June 3rd

JOSHUA 1: In any project planning and preparation are half the battle.  Plan and Prepare Rather than Repair and Repent!  Through 40 years of disciplined living in the wilderness, God’s people have been prepared for the rigors of warfare yet to come in conquering the land of Canaan.  Now the process is nearly complete.  God next prepares Joshua, Israel’s new commander in chief, for his demanding assignment by assuring him of God’s abiding presence.  The Israelites are encouraged by the news of a terrified enemy before them, and inspired by God’s miraculous parting of the flood swollen Jordan River.  Once the new generation has been set apart to God in the ceremony of circumcision, the stage is set for conquest.

The life of faith has been likened to a tightrope act in which the believer’s dependence upon God must constantly be balanced with human action.  It was like that for Israel.  On the one hand Canaan was, “the Promised Land 1:2.  God had promised, “I will not abandon you or fail to help you.”  1:5.  And “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  1:9 wonderful truths to claim.  But that didn’t mean the Israelites were free to sit back and do nothing!  There was a hike to begin, and a most important step of faith to take into the Jordan River—a step only the people could initiate. Where is God waiting for you to do His will through a step of obedience?  God has battles for you to fight and win in His strength, but you must do your part. 

Plumbing the depths of the Jordan.  The Jordan each day spews more than 6 Million tons of water into the Dead Sea.  The water makes a vertical drop of 600 feet during its journey from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea making the Jordan a formidable barrier even during the dry season.

Stuart Briscoe compared the life of the average Christian to an old iron bedstead – firm on both ends but sagging in the middle. 

God desires that every Christian experience the life of victory.  Romans 15:4 and I Cor. 10:11 gives clear pictures of the life of victory.  The predominant theme throughout the Scripture is VICTORY, and anyone living less than victoriously is falling short of the divine intention.  A victorious life is not a superior brand of Christianity reserved for the elite of the elect.  It is the normal life for every Christian…given to all because they are saved!  John 10:10

Are you struggling to win a victory that is already won?  Two stages – the Red Sea stage and the Jordan River stage…with a wilderness in between.  (Deut. 6:23)   The Israelites purpose of their redemption was not realized until they entered the land of Canaan.  To do so, they must cross the Jordan River.  Then and only then would the redemptive purpose of God be fulfilled.  Canaan never symbolizes heaven in the Bible.  There were giants in Canaan, there were battles to be fought in Canaan, God’ people sinned in Canaan…Canaan represents the fullness of salvation, blessing, possessing of our possessions.  God redeemed Israel for Canaan, just as victory is what God saved us for.  He brought us out that He might bring us in.  Many Christians are out but not in.  Some die in the wilderness without ever experiencing the life of fullness in Christ.

The O.T. describes Canaan as a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of luscious clusters of grapes and pomegranates and figs.  The N.T. describes OUR Canaan as:  Phil. 4:7 (peace) Joy I Peter 1:8; Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Eph 1:3; More than conquerors through Him Who loved us Rom. 8:37.  ARE YOU IN? 

The first 9 verses of Josh. Tell us 3 important things about the life of victory:

VICTORY is the goal of the Christian life.  Escape from servitude in Egypt was not God’s goal for His people.  He took them OUT of Egypt in order to bring them IN to their own land…the land He had promised them.  Gen. 13:14, 15.  Today, the real goal is for us to experience all that He has promised us IN Christ  Romans 8:29, Eph. 1:4  NOT a word about hell or heaven there.  Col. 1:26, 27, II Cor. 2:14  In all God’s dealings with you He has been leading you up to His goal—the full release of Christ in you…It is possible for a Christian always to be victorious.  Anything less than always triumphing in Christ is less than God’s desire for you. 

Does living in Victory mean we no longer sin?  Not at all; but it does mean that we learn to depend upon Christ for every aspect of our life.  We live in His strength, not our own.  We service His desires, not our own.  We liv for His glory, not our own.  When we sin, we trust His cleansing blood to wash it away and restore us to sweet fellowship…become supersensitive to sin and when He convicts us we immediately deal with it.

 The best way to define the victorious life is to examine some of its ingredients:

Enter into God’s promises: The promises become experiential instead of merely theological.  God told the Israelites the land was their; they needed only to act – act with strength, courage and obedience.  The Bible is not a WISH book!  We are not to read the Bible and never really expect to see promises fulfilled in our own lives.  The Bible is a FAITH Book! 

Experience God’s Presence “I will be with you” is repeated often.  Cry out for His constantly awareness in your life…as real as the chair that you are sitting on!

Exercise God’s Power  V.5 The Lord was telling Joshua that no man could prevent Israel from reaching their God-appointed goal.  Joshua would have the power to do everything God asked him to do.  The spies report…Caleb said, “pass the peanut butter…we will make sandwiches of those giants!”  God’s power gives us victory over the giants in and around us.  We become not only giant defeaters, but also giant eaters!

            Resurrection power  Eph. 1: 18-20 Think of it!  The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is made available to every believer.  Which is easier – solving that problem you are facing right now or raising a dead man from the grave?    You have resurrection power residing in you!

 Reigning power  Romans 5:17.  God has made kings out of slaves and princes out of paupers.  The verse says IN LIFE not in heaven.  He is not talking about the “Sweet Bye and Bye” but the “Nasty Here and Now!”   

Released power  Col. 1:29  The life of victory means that I no longer labor according to my strength but according to His.  Throw the word IMPOSSIBLE out of your vocabulary.  You can do anything and everything God wants you to do.

Victory is a gift to the Christian.  V.2  “I have given” NOT I will give!  It was already theirs.  Given before they even saw.  Understanding that the victorious life is a gift already given us by God is essential.  This means victory is ASSURED.  Victory is not attained by struggling striving…it is part of your birthright as a child of God.  Rahab knew…. V. 9-11.  The enemy knew they had lost before the Israelites knew they had won. 

