Wandering to Winning

Joshua was first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 17, when the Amalekites attacked the Israelites in the wilderness on their way to Mount Sinai. In the story, Joshua was already portrayed as Moses’ trusted assistant: “The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekite’” (Exo 17:8-9). Moses seemed to have been fond of Joshua that he actually took Joshua with him up to Mount Sinai on his sixth climb to meet God: “Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God” (Exo 24:13). Joshua stayed with Moses at Mt Sinai for forty days, and went down with Moses: “Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, ‘There is the sound of war in the camp’” (Exo 32:15-17). It seems therefore that Joshua was with Moses when Yahweh inscribed the law in stone tablets.

Joshua served Moses’ young aide all throughout Moses’ leadership: “Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent” (Exo 33:11). He was very protective of Moses’ role leadership over the Israelites and was jealous for Moses’ sake (Num 11:29). As Moses’ assistant, it was proper that he was a member of the 12-man scouting party Moses sent to Canaan (Num 13:16-14:38). When Moses died, he succeeded him as the leader of the Israelites (Deut 31:7-9; 34:9). This is not surprising because Joshua was actually a very remarkable man of God. He was described by God as “a man in whom is the spirit of leadership” (Num 27:18) and one who “followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Num 32:12).

What fascinates me in Joshua’s life is the fact that even though he was great in the eyes of God, he still suffered a lot with the people of Israel. He was there in Egypt as a slave. He was there the very day the Israelites left Egypt. He was a part of the wandering people of God in the wilderness. He experienced the difficulties and scarcity of the desert. He experienced the scorching sands of the wilderness, and its lack of resources necessary for human survival. He experienced eating manna for 40 years, every day. He experienced and saw with his own eyes God’s blessings and punishments. He saw, and probably buried, thousands of people in the wilderness. As Moses’ assistant, he knew how rebellious and ungrateful the Israelites were to God. Like

Joshua, with all his good credentials, was a wanderer for forty years. His life may be the mirror of ours. We may be good men and women but still in the desert, not because of our own fault, but because we belong to an ungodly group of people. We might be suffering and stuck in scarcity because of our own families. We might be experiencing the death of our own spirits because of our friends. We might be experiencing a lot of toxicity because of our workmates or school mates. We might be experiencing an asphyxiating pressure because of our loved ones. Our potentials might be being suppressed because of our leaders. We might be feeling discouraged because of others. We can be like Joshua, the righteous man of God among a crowd of mockers, pulling us down with them in their steady descent to the cradles of hell. Even righteous people wander in the wilderness—not by their own choice—but as the consequence of their belongingness to a group.

Nothing is more depressing than to realize that you are doing the best you can only to be dragged down by your group. This was the life of Joshua for 40 years. He was suffering as an innocent. He was wandering in the wilderness of death, surrounded by people whose expertise was in grumbling. The journey was already exhausting, but being with nasty people added to the suffering. The journey from Goshen to the promised land is only about 900 miles, which they could have walked in four months, maximum. In fact, they reached Mt Sinai, which was about than halfway through, in just 44 days. But the journey lasted for forty long years, not while eating ice cream in the desert, but in suffering and death. For Joshua and the Israelites, they could almost see their destination. It was just right in front of them, but they could not move forward. They were trapped in their hellish routine.

Never in his entire life would Joshua have expected to experience victories. The odds were against him. Although he was the new leader of the Israelites, the Israelites were still the Israelites. They were the same rebellious, stiff-necked, doubting grumblers like in the time of Moses. If I were Joshua, I would not be expecting much from the same people who were the very reason for his 40-year wandering. It was not as if he joined another group of more reliable and godly people. He was basically in the same place, surrounded by the same group of people who weighed him down. He knew the Israelites very well that the task given to him was challenging. He saw how the people regarded God and Moses, and he was most probably not optimistic about his dignified new leadership role.

But the miracle of miracles happened. After 40 years of wandering in defeat, Joshua tasted two victories immediately after taking the leadership from Moses. They were able to cross the Jordan river and defeat Jericho without much effort. They have been trying so hard to enter the promise land in the last 40 years, and the land seemed almost impenetrable. But Joshua and the people crossed the Jordan river and defeated their first city within a month’s time. In the span of one month, Joshua experienced a change from being a defeated wanderer to a winning warrior.

