The book of Joshua is about the Israelites doing battle to possess the land of Canaan; and by this point in the book, Joshua had already initiated the process of claiming the Promised Land and establishing new territory for the Lord. We can actually apply what we learn from the book of Joshua to claiming “spiritual territory,” as we set out to lead people to faith in Christ; as we lead a Bible study or a Sunday school class; or even as we work toward growing a church.
As we begin leading other believers to stake their spiritual claim, so to speak, we must be aware that the toil and strain can begin taking a toll on many who share in the vision and serve. Doing spiritual battle can lead to fatigue and even discouragement. Therefore, we must continually recast the vision of the Promised Land to strengthen and motivate people to keep pressing on. Proverbs wisely cautions, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV).
For example, when Nehemiah was overseeing the task of reconstructing the wall of Jerusalem, the people became tired and weary halfway through. This midway point was twenty-six days into the project; and at this crucial time, Nehemiah was compelled to recast the vision, reminding the people of the significance of their work and reassuring them that God would help them accomplish it. From this account, Rick Warren derives what he calls the “Nehemiah Principle,” which holds that vision and purpose must be restated every twenty-six days in order to keep people confidently moving in the right direction.(1)
The American Standard Version states, “Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint.” Vision establishes the “restraint” or “parameters” in which God’s people will move forward. If we fail to communicate vision, then those whom we lead will be deprived of purpose and direction. This will result in confusion and shattered enthusiasm, and sometimes the abandonment of the calling and mission. Bill Hybels says that “a clear vision provides a compelling picture of the future that enables us to say, ‘We know our destination. Nothing will lure us off the path from here to there. We will not be distracted’.”(2)
Time of Worship and Devotion (Joshua 8:30-32)
30 Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD God of Israel in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “An altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he had written.
Now, obviously, a vision can only be communicated after having received one. There are two important things to understand about receiving a vision from the Lord. First, we receive a vision in response to our worship. Israel offered “burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings” upon an altar of stones (v. 31), indicating that the people were immersed in the worship of God. While the people worshipped, the Lord simultaneously shared with Joshua the Law of Moses, which he recorded on stone tablets. The Law served as the guiding principles by which to live; therefore, the Law was the vision for the nation of Israel.
Listen as I read something from Daniel chapter 9. Daniel stated, “Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin . . . and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel . . . being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, ‘O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore, consider the matter, and understand the vision’” (Daniel 9:20-23). So, similar to Joshua and the Israelites, the prophet Daniel received a vision from the Lord (or rather, understanding of a vision) in response to his worship as he prayed and confessed his sin.
Any leader who is seeking a vision from God must start with worship. This is done by such things as spending quiet time alone with the Lord, confessing our sins, offering up thanksgiving, singing His praises, and praying and meditating on His Word. Hybels states, “When I talk to a leader who is hesitant or unclear about his or her vision I ask the following questions: Have you yielded yourself fully enough to God? . . . Have you fasted? Have you prayed? Have you been quiet and waited on God in solitude? Have you cleaned up sinful patterns in your life?”(3)
Now, the second thing to understand about receiving a vision is that it will manifest itself in God’s timing. For example, the prophet Habakkuk declared, “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. Then the LORD answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry’” (Habakkuk 2:1-3).
The historical context of this particular prophecy is placed before the Babylonian exile around 608-598 B.C. It is advice for those who will become captive in the siege of Jerusalem, stating that when the people fall into captivity by Babylon that they should not give up hope on the vision of returning to their homeland, for the return would surely arrive at an appointed time.
We learn from Habakkuk that the Lord will reveal His plans slowly, and that we must watch and wait (v. 1). Once we receive the vision then we must make it visible so that it may be seen by everyone. It should be as a highway sign that is so clear that even a passing runner can see it. Take note, mark it, and remember it for future reference (v. 2); and if the vision is not fulfilled immediately then keep in mind that it is only delayed, not deleted. The Lord says “wait for it,” and it will come to pass in His perfect timing (v. 3).
Blessing the Lord’s People (Joshua 8:33)
33 Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
Notice how all the people had gathered before Joshua and the priests in order to receive a blessing, as earlier commanded by Moses. Once we receive a vision from the Lord, we must then encourage the people that it can be attained. Let us not forget Caleb, who declared, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30). We must encourage people to “go for the gold,” to lay hold of the Promised Land, and this is best accomplished by blessing them. “In Greek and Latin, [the word] ‘blessing’ is eulogia and benedicto, which both suggest ‘speaking good words’ . . . In Hebrew [the word] ‘blessing’ is bereka, suggesting the conference of an abundance of life on someone.”(4)
First of all, we must communicate the blessings, or rather, the benefits that will be gained at the end of the conquest, when the long journey is finally completed – the benefits bestowed on the congregation as a whole. We must emphasize the blessings of the land. Canaan was a good and large land, flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8; Joshua 5:6), and full of abundance. In his book On Jordan’s Stormy Banks, H. Beecher Hicks states that the “buy-in for the vision [will] come from . . . what the vision can do for them, and how it will change the quality of their lives,”(5) and he adds that “the vision must promise a blessing that is both individual and collective.”(6) But the end-goal must be continually communicated.
