The Book of Joshua

We’re in the book of Joshua tonight, in the first chapter. In order to understand this chapter and to set the background for it, I’ll have to take you into a little preliminary discussion of it.

You know, a year ago last November or so when our former president, Mr. Kennedy was shot. I was out hunting with some of our people who are here in the auditorium tonight. And when the word flashed across the radio, we were in the cars where we were sitting, I was sitting. They were out in the field hunting. When I heard that our president had been shot, I just couldn’t believe it. And then I got to thinking, with our beloved president dead, just a young man just full of vitality leading our great nation. With this man dead who has only to lead our country for a couple of years. Where would we go, what would do we do?

And tonight as we’re thinking about the book of Joshua , this comes back to my mind because the first verse of this first chapter says: Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord. Moses had led the children of Israel for how many years. For 40 years. It was a shock to our nation when President Kennedy was killed. Was it not? Tremendous shock. To think that in our great nation there would be anybody who would deliberately want to go out and shoot a man let alone shoot the president of these our United States. And it must have been a shock to the whole world. But, suppose he had led our great nation for some 40 years. Suppose he had taken us through the very same background and experiences that some of the children of Israel had gone through. Suppose he had been the one who had set the original laws like Moses brought down the 10 Commandments from the Mount. He instructed the people, he led the people and they were off out into left field. He prayed for them. Forty years Moses led these children of Israel. And then all at once, Moses is dead. That’s why in this first verse, there is a tremendous truth.

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of nun, Moses’ minister, saying, -- Joshua 1: 1

Moses’minister. One who ministered with Moses. Who served Moses. Who served under Moses saying:

Moses my servant is [what] dead.

This second verse, those words, if you can read them in the original text, are real mournful. They’re real hard. Moses, Moses, my servant is dead. I can’t express it to you in English the way it is written in the original. It has all the pathos and all the feeling in it. That forty years of leadership have built up. After forty years of leading the children of Israel, all at once, it says Moses my servant is dead. What a tremendous change this must have been. To the people of Israel when they realized that this man of God who had led them and put up with them so many years was dead. You can hardly put yourself in the place of these people. Another great truth I noticed in here that it says Moses my servant is what? You see, in the old testament, in the Old Testament, the men of God were servants of God in a perpendicular way. They were servants of God this way perpendicular and they were servants to their fellow men on an horizontal plane. Servants in a perpendicular relationship to God and servants to their fellow men on an horizontal plane. Why, today for those who are born again of God’s spirit, we are not servants of God. We are what of God? We are sons of God. We are sons of God in a perpendicular way and servants on an horizontal plane to our fellow men.

Now Moses my servant is dead. Even though Moses was not a son of God as far as being born again, he still believed God. And God gave him great revelation and great light for leadership. As a matter of fact, in the last chapter. In the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, verse nine, thirty fourth chapter. It’s just a page before Joshua.

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him. The reason Joshua was full of the spirit is because Moses had laid his hands on him. Moses was filled with the spirit. He had the spirit of God on him that God made available at that time. And therefore God was able to speak to him. He was able to walk with him. But upon Moses it was only a gift for a period of time and only in a certain proportion. While in those of us who are born again of God’s spirit today, it is in fullness and it’s not just upon us for a period of time. It is in us. It is in us and stays there as long as you live.

Now Joshua was a man filled with the spirit. The spirit of God was on him because Moses had laid his hands on him. God had instructed Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and then Joshua got filled with the spirit. Now Moses was dead. How would you like to have been in Joshua’s shoes? No thanks. Not me. Forty years of leading those stubborn Israelites and I tell you they were stubborn. Read the Old Testament. Time and time and time again they revolted against the wisdom of Moses. Then Moses would intercede with God. And God would say all right, do so and so and I’ll take care of them. Time and time again occurs if you read the record. Forty years Moses put up with that. He was the only man who could stand them. That’s right.

But the reason Moses could stand them is because Moses had a ministry in the world at that time to God’s people. And when you got a ministry, you could stand a lot of things that you couldn’t stand if you didn’t have one. You’d never put up with it. But Moses loved God and he loved the Word. And now this great Moses who had led those people was dead. And Joshua, one had served under Moses was to step in Moses’ shoes and take over. I tell you if you put yourself in Joshua’s place, you can begin to understand why this great truth is written in these few verses in this opening chapter of Joshua. To think that Joshua now was to fill those shoes.

