Strategy for Living in Victory
LOGO: The strategy for living in victory is to believe God’s Covenants and behave God’s Commands.
TEXT: Joshua 1:1-9
HOOK: Because of my sordid professional background, I like to read interesting and unusual legal cases. I read recently of a story where a barrister in London, England probated a will. They could not find heirs. After 2 years, found heir in U.S. Found him through obituaries - he had died destitute in an abandoned building.
He had inheritance he never possessed
He had inheritance that would have provided for his needs
He had inheritance that would have saved his life
So many Christians live this same way.
We have so much available to us - yet we don’t possess it and even struggle in poverty without ever possessing it.
John 10:10 - RECITE
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
God has planned for us a victorious life - BUT we must learn to possess this inheritance He has created for us.
LOGO: The strategy for living in victory is to believe God’s covenants and behave God’s commands.
The book of Joshua tells the story of God’s people possessing God’s promised inheritance for them.
Book of Joshua tells story of:
• God’s deliverer for His people - Joshua
• the inheritance God provided His people
• His plan for victory of their enemies
• His instructions for possessing all He had created for them
Book of Joshua is a key book for us because it teaches us how to possess victory in our lives. Book of Joshua is a primer, a painting, a parable, and a prophecy for Jesus’ redemption of His people and the plan for appropriating the abundant life He promises.
Book of Joshua foretells of:
• God’s promised deliverance - Jesus
• this abundance He has promised for our life
• His plan for living in Victory
• His instructions for life
Book of Joshua teaches us:
LOGO: The strategy for living in victory is to believe God’s covenants and behave God’s commands.
Explanation of the Joshua sermon series = 24 chapters, only 6 weeks.
Week 1 = “The Big Picture”
Week 5-6 = the individual battles which combine together to equal a life of victory.
Let’s begin today by defining the “big picture” or the main theme for Joshua – Living in Victory. It is defined for us in Joshua 1:1-9. Let’s read together this passage.
A. The Battle Commenced
Read verses 1-2 again.
• God says arise and go over the Jordan to Canaan
-----easier said than done
• Canaan = same Canaan filled with “giants which made them look like grasshoppers” the first time they arrived here. Don’t think Joshua has forgotten that either.
• Main road leading through the land of Canaan was guarded by the fortress city of Jericho.
• Boy, some “gift” huh?
You may ask the question: “What kind of gift is this that you have to fight for it?” What was God’s purpose in telling the children of Israel Canaan was a gift, but requiring them to engage in battle to possess it? Wouldn’t it have made more sense for God to wipe out all the Canaanites with fire from
Heaven and then let the children of Israel walk into Canaan?
(as with Elijah)
Wouldn’t it have been a better gift if He had simply flooded Canaan and killed all of those evil nations?
(as with Noah)
The answer: The battle was necessary to teach Israel to give God the glory for the victory and to teach them the necessity of obedience. It was to allow time for them to develop so they can appreciate and appropriate the blessings of Canaan.
Read Exodus 23:22-30
Remember, this is the same people who fled at the sight of the giant Canaanites 40 years earlier. This is the Israel that doubted repeatedly during their wandering in the wilderness. This is the same Israel that turned away from God despite His continued miraculous deliverance time and time again.
• Bible Scholars have deduced the campaign to conquer Canaan was approx. 7 years. During that 7 years, people again had periods of doubt or disobedience. Each time they failed to believe God’s covenants or behave God’s commands they suffered a loss. I.e. Ai - the defeat following the victory at Jericho
• In fact, God deeded over 300,000 square miles of land to Israel. At the apex of their power they only conquered only 30,000 square miles. The battle was necessary to teach them what to believe and how to behave.
APPLICATION OF POINT:
Today, we are no different than the children of Israel. God requires of us that we believe His covenants and behave His commands. In order to live in victory.
“Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.”
God permits us to go through struggles in our lives because they form the crucible in which the chemistry of the cross takes hold of our lives.
VICTORY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF BATTLE;
VICTORY IS WINNING THE BATTLE YOU ARE IN !!!!!!!
