“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Learn To Obey God! Joshua 1:1-9 Sunday Morning July 21, 2013 by Pastor Fee Soliven Joshua 1:1-9 Sunday Morning July 21, 2013

 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: 2 "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them--the children of Israel.

 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you

I will not leave you nor forsake you . I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;

do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way

prosperous, and then you will have good success prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Obeying God is always the right thing to do, but it’s not always the easiest.

Courage is needed to fulfill God’s assignments for our lives.

1. He was stepping into Moses’ shoes  

Deuteronomy 34:9-11 9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. 10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face...  

"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ"

Romans 8:29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren"

2. Conquering the Promised Land was a seemingly impossible task

Saints, who were these Giants?

They are the Nephilim who were the offspring of the "sons of God" (fallen angels) and the "daughters of men" according to Genesis 6:4; and giants who inhabited Canaan according to Numbers 13:33

Genesis 6:4-5 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  

Numbers 13:30-33 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”

32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.

33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Philippians 3:7-11 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of

His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Joshua 1:6-7, 9 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses

My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.  9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Courage is strengthened by God’s promises to us

1. The land

Joshua 1:3 "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses"

 2. His Powerful Presence

Joshua 1:5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

3. Success

Joshua 1:7-8 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

What does it mean when we meditate on God’s Word?

What are You saying to me in this passage?

Is there something You want me to do?

Is there an area of my life You want to change?

Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered"

1. It quietens the spirit

Isaiah 9:6 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

2. It Purifies the Heart

"Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path" Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path"

3. It Sharpens Perception.

Philippians 4:19-20 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

4. It Clarifies Direction

Psalm 25:4-7 4 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. 6 Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,

According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD. For they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD.  

5. It Confirms or Cautions Counsel

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety

Galatians 6:1-5 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be

something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

6. It Increases Faith

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"  

7. It Enlarges our View of God

Romans 8:15-17 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.  

8. It keeps us aware of His presence and Power

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"

9. God Guides us to Success

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose"

“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10