Josué 1
F.B. Meyer · Citado em PreceptAustin
Josué 1
Meyer - We must meditate on the words of God, because it is through the Word of God that the Spirit of God comes in fullness to be the mighty occupant of our inner man. This, after all, is the secret of strength—to be possessed of the strong Son of God, strengthened by his indwelling might, and filled by his Spirit. (Comment - The only caveat I would make is that every believer has 100% of the Spirit, but the Spirit does not necessarily have 100% of us!) Deuteronomy 31 talks about Moses' completing the book and committing it to the care of the priests, but it wasn't enough that the priests carried it around and protected it. Here we see that Joshua had to take the time to read it every single day, to make it a part of his inner person by meditating on it. Shall not depart This word has deep meaning for Israel where God affirms His covenant with Abraham forever (Isa 54:10 59:21 Jer 31:36 Zech 3:9, 14:4) From your mouth refers to the custom of muttering while studying or reflecting. . The ancient practice of reading aloud to oneself as an aid to memorization is in view here. "This book of the law [~Scripture] shall not depart from your mouth," ~ it should be the constant topic of your conversation. Why? "Because you shall meditate on it day and night." Now whatever you're thinking about all day and thinking about all night will show up in your conversation. So he's saying you ought to be dominated by the Word of God. It is the dominant thing in your life. Meditatively it becomes the dominating thing in your life conversationally. Then it's into action that he speaks so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. You meditate on it, you talk about it and pretty soon you begin to live it out. Then you will make your way prosperous, then you will have success. But you need to do according to all that is written in it. There are many Christians who can't do according to all that is written in it because they don't understand it. And that's why it's incumbent upon us to study the Scripture so that we can understand it so that we can do it so that we can be blessed and prosperous and have good success. If the word is not to depart from Joshua's mouth, the implication is that when he speaks he is to proclaim God's Word to Israel. He is not only to have God's Word in him that he might meditate on it but he is to proclaim it because there is power in the proclaimed/spoken word of God! No Word from God is devoid of power (Lk 1:37ASV). God's Word is sharper than a two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word is like fire (contrast Jer 23:28) and like a hammer which shatters a rock! (Jer 23:29). God's Word is like a sword the Spirit uses (Eph 6:17). There is power in speaking the very words of the Scripture. Have you used the Scripture as your battle-axe? Have you used this Word of God as a hammer to break the rock into pieces? Have you? Have you used it as your power of attorney when you go in to take the land that God Almighty has given unto you? We're to proclaim the Word. but you shall meditate on it MEDITATE: HAGAH: Qal Perfect: Note the tense. When one continually mutters God's Word to himself, he is constantly thinking about it. Knowledge of God's law is not enough; one must also "be careful to do" what it commands, relying not on will power, but Spirit power to obey! Thus the perfect law of liberty is to control and direct all our thoughts and actions (as we think will determine how we act - cf Pr 23:7). "Everything written in it" must be observed, because obedience to certain parts only is no obedience at all. When you study the Bible "hit or miss," you MISS more than you HIT. As the Epistle of James (Ja2:8-13) explains, such a practice shows respect for certain parts of the law only, but not for the Lawgiver. It's one thing to say to a leader, "Be strong and courageous." It's quite something else to enable him or her to do it. Joshua's strength and courage will come from meditating on the word of God, from believing the promises in it, from living in obedience to its precepts. Moses gave this same counsel to the entire nation back in Dt11 almost word-for-word. But now God is applying it specifically to Joshua. A W Tozer: "Read it much, read it often, brood over it, think over it, meditate over it—meditate on the Word of God day and night. When you are awake at night, think of a helpful verse. When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel, think of a verse and make the Word of God the important element in your day. The Holy Ghost wrote the Word, and if you make much of the Word, He will make much of you. It is through the Word that He reveals Himself. Between those covers is a living Book. God wrote it and it is still vital and effective and alive. God is in this Book, the Holy Ghost is in this Book, and if you want to find Him, go into this Book." (Discipleship - Collected Insights from AW Tozer ) This passage is calling us to think "Biblically", reading and soaking in and reflecting on the word of God, so that we live "Biblically" in all we say and do. Day and night - Dt 17:19,20 The Hebrew word for meditate is interesting---it means to mutter. We mutter under our breath, talk to ourselves, interact with issues. I think of the practice of the Jews even today who read the Scriptures aloud to themselves. You can see them at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, repeating the Scriptures aloud to the Lord and to themselves. The Jewish people even to this day love to discuss the Scriptures with each other and debate over Torah. That explains God's warning to Joshua here in verse 8 to not allow the book of the law to depart out of his mouth. There is a sense in which we are to engage in dialogue with our Bibles, and that goes way beyond a casual reading through the One Year Bible, or hearing a sermon once a week, or even being passively involved in some group Bible study on a weekly basis. This is talking to our Bibles. This image is of soaking in the Scriptures---intense, regular, personal engagement with the Scriptures---with the desire not just to gain information for its own sake, but to be guided and directed and controlled by God's revelation. We want it to keep us from wandering off in the wrong direction, from turning to the right hand or to the left, in the words of our text. We want it to enable us to succeed in the things that God desires for us.