How did this happen? What changed? What was different? We can observe two things.

First, in both crossing Jordan river (Josh 3:14-17) and conquest of Jericho (Josh 6:2-7), the priests holding the ark of the covenant were leading the way. Gone were the days when the Israelites relied on their own wisdom and strength. Gone were the days when the scouts led the way. It was a new era: one characterized by unreserved (and even foolish) trust and confidence in God. Can you imagine how foolish it was to send priests carrying the ark of the covenant to walk ahead while crossing a river? Can you imagine how foolish it was to send priests carrying trumpets to lead the way in sieging a fortified city? They allowed God to lead them, and this gave them victories.

Secondly, immediately after entering the promise land, Joshua led the people to be circumcised in Gilgal and celebrate the Passover (Josh 4:19-5:12). Circumcision was the sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites, so Joshua was leading the people to renew their covenant with God. Most of the people who entered the promised land were not there when the Israelites made the covenant with Yahweh at Sinai forty years ago. They have broken their covenant of worship and faith in Yahweh in their repeated disobedience and grumbling in the wilderness. One of the first things Joshua did was to renew the covenant between the people and Yahweh. The way forward is to return to covenant relationship with God.

These two things are what we should do today if we want to transition from being a wanderer to a winner. We must make sure that our covenant with God is renewed every day. We must make sure that we are in relationship with Him. This is the foundation of all that we are as Christians. Also, we must allow God to lead the way for us. We must renew our faith in God and be confident in His wisdom and grace that will carry us through life. In the words of Proverbs 3:5-6, we must

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.


[This is the second sermon in the series New Beginnings. The fist sermon is here.]

Consecrate Yourselves II: Focus

Joshua 3:5

Joshua replaced Moses as the leader of the Israelites just when they were about to enter the promise land. After thirty days of mourning for Moses’ death, the Israelites moved their camp to Shittim. In Joshua 3, we see the Israelites leaving Shittim and arriving at the banks of Jordan (Josh 3:1). On the fourth day, in preparation for the crossing of the Jordan river, Joshua gave instructions to the people. Joshua admonished them: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” (Josh 3:5).

In Consecrate Yourselves I: Cleansing, we said that this command was not something new to the Israelites (see. Josh 7:13; Num 11:18-20). Its first occurrence is found in Exodus 19:10-11, 14-15, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹ and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people…’ ¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ Then he said to the people, ‘Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations’.”

The clues to understanding what it means to be consecrated are found in the repeated statements in the verses. The first group is “Have them wash their clothes… they washed their clothes” (19:10, 14). Consecration, in relation to the command to wash, means two things: first, it is about acceptable offerings, and second, it is about getting rid of the old dirt accumulated in ourselves. Basically, it is being clean. In the crossing of the Jordan, they were about to enter the promise land. It was time to get rid of the filth of the wilderness.

The second group of statements crucial in Exodus 19 are: “Be ready by the third day” (19:11)… and “Prepare yourself for the third day” (19:15). This group includes the terms “be ready” and “prepare” (19:11, 15). At first sight, consecration and preparation seem to be two different things. Moses told the Israelites to consecrate themselves, and how would they do that? By spending three days in preparation. To consecrate is to prepare.

This does not sound much, right? What does preparation and getting ready have to do with consecration? What does setting ourselves apart or offering ourselves have to do with preparation? How is doing preparation an act of consecration? They do not look very related at all. But the Scripture is clear. First, to be consecrated is about preparation. God is basically saying, “I have set you apart. Now go. Your first task is to prepare.” This might look like it is about equipping. It looks as if this means that we have to prepare ourselves today because there is a big mission that God wants us to do or accomplish someday. This looks like going to the seminary because you are preparing to do something. But if we look at God’s commands in relation to consecration, the Isralites were to prepare because God was doing a great thing the next day. God’s command was not, “prepare yourselves because you are doing great things tomorrow.” The command was “prepare yourselves, because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Have you ever experienced being so thirsty, but finding out that all cups in the house are dirty? Or you need a pen for an exam, then realized that you forgot to bring one to school? Or you went out of the house and then realized that your cell phone battery has only 5% left, and you need to make some phone calls?

