Moses wrote the Torah and is still considered to be the greatest Jewish leader (leader in history) of all time.
- EVERYONE has heard of him
- Jews would consider Abraham the father of the Jews but Moses as the father of Judaism
- AND he’s just died
- BEFORE the Jews have actually entered the Promised Land
What questions were being asked?
- Are the glory days over before they began?
- Where do we go from here?
- Will things continue as normal or does everything change?
- What if I won’t like what’s in front of me as much as what was behind?
Joshua asked a different set of questions:
- Am I good enough?
- What if I can’t do it?
- What if I fail?
- How will I know what to do next?
That’s where we pick up the story in the book of Joshua
Josh 1:1-5 “1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— 4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.”
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT BUT GOD DOES, AND HE’S WITH ME.
So God gives Joshua a promise and that should settle it, right?
- We have the advantage of time/perspective but Joshua didn’t
- Truth is that God gave us promises too, so that should settle it. But it doesn’t!
- Jesus promises rest, abundant life, fulfillment, that all things work out for the good of his children, comfort in trials, a plan that works out, to finish the work he started, peace and to supply all of our needs
- Does that work for you?
- No? Why not?
- Our feelings are in the way!
We live in the tension between angst and fulfillment, between the starting place and the finish line. Knowing we cross the finish line doesn’t make the next step easier.
Vs 5, For I will be with you…I will not fail you or abandon you.
- Jn 14:17, the Holy Spirit is with you and IN you
- Mt 28:20, and be sure of this, I am with you always!
- Phil 1:6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Josh 1:6-7 ““Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.”
God gives him instructions and these instructions apply to you also
- Be strong and courageous
- If God is with you, you can get up (strong) and keep going (courageous)
- If you’ve gotten stuck, there’s a part of this biblical truth you’re ignoring
FAITH IS THE ABILITY TO TRUST GOD CAN HANDLE THIS
- Maybe God is calling you to take your faith off of your problem and put it on Him
- Maybe God is asking you to trust that He’s with and knows where this is going
God was calling Joshua to a closer relationship with HIM, that would bring him to a place of confidence in the goodness of God.
So why are we as shaken as the rest of the world by instability, injustice, sin, chaos and evil. WE are the ones who should have seen it come.
- We, because of God’s Spirit in us, should each be like an eye in the middle of the hurricane.
- So how do I actually DO that?
RECOGNIZE GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING AND HAS THIS WORKED INTO THE STORY
TRUST THAT HE’S WITH ME SO I CAN BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS
I CAN’T DO EVERYTHING BUT I CAN DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING
Josh 1:8-9, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Lean into your relationship with God.
- Read the Bible, study it
- Be disciplined in praying (talking with God)
- Speak about what God is doing in your heart/life with other people
- Do what you see the Bible telling you to do!
- TRUST GOD, quit freaking out
- You trust your UBER driver, your pilot, the oncoming drivers to do the right thing, if you do
- Trust God to carry you to the next part of your journey if you follow Him in THIS part of your journey
If you’re wracked with anxiety, stress, panic, fear, then there’s a part of the gospel that you aren’t believing.
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Application Questions
1. What stood out to you from this message and why?
2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?
3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?
4. How will this message change how you act at home, work and in the your relationships?