Josué 1:8
Meyer applies the truth of this passage to the NT believer's blessed life: Victory assured: — There is no foe to your growth in grace, no enemy in your Christian work, no dreaded form of evil dominating and cursing the souls of men, which was not included in your Saviour’s conquests. You need not be afraid of them. When you touch them, they will flee before you. God has promised to deliver them up before you. There shall no man of them be able to stand before you. Neither Anakim nor fenced cities need daunt you. You are one of the conquering legion. Claim (Ed: Not just with your voice but by Spirit enabled obedience!) your share in the Saviour’s victory. Sermon by C H
Josué 1:8
Meyer writes… THE INDWELLING OF THE WORD OF GOD. Coal contains within its texture the strength absorbed from the sun in bygone ages; so words will pass on to men the heroic thoughts which thrilled the souls of those who spake them first. There are words, as there are strains of music, which cannot be uttered without nerving men to dare and do, to attempt and achieve. A woman will be strong to wait and suffer for long years in the strength of a sentence spoken by her lover as he parted from her: An army has before now forgot sleepless nights and hungry marches in the stirring harangue of its general. And is not this what the prophet meant, when he said, “Thy words were found and I did eat them, and Thy words were unto me a joy, and the rejoicing of my heart”? (Jer 15:16) and what Jesus meant when He said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life “? (Jn 6:63) We can do all things when Christ is in us in unthwarted power (Php 4:13). The only limit lies in our faith and capacity, or, in other words, in our absolute submission to His indwelling. Little children can overcome when there is within them a Stronger than their foes (cp Mt 17:20, Mk 9:24!). Weaklings may do exploits when the Mighty Conqueror who travels in the greatness of His strength makes them the vehicle of His progress. ><>><>><> A good working Bible: — Rare botanical specimens are found by diligent searching. It is by earnest and prayerful study of the Bible theft we discover truths that we may call our own. We have a brother who has been working in the gold mines of California for many years. He has a watch-chain that he greatly values because the gold in it is what he searched and dug out of the mountain himself by hard labour and much sacrifice. Truths discovered as the result of hard study are very precious to us. The Bible should be an every-day book to us. A very handsome and expensive Bible on the parlour stand, covered with a bric-a-brac, is of little value as compared with a good working Bible. A well-known Sunday-school worker tells of going into a house in North Wales. As he sat by a table talking with a little girl, he picked up a Bible, when she instantly said, “That’s my mother’s every-day Bible, sir; I’ll give you the Sunday Bible if you want to read.” We all need an every-day Bible, one that can be handled easily and conveniently — a Bible with every precious promise and every verse that has been especially helpful to us marked. The Jews were commanded to read the Scripture all the time, to write it upon the door-posts; to have it as frontiers between their eyes; to talk of it by the way, and teach it to their children and children’s children. (Home Messenger.) ><>><>><> F B Meyer in the second chapter entitled The Divine Commission writes that… Words pass on to men the heroic thoughts which thrilled the souls of those who spake them first. There are words, as there are strains of music, which cannot be uttered without nerving men to dare and do, to attempt and achieve. - A woman will be strong to wait and suffer for long years in the strength of a sentence spoken by her lover as he parted from her. - An army has before now forgotten sleepless nights and hungry marches in the stirring harangue of its general. And is not this what the prophet meant, when he said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart”: and what Jesus meant when he said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”? We must meditate on the words of God, because it is through the Word of God that the Spirit of God comes in fullness to be the mighty occupant of our inner man. This, after all, is the secret of strength to be possessed of the strong Son of God, strengthened