03-23-2025 Standing on the Promises
Text: Exodus 1:1-9; 21:43-45
Every one of us, regardless of age, or financial status, will face struggles in life. People are struggling everyday with common issues such as how a test at school will go, whether that job will come through, settling a disagreement with your spouse, or how the doctor’s appointment will go. Some struggles are life and death encounters with disease, others include discouragement or disappointment, and some involve conflicts with people that include employers, neighbors, spouses, children and friends. But our Bible shows us that we are never alone as we face our struggles. And it gives us many examples of those who have struggled and, with the help of God, come through. This morning let’s look at how Joshua handled his struggles after he was chosen to lead Israel into the Promised Land following the death of Moses.
Our text is from Joshua chapter 1:1-9 and chapter 21:43-45 that say: “(1) Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying: (2) Moses My servant is dead, now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (3) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. (5) There shall not any man 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 fail you, nor forsake you. (6) Be strong and of good courage: for unto these people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them. (7) Only be thou strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the Law, which Moses My servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper withersoever you go. (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. (9) Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid for the Lord your God is with you wheresoever you go. Then to Chapter 21: (43) And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers, and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. (44) And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He swore unto their fathers; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them. The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands. (45) There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord has spoken unto the House of Israel; all had come to pass.”
After the death of Moses, Joshua had taken over as the one to lead the nation of Israel into the land promised to them by God. A journey that should have taken about three weeks, ended up being 40 years because of the sin and disobedience of the people of Israel against God. There’s no question that Joshua had a difficult struggle ahead of him. His responsibilities were immense. The people grumbled about the leadership of Moses and wanted to retreat instead of taking possession of the land promised to them. There may have been a change in leadership, but the behavior of the people didn’t change. They still grumbled about everything and had to be pushed every step of the way to take what God had given them. No doubt Joshua was wondering how he could possibly succeed under these conditions. But, with all his concerns, he also knew that God would come through for him because he trusted the promises God has made to Israel. Let’s look at those promises.
In verses 3-9 of chapter 1, we see that God promised the people of Canaan would be conquered and occupied. Israel never lost a soldier in all the battles they faced in conquering the land. In verse 5 Joshua was promised he would overcome all those he would have to face to take control of the land because the Lord would be with him continually and would never desert him (that’s what the word forsake means). Then in verse 9 we see that Joshua didn’t have to be afraid because God was with him wherever he was to go. Belief and trust in God gave him courage.
While we aren’t tasked to lead a nation to take over occupied land, we have the same kinds of promises from the same God that Joshua trusted. In I Corinthians 15:57 we are promised victory over our sins because the death of our Lord Jesus Christ allows us to be reconciled with God. In Matthw 28:20 we are promised that Jesus is always with us. How is He with us? Through the Holy Spirit that comes into our hearts to guide us and teach us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we keep our lives free from the love of money and instead be content with what we have, we are promised in Hebrews 13:5-6 that God will never leave us or desert us. And in Isaiah 41:10-13 we are told we never have to be afraid or discouraged because God takes hold of our hand to help us and will take away all our fears. We just have to let go of our pride and let God take over.
Finally in Joshua 21:43-45 we see that Joshua experienced how God proved to be faithful in fulfilling every promise He had given to Israel. The people took possession of the land they were promised, their enemies were silenced and defeated, and they were given rest. The fulfillment of some promises may have taken several years, but every one was fulfilled. Even today, God’s promises will be fulfilled according to His timetable, not ours. But we learn in the study of our Bible that He is always true to His Word. The more that we learn of those promises God has fulfilled and continues to fulfill, the easier it is to believe that it will happen for us as well. Sometimes we become impatient, wanting God to act in a certain way now. Instead of becoming impatient, we should faithfully do what we know He wants us to do and trust that it will happen according to His will for our lives.
Jesus defeated our enemy, Satan, at the Cross when He said “It is finished” as recorded in John 19:30. He is our Savior because of His resurrection as told to us by Paul in Romans 1:4. So you see, we can stand firmly on the promises that are given to us in our Bible which is the Word of God. Our God is the same today as He was back in the days of Joshua. Because He never changes, what He promised to others He promises to us. We are never alone, no matter what struggle we may be facing. As long as we trust God and turn our problems over to Him, we never have to be afraid of what the outcome will be or when it will occur – even though at times we may have to be patient.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.