7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”" Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua was Moses' understudy and servant. Joshua was always with Moses.
For the second time the Israelites are standing on the banks of the Jordan waiting to enter the Promises Land. These are the commands to a new man, a new leader -- Joshua. Be strong and very courageous.
"Between tne Now and the Not yet"
Their promised land is in front of them. We are in the Now and the Not Yet -- we are saved now. We have redemption now. Get Ready! In 3 days you'll cross into your promised land. He didn't send scouts this time. God said, Go. So Joshua said, Go. When they stepped out there was great risk. But there would be great reward.
God says we are foreigners/strangers in this place.
"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11
While you're here, do what God says.
Promises of God to Joshua -- A PLACE
"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west." Joshua 1:1-4
I'm going to give you a place you can call your own.
Promises of Jesus to us -- A Place in Heaven
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25
Promises of God to Joshua -- BELONGING
"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5
Promises of Jesus to us -- Belonging
"All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37
Promises of God to Joshua -- AN INHERITANCE
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them." Joshua 1:6
Promises of Jesus to us -- A family
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 19:29-31
Jesus is not talk about material stuff here. He's talking about our spiritual family, our spiritual inheritance.
We are called to be different from the world.
Promises of God to Joshua -- COMMANDMENTS
"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." Joshua 1:7
We will have success being who we were called to be; success in God's eyes; success carrying out God's will.
Promises of Jesus to us -- The Word
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:9-11
My joy is made complete when I follow God's commands (or can be made complete).
Remain 100% in God's realm as we live out our lives here on earth. This isn't going to be easy. Being free didn't mean to be safe. Jesus doesn't promise us safety or earthly wealth. He doesn't give us these things for sure because they don't matter. It's not about here. It's about there. God's in charge. He has power over all. Remain in His love. Right here and right now. He finds great joy in those who love Him.
Promises of God to Joshua -- GUIDANCE
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8
Joshua was faithful.
Promises of Jesus to us -- A Role in the Kingdom
"You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:14-15
He is My Friend! I am His friend.
We have a job to do -- make more family members.
Promises of God to Joshua -- PRESENCE OF GOD
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Grab hold of God's promises -- Apply them.
Promise of Jesus to us -- Presence of Jesus
"and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”" Matthew 28:20