by his indwelling might, and filled by his Spirit. We can do all things when Christ is in us in unthwarted power. The only limit lies in our faith and capacity; or, in other words, in our absolute submission to his indwelling. Little children can overcome when there is within them a Stronger than their foes. Weaklings may do exploits when the Mighty Conqueror who travels in the greatness of his strength makes them the vehicle of his progress. Nobodies, nonentities, broken reeds, bleached jaw-bones, quills plucked from the wild-fowl, and arrows that a babe could snap, accomplish marvels, because they are the channels through which the mysterious current of divine power and Godhead flows forth to the world. Our risen Lord is charged with power. It is stored in him as in a cistern for us. As the force of the brain is communicated to the members by the energy of the vital current flashing along the nerves, so does the power of Jesus come to us, his members, by the Holy Ghost. And if we would have that blessed Spirit, we must seek him, not only in the fervid meeting or in the great convocation, but through the Word, wherein his force is stored. Meditate on it day and night, till it yield to thee strength and good courage, drawn from the nature of the glorified Redeemer. Thy God hath commanded thy strength: claim it from Jesus, through faith, by his Spirit, and in his Word. Be strong in your weakness through the strengthening might of Christ. Take weakness, weariness, faint-heartedness, and difficulty, into his presence; they will melt as hoar-frost in sunbeams. Give yourself wholly up to him, to do or die, as he shall choose. Then anoint your head, and wash your face. You shall have your inheritance in Timnath-heres (the portion of the sun); you shall make your way prosperous, and have good success; and you shall lead a nation to inherit the Land of Promise. (Joshua and the Land of Promise) In regard to this "book of the law" A W Tozer said… Read it much, read it often, brood over it, think over it, meditate over it—meditate on the Word of God day and night. When you are awake at night, think of a helpful verse. When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel, think of a verse and make the Word of God the important element in your day. The Holy Ghost wrote the Word, and if you make much of the Word, He will make much of you. It is through the Word that He reveals Himself. Between those covers is a living Book. God wrote it and it is still vital and effective and alive. God is in this Book, the Holy Ghost is in this Book, and if you want to find Him, go into this Book. Dr. Denis Burkitt achieved fame for discovering the cause and cure of a disease named after him-- Burkitt's lymphoma. He also received widespread acclaim for demonstrating the benefits of a fiber-rich diet, which earned him the amusing nickname "Fiber Man." What many people don't know, however, is that Dr. Burkitt was not merely a great medical pioneer; he was a dedicated servant of God who daily spent much time in prayer and meditation on God's Word. He observed, I am convinced that a downgrading in priority of… prayer and biblical meditation is a major cause of weakness in many Christian communities… Bible study demands pondering deeply on a short passage, like a cow chewing her cud. It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little. Dr. Burkitt didn't leave just a great legacy of healing; he left an example of personal holiness and closeness with the Lord. The secret was his lifelong habit of setting aside a specific time for prayer and reflection on God's Word. Few of us will ever enjoy accomplishments like his, but by following the prescription of Psalm 1:2-note we can attain the same spiritual health that he did. In the stillness of the morning, Before a busy day of care, How sweet to be alone with God Through His holy Word and prayer! --Anderson God speaks to those who take the time to listen. Prayer is talking with God. Meditation is listening to God. If you have an hour set aside to read the Scriptures, try reading the first half hour and then using the second half hour to reflect or meditate on what you read. Applying the guidelines for careful observation and interpretation can objectively aid your efforts to meditate on the Word. Watch the difference it makes. You’re reading too much if you have no time to genuinely meditate on what