The Lord has amazing plans for us and through us. His requirement: prepare yourselves. This is an important word for us. I believe that the Lord has great things planned for your school, for your workplace, for your family, and for your neighbors. God wants to do amazing things. But the question is: are God’s people ready? Let me just ask a few questions about our being set apart as God’s people in relation to our preparedness:

• If a schoolmate asks us about our faith, are we ready to give a response? Peter wrote that we must “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet 3:15). We cannot say, “I am sorry but I do not also know. My faith is weak like yours. Let me come back to you in three years, after I finish my Master of Divinity.” 
• If a workmate asks us for counsel, are we ready to give a Word of promise? Paul wrote: “Be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2).
• If drug addicts and prostitutes and all kinds of sinners come flocking into our church right now, are we emotionally and socially ready to receive them? If the poor, the dirty, and the smelly come flocking to our church today, are we socially and relationally ready?

The fact is: many believers are not ready to experience God’s amazing work among them. They have not set apart themselves so that when God’s amazing work begins, they might be the first ones to raise suspicions. Paul was right, ^“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Tim 2:20-21). We must face the question: Have we consecrated yourselves for the Lord, and are ready to be useful to the Master?

May God forbid that our workmates, schoolmates, family, and neighbors are being deprived of experiencing God’s amazing redemptive work, just because we are not ready. It is not about our work. It is about God’s work, but we must be prepared for whatever the Lord might do through us and among us.

Secondly, related to consecration as preparation is the call to focus. Consecration as preparation is about focus. It is like a student preparing for the final exam. He knows that what is at stake is so big, affecting the present and the future, that he consecrates himself to the task only of studying. Even though it is good to exercise, or communicate with friends, or bond with family members, he fixes his eyes on his books in order to meet what is ahead.

Therefore, one of the meanings of consecration is to be focused or to be single-minded. In Mount Sinai, the Israelites were to spend all their time in preparation for their meeting with God. In Jordan, they were to spend all their time and effort in preparation to cross the river and enter the promise land. To be consecrated is to be fully devoted to God or to something. “Consecrate yourselves” means “Devote yourselves to one task.” Think of nothing else. Do nothing else.

This is a timely advise for us today. It is easy to be distracted. Have you ever wondered why having sexual relations was specified as something they should abstain from in Exo 19:15? It is because it can distract them from their preparations. They were asked to be single-minded and abandon their fleshly desires in the meantime. There is something profound here. Sex is not bad in itself. It is good. So God asked the Israelites to stay away even from good. Consecration is not only getting rid of dirt in our lives. It is also giving up even the good things in our lives that may hinder us from loving and serving God.

The word entertainment literally means “to keep (tain from Latin tenere) someone in between (inter). To entertain someone is to keep someone preoccupied while waiting for the next task. Entertainments keep us from being bored until the next task comes. So basically, entertainment is something we do in between tasks. Entertainment keeps us distracted, excited, or in suspense. The problem is when entertainment becomes our life, when it becomes the center of our schedule, to the point of intentionally making room for it. Recreation and break is good, but we should ask ourselves: What are the things in my life, even the good ones, that are challenging my being consecrated in preparation for my God-given calling and task? Be consecrated. Think nothing but it. Do nothing but it. Hands off things that can distract. Stay focused until the job is finished.

Consecrate Yourselves I: Cleansing

Joshua 3:5 

Moses died at Mount Nebo, and after thirty days of mourning for his death, the Israelites moved their camp to Shittim. The events recorded in Joshua 1-2 all happened in Shittim. There, God spoke to Joshua. God reminded him that the conquest of the promise land is God’s work. God was about to accomplish His promises to the Abraham (Josh 1:6). But God was clear that the conquest of the promise land will not be achieved by divine fiat alone. God needed Joshua to lead the Israelites. So God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous (1:6-9).

Also, in Shittim, Joshua commissioned two spies to Jericho (2:1-24, including help from Rahab). Then they immediately left Shittim and went to the banks of Jordan (3:1). Upon arriving, they did not immediately cross. Rather, they stayed there for three days. On the fourth day, in preparation for the crossing of the Jordan river, Joshua gave instructions to the people. Yes – the people have a part in the conquest. In Shittim, God declared to Joshua that He is directly involved in the conquest. But God also had commands specific for Joshua the leader. But in the banks of Jordan, Joshua turns to the people and tells them that the conquest is not only the work of God and Joshua. The people had a role to do.

