Joshua 1:1–18
In verses 7 and 8 of this first chapter of the book of Joshua we read about “success.” To have success means to reach the goals we set for ourselves in life.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7–8)
From this text we can conclude that God wants His servants to be successful. God is a God of success. He is not a God of failure; He is a God who always succeeds. And because He prospers in everything He does, He also wants us to prosper in everything we do. God does not want us to be failures; He wants us to be successful in our lives (Psalm 35:27).
27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.” (Psalm 35:27)
God desires our well-being. God wants us to prosper in everything we do — to have success. Of course, most of all He wants us to have success in our spiritual life, in our struggle against ourselves, against the world, and against the unclean powers. For the book of Joshua is a book of war. It describes how the people of God defeat the nations that inhabited Palestine at that time. God gives them this land, but He does not hand it to them ready-made. He gives it to them through battle. They have to win it in order to possess it. But God is with them and gives them success in their battles. To be successful means to be victorious in everything we do.
The key to success that is hidden in the first chapter of Joshua has six teeth — six things we need in order to have success.
FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISES (vv. 1–4)
The first of these six teeth is faith in God’s promises. God began His charge to Joshua by reminding him of the promise He had given to Moses (vv. 1–4).
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them — to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.” (Joshua 1:1–4)
In order to have faith, we must have a promise on which that faith can stand. Faith always stands on a definite word of God. The Lord had given this promise to Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 11:24–25.
24 Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. 25 No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go. (Deuteronomy 11:24–25)
God wanted Joshua to have faith. And this is that first tooth of the key to success we are speaking about. God is a faithful God. If He has said something, He will fulfill it. But in order for us to possess it, we must believe His promise and act according to it.
Look at what a marvelous promise this is! Israel simply had to walk over the land, and every place where the soles of their feet stepped would be theirs. Of course, in order to set foot on that land they had to fight and defeat their enemies, because there were people who did not want them to step there. But it all begins with faith. If we want to be successful, we must learn how to study the word of God and to find in it promises that apply to our lives — promises for healing, promises of blessing in the family, promises of wisdom for raising our children, promises of success in our work. We must take these promises and believe for their fulfillment in our lives. Promises for sanctification, promises about how we will endure to the end in our Christian life, promises about how we can have victory over Satan… We must receive these promises and have faith in them. For God is a faithful God, and if He has said something, He will fulfill it. But in order for us to possess it, we must believe His promise and act according to it.
Faith in God’s promises comes from the word of God. When we have it, it sprouts in our hearts and produces faith. The question is: “Now that we have received God’s word and His promises, are we ready to accept that He will fulfill them, no matter the difficulties and circumstances in our lives?”
GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES (vv. 5, 9)
The second tooth of this key to success, which we find in the first chapter of the book of Joshua, is to have God’s presence in our lives. As in the New Testament the Lord Jesus said:
20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
The main reason Joshua was invincible was not that he was physically stronger than the others. The main reason he was invincible was that God was on his side. God was with him. And can anyone defeat God? No one can defeat Him. So if we too want to be victorious in our lives, we need God’s presence — we need God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to be with us. If we have God’s presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we too, like Joshua, will be invincible. Yes, we may lose a battle, but in the end we will be victorious. Sadly, we are human and often we sin. We see that even Joshua, at one particular moment in the war for the conquest of the Promised Land, acted in the flesh. Then he was put to flight by his enemies. But this happened only once. He repented, found the cause for the withdrawal of God’s presence from his army, then mobilized, attacked again, and destroyed those who were against him. So if we want to be victorious, we need God’s presence in our lives. In verse 5 God said to Joshua:
5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)
God promised Joshua His presence. He knew that without it anyone would be doomed to failure. And notice, He said to him: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” Moses also realized that he needed God’s presence in order to be successful. That is why Moses valued God’s presence so highly. At one point God had said that He would abandon the Israelites and would no longer go with them in their camp (Exodus 33:12–17).
12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” (Exodus 33:12–13)
Look, we must seek God’s favor in everything we do. This is exactly why we must have the fear of God — so that we do not sin against Him and lose His favor in our lives.
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. (Exodus 33:14–15)
That is why we, too, when we leave the house, say: “God first, we after Him.” Isn’t that so? It is because we want God’s presence to be with us. If God is with us wherever we go, wherever we head — we will succeed. Of course, it is not enough merely to say these words mechanically; we must truly pray, and believe it, and want it — to value God’s presence in our lives.
16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)
How can we tell whether someone has God’s favor? By God’s presence. If God’s presence is with someone, it means he has God’s favor — God is pleased with him. If God is not pleased with someone, He withdraws from him.
17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17)
Does God know us by name? If we have His favor, then God will know us “by name.” God knew Moses by name. He knew Joshua by name. Does He know us too by name? In order to have God’s presence, we need His favor. Joshua evidently had it, because in verse 9 God says to him:
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
“The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go!” In the New Testament we too have the promise of God’s presence in our lives. For He said (Matthew 28:19–20):
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19–20)
And when the apostle Paul closes his Second Letter to the Corinthians, he speaks these words, with which I too bless the church at the end of every service (2 Corinthians 13:14):
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
This is a blessing that carries the idea of God’s presence in our lives. That is why it is important that if there is sin in us, if there is bitterness, if there is doubt, if there is pride, if there is love of money, if there is anything that pushes God away, we repent, so that God may be with us. Then we will have success.