It reminds me of the new testament. Remember where Paul told Timothy to go to such and such a place and to minister at a certain place. The apostle Paul himself had ministered to the people in that church, in that area. And now Paul was going on to another place and he lets old Timothy stay there and he says Timothy, you fill my shoes and you feed the flock. How would you like to be in old Tim’s shoes? Not me. Not having followed upon the heels of that great man of God the apostle Paul. To think that Timothy could come along and step in Paul’s shoes and take right up where Paul left off. It must have been a tremendous thing. Now the same with Joshua. The Word of the Lord came and you’ll see why Joshua was able to take up where Moses left off. Sense knowledge wise, it’s impossible. To step in the shoes of a man like Paul or to step in the shoes of a man like Moses. But God always makes available the power and the knowledge and the ability to carry out the job.

He said in number two, verse two: Moses my servant is dead: now therefore now therefore arise, do what? Arise. He didn’t tell him to sit now and mourn for another six years to lament the fact that Moses is dead. Because ladies and gentlemen, whenever a man of God is dead, you can’t stop. The things of God have to go on. Therefore the message would be, Joshua get up, arise. Get on the move. Start moving. Therefore arise and go over this what? Jordan. The Jordan had encased him for many years. They were not able to cross the Jordan because God had never told Moses to take them across. They were full of sin and shortcomings, and fear and everything else. They never got to cross. Now Moses the great leader is dead and God says to Joshua, Joshua, get out of here. Get up. Quit stewing and fretting about my great servant Moses who is dead. He’s dead. He’s dead.

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. -- Joshua 1: 2

Now you take up. You arise and this obstacle which we have been confronted by the children of Israel been confronted with for a long time, we’re now going to go over. Arise and go over the what? Jordan. That’s right. Thou and all this people unto the land which I do give them, even to the children of Israel.

Verse 3:

Every place that the soul of your foot shalt tread upon, that have I given unto you, [past tense] as I said unto Moses. -- Joshua 1: 3

He said I’ve already given it to you every place that the soul of your foot is going to tread on in the future. Every place your little old tootsies are going to have step on, I have already given unto you. Boy, now isn’t that something? God puts in the past tense what’s still in the future.

Isn’t that terrific? Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, I’ve already given unto you. Man, I tell you, this is something. Imagine what a message that would be today to a man who would like to own a farm or 2. If God said to him, every place that the soul of your foot’s going to tread on, I’ve already given it to you. Man, some of us would be running like we were having matches under our toenails or something. The hot foot, right? And the remarkable thing is that God put in the past tense. I have already given to you and he still does it today. He puts in the past tense what’s future for us many, many times. Things that God has promised unto us in His Word are already God’s Will for us if only we will arise and cross the Jordan.

But most people don’t want to arise and most people are afraid of the Jordan. They are afraid of the obstacles with which they are confronted. The problems with which we encounter. As so we say, well, that’s wonderful. It’s wonderful for these people from Florida to come, but on the other hand, they must be a little stupid to run that far. After all, couldn’t they stay over there and read their Bible, couldn’t they learn? The same process. So what happens, they sit over there and they don’t learn.

But a few people get on the ball. They arise. They arise. They don’t sit among all of the rest of the negatives and stay put. They get up. Moses my servant is dead. Boy, they could have sat there for another year and mourned regarding this great Moses. They could have had these memorial services day in and day out, week in and week out, month and an month out, but that never helped them. Do you know why? There’s only one way to get up and move and that is to get up and move. He said arise, cross the Jordan and every place that the soul of your foot is going to tread on (future tense), I have already given unto you. Boy, what a message. Imagine God talking to Joshua like that. Old Joshua’s heart must have thrilled. Must have been tripped. Because remember now for 40 years they were encased, they were never allowed to go over. All at once, the great leader whom you would have expected could have taken them in, didn’t have that privilege. But a little understudy comes along his name is Joshua. And God says to Joshua, you’re my man. And I want to tell you whenever God is with a man, he makes it a majority. Whether it’s a Joshua or a Moses or a Herman or a Billy Biloco or Johnny Jumpup or a Snowball Pete or whoever it is. It makes any difference. If God is with you, you and God make a majority in every situation. Watch this thing develop.

Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon that have I what? Given unto you. As I said I would do to Moses.

Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. -- Joshua 1: 3

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates. All the land of the Hittites and unto the great sea (this is the Mediterranean). Toward the going down of the sun shall be your coast.

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. -- Joshua 1: 4

There shall not any man be able stand before thee all the days of thy life; Boy what a comfort this must have been to the heart of old Joshua. Joshua looking at this great man Moses, God says to Joshua, why you looking at Moses? I want to tell you there is not going to be a man able to stand before thee, meaning that there wouldn’t be anybody who would have the revelation, who would have the enlightenment, who would have the ability to confront Joshua and outwit him in any way, shape or form. No man shall be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with what? Thee. Oh, what a promise. Isn’t that terrific? As I was with Moses, I’ll be with you Joshua. I will not fail thee. I will not fail thee, nor do what? Forsake thee.