Entrance to the promise land is not something that God does for us, and we just sit back and watch God and our leaders do the work. We do not just wait for the news of the conquest. Right here, at the banks of Jordan, the promise land right before our eyes, God is telling His people: you have work to do. There are many instructions in Joshua 3, including things that the priests should do (3:6-8). But what I would like to focus on was the admonition of Joshua to all the Israelites in 3:5, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

To be consecrated to the Lord is not something that Joshua can and will do for them. Only they can do this for themselves. Joshua can pray for them. Joshua can preach to them. Joshua can guide them. Joshua can lead them. Joshua can do all sorts of ministry to them. But there is one thing that the Israelites should do for themselves: they must consecrate themselves. This is something they must do. This is something that is true in the church as well. The pastor can do many things for the congregation. But there are things that you should do on your own. No matter how the pastor leads you to where we must go, there are things that are up to you. We might be at the banks of Jordan, about to enter the promise land, but we must realize that crossing it and attaining the prize is a responsibility of the whole community.

Joshua commissioned the people to consecrate themselves. His statement is actually repeated several times in the Old Testament. The idea of consecration for the sake of something happening the next day or few days is quite common.

§  In Joshua 7:13, the Israelites were called to consecrate themselves in preparation for the judgment of the sinner in their midst the following day (sin of Achan story).

§  In Numbers 11:18-20, they were to consecrate themselves before the miracle of quail the next day. But they are to eat meat for a whole month, until they loathe it.

§  In Exodus 19:10-11, 14-15, they were to consecrate themselves because the Lord was about to meet them in three days. It is this passage in Exodus that I would like to deal with because it provides more material to work on, and matches the expected positive outcome in Joshua 3. Perhaps the reason Joshua did not need to elaborate the command was that the Israelites already knew what to do. So we need to go back to how the people consecrated themselves in Exodus 19 for us to understand what the command meant: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹ and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people…’ ¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ Then he said to the people, ‘Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations’.”

The clues to understanding what it means to be consecrated are found in the repeated statements in the verses. The first group is…“Have them wash their clothes… they washed their clothes” (19:10, 14).

To consecrate is to set apart. To consecrate ourselves to God is to offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1). It is to dedicate our whole to God. It is to devote ourselves to Him. When God said that they should wash their clothes, what did this mean? Was God mysophobic or germophobic? Was it about physical presentability? Does He care about how we look?

In one sense, it is about acceptable offerings. Contrary to the opinion of the world, God is actually choosy. If He has specific demands about animal sacrifices, would He not be strict about us when we offer ourselves to Him? In Malachi 1, it was precisely about terrible offerings that God complained about: “When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty (Mal 1:8). Reminding them about His commands in Leviticus 22:21-22 and Deuteronomy 15:21, God continued to complain: “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. ¹⁴ “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations” (Mal 1:13-14).

It is important for us to realize that God desires the best from us. The world has its own view of God and who God should be. The world “acceptance” is used almost nonchalantly these days. People argue like this: “I am who I am. I do not want to change. I like who I am. I enjoy who I am. I am happy what I am. God will love me just as I am.” And so these people want to offer themselves to God and expect God to accept them, without the necessary cleansing required from them. The world wants a God who accepts “consecrated people who are full of dirt.” The world does not understand a God who requires transformation. The world does not understand a God who demands holiness. The world wants a God who accepts unconditionally.

But God’s commands are clear: Consecrate yourselves by getting rid of the dirt that you accumulated in your selves. Be clean. When we set apart yourselves to God, we should not carry our old dirt with us. The Israelites have been wandering the desert, and they have accumulated a huge amount of dirt in their clothing. In meeting God with Sinai, they were to purify themselves of the gods they have accumulated from Egypt. In the crossing of the Jordan, they were about to enter the promise land. It was time to get rid of the filth of the wilderness. They were to start anew.