The manifested presence of God is called “anointing.” The anointing is received through prayer. In order to have God’s presence in our lives, we must be people of prayer.
BOLDNESS (vv. 6–7, 9, 18)
The third tooth of the key to success that we see in the first chapter of the book of Joshua is boldness.
In order to be victorious, in order to be successful, we must not be timid. We must be bold — brave and resolute. A dejected warrior can hardly win. That is why, when soldiers go through military training, they are taught to be brave, disciplined, diligent, and fired up. So too here God commands Joshua several times to be brave and strong.
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. (Joshua 1:6)
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)
Whatever you do — “only,” “only” — at all costs be strong and very courageous. Do not be soft, do not be weak, do not be timid, do not be feeble. God even “commanded” Joshua to be bold.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
Do you notice the progression in verses 6, 7, and 9:
- Be strong and courageous.
- Be strong and very courageous!
- Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged!!
And that is how this chapter ends as well. To be strong and courageous was not only a command from the Lord but also a request from the people. Look at what they said in verse 18.
18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous! (Joshua 1:18)
Four times in this chapter it speaks of this boldness and strength.
In the New Testament we see that God does not expect us to be strong in our own strength. For in human terms we are weak. But in Ephesians 6:10 the apostle Paul tells us:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
It is not by our own strength that we will fight. It is not by our own strength that we will be bold, but by the strength of the Lord and by the strength of the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul says something similar to Timothy as well (2 Timothy 2:1).
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)
May God help us to be bold Christians. Not to be afraid, but to be bold, to stand against our problems with God’s strength and grace. For God is with us! Not to be brazen or the sort who love to lord it over others, but not to let ourselves be feeble and soft, trampled and oppressed. May God help us to be open, brave, and bold — as people who are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Boldness in our lives comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Before he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter denied Jesus three times. But after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, it is said that he “stood up” and lifted his voice, began to speak, and three thousand people repented in response to his sermon. Why? Because when he was filled with the Holy Spirit he was bold and spoke with God’s power and grace. After that, when they interrogated him, he never again denied Jesus, but was bold and strong. Why? Because he was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One who gives us power, courage, bravery, and boldness. So if we want to be successful, we must ask ourselves the question: “Do we have the Holy Spirit in our lives?”
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD (vv. 7–8)
From verses 7 and 8 we see that it is precisely obedience — acting according to God’s word — that is the key to success. Joshua had to be strong and very courageous for no other reason than to act carefully according to the whole Law and not to turn aside from it by even a centimeter.
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)
In order for us to act according to God’s word, it must enter our hearts. How can this happen? Only through meditation — reading and reflecting on the texts of the Holy Scriptures.
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
In order to be obedient to God’s word we need humility. Most often the causes of our disobedience to God’s word are two — pride and the deceitfulness of sin. Pride is clear; and the deceitfulness of sin consists in thinking that we can be disobedient to God and sin without having any consequences from our sin.
STRIVING FOR THE BEST (vv. 10–12)
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’” (Joshua 1:10–11)
The challenge to the Israelites was for them to cross over the Jordan. Sadly, one part of them did not accept this challenge and stayed on the east side of the Jordan (Numbers 32). That is why we could say that the land east of the Jordan symbolizes mediocrity. The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh liked the land of Bashan, Gilead, and Moab. They did not want to reach out toward God’s higher calling to the abundance of the Promised Land. They were not interested in the fact that God had something better for them. They would fulfill their promise to go and fight alongside their brothers, but afterward they would return again to the limited possibilities of their old life. History shows that this became the reason they were always the first to have trouble with Israel’s enemies. They were also the first to fall into the captivity of the Assyrian Empire.
What lesson can we draw for ourselves from all this? Mediocrity is the enemy of success! In the New Testament the apostle Paul teaches us how to always be pressing forward and never to fall into complacency. In Philippians 3:12–14 he shares his heart:
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12–14)
If we want to be successful, we must be pressing forward in the fulfillment of God’s call for our lives. This means accepting the challenges God has for us.
UNITY (vv. 10–18)
The success of the Israelites in conquering the Promised Land was to a large degree due to their unity. Those who had already settled on the east side of the Jordan did not say to themselves: “Well, we have already found our land. Whoever wants to go to war — let him go. We are staying here.” No, they acted according to the motto of the three musketeers — “one for all, all for one”! The unity in this case was in two aspects, or in two directions. There was unity both among the tribes themselves and between the people and their leader.
12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” (Joshua 1:12–15)
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!” (Joshua 1:16–18)
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were ready to leave their comfort and their ease — their homes and their families — and to go and fight and, if necessary, even to die for their brothers!
In the New Testament we are obligated to have the same love for our brothers and sisters in the Lord (1 John 3:14–18).
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:14–18)
If we are born again, we are members of God’s family — brothers and sisters in the Spirit, parts of one body. That is why we must love one another and care for one another.
Without love and unity we cannot be successful. The devil, our adversary, knows this very well, and that is why he constantly sows division, irritation, and slander — in order to divide us. In Colossians 3:13–14 it says:
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:13–14)
In order to be successful we need unity. And in order to be united, we need love.
If we could sum it up — these are the teeth of the key to success from Joshua 1:1–18:
- Faith
- Anointing
- Boldness
- Obedience
- Striving for the best
- Unity
Perhaps some of these virtues are missing in us, or we do not have them in sufficient measure, and this is the cause of our failure. So let us give attention to what we lack. Let us ask it of God and never give up, because this is God’s will for us — to be successful!