Get Ready

Dr. Marty Baker / Joshua 1:1-9 / January 10, 2009

Good morning and welcome to The Creek. I would like to welcome all of those in our Grovetown campus and those watching on television and to the hundreds watching StevensCreekChurch.com.
Over the holidays there was one question that I was asked more than any other and that was: Are you ready for Christmas? Most of us use that phrase to get a conversation started and then we talk about our plans for the holidays.
After the presents are unwrapped and the trees are taken down, we typically ask: Did you have a good Christmas? We never ask: Are you ready for a New Year?
Today, I am asking that question because I want to get a conversation started that will help you get ready for the days ahead. You see I believe that all of us have new opportunities that are just in front of us … opportunities that are waiting to be taken. Opportunities that are will help you and me to become the people that we were meant to be. Today it’s time to get ready for a new adventure.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series called “My Big Amazing Renovation”. If the title sounds familiar it was inspired by the HGTV show. Patty and I are fans of do-it-yourself renovation shows. It does not take much to get me thinking about new projects that I may tackle. In fact when I shared the old story on Christmas Eve about repairing the seven holes in the walls of our extra bedroom, I forgot to tell you that as I was speaking that evening I had unfinished drywall in our bathroom.
So, after Christmas I finished that project. I then painted the bathroom and I started painting Sarah’s room. I have one more coat of paint to go before I am finished in Sarah’s room. As I have painted, I have been wondering if I can learn to lay hardwood floors…pray for me. There may be a new story developing.
Here’s what I know. I love to see things get better. I love to see something that is old become new again. That’s why I love Stevens Creek. When I look around this auditorium, I see so many stories of life-change. I see people who were headed in the wrong direction, down a path of destruction. Then, they decided, “That’s enough.” I am not going to continue to live the way that I have been living. I want to change. I need help.
Well, if that is you, I believe that this new series will lead you to a better life and it is my prayer that by the end of this month, you will have a “Big Amazing Renovation” Story. So, it’s time to “Get Ready.”
This series will feature four messages from the Old Testament book of Joshua. Here’s some back ground. The Old Testament is the story of God’s passion for a people. He planted in Abraham a vision to be a great nation. This vision was passed down to his son, Issac, and then to his grandson Jacob.
Jacob had an encounter with God and his name was changed to Israel. He had twelve sons who became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. These twelve boys had their share of sibling rivalry and one day, the older boys turned against their younger brother Joseph and sold him as a slave. Joseph ended up in Egypt. God protected through this difficult season and eventually raised him up as an official in the government. A famine hit the land and the entire family moved to Egypt where Joseph took care of them.
Everything was great. Joseph died and his influence in Egypt eventually faded. The new king was threatened by sheer size of this family and he sought to suppress them. He turned them into slaves and made their lives bitter. They cried out to God for help. He raised up a deliverer named, Moses. He, through the miracle-working power of God, led the Children of Israel out of slavery and into a new land. While on the way to this new land, they lost sight of God’s plan for their lives. They rebelled and as a result their short journey to this new land became a forty year trek through the desert.
In today’s story, the forty year season in the wilderness is coming to a close and they are getting ready to cross over into the Promised Land. Their leader, Moses, is dead and Joshua is now in charge.
Joshua 1:1-9
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 Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up 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.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 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 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; 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.
This section begins with God telling Joshua to get ready to lead the Children of Israel into a new land and a new season of life. They wandered aimlessly in the wilderness for forty years. These people had never known true freedom. Their parents were slaves in Egypt and they themselves grew up as nomads crisscrossing the desert. Now, it’s time to leave their past behind them and embrace a new future.
As we go through this story, I want you to understand that this is not just a history lesson, but their story is your story. It’s my story.
We have been wandering around aimlessly looking for love, looking for meaning, and looking for purpose, but we have been looking in the wrong place. You cannot find a fulfilling life in the desert.
God is calling you to a new place, a new land where you have never been before. God is calling you to step out and follow His direction. There is a land, a promised land waiting just ahead. God has given you promises of a better future and a better life. Some of you have been patiently waiting for the answer to come and the dream to be complete, and now, it’s time to embrace the journey.
Joshua 1:2
... 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.
God told Joshua to get ready to cross the Jordan. Get ready for your life to change. God is saying that to you today. Get ready for your life to change.
This past week we were in Mississippi at JT and Brittany’s wedding. JT works with our small groups here at The Creek. JT and Brittany stood before the church … innocent and clueless at the same time. Their lives are about to change. For the last year, they have been getting ready for their wedding and now their new life has begun.
What are you getting ready for? Are you getting ready for the next season of your life? Or would you rather continue going around in circles in the wilderness? God has a better plan for you.
When we look at the verses from Joshua 1, we see that God instructed Joshua to expand his horizons and see life from a new perspective.
As I studied this passage, there are four principles that I saw in these verses.
Leadership Principles from the Life of Joshua
1. Your opportunity is as big as your faith.
God promised Joshua and the Children of Israel that they will cross the Jordan and enter the land. He challenged them to take responsibility and take possession of the land.
Joshua 1:3-4
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 Great Sea on the west.
The entire region was given to Joshua and the Children of Israel, but they could possess only the portion which they claimed. “I will give you every place where you set your foot.”
The same is true in the spiritual life. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we cross over from the wilderness of our sin through the waters of baptism into the Promised Land.
As believers, we can live in the Promised Land, but the level of our spiritual blessing is determined by the land that we claim. I possess only as much as I claim. I am as close to God as I want to be. I am as deep spiritual as I want to be.
Some people say that this church is not deep enough. Give me a break. You are as deep as you want to be. Don’t blame the church for your laziness. Take responsibility for your life. Grow up. Step out in faith. Give your life completely to the Lord. Follow Him.
You must remember that a whole generation died in the wilderness before the land of Canaan was attained. Only Joshua and Caleb of the generation which left Egypt succeeded in entering the land. They succeeded because they wholly followed the Lord.
If we are going to possess our spiritual land of blessing, we must wholly follow the Lord. The second principle is this.
2. When you face challenges, remember that you are not alone.
God told Joshua and the people to go and possess the land. This land was inhabited by strong enemies. There were seven nations that held the land of Canaan. They were well-resourced with the latest weaponry. The Israelites had some battles to fight before they could possess the land.
Some of you have recently come to faith and have been baptized. When you turn and follow Jesus, everything is not going to go your way. You will have challenges. You will face conflict. You have an enemy that will try to take you down. But, stand firm. You are not alone.
Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand up 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.
God is with you. Some of you are facing challenges in your family. Call on God and ask for His help. Claim this promise that “no one will be able to stand up against you…”
Maybe it's in the workplace --- an especially difficult relationship that you need to face into, or a challenge that you've been given that you don't feel capable of meeting. Maybe it's a ministry that you're starting here at the Creek or somewhere else. Remember the Lord is with you.