you read. If you keep a devotional notebook, jot down your thoughts inspired by observing, interpreting and meditating on the passage. Meditation on the Person and works of God can bring refreshment and invigoration to any believer (cp "rest for your souls" - Mt 11:28, 29, 30). Meditation on God fills a basic need in the heart of every person, as basic a need as food and drink (Mt 4:4). It not only satisfies the believer but overflows in praise making him or her a blessing to others. DAY AND NIGHT: Ps 63:6, Ps 119:148 Ps 139:17 18 Lam 2:19 Lk 6:12 MEDITATING WITHOUT CEASING Day and night - A Hebraism or Hebraic way of saying continually. Meditation was to be Joshua's continual practice. Why? Because sustenance from the living Word was his constant need! Beloved, we are no different. Do not try to fight the good fight today without first "easting" the "breakfast of champions", the living and active Word, taking time to "chew" your food (Little children continually need to be told "Now, Johnny, chew your food!"). Even as the children of Israel depended on the daily deliverance of manna in the wilderness, Joshua and you and I also need to go out each morning and gather the manna of God's Word. Howard Hendricks - I want to point out the frequency with which biblical truth should percolate through your mind: “day and night.” That leads me to ask, What portion of Scripture was I thinking about this morning as I started my day? While I was at work? As I made my way home? For that matter, when was the last time I consciously reflected on biblical truths and principles? (Living By The Book by Howard Hendricks, William Hendricks - Recommended) SO THAT YOU MAY BE CAREFUL TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN IT: Careful to do: Dt 5:29,32,33 6:1-3 Mt 7:21,24 28:20 Lk 11:28 Jn 13:17 14:21 Jas 1:22 23 24 25 Rev 22:14) HEARING & HEEDING So that - Always pause to ponder this term of purpose or result. Sometimes the Spirit will use your willingness to slow down and "chew on" the passage to give you some wonderful observations that you had never seen before. Be careful to do - "can carefully obey" (NET), "so that you will faithfully do everything written in them" (GW) Lxx translates "be careful" with suniemi which conveys the idea of "understand" - understand that hearing without heeding is vain! Joshua 1:8 lays down the immutable principle which is the key to the "victorious Christian life"… Obey God's Word ~ Victory & Blessing Disobey God's Word ~ Defeat & Trial Meditation must be accompanied by doing! If meditation does not affect our behavior, we are deluding ourselves. James in the New Testament counterpart of Joshua 1:8 made this important principle clear, cautioning his readers… But (term of contrast - always pause to ponder what is being contrasted, why it is being contrasted, etc? See James 1:21-note) prove (present imperative = make this your habitual practice) yourselves doers (poietes) of the word, and not merely hearers (akroates) who delude (paralogizomai in the present tense = continually delude) themselves. (Why is adherence to this command so critical?) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But (What is the refreshing contrast?) one who looks intently (parakupto = bend one's head forward to look into carefully) at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed (makarios) in what he does. (Jas 1:22, 23, 24-note; Jas 1:25-note) Comment: The phrase "doer of the Word" does not refer to the person who obeys periodically, but the one who habitually and characteristically obeys. It's one ting to run in a race; it's something else to be a runner. It's one thing to teach a class; it's something else to be a teacher. Runners are know for running; teachers are known for teaching--it's characteristic of their lives. Similarly, doers of the Word are known for their obedience!" (John
Josué 1:8
Meyer wrote that all through the Scriptures… We are taught, not for our pleasure only, but that we may do. If we will turn each holy precept or command into instant obedience, through the dear grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, God will keep nothing back from us; He will open to us His deepest and sweetest thoughts. But so long as we refuse obedience to even the least command, we shall find that the light will fade from the page of Scripture, and the zest will die down quickly in our own hearts.