The second aspect to blessing is when we impart a personal blessing upon individuals. The evangelist Bill Glass says, “Blessing settles identity and destiny. It frees the person to flourish and do well.”(7) When we bless someone we are communicating our trust that we believe he or she is capable of handling great responsibility, and that we approve of their competence to attain future success. John Maxwell says, “When you cast a vision for others, you help them see their potential and their possibilities. And when you add to that vision your faith in them, you spark them to action.”(8)
Retelling the Guiding Principles (Joshua 8:34-35)
34 And afterward he read all the words of the Law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.
Once we have spent time in worship, received a vision from the Lord, and blessed the people, we must then clearly communicate the vision. Proverbs 29:18, when read in its entirety, says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the Law, happy is he” (KJV). For Joshua, the vision was contained in the Law. Bill Hybels says, “When a leader is casting a vision publicly the goal is to help people know, understand, and remember the ‘main thing’.”(9) Joshua focused on the Law as the main thing.
In Joshua 1:8, the Lord admonished him as follows: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” The Lord stated how the Law was what would guide people to finding success in the Promised Land. Verses 34-35 tell us that Joshua read “all the words of the Law” (v. 34) to the entire congregation of Israel (v. 35). The word “all” implies that he left no stone unturned; he crossed every “t” and dotted every “i.” There was not one single word “which Joshua did not read before all the assembly” (v. 35).
Hybels says that we need to “cast the vision publicly, [and] speak to the whole church, the whole department, or the whole team. This is a daunting challenge, because it forces leaders to put precise wording to their passions.”(10) Precise wording is necessary for clear communication, and people must gain a firm grasp on the vision before they will ever follow it. In the book Planting Missional Churches, Ed Stetzer emphasizes that “people must ‘in-vision’ the core values of the congregation before they can become part of that vision.”(11) Through careful wording we are to help people visualize the rewarding end result of their faithful service.
Joshua’s Earlier Vision Casting (Numbers 13:25, 27-30, 14:7-9)
Now, there is some more useful information we can learn from one of Joshua’s earlier attempts at encouraging the people to possess the land. Alan Nelson and Gene Appel tell us that by looking at the way Joshua and Caleb communicated the need to occupy the Promised Land, we can add some handles that will help us grasp the idea of casting vision.(12) In Numbers 13:25, 27-30 we read this:
25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days . . . 27 Then they told [Moses], and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:25, 27-30).
The sharing of this vision of the Promised Land continues in Numbers 14:7-9, where Joshua and Caleb said the following words:
7b “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:7b-9).
From these two passages, Nelson and Appel portray what they call a “Joshua Report.” And they state that “a good Joshua Report has seven elements,” which I am going to share right now:
1.) You must show them the fruit of the land. “By helping people see and experience the possible benefits of the change, you whet an appetite.”
2.) You must emphasize the benefits.
3.) You must not deny the giants. If Joshua had denied the existence of the giants, “the people would have been ill-prepared to face the challenges ahead.”
4.) You must affirm success in the journey. “Caleb went on and said, ‘We can do it!’ . . . People need encouragement. They need to know that obtaining these benefits is within their reach.”(13)
5.) You must communicate passion. “The difference between a Joshua Report and a goal is that a goal is focused on logical conclusion; a vision is centered around passion, enthusiasm, and urgency.”(14)
6.) You must repeat the benefits with increasing emphasis. “Joshua repeated what Caleb said, but he called the land ‘exceedingly’ good.”
7.) You must acknowledge people’s fears, but build their faith. “Joshua understood that the people were grumbling and resisting because they were afraid, not because they were bad people . . . We all need to be reminded that our Creator is bigger than any giants we might face.”(15)
Time of Reflection
Perhaps we have been following the Lord and serving our church and community, and we are presently in the process of attempting to claim new territory for the Lord. Maybe we have enlisted the support of some who have decided to help out in the areas of evangelism and outreach. So, how are we holding up? How are we doing? If we ourselves, or those on our team, are feeling discouraged, then we need to be sure to recast the vision of what God is asking us to do.
Maybe we have found ourselves wandering aimlessly with no sense of direction. If this describes one of us here today – or possibly even our church – then perhaps we need to petition the Lord for a fresh vision, or maybe clarify a vision that has become clouded over by trials and disappointment. We must go before the Lord in worship and do as Psalm 37:4 says: “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
Now, if someone is here this morning, never having believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, James says that such an individual is “like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6), as one who is wavering without any sense of direction. That individual has no real purpose – and especially no vision – apart from the Lord, Jesus Christ. If the Lord is drawing you unto salvation, then here’s what you need to know in order to be saved.
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
NOTES
(1) Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995), p. 111.
(2) Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000), p. 48.
(3) Ibid., pp. 37-38.
(4) John and Thomas Feeney, “From Death to Life,” Center for Ethics and Culture, University of Notre Dame, p. 3.
(5) H. Beecher Hicks, On Jordan’s Stormy Banks (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), p. 220.
(6) Ibid., p. 220.
(7) Bill Glass, “Bless Your Children, Glass Says,” The Scroll, Fall 2002, p. 3. Taken from the Internet May 2003 at http://www.swbts.edu/happenings/scroll/pdf/ 02/october/10-15-02.pdf.
(8) John Maxwell, Becoming A Person of Influence (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1997), p. 131.
(9) Hybels, p. 45.
(10) Ibid., p. 41.
(11) Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches (Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 2006), p. 301.
(12) Alan Nelson and Gene Appel, How to Change Your Church without Killing It (Nashville, TN: W. Publishing Group, 2000), p. 134.
(13) Ibid., p. 135.
(14) Ibid., pp. 135-136.
(15) Ibid. p. 136.
