2 Timothy 2.3-4“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 To please the recruiter, no one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of everyday life.”
Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us”
We are in a cosmic conflict for the Souls of men, women, boys, and girls.
It is not time to be politically correct when it comes to the terrorism of the Devil. It is time as obedient soldiers to accept the mission we have as Sons and Soldiers of the most High God.
