Good Success
(Joshua 1:1-8)
Sermon Notes
Everybody wants to be successful!
We then establish our definition of success. I am successful when I have…
- Money
- Material goods
- Relationship
- Status
- Fame/popularity
- Level of comfort
YOU CAN ACHIEVE ALL OF THESE THINGS AND STILL BE MISERABLE! God wants us to move beyond having success. HE WANTS TO GIVE US GOOD SUCCESS.
Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)
8This 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.
Three things Joshua was to do with the Word:
- Talk about it
- Think about
- Act on it
- YOU WILL MAKE (taslih) – force entry, cut through; to make steady favorable progress
- PROSPEROUS (tsaleach) – to push forward, break out, be profitable
- GOOD SUCCESS (sawkal) – to be circumspect, intelligent, be and behave wisely
WE HAVE GOOD SUCCESS WHEN WE FULFILL OUR GOD-GIVEN ASSIGNMENT!
TO HAVE GOOD SUCCESS WE MUST:
UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT (vv. 1-2)
This answers “What?”
Joshua 1:1–2 (NKJV)
1After 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.
You must get clarity on what God wants you to do. If you don’t understand your assignment, you will:
- STRUGGLE
- HAVE STRIFE
- HAVE STRESS
- COME UP WITH SOMETHING STRANGE
- THIS WILL CAUSE US TO STRAY
UNDERSTAND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ASSIGNMENT (v. 3-4)
This answers “WHERE?”
Joshua 1:3–5 (NKJV)
3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
4From 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.
- Every assignment from God has boundaries.
- The boundaries established by God and promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:18–21) and Moses (Deut. 1:6–8) were to extend from the wilderness on the south to the Lebanon mountain range on the north, and from the Euphrates River on the east to the Great Sea, the Mediterranean, on the west.[1]
- The Lord gave them title to the territory, but they had to possess it by marching on every[2]
- WHAT HAS GOD GIVEN THAT DON’T HAVE, SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T MARCHED ON IT?
- EXPLORE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ASSIGNMENT!
UNDERSTAND THE PROMISE THAT COMES WITH THE ASSIGNMENT (v. 5)
This shows God’s part in the assignment
Joshua 1:5 (NKJV)
5No 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.
- No man shall be able to stand before you (Deuteronomy 7:24 (NKJV))
24And He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from under heaven; no one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them.
- As I was with Moses, so I will be with you
Exodus 3:12 (NKJV)
12So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
- I will never leave you nor forsake you
UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS TO FULFILL THE ASSIGNMENT (v. 6-9)
This shows my part in the assignment
God commanded Joshua to BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.
- Strength (hazaq) – to grow firm, to be strong or powerful beyond the average or expected, whether physical or in one’s constitution
- Courage (emas) – to be able to face and deal with danger without flinching
Why did he need strength and courage?
- Strength and Courage to divide the land (v. 6)
Joshua 1:6 (NKJV)
6Be 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.
Joshua had to have strength and courage to make sure that the Reubenites, Gaddites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh kept their promise to fight alongside the other tribes to receive the rest of the land, even though they had already received their land on the east side of the Jordon.
- Strength and Courage to Observe the Law– vs. 7-8
Joshua 1:7–8 (NKJV)
7Only 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.
(that you may have success or act wisely wherever you go).
8This 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.
It takes strength and courage to “OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THE LAW”
Observe (smor) – to conform one’s actions
Do (asot) – to carry out or perform
All (kol) – the whole
Law (torah) – direction/instruction – to whole collected body of the law
It takes strength and courage to “NOT TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT”
Turn (tasur) – to change orientation or direction
- Strength and Courage to Overcome Fear (v. 9)
Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)
9Have 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.”
DO THE ASSIGNMENT (vs. 10-11)
Joshua 1:10–11 (NKJV)
10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11“Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”
Conclusion
The City of Atlanta experienced something this week that we have not experienced in 25 years from our pro-sports team, the Braves – that is winning a championship! I want us to take a lesson from the Braves. Although it looked like there was no way that they could have success this season, because of the setbacks. Despite the obstacles they faced, they kept believing and moving forward until they came out as victors.
[1] Donald K. Campbell, “Joshua,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 328.
[2] Donald K. Campbell, “Joshua,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 328.
keeping us. (Luke 15).
