Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Last week we started looking at the book of Joshua
• Not permitted to look at v7-8
• Tonight will look at v7-8 in more detail
• Three Keys to Spiritual Success
• Reading of Joshua 1:7-8
• Joshua had known many successes
• Examples
• Joshua was now alone - Moses had died
• Joshua knew he had no power
• The Lord comes to Joshua
• First, the Lord comes through Moses
• The the Lord speaks directly to Joshua

God speaks to Joshua

• God speaks to Joshua
• "Do not be afraid"
• "Be strong and of good courage"
• More promises and encouragements
• The means by which these things will happen
• Certain conditions
• Success will only come in full obedience to the word of God
• Know the word of God well - meditate upon it day and night
• To know spiritual success the word of God must be central to our life
• Consider the promises made in Deuteronomy but the conditions that were attached
• We have been given even greater promises than Joshua [or the Israelites]
• "All things that pertain to life and godliness"

A Right Mindset (v6)

• "Be strong and of good courage" - for what reason?
• Joshua is on the victory side
• We are on the victory side
• When pressures come upon us - examples - Christ is our Captain and on our side
• We have the sure word of God
• The Word of God does not change
• The power of God does not change

Careful Obedience to the Word of God (v7)

• The promises given to us are never excuses for slackness or sin
• Because we are on the victory side, we must engage in the battle

1. "Observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you"

• "Observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you"
• No truce with the enemy (Deut 7:12-26)
• No taking of gold or silver
• No worshiping idols
• The Lord does not want us to compromise as Christians
• We are not to bow down to the gods of this world
• We are to fully obey Him

2. Obey The Ten Commandments

• Obey The Ten Commandments
• Deut 4:13-14
• Jesus said "Blessed are you if you do these things"
• James 1:23-25
• Example of a man who declined promotion

3. Everything was to be governed by the word of God

• Everything was to be governed by the word of God
• Remember what Jesus said to His apostles:
• Matt 28:18-20
• Teach the whole counsel of God
• Keep Gods word
• Do not add or subtract from it
• Deut 4:1-2
• Example of Spurgeon
• Faith
• Eph 2:8
• Faith is a gift from God
• Faith is a responsibility of man
• Think of Baptism, the Lord's Table, the Sabbath, Freedom from sin
• Example of Calvin
• We must not make the Bible fit our view point
• Follow the Bible as it is

Daily Meditation on the Word of God

• Psalm 1:1-3
• Here is a man meditating on the Word of God day and night
• You may think this word was given only to Joshua
• It was given to Joshua (v8)
• It is also given to all people
• Has meditation become a lost practice?
• Different from reading God's word
• Different from discussing God's word
• It is remembering God's word, thinking about it (over and over), praying about it, listening to it
• It requires time and quietness
• Very few times is there a command to read God's word
• Far more calls to meditate
• Many people cannot read
• Why should this be a link to spiritual prosperity?
• As you think your mind is transformed
• Meditating on God's word will make our way prosperous and give us good success
• As we pray and think over things God can give us insight and spiritual fruit
• The fruit of the Spirit
• The challenge is to meditate on God's word
• Joshua was obedient
• Josh 11:15-17
• We have someone far more important than Joshua or Moses - Jesus