There shall not be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. – Joshua 1: 5

Isn’t that wonderful? To know that God is with you, that He will not fail you, that He will not forsake you. What about in the new testament? Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the age. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. The Scripture says we are more than conquerors through him who loved us and who gave himself for us. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Why, my people the church sits around and hatches. When the truth is that God has said to you because you belong to Him. Arise, go over the Jordan. Every place that the soul of your foot shalt treads upon, I have already given unto you. And as I was with Moses, so I’ll be with you. For the same God that was with Moses is the same God who meets our need today. Right? The same God who met Joshua’s need meets our need and therefore He is saying to our people and to everyone who has a Jordan to cross spiritually, arise, start moving.

Do you know something? We’re not going to get to this story tonight in here because we’re only going to get to 9 or 10 verses in this chapter. But if you will read the chapter, not only this but back before it when old Moses led them over the Red Sea. Remember that? What does the Scriptures say? The Scripture says God told Moses to cross the Red Sea and it was at flood stage. Now that’s the stupidest time to ask anybody to cross the Red Sea or any river at flood time. If you wanted people to cross, you tell them to cross in the dry season. You can cross our creek over here now without getting your tootsies wet, almost. But God said to Moses, cross the Red Sea. Right? And it was at flood stage, the Scripture says it was out of its banks. And it was way out. And God said to Moses, tells the priest to put the ark on their shoulders and start walking.

Now just imagine those orders. Flood stage and God says walk. You know what the average person would do, argue a while. But Lord is the flood stage. Lord why not wait until the water goes down? And Lord why not make a few rafts. See. Get us a few motorboats and other things, right? But the Lord said to old Moses, walk. And old Moses got to priests and he said, boys walk. And the Scripture says that as the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, as their feet touched the edge of the water, the waters began to recede.

That’s walking. Right? That’s walking according to the Word. The average man today gets the Word of God and he wants to argue about it. The Word of the Lord is always clear, it’s always plain and God can’t do a thing for you or for me until we walk. God said walk across the Red Sea. It was at flood stage, but is it any harder for God to move a flood stage out as it is to move 15 drops out? Same power. Same God, right?

And what a tremendous believing it must have been on the parts of those servants of God. When God said walk and they started walking and they got to the edge of that flooded Red Sea and they started walking into the water. Boy, what a tremendous walk.

Now you and I are sons of God, they were servants of God. You and I are sons of God. Would a son of God have less ability than a servant of God? Then why don’t we see anything in our lives and in our ministry? Because we are not walking. We’re not getting revelation and walking on it. We’re questioning, we’re doubting. God said, Joshua, cross the Jordan, arise, prep and what did he literally do? He arose and he started to get things ready to cross the Jordan. He believed that God’s Word was God’s Will. Like it says here on the blackboard. God’s Word is God’s Will. That it means what it says and it says what it means. Right. And he said as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. Have no fear. That’s true, he had no fear. I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. Verse 6:

Be strong, be strong be strong and of what? Boy, that’s terrific. To be strong and be of good courage. The average person is usually discouraged. They’re discouraged. The problems with which they are confronted look so tremendous, like there obstacles that can never be overcome and therefore instead of coming up to that obstacle with good courage, they come up with discouragement and they say well, I’ve been sick for 10 years, I couldn’t get well anyway. I’ve had flat feet for 15 years, I might as well get flatter yet. You see, discouragement, discouragement, discouragement.

Discouragement is always from the devil. Whenever we get discouraged, we are always wrong. Because our God made us more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loved us and who gave himself for us. So he said to him, be strong.

Be strong and of good courage. For unto this people, shalt thou Joshua divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them.

Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them. -- Joshua 1: 6

Verse 7: Only be strong and very what? Courageous, for the second time the word of the Lord to Joshua is to be strong. Stand faithful, they put, be courageous. He not only told him once, he told him twice. And people we got to keep telling ourselves the same thing. Be strong in the Word of the Lord. And be very courageous in our walking on the Word of God. For it’s only as we arise and start walking that the obstacles with which we are confronted will ever be moved. As long as you sit looking at them, and your discouraged, you always will be overwrought by the tremendousness of the obstacle. But when you start walking, the closer you get to it, the more it begins to dissolve. And as you walk into it, God makes you more than a conqueror. Only you have to be strong and very courageous - very courageous. That thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from the right hand or to the left. You see, the law represented the Word of God to Joshua as well as to Moses. And the word of the Lord was if you have the Law of God, you know what God’s Will is, then you to do not turn to the right or to the left. You see, you carry it out right down the line. You just carry it out for the Word of God is the Will of God. It means what it says and it says what it means. Just carry it out, he said. That thou mayest do what? Prosper. That thou mayest prosper. The word prosper is same word that is translated other places wisely. That thou may do that which is wise. Well it’s always wise to do the Will of God and when we do the Will of God, we prosper in the things wherewith God hath set us in this world and enable us to understand. And certainly we should prosper, shouldn’t we? God expects us to. And the only way we can prosper is if we let this Word of God be the Will of God to us.

