We are at the edge of another new year; another year of uncertainties and unknowns - to us, of course, but not to God.
• Whatever they are, we are going to face them and walk through them, by the grace of God.
• We won’t be doing it alone, because God will walk us through. The future is uncertain, but God has the future in His hands.
The nation of Israel finds herself in a similar situation in JOSHUA 1.
• They are now standing between the desert and the Promised Land, at the edge of a new beginning.
• They are about to leave their old life of wandering in the wilderness, and step into a new life in a new land, and with a new leader.
• They are not going to hear the familiar voice of Moses, but Joshua.
Everything is changing, and will change. I don’t quite like that feeling. I don’t think many people do, when we face a daunting future.
• Joshua, the new leader of Israel, found himself in such a situation.
• And God came and spoke to Him. This is beautiful. Let’s read it in JOSHUA 1:1-9.
• In this short talk we find the keys to facing the future with confidence.
[Read Joshua 1:1-9]
Moses had just died and Joshua had been picked to take his place. Israel had never known another leader, until now.
• You can imagine how Joshua must have felt.
• No wonder God needs to come and assure him. He really needs it. So do many of us in similar situations.
• God tells him to be BOLD AND COURAGEOUS a few times.
He was scared. How do we know? 1:9 gives us a hint. The Lord says, “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged.”
• God will not say something that is not there or unnecessary.
• Joshua is afraid. He is overwhelmed by the daunting task of “filling Moses’ shoes” and leading the nation into Canaan.
• It is not going to be a simple WALK IN. They have to fight against SEVEN nations already living in Canaan, and all of them larger and stronger than Israel.
• This isn’t an imaginary fear. The spies testified to that. It is real.
I can identify with Joshua, especially when you are called to take the helm right after the passing of the founder, so to speak.
• It will be so much easier if I am called to lead the 5th one in line or the 6th, or when I am very much older.
Precisely at this point, God showed up. It is always at this point that God shows up. What point? The point of our greatest need.
• God came and gave Joshua a pep talk, like all good coaches do when the players are intimidated and overwhelmed.
• When you are in dire state, take note and listen hard. God speaks. Pay attention. Don’t wallow in your pain. Don’t dwell on your problems. LISTEN HARD.
The talk reveals TWO ANCHORS that Joshua must hold on to, the only two things that are CERTAIN in the midst of all the uncertainties – God and His Word.
• Remember I told you before that there are 3 things that are eternal? God, His Word and our SOUL.
• Soul does not apply here; so if we are to cling on to that which are eternal, unchanging and certain, then they are GOD and HIS WORD.
(1) OUR COURAGE IS FOUND IN GOD ALONE
(2) OUR VICTORY IS GROUNDED IN GOD’S WORD
(1) OUR COURAGE IS FOUND IN GOD ALONE
God chatted him up with a talk about Himself actually. From verses 1-6 the word “I” appeared many times:
• I am about to give you every place you set foot; I promised Moses; I was with Moses; I will be with you; I will never leave you.
• It’s all about God, what He has promised and planned to do.
• God made no reference to the difficult task ahead, nothing about the strong enemies, or the huge cities.
• Obstacles are not problems to God. He can part the Red Sea, feed millions in the desert, get a nation across Jordan River, and bring down walls of Jericho.
Joshua’s confidence has to be anchored in God alone, not in anything else.
• Not in himself, not in the people, not in their resources, and not in the circumstances. Our courage is found in God, and in God alone.
• Even before Joshua starts to do anything, he must believe, deep down in his heart, that God is present and He rules.
Someone puts it this way: Courage is not the absent of fear but the absent of self.
• Fear is natural. It is a feeling that comes when you are facing a danger, a threat, and a difficult task. We cannot eradicate fear, we can only OVERCOME fear.
• You cannot pretend that it is not there. You just need to believe that SOMEONE greater is present.
• Courage is not the absent of fear but the absent of self. When self is not in the way. When we are not looking at our limitations and weaknesses.
• If it is the absence of self, then what is there? God. We have courage because God is present.
This is what make David runs into the battlefield and his brothers hide in camp.
• He can run with courage, with just a sling, while the rest with armours and weapons, can shake in fear.
• One conquers fear by faith, the others let fear overruns them. You cannot eradicate fear, you can only overcome it by faith in God.
• Our courage is found in God alone.
Are you afraid? Afraid that your grades at school will not be good? Worried that you do not have enough when you retire? Fearful that your career is over because someone passed you over for a promotion?
• Don’t waste your time on what you cannot control. Dwell on the One who is in control. Our courage is found in God alone.
God was with Israel every step of the way in their conquest of Canaan.
• Every step that Joshua took, every piece of land that he claimed, every battle that he won, was the direct result of God working FOR him.
• God was fully involved, at every step, every move and every battle.
God is involved in our lives the same way! Be strong and courageous. God will never leave you nor forsake you.
• You cannot take away the FEELING of fear and anxiety, when you are facing some difficulties. But you can ACT with confidence.
• You can CHOOSE trust God. He is present and in control. It is an ACT of faith. It is a CHOICE we make. It is a DECISION we take.
(2) OUR VICTORY IS GROUNDED IN GOD’S WORD
Josh 1:7-9 “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. 8Do 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.”
The 2nd thing that is CERTAIN is God’s Word, what He has said. We see the emphasis here.
• God says “be careful to obey ALL the law…” MEDITATE ON IT day and night. Think about what He has said.
• His Word gives us confidence, feeds our soul, quench out thirst, soothes our wounds, comforts our hearts, and inspires hope in hopeless situations.
In the first two lessons of DG BOOK 3 we are going to learn about MEDITATING on God’s Word. How do we do that? We are going to learn some practical steps.
• Meditating means thinking through, pondering it. The Lord says it is the key to being “prosperous and successful”.
• We will be strong because we have the Word of God in us, when we appropriate the truths of God’s Word.
It cannot be just the KNOWLEDGE of it. Knowing it does not change us.
• The devil knows God too. He knows it enough to quote it when he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness. But that knowledge did not change the devil.
• It is our willingness to appropriate the Word in our lives that transforms us. When we believe it and trust it enough to do what it says, God changes us.
Someone said it well. It is not about WE HAVE THE WORD but that the WORD HAVE US that matters. That is, we are being INFLUENCED by the Word.
• It is not that I HAVE CHRIST but that CHRIST HAVE US. It’s no longer I that lives but He that lives in us. He reigns. We are surrendered to Him.
• But for the Word of God to take ROOT in us, we need to MEDITATE on it.
Try this, pick up some good passages or verses, and think about it for a few days. Meditate on it for a week.
• Our victory in life is grounded on God’s Word.
CONCLUSION
I cannot promise you everything will be fine this year.
• I can only promise you what is CERTAIN – God is with you, wherever you are; and His Word is our sure comfort and strength.
• Jesus is with you, that’s certain. His promise to you is true, that’s certain.
• It will be a blessed new year.
Put your trust in Jesus Christ today, if you have not done so. He is our only Saviour, the One who can forgive our sin, reconcile us with God and bring us home to heaven. Surrender your life to Jesus today.
