JOSHUA’S CALL
From The HeartPublish date: 02/19/2012
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ minister, 2 Moses My servant is dead. So now arise [take his place], go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, the Israelites. 3 Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread, that have I given to you, as I promised Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river Euphrates--all the land of the Hittites [Canaan]--and to the Great [Mediterranean] Sea on the west shall be your territory. 5 No 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 fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may 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 wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. 9 Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:1-9 AMP
Moses was the one called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and the one called to lead them into the Promised Land. However, because the majority of the Israelites were faithless and fearful, they were unable to immediately cross the Jordan or take possession of this land of milk and honey. A whole generation had to die off before God could take them in. By that time Moses was quite old and then, unfortunately, he also disqualified himself by disobeying a direct order that God gave him – therefore God told him that he would not lead them over the Jordan or complete his mission. Joshua would have been merely an important leader under Moses – one of his right-hand men – helping Moses and Israel take the land, but now he was promoted to be the actual one who led the entire nation into their inheritance. This was a huge responsibility for him – a mission he could NOT complete without the help and intervention of Almighty God! Anything God asks you to – you’re going to need His help. Don’t ever think you can do it by yourself – He doesn’t expect you to.
And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand and power of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and large, a land flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]--to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Exodus 3:8 AMP
For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you shall possess it and live in it. Deuteronomy 11:31 AMP
God calls Joshua to lead His people and gives him his mission:
- Moses is dead
- Joshua, you arise and take his place
- Take the Israelites – over the Jordan and into the land I am giving them
When God speaks something or makes a promise, He will not back off or give up on it, or forget His promise. He WILL do it! He promised that He would take the Israelites across the Jordan into the Promised Land. Moses couldn’t do it, therefore Joshua was charged with this mission. God will do whatever it takes and use whoever will obey – to get it done. He looks for and carefully chooses the one who will trust and obey Him completely – He will do the rest. When God calls you to do something, you can do it – with His help! He doesn’t call you because you are necessarily the strongest or the smartest or the best – He calls you because you make yourself available, because you have proved yourself faithful, and because you are prepared to implicitly trust Him. You might not even be the first one God calls for a particular mission, but make no mistake; you are not His poorer choice or lesser choice! You are just in the right place at the right time! When God calls, then it’s up to you to pick up the baton and do the best that you can, until you cross the finish line!
For if you diligently keep all this commandment which I command you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him – 23 Then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. 24 Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea [the Mediterranean] your territory shall be. 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you; the Lord your God shall lay the fear and the dread of you upon all the land that you shall tread, as He has said to you. Deuteronomy 11:22-25 AMP
God promises Joshua the same things he promised Moses:
- Every place upon which your foot shall tread – I have given to you – as I promised Moses
- No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life
- I will not fail you or forsake you
If God calls you, then He will equip you and help you. When God calls you, you cannot look to the past for direction. You must get your direction from the Spirit of God. The mission may be the same, but the strategy will be fresh! Always remember that you are working for Him – He doesn’t work for you. It’s His mission – He has the best strategy. He also knows what you need to get the job done. If you obey Him and do what He asks, then He will go before you and make a way for you; He will provide everything you need. What you need to do is to trust Him and obey Him – that’s all! He will not fail you – He will provide everything you need when you need it. Because it’s His mission and not your own, you can call on Him and count on Him to meet your needs, protect you as you go, and even move mountains on your behalf!