In a Sunday school class for first graders the teacher asked the students,
“What has gray fur, has a bushy tail, and likes to eat nuts?” The children
were quiet for a long time and finally a little boy responded, “I know
the answer is ‘Jesus’ but it sure sounds like it’s a squirrel to me!”
We can laugh at the little boy’s confusion because we know that the
questions asked of us in life are suppose to be answered with “Jesus”
and yet we recognize there are other answers. So … What have you been
trusting for your security and peace? Can you positively answer … “JESUS!”
or is there a gray squirrel in there somewhere?
Joshua was apparently wondering about his future security and peace
when God spoke to him in Joshua, chapter one:
Joshua 1
Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD that
the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying,
2 "Moses My servant is dead …
We all arrive at turning points – places of decision – places where
the things we have trusted in are now gone and we find ourselves searching
for something, or someone, to hang on to. These transitions happen in
the rhythm of life: someone dies, a friendship is broken, a marriage
dissolves, we become older, we move to a new location, our financial
picture changes, the political scene darkens … and things are no longer
as they were. It’s a time of questions and sometimes we are afraid, but
one thing is sure … you can’t go back to the way things were! Those things
of the past are dead now.
God’s instructions to Moses are vital to all of us! Our yesterdays
are past and now we must know how to respond to tomorrow. God says …
2 … now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people,
to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
Arise! It’s time to begin moving. One translation says, “You must lead!”
Paul told Timothy to “Stir up the gift that is within you.” There is
a response that the Lord is expecting from you as you approach your tomorrows.
He doesn’t want us to just sit and wait for God to do what we should
be doing on our own behalf. He says, “You there … Arise! It’s time to
get moving!”
May I ask you a question? How long have you been sitting and wondering
what to do next? How long has it been since the Moses in your life has
died? Was it the death of a friendship which still has the chill of unforgiveness
hanging over it? Was it the death of a dream? No matter how devastating
your past … the past is gone … its time for you to ARISE! God has a future
planned for you and its good!
Joshua 1
3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it
to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river,
the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the
Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory.
Your promised territory is just as specific for you as Israel’s territory was
specific to them. God had not promised to give Israel a permanent home in Egypt.
God had not promised them a permanent home in the desert. God did not plan
for them to continue roaming the earth without a home. He promised to bring
them to Palestine … the Promised Land! It is there God will give them victory.
The most important step in having our tomorrows is to listen to the
Lord and find out what He is giving us, and how we are to obtain it.
We only have the right to take the promises which God has given us! There
is a place of victory. There is a place we can lay down and rest. There
is a place for us to be confident that God has given us a place we can
call home. Listen and hear what God has promised specifically to you.
Now understand this: Just because God gives you a promised place …
you may still have some battles! Palestine was full of giants! The land
God gave them was already occupied by people who were unwilling to give
up their place without a fight. There were nations to be conquered, battles
to be won, and there would be wounds which would need to be healed. But
God said they could have this place as their home.
The place God has promised you is also occupied! Within your promised
territory there are walled cities, warring nations, and ferocious giants,
but the victory is yours! Life is not made up of days without difficulties
… but there are days ahead for you that are full of the presence of God
as He leads you into your victories! Don’t quit! Arise! Your victory
is close at hand! Listen to what God is saying:
Joshua 1
3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it
to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.
Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you
or forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession
of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous;
God understands there will be a battle, but God has a plan for victory! First
of all you and I need to get our feet on the soil that belongs to us. What
God gives to you may be different from what God gives to me … but whatever
it is that God has promised … get your feet on it! The Jordon River divided
for Israel when the priest carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into
the water (Josh. 3:15)! The walls of Jericho fell when Israel completed their
marching! (Josh 6:8)
To get your feet on the things promised by God means that you must
be present. Live in the present … not in the past or in the future. Step
into your new place of victory even if your enemy the devil says it isn’t
yours. This is a time of faith! We don’t occupy salvation until we say,
“I am saved.” We don’t occupy our healing until we say, “I am healed.”
We don’t occupy the Promised Land until we are confident to say, “This
is what God has given to me. This is mine.” Step into the Promises!
Joshua 1
3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it
to you
5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life
6 Be strong and courageous
We listen, we take our step toward victory, and we hear these words:
“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.”
God is with us, so BE BOLD! The strength which you will need for your
tomorrows comes from the inner strength of God’s Presence inside you!
He promises to stand with you all the days of your life!
Don’t take this as a minor detail … a minor promise … this is big!
When you approach life with a bold faith in God, you already have one
leg up on the adversary. When sports teams play they are instructed to
talk to one another to encourage each other, or to talk to the opposing
team to intimidate them. When football players are at the scrimmage line
they don’t say things like, “It sure is a nice day to play football.”
They are apt to be saying things like, “I’m going to push your face in
the dirt.” So don’t be timid with the devil!
Joshua 1
6 Be strong and courageous …
Strength and Courage doesn’t always remove our fears, but it surmounts them,
it overwhelms them. There are moments of meditation when we stop and draw upon
the inner resources of the Presence of God. This is a time to remember His
promises and to confirm our faith in Him and listen to Him whisper again …
“Be Strong and Courageous!” We must have those moments of reflection!
That strength comes from His presence … and also from His Word.
Joshua 1
7 … be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant
commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that
you may have success wherever you go.
8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according
to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have success.
The Word of God is effective in our lives when meditate upon it … think
about it! When we allow it to be the words of our mouth … speak it! And
we when we do it … we obey it. The Word of God is given to us to transform
our lives! Let the Word work!
What are you thinking? What do the words sound like that come out of
your mouth? How are you living? God’s promise to those who will think
about His Word, speak His Word, and obey His Word is that they will be
prosperous and they will have success! Doesn’t that sound like a great
promise?
It’s time for us to be ready for our tomorrows.
Arise!
Listen to the Lord.
Prepare for battle.
Step into the Promises!
BE BOLD!
The Word: think about it! speak it! obey it!
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