Victory is already accomplished.  “I have given it to you.”  Occupied by the enemy, it was God’s and He had given it to His People.  Every step Joshua took was on conquered ground.  And that is what the life of victory is – waling on conquered ground. 

Victory must be gained!  Matt. 11: 28-29 “I will give you rest – You shall find rest.”  The gift was absolute, but it had to be appropriated.  There was something for them to do.  The Lord enunciated the same to us.  Well, which is it…does He give it or do we find it?  BOTH.  We find the second rest (life of victory) by taking His yoke and learning of Him.  Rest is given but rest must be gained.  There is God’s side of giving and man’s side of gainint.

HOW DO WE GAIN REST?  WHAT IS OUR PART? 

Victory is gained BY FAITH.  Joshua was to taker God at His word and start walking.  And that is what faith is – acting on the word of God.  I John 5:4  We exercise faith when we acknowledge that the victory has already been won for us by Christ and thank Him for it.  We don’t go out to victory – we go out from victory.  VICTORY IS NOT DOING YOUR BEST FOR JESUS; IT IS JESUS DOING THE BEST FOR YOU!  JESUS WON ALL, RELY UPON HIM!

Victory is gained BY FOLLOWING v.7  Success comes as we follow His instructions.  Law means directions…and that is what God’s law is – divine directions on how to put together a successful life.  Obedience to Go’s directions is an evidence of our faith and without it there can be no victorious life. 

Victory is gained by FIGHTING  God did not take the Israelites straight into Canaan, but led them on a circuitous route.  Exodus 13:17 They were not ready to fight and courageous fighting men were needed. 

The land of fullness is occupied by the enemy.  We will not go in unopposed.   Spiritual warfare is the order of the day when we move into our victory.  Did not fight in the wilderness…faought as they moved into Canaan. 

Altho we must fight, we must fight in the power of the Lord, we are to be strong in the Lord; we are to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to withstand all the attacks of the enemy Eph. 6:10-17. 

At the first things may seem easy…but then difficulties come…Satan will attempt to take advantage but the Lord enrolls us in the basic training in order to get us read to fight.  Joshua’s first victory was an easy one…no struggle took place at Jericho.  But then the other victories weren’t that way.  As you mature in your victory walk, the hand to hand and face to face combat suggested by Eph. 6 will more often be the case. 

Victory is God’s goal and gift for every believer, already accomplished by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  But that doesn’t mean that every Christian automatically experiences this victory.  There is something for us to do.  We must appropriate what God has made available. 

Bowing at a water fountain and begging for water because you are thirsty will never bring the water to your mouth.  You must go up to it, bend over, push the lever, open your mouth, and swallow.  It is that simple - Jesus invited all who were thirsty to come to Him and drink.  He does not force our mouths open and pour it down us.  We must do our own drinking.  The Fountain is waiting, come and drink!

  (Wonderful helps from Ron Dunn…1979)

 handout  AND fill it in for study:

On the one hand Canaan was, “the Promised Land 1:2.  God had promised, “I will not abandon you or fail to help you.”  1:5.  And “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  1:9 wonderful truths to claim.  But that didn’t mean the Israelites were free to sit back and do nothing!  There was a hike to begin, and a most important step of faith to take into the Jordan River—a step only the people could initiate. Where is God waiting for you to do His will through a step of obedience?  God has battles for you to fight and win in His strength, but you must do your part. 

God desires that every Christian experience the life of victory.  Romans 15:4 and I Cor. 10:11 gives clear pictures of the life of victory.  A victorious life is not a superior brand of Christianity reserved for the elite of the elect.  It is the normal life for every Christian…given to all because they are saved!  John 10:10

Two stages – the Red Sea stage and the Jordan River stage…with a wilderness in between.  (Deut. 6:23) Canaan never symbolizes heaven in the Bible. 

ARE YOU IN?  Joshua tells us three important things about the life of victory. 

VICTORY is the goal of the Christian life.  Gen. 13:14, 15.  IN Christ  Romans 8:29, Eph. 1:4 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Enter into God’s promises Col. 1:26, 27, II Cor. 2:14____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Experience God’s Presence _______________________________________________________        ______________________________________________________________________________
Exercise God’s Power  V.5 ________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
            Resurrection power  Eph. 1: 18-20  ___________________________________________; Reigning power  Romans 5:17.  ____________________________________________________; Released power  Col. 1:29  ________________________________________________________

Victory is a gift to the Christian.  V.2  _______________________________________________        __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 V. 9-11.  The enemy knew they had lost before the Israelites knew they had won. 
Victory must be gained!  Matt. 11: 28-29 “I will give you rest – You shall find rest.” __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOW DO WE GAIN REST?  WHAT IS OUR PART?  Victory is gained BY FAITH.  I John 5:4  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________VICTORY IS NOT DOING YOUR BEST FOR JESUS; IT IS JESUS DOING THE BEST FOR YOU!  JESUS WON ALL, RELY UPON HIM!

Victory is gained BY FOLLOWING v.7  _______________________________________________    ______________________________________________________________________________

Victory is gained by FIGHTING  Exodus 13:17  Eph. 6:10-17.  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Victory is God’s goal and gift for every believer, already accomplished by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  But that doesn’t mean that every Christian automatically experiences this victory.  There is something for us to do.  ______________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We must appropriate what God has made available.  Jesus invited all who were thirsty to come to Him and drink.  He does not force our mouths open and pour it down us.  We must do our own drinking.  The Fountain is waiting, come and drink!

(Compiled and taught by Bernadine Cantrell….Wonderful helps from Ron Dunn…1979)