Verse 8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth: but thou shalt meditate therein day and what? Night. See that? He gave to Joshua the book of the Law, the one Moses had brought down and Moses had written. He gave this to Joshua and he said in this Word of God, you’re going to meditate day and what? Night. He didn’t tell him to go out and get the secular newspaper, the radios, the television, and all the other periodicals and say work these and meditate on this theological teaching or this professor’s teaching. He said stay put in what? The Word of God. And this is one of the purposes for our people being here in the summer school. That in our classes on Power for Abundant Living, we can again teach our people how this Word of God works with a mathematical exactness and with a scientific precision so that individuals can once again read the Word of God and meditate on it without reading a Sunday school commentary or a man’s writings on it, but that you can again read the Word yourself, understand it and know that you know that you know that you know. That’s why he said to Joshua, take this law and you meditate, meditate. Meditate means what it says and says what it means Meditate on it both day and night which makes this the center of their life. Day and night. That thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then, then, then only, He said to Joshua, if you do this, thou shalt make thy way what? Prosperous. Without following the Word of God, no man can manifest great prosperity. And then thou shalt have good success.

The book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth: but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. -- Joshua 1: 8

It’s only as we do the Word of God that the success comes to us because the Word of God becomes the Will of God for us. Isn’t that wonderful?

Verse 9: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of what? Good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou discouraged: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. -- Joshua 1: 9

Oh what a tremendous command that is. Isn’t that wonderful? Be strong and of good courage for the third time. And be not what? Afraid. You see, when you’re strong and of good courage, what happens to the fear? It dispels. It’s gone. Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid. Neither be thou dismayed. Be not overwrought by anything. Why? For the Lord thy God is what? With thee. And people that’s the greatest thing to know in the world today. That the Lord our God is with us. To know that you’re a Christian, born again of God’s spirit filled with the Holy Spirit is the greatest truth you have in your life today. To know that your heaven bound in the midst of all the calamities of society and the involvements of the world in which we live. To know that you know that you know that you know that you have eternal life and that Christ is in you, the hope of glory is the greatest message to the heart of any man or woman today. So that you know where you’re going. The Lord thy God is with thee. The Lord thy God is with thee. And remember what the Scripture says, if God be for us, who can be against us? For who can withstand the great power of God in a believer? If the servants of God in the Old Testament were able to believe God so wonderfully and so magnificently. Cannot you or I who are born again of God’s spirit be believe as big and manifest as much. Surely. The Lord thy God is with thee. Whithersoever thou what? Isn’t that wonderful? Wherever Joshua went, He said do not be discouraged, do not be dismayed, do not be full of fear. For I the Lord thy God am with you And if God is with a man, that man is a majority no matter what position he is in. All right, now think of yourself. Is Christ in you the hope of glory? All right. The Scripture says Christ is in us when we’re born again so wherever you go, is God with you? All right.

Then why be discouraged, why be dismayed, why be distraught? Why can’t we go out this weekend and expect this to be the greatest weekend of our lives? Why cannot we expect God to do signs, miracles and wonders in our life this week? Because our God is with us. Our God is with us. And He being with us, we need not be discouraged or distraught or afraid. Be of good courage. Be strong with Christ in you. And knowing God’s Word.

You only limit yourself by your own believing. For Jesus said be unto you according to your believing. All things are possible to him that does what? Believeth. That’s why when we know the Word of God, we can meditate on it day and night. We can walk in it and walking in it we can bring to pass the things that the Word talks about.

This is why, people, you have the most wonderful opportunity in your life this week. Because wherever you go you’ll be the most positive people they have ever seen. You’ll be people that know God’s in you and when you go someplace, you’re not going to talk negatively because God said be strong and good courage. Be very courageous. You’re not going out to complain all week about your arthritis, rheumatism, headache, flat feet or anything else. You’re going to say what God did for you. How He delivered you, how He saved you, how He filled you with the Holy Spirit like we were talking about in testimonies through sharing tonight. Those are the witnesses because you are God’s people. And they will only see God if they see you for as we walk they read God in our lives. Without seeing us and our believing and our walk of believing, they cannot see God. For God is spirit. But as we walk very strong, very courageously, nothing with which we are confronted is able to stop us. For our God is with us. For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

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