Send to Kindleby Robin McKinley
At the end of the book of Exodus, Moses had passed away. Joshua was then named by God to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. In chapter 1 of Joshua, God motivated Joshua with these words from verse 5. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. God encouraged him to have strength and courage. He also told Joshua, “you can be successful in everything you do.”
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Joshua 1:7
Success that is recognized by the Lord isn’t a product of our personality or charisma. God reminded Joshua that his success wasn’t lying in some great inner strength he had. Nor did it rely on a vast supply of resources. No, his success rested solely on his obedience to God.
The Lord didn’t expect Joshua to cross over the Jordan or conquer the new land in his own abilities. Those successes would only come by walking in faith and obedience to God’s Word.
Do You Want to Be Successful
The Lord reemphasized in verse 8 the importance of our knowing His Word if we want to prosper and succeed. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Did you notice why the Lord wanted Joshua to meditate on His word day and night? So he was sure he wasn’t allowing any distractions to hinder his obeying it at all. We must let God’s Word sink into our minds and our thoughts as well.
When we look at verse 9, the Lord told Joshua for the third time to be strong and courageous. God encouraged Joshua the first time in verse 6. Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people.
The second time is in our verse for today. He says Be strong and very courageous as He is telling Joshua how to succeed. The third time this phrase becomes a command. This is my command—be strong and courageous!
God Wants Us to be Successful!
Why would God make this into a command? Because as His children, the Lord wants you and me to be successful in everything we do. And that can’t happen if we are wimpy Christians. The great thing about this strength and courage is, we can’t muster them up within ourselves.
But however, God supplies them. In Philippians 4 it says, For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Therefore He is not commanding us to do something that’s impossible for us to do.
The rest of verse 9 says, Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Wow, strength, courage, and being in the presence of God. That is my definition of being successful!
—–
Robin, with his wife Cindy, became children’s evangelists early in their ministry. They ministered to children full time for 8 years. During that time they developed a number of children’s stories which were told with visuals and puppets.
Robin recently turned two of those stories into children’s books. One is called “The Contest,” a book about the Fruit of the Spirit and the other is called “Twas the Night of Christmas”. He has also authored 5 volumes of devotional books called, 3 Minutes Alone with God. Each entry is a product of his personal biblical Journaling.
These and his other writings are available on his website called Christian Perspectives at www.ramckinley.com . When you visit this site, you can sign-up for newly written devotions as they come out which will be emailed to you.
Presently Robin is the pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Pottstown, PA. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He and his wife make their home in Birdsboro, Pa. He also serves as the president of the local ministerium. He and Cindy have two married sons and four grandchildren.
