October 19, 2022
Praying Friends,
Thank you for your prayers for revival and for our prodigals. As we continue to pray for God’s working in our lives and in the lives of others, may this devotional be a source of encouragement.
We have all failed God at one point or another. The Hebrew text for the 6th book of our Bible (the 1st of the 12 historical books) is Y’hosua, or Joshua. The name means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.”
The book of Joshua teaches us that our deliverance is found in God alone. God used a man to bring His people from the wilderness into promised blessings. The only man who can do this for us is Jesus our great Savior! According to Hebrews 2, He is the Captain of our salvation.
This book is the fulfillment of God’s promises to the patriarchs. It gives the conquest and the land divisions for Israel. It teaches us that God is faithful, a truth that is foundational for all generations.
There are some good principles from this book that help us live in victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s consider a few:
Firstly, receive the word of the Lord by faith. God declared His purposes to Joshua, right at the start He spoke victory over him. In Chapter 1, God said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous” 4 times.
The more deeply we learn that our strength is founded in God and not in ourselves, the more we save ourselves from needless failure. What God did for Joshua, He has done for you. Below are 4 New Testament texts that prove this.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV).
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Secondly, develop a true spirit of surrender. After Joshua crossed over the Jordan river in miraculous fashion, he faced the insurmountable obstacle of Jericho. Its army was strong. Its gates were barred shut, and its walls were impenetrable.
The Lord of Heaven’s armies met Joshua on the eve of battle (Joshua 5:13-15). Joshua fell to his face in submission. He recognized that the Lord was his true leader and that following His commands was necessary for victory.
Joshua could have planned and schemed a strategy for taking Jericho, but God had His own plan and expected Joshua to follow. It didn’t seem logical, but it was divine.
To follow Him is the essence of true discipleship. When Jesus ordained His 12 disciples on the mountain, one of the main reasons was that they might be near to him (Mark 3:14). If we are going to follow, we must hear His voice.
Thirdly, don’t wallow in failure. The story of Ai in Joshua 7 and 8, is a good reminder that, like Joshua, we are human. We become self-sufficient and self-confident. The sin of Achan and the failure of Joshua to consult with the Lord led to an embarrassing encounter with the enemy. What ultimately brought victory was Joshua’s action against sin and confession before his God.
The words of David in Psalm 139 should be a constant part of our mindset. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Lastly, choose to serve Christ even if you have to stand alone. At the end of the book, Joshua challenged the people with words that should resonate with all of us today. He said, “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14-15).
Each victory requires a step of faith, whether it is listening, surrendering, confessing, or choosing to serve the Lord. May God enable each of us to live victorious lives.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel
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