The terms used for “washing” in Exodus 19 come from the Hebrew root word kabac. What’s interesting about kabac is that it is a washing that involves continuous beating. It is a term most appropriate to use when washing clothes in the river, in which the washer beats the clothes with a rock or a paddle. The idea is that the dirt is so entrenched in the fiber of the clothes that beating it out of clothes is the only way. When King David sinned against Bathsheba and asked for forgiveness, his prayer for cleansing used the same Hebrew term. When he prayed, “cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Ps 51:7), he was saying that sin has permeated his entire being that God would need to beat it out of him. Kabac is not washing or cleansing that is enjoyable; it is actually a painful experience. It is this kind of washing that was required from the Israelites if they were to consecrate themselves to God.

It is totally illogical to have already crossed into the new life while carrying our old accumulated dirt. Consecration is separation from sin and being cleansed. This cleansing is a painful experience, and demands from us the willingness to be placed under God’s rod. What are you willing to give up for the sake of experiencing the “amazing things” that has prepared for you? What old sins have you been keeping with you that need to be washed away? 

Changes and Crossroads

The Israelites left Egypt and after forty-four days, they arrived at the desert of Sinai. They stayed in front of Mount Sinai for eleven months and five days (Num 10:11), then they left to arrive at Kadesh-barnea (Num 20:1). Because of their sins (unbelief because of the spies’ reports), God proclaimed that none of them (including Moses who allowed the exploration), except Joshua and Caleb, would enter the promise land (Deut 1:19-46). So the Israelites spent thirty-eight years at Kadesh-barnea ( Deut 1:46). When they finally left Kadesh, they went around the Mount of Seir (Deu 2:1) until they were finally commanded by God to head north to the promise land (Deut 2:3). Just when they were about to enter the promise land, Moses died at Mount Nebo (Deut 3:21-29; 32:49-52; 34:1-14).

God appointed Joshua to be Moses’ successor (Deut 31:1-8), so when Moses died, we read that indeed, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites (Deut 34:9). After mourning for thirty days (Deut 34:8), the Israelites started to make preparations to enter the promise land. At Shittim, God spoke to Joshua:

“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. ⁵ 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. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

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” (Josh 1:2-9).

Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous three times (1:6, 7-8, 9). If I were Joshua, and God told me the same things thrice within five minutes, I would have two things in mind. First, I would be terrified. The fact that God would need to remind me to be strong and courageous implies that there are a lot of challenges and dangers ahead. Secondly, I would do massive self-introspection and ask myself: “Am I really a sissy in the eyes of God?”

But actually, God’s repeated words to Joshua make a lot of sense. They are actually very helpful. Even though most of us are not leaders like Joshua, there is something about the experience of Joshua at the very beginning of his career that is very similar to us. The similarity is change. And we need the same advice that God gave him to face the changes that we decided for ourselves or we encounter in our lives.

A related word to “change” is “new.” Whenever there is a change, there is something new. And I honestly think that dealing with change and what is new is one of the greatest problems of Christians. It is when we face change and the new that our faith actually reaches an important crossroad. How we manage ourselves and respond to God’s voice when these new things arrive affect us at a much deeper level than we think it would. Examples are: 

• You are now in high school or college. What are you gonna do with your new freedom?
• You are now a college graduate. What are your plans in relation to God?
• You entered a relationship. How will that affect your life now? 
• You got a raise. What do you do with your extra money? 
• You have a new schedule (school or work). How is your Bible reading? 
• You have a new change in family affairs. How about your ministry? 
• You learned that you are sick. How are you going to respond? 
• You migrated. Will you find a new church? 
• Someone you love died. Do you still love God?

We all encounter new experiences. We always deal with change. We may not realize it, but majority of the compromises we make in our Christian lives are related and are in response to these new things and changes.

This is why I said we can resonate with Joshua’s experience. Joshua was facing something new in his life. A nation was looking up to him to work wonders like Moses did for them. People were relying on him. Let us also not forget that at this point, Joshua was a newbie leader. Compared to Moses, he was a bit inexperienced. Also, he was about to embark on a military journey. It would have been nice if Canaan was only filled with grapes and awesome fruit, but unfortunately, it was also a land of giants and fortified cities. Is it not true that our experience of changes and of the new is like that of Joshua’s? When we face the new in our lives, we are faced with many uncertainties. How we respond to our new situation will determine whether we are able to lead others, defeat enemies, and enter the promise land.