3. Strive to be the person that you were meant to be.
Joshua 1:6
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
I believe that God has a plan for your life. He wants you to embrace his will for your life. In your mind, you have your life mapped out. You have goals and ambitions. You have dreams. All of those things are good. I encourage you to dream, but I challenge you to dream God’s dream for your life.
Put God first in your life. Be the person that he has created you to be. Some of you are living for the moment. You are living for yourself. It’s time to surrender to God’s direction. It’s time to lay your life on the altar and say, “God, I want to be the person that you want me to be. I want to go where you call me to go.”
God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
So many of you are strong, but you are not strong in the Lord. You are strong in business, but you are not strong in the Lord. You are strong in relationships, but you do not have a personal relationship with God.
You will never reach your life’s potential until you embrace God’s plan for your life.
Some of you are on the verge, but you are fearful. You are afraid that God will make you do something that you don’t want to do. You know sometimes it may take that… sometimes you have to walk a road that you don’t want to walk, but in the end God is going to carve out for you a desirable life.
When your life lines up with your spiritual gifts and personality, you will find meaning and purpose.
The next principle from this passage for us to follow is this:
4. Stay focused on God’s plan for your life.
Joshua 1:7
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.
Isn’t interesting that the Lord repeats himself to Joshua? Once again, he says to be “strong” and “courageous”. It’s going to take the strength from the Lord for you to stay focused. There are so many things that will come against you. If the enemy can keep you confused, then you will not make forward progress.
Notice that it says to be careful to obey. We need to do the right things. Make an effort to live the right way. When you do this, you will find success.
How do we know God’s will?
Joshua 1:8
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; 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.

You can discover God’s will in God’s word. Read and pray.