B. Believe God’s Covenants
Read 1:3-6
• God affirms His promise to Joshua - His Deliverer
• God affirms His promise to Israel
Joke----Alliteration
Call attention to your outline - NOTE my points have both began with the letters B and C. Did I just choose covenant instead of promise because it begins with C?
Actually, I don’t like the word “Promise.” I like COVENANT. It is a better picture of the strength of God’s Promises.
Define covenant: It is a legal obligation undertaken by an individual such as in a disposition of property in a will.
In American language and law, we get the idea of a mutual obligation between 2 people - like a contract. This is NOT a mutual obligation. This is God’s covenant - His obligation to perform regardless.
God made a covenant with Joshua
God made a covenant with Israel
God then instructs Joshua to
NO FEAR The covenant is the motivation,
BE STRONG encouragement and hope for Joshua to act.
Joshua could act with confidence because God’s covenant to defeat the enemy was a binding, legal obligation to perform regardless of anyone else’s action.
This means they learned FAITH. They stored their trust in God’s promises.
When face enemy? - choose to believe God’s covenant
When face defeat? - choose to believe God’s covenant
We have the same focus. See Hebrews 11:6 says: RECITE
God will allow us to face the battle in order for us to learn to choose to believe His covenant to us.
His covenant with us is ---- JESUS
What are these promises to Joshua and Israel?
The promise of our Deliverer
• all authority lies with Jesus - no enemy can stand before Him.
• The promise to us of salvation as His people.
Jesus Himself is the affirmation of that promise
Illustration: VERSE –“new covenant in my blood” I Cor 11:23-26
Jesus is confirmation of:
Our Salvation - John 3:16
Our Source for living - Gal 2:20
Our Safety - Romans 8:38-39
Our Strength - Phil 4:13
Illustration of the need to believe God’s covenant: Mark 4:35
Disciples in the boat with Jesus
storm - they are afraid - looking at circumstances
Jesus in boat -
He rebukes their panic
His rebuke is the lack of faith their failure to choose
to believe in His promise.
Application:
Apply to everyday life
LOGO: The strategy for living in victory is to believe God’s Covenants and behave God’s Commands.
C. To Behave God’s Commandments
God commands Joshua and Israel to:
--meditate on the law
--observe the law
In other words, know and obey God’s commandments.
Please be clear: God’s covenant with Israel was trustworthy. But, God’s Grace does not nullify the necessity for obedience. The gift of Canaan was God’s gracious, generous gift BUT His objective is always to bring us into His will - that is why He commands obedience. Israel needed to follow God’s instruction in order to grow into the ability to accept the full extent of His grace. Both the promise of his Grace and practice of His command both work hand in hand to bring us into His will
See I Corinthians 15:57-58
“But thanks be to God , who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
If you are not living in victory, the other reason is you are being disobedient.
See example of children of Israel:
victory at Jericho chpt 6
sin before Ai & defeat chpt 7
-story of Gibeonites chpt 9
How does obedience occur?
1) Meditation vs 8
2) Choosing to obey “do not turn from it”
Example of Adam & Eve: This is how it works
Eve - failed to meditate - it was not fresh in her heart
Adam - not deceived - he failed to choose to obey.
TRANSITION TO CLOSE:
I don’t know where you are tonight.
I can tell you, however, how you got there. Only 2 ways.
1) God led you there
2) You disobeyed Him and went there yourself.
i.e. -Job
-relationship
-sickness
The question for you tonight is will you choose to live in victory in that situation:
LOGO: The strategy for living in victory is to believe God’s Covenants and behave God’s Commands.
If God lead you there, then you must choose to believe in His covenant
If you got yourself in this mess, then you must choose to behave His commands.
Trust and Obey
(vs 1) When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will He abides with us still, And with all who trust and obey.
(vs 3) Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a doubt nor a fear, not a sigh nor a tear, But is blest if we trust and obey.
(chorus) Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.
Self evaluate
1. faith
2. obedience