So how can we face the new, and still be brave and courageous?

Strong and Courageous: Believe in God’s Promises

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them” (Josh 1:6)

God’s command to be strong and courageous was accompanied by a promise. Yes, Joshua was in a new situation, but he was reminded about an old promise. He was in an unchartered territory, but with a clear destination. He did not know where to begin, but he already knew the ending. The promise of a good future can make us strong and courageous. It is easier to give up on a quest, mission, or goal if we do not have a clear picture of the future. God’s command to be strong and courageous is doable because He accompanies it with a promise. When God sets the future, the future is certainly set.

Joshua was about to face giants and fortresses but he can be strong and courageous because God Himself made a promise long ago, and God does not go back on His word. When God talks about the future, you bet it is a sure future. Joshua knew that God was a God who fulfills His words. He heard Moses once who said, “It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut 7:8). Joshua already experienced how God fulfilled His promises, so he knew that when God reminded him about His promise to lead them to the promise land, Joshua did not doubt God at all. God is faithful to His words (Deut 7:9). “God is not human that he should lie… Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num 23:19). The fascinating thing is that before Joshua died, he reflected about his life, and this was what he said to the Israelites: “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you had failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed’ (Josh 23:14).

Strong and Courageous: Follow God’s Prescriptions

“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” (Josh 1:7-8)

These verses provide a good counterbalance to Joshua 1:6. We might be tempted to think that God’s promises for a good future will automatically result in a good future, regardless of what we do with our lives. It must be remembered that at the time when God spoke to Joshua, the Israelites were still at the borders of the promise land. It is true that God will accomplish His promises, but this does not mean that we are to idly sit and not become responsible. God’s promises must be accompanied by obedience.

Be strong and courageous. If you are feeling down and weak, remember God’s promises, but also meditate upon the Word of God and obey it. Strength is found not only in God’s promises but also in knowledge of the Word of God. Too many people have no good relationship with the Word of God that when they face new things in their lives, they easily fall away. We cannot hope to be strong in our faith and brave to face our Goliaths if we are not rooted in the Word.

Strong and Courageous: Remember God’s Presence

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9).

If we are to be strong and courageous in facing the new, we should not only trust in God’s promises and obey God’s prescriptions; we should also remember God’s presence. Perhaps this is the most important of these three. We must remember that we are not alone. Whatever new experiences we have—whatever new challenges we face, whatever new circumstances we are in, whatever new sinkhole have we stepped on, whatever new situation come our way—we must not forget the God is with us wherever we are and whatever we are going through.

At the end of the day, we cannot rely on our own strength and courage. We cannot rely on our own self-motivation. We cannot rely on our own resolve. We can only rely on God’s presence. Our courage can only come from the awareness that even though we are walking in the valley of death or that we are in the presence of our enemies, God is with us and His rod and staff comfort us. When we face new situations in life, we must remember that God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. These were Moses’ parting words to Joshua as well: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut 31:6), which he repeated, “Be strong and courageous… The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deut 31:8).

Conclusions

God does not wish that the changes in our lives become the means we separate ourselves from Him. Sometimes we think that our new circumstances give us some sort of a license to lie low or withdraw a bit or even have a cool-off with God. We use the changes in our careers as an excuse not to continue to serve. We use the changes in our financial situations as an excuse not to give our tithes and give generously. We use the changes in our schedules not to participate in godly activities.

We do not realize that these moments in our lives are the most crucial tampering moments, when we must place ourselves on the anvil of the Lord so that He can mold us. Changes in our lives are the most crucial crossroads in our relationship with God. How we respond to our new situation definitely mold us into who we are now and who we will be someday. If we are used to making excuses, then what can we expect from us someday? But if we can use these changes in our lives in order to have a “leap of faith,” then we are actually growing.

It is very easy for us to be tempted to rely on our own selves when we face the new. We think we can handle things. We think we can adjust. We underestimate change and do not think about it much. We do not think of the implications of our new situations, until we are already shocked that our inability to deal with the new has already given us drastic consequences. When the new comes, we have to be strong and courageous by remembering God’s promises, relying on His Word, and remembering His presence.