DIGGING DEEP NO. 925 – MARCH 8, 2022 ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD Josh.1: 1- 9.

Leaders don’t lead forever, even godly leaders like Moses. There comes a time in every ministry when God calls for a new beginning with a new generation and new leadership.

A wise leader doesn’t completely abandon the past but builds on it as he or she moves toward the future. Moses is mentioned fifty-seven times in the Book of Joshua; evidence that Joshua respected Moses and what he had done for Israel. Joshua worshiped the same God that Moses had worshiped, and he obeyed the same Word that Moses had given to the nation.

God commissioned Joshua to achieve three things: lead the people into the land, defeat the enemy, and claim the inheritance. Since Joshua had a three-fold task to perform, God gave him three special promises, one for each task. God would enable Joshua to cross the river and claim the land Josh.1: 3- 4, defeat the enemy Josh.1: 5, and apportion the land to each tribe as its inheritance. God didn’t give Joshua explanations as to how He would accomplish these things, because God’s people live on promises and step out by faith Josh.1: 3. You can be sure that the Lord will give you the directions you need when you need them.

God had already given them the land; it was their responsibility now to step out by faith and claim it Josh.1: 3; Gen.13: 14- 18. The same promise of victory that God had given to Moses, He reaffirmed to Joshua. The lesson for God’s people today is clear: God has given us all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Ephe.1: 3; and we must step out by faith and claim them. He has set before His church an open door that nobody can close Rev.3: 8, and we must walk through that door by faith and claim new territory for the Lord.

God also promised Joshua victory over the enemy Josh.1: 5. The Lord told Abraham that other nations were inhabiting the promised land Gen.15: 18- 21, and He repeated this fact to Moses Ex.3: 17. What a promise God gave to Joshua “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you Josh.1: 5; God had given a similar promise to Jacob Gen.28: 15. God would one day give this same promise to Gideon Judg.6: 16, and David would give it to His son Solomon 1Chron.28: 20. But best of all, God has given this promise to His people today! The Gospel of Matthew opens with Emmanuel, God with us Matt.1: 23, and Jesus saying “Lo, I am with you always” Matt.28: 20. This means that God’s people can move forward in God’s will and be assured of God’s presence. Before Joshua began His conquest of Jericho, the Lord appeared to him and assured him of His presence; that was all Joshua needed to be guaranteed victory.

God’s third promise to Joshua was that he would divide the land as an inheritance for the tribes Josh.1: 6. This was God’s assurance that the enemy would be defeated and that Israel would possess their land.

The book of Joshua records the fulfillment of these three promises. At the close of his life, Joshua could remind the leaders of Israel that not one thing has failed of all the things God promised Josh.23: 14.

Before God could fulfill His promises, however, Joshua had to exercise faith and “be strong and of good courage”. God’s sovereign Word is an encouragement to God’s people to believe God and obey His commandments. Joshua’s strength and courage would come from meditating on the Word of God, believing its promises, and obeying its precepts. Joshua had to take time to read it daily and meditate upon it daily Ps.1: 2; 119: 97.

In the life of the Christian believer, prosperity and success are not to be measured by the standards of the world. These blessings are the by-products of a life devoted to God and His Word. If you set out on your own to become prosperous and successful, you may achieve your goal and live to regret it. George MacDonald said, “In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably”.

In Conclusion – Like Moses before him, and Samuel and David after him, Joshua had a divine mandate to serve the Lord and do His will; and that mandate will carry him through. We have the same encouragement today in Heb.13: 5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”