There shall not any man 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. [6] Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Joshua 1:5-6 KJV
Yesterday, we began looking at Joshua 1 and the command God gave to Joshua after the death of Moses, the man of God. Joshua was given the task to lead the Children of Israel into the land of promise. In order for His journey to be successful, God met with Him and gave him commands to ensure He would have good success. The first words to Joshua as we saw yesterday was to arise and go over the Jordan and with that command came the need for circumcision. God has a better promised land for us and the greater Joshua (Yeshua) has lead us out of the land of Spiritual Egypt across the Jordan into newness of life when we were circumcised in Him and crucified with Him. Our part is to believe and reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.
The command to cross the Jordan came with a promise that the Lord will remain with Joshua perpetually. Once Joshua had crossed the Jordan, all the land before him was his and the Israelites for the taken. The Lord made a proclamation to him that no man will be able to stand before him as long as he lived and promised never to leave him. In the light of this promise, the Lord told Joshua to be strong and be courageous because he was to lead the people through many battles to posses the land of promise. Being that God was with Him perpetually, His strength and His confidence were not something to be manufactured by him or something he wished into being. He was to rely and take hold of the strength available to him by believing in God. God spoke to Him another promise, saying He would divide the land of promise to the Israelites. This word was something Joshua could hold on to in faith, something that would give him courage to face the enemies ahead of him. The victory was sure.
In a similar way, after being delivered from the powers of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of light, a proclamation has also been made over us. We were accepted in the beloved of the Father and the promise of sonship and to inherit all things has been given to us as well, Ephesians 1:3-7. Jesus gave us authority to thread upon all the powers of the enemy without fear of harm, Luke 10:19. He said all authority in the heavens had been given to Him and therefore commissions us to preach the gospel without fear, Matthew 28:18-20. Multiple times in the scriptures, He admonishes us not to fear. Hebrews 13:5-6 says that because He has promised never to leave us, we can confidently say “The Lord is my helper, what can man do to me”. The same promise of God’s presence to Joshua was made to us and the promise that no devil or power of darkness will be able to stand before us all the days of our lives.
It is our Fathers good pleasure to give us the Kingdom, it is because of this confidence and the promises He has given us that we can be sure that the warfare that we fight to obtain the promise is a good one. He has already secured the victory. Isaiah 40:26 says Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Notice that the reason why the hosts do not fail is not their ability to hold themselves, but God’s ability to hold them. John 10:27-29 says My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. Beloved, as you go through this pilgrimage journey, you will face troubles and trials, Yet Jesus said to be of good cheer (rejoice) because He has overcome and in this overcoming is your surety of overcoming, John 16:33. The head (Christ) goes no where without the body! Therefore be strong in the Lord and draw courage from His promises because our inheritance in Him is secure.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, thank you for Your promise. Because You were so eager to show me the unchanging nature of your promise, you promised and swore to me to that Your word over me will never fail. Therefore I will go in confidence, believe and possess all the promises that you have given me, because I know I have the divine backing of the one who cannot fail or lie. I take hold of your strength today.
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