The great book of Joshua opens with a command. Joshua was the chief aide to Moses aand the commander of the armed forcees of Israel. God had already called, consecrated, and commissioned him to replace Moses upon his death. Now Moses is died, and Deuteronomy 34:8 tells us that the people had been in deep mourning over his death for thirty days. But as soon as that thirty day period ended, GOd immediately spoke to Joshua to confirm his destiny.
1. God issued an arousing call to Joshua. The people’s hearts were gripped with depression, broken over the passing of the man of God. Through the guidance of God, he had founded and established them as a nation. He had freed, instructed, and led them. And despite all the trials, the people still respected and loved this man of God who had fathered them as a people. When he died, the people were oppressed by an intense almost unbearable spirit of grief. Even Joshua had fallen into this demonized spirit of despair over Moses’ death. He was so trapped til he lingered in mourning beyond what he should. This caused God to forcefully speak to his heart and give him an unusual word: "Moses, My servant is dead! Arise! Fill In the Gap! Take up the mantle! Prepare to cross...into the Promise Land!" Tuch your neighbor and shout "MOVE!"
IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO ARISE AND STOP CRYING OVER YOUR DEAD MOSES! IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE OF THE ANOINTING AND LEAD THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND LEAD PEOLE TO GOD! WE ARE LEARED’S IN THIS GENERATION! LEADING PEOPLE TO CLAIM THEIR INHERITANCE IS OUR JOB! AND IT IS TIME TO BEGIN TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL. IT IS TIME TO MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS TO CROSS OUR JORDAN RIVERS AND ENTER INTO THE INHERITANCE THAT HAS BEEN PROMISED TO GOD’S PEOPLE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
But the command wasn’t all that God Had to say to Joshua.
2. God gave Joshua three renewed promises. These were promises that had been given to God’s people since Abraham. The fulfillment was on the verge of taking place.
There was the promise of the promise land. The Israelites were to secure and ocupy the land, all the land. Note that God himself gives the land to his people. It is a gift from God himsel; but it is the people’s responsibility to march forth and claim the land, by faith in the promise of God. The land was theirs, but they had to lay claim on it. They had to move forward, laying hold of the promised land. As they moved forward they secured the land that flowed with milk and honey.
Note the enormous territory promised by God. Te bounderies of the land are described by the furthestpont in each directon:
South: the desert
North: Lebanon
East: the Euphrates River
West: the Mediterranean Sea
There is the promise of conquering all enemies. Tthis is a picture of the believer’s full life of victory . As God’s people move forward, there will be opposition. There will be enemies who will confront you. Those enemies will do anything to defeat you, enslave you and ultimately kill you. But God said the You Are A Victor in 2004! Touch five with three people and shout "I’M A VICTOR IN 2004!"
There is the promise of the continued, unbroken presence and rest of God. We are going to fight our enemies with and by the spirit and the presence of God. God promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us.