Josué 1:8
Meyer - The Sources of Joshua's Strength I. A faithful past - The aloe blooms but once in a hundred years, but every hour of all that century is needed to produce the delicate texture and resplendent beauty of the flower. The deed of a Grace Darling is not the sudden outburst of the moment that gives it birth, but the result of long years of self-discipline, courage, and ministry to others. And this summons of Joshua to the leader’s place in Israel was the guerdon of more than eighty years of faithful service. None of us can tell for what God is educating us. We fret and murmur at the narrow round and daily task of ordinary life, not realizing that it is only thus that we can be prepared for the high and holy office which awaits us. We must descend before we can ascend. God’s will comes to thee and me in daily circumstances, in little things equally as in great; meet them bravely; be at your best always, though the occasion be one of the very least; dignify the smallest summons by the greatness of your response; so the call will come to you as to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses’ minister. II. A distinct call - The supreme inquiry for each of us, when summoned to a new work, is not whether we possess sufficient strength or qualification for it, but if we have been called to it of God; and when that is so there is no further cause for anxiety. If it is in His plan that we should march through a river, or attack a walled town, or turn to flight an army, we have simply to go forward. Rivers will dry up, walls will fall down, armies shall be scattered as snow in summer. There is no such thing as impossibility when God says, “Forward, soul, arise, go over this Jordan!” III. The sense of the presence of God. There have been generals whose presence on the field of battle has been the presage and guarantee of victory. Not only have they inspired the soldiers with a sense of confidence in their leadership, but they have encouraged them by their personal prowess and bravery. There is a marvelous sense of security and courage when a Christiana, a Mr. Fearing, or a Miss Much-Afraid is assured of the presence of a Greatheart, who has never turned his back on a foe. And a lonely, trembling soul dares to step bravely across the margin of life into the unknown beyond: to go down unabashed into the chill waters of death, because it can sing, “Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” IV. The indwelling of the Word of God. Coal contains within its texture the strength absorbed from the sun in bygone ages; so words will pass on to men the heroic thoughts which thrilled the souls of those who spake them first. There are words, as there are strains of music, which cannot be uttered without nerving men to dare and do, to attempt and achieve. A woman will be strong to wait and suffer for long years in the strength of a sentence spoken by her lover as he parted from her: An army has before now forgot sleepless nights and hungry marches in the stirring harangue of its general. And is not this what the prophet meant, when he said, “Thy words were found and I did eat them, and Thy words were unto me a joy, and the rejoicing of my heart”? (Jer 15:16) and what Jesus meant when He said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life “? (Jn 6:63) We can do all things when Christ is in us in unthwarted power. The only limit lies in our faith and capacity, or, in other words, in our absolute submission to His indwelling. Little children can overcome when there is within them a Stronger than their foes. Weaklings may do exploits when the Mighty Conqueror who travels in the greatness of His strength makes them the vehicle of His progress. William Newell has these encouraging introductory thoughts on the Book of Joshua… The Book of Possession - We have before us now a book of great delight to the spiritual Christian. All through the Christian centuries Joshua has yielded priceless treasures to those saints who have been '' overcomers" (Rev. 2, 3). For those who have been content merely to '' get to heaven," this book has not, perhaps, presented any special attractions; but those who have been warrior-saints, who were determined to " reign with Christ" at whatever cost (Ro 8:17; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27), have ever found a very fortress of strength in this wonderful book. No book is more full of encouragement, wisdom and invigoration for the spiritual soldier. This land to be possessed, these deadly enemies the conditions of successful occupation, the Jordan-crossing, the successive conflicts, the division of the land—all these things are of intense interest to the instructed Christian mind. New and deeper meanings are ever unfolded from these simple stories to those who have learned their true position in the risen Christ (Cp Related Resource = in Christ), and what their own real conflict is and feel their need of instruction and equipment for it. It is our humble hope that some may be led through these lessons to recognize these spiritual treasures in the book of Joshua, and to enter upon their appropriation… The key-word of Deuteronomy is obedience. Its great object is to be the preparation of the chosen, redeemed and disciplined people of God to enter upon their inheritance, to conquer it and, through constant faithfulness, to hold it perpetually as the head of the nations. (Dt 26:18 19 11:8 22 23 24 25; 28:1-14 32:46, 47)… The first five books see the people chosen and established (Dt 29: 13, 13) as the people of God: outwardly on the basis of the legal covenant, but really on the basis of God's covenant of promise with Abraham. (Ge. 15:11 12 13 14 15 16 and Ge 17:7 8 9 10; cf. Dt 29:13, and Gal 3:15 16 17 18). Under the second great division of the Bible, which includes the twelve books following Deuteronomy, the trial of Israel in the land under the legal covenant is given, with its result—utter failure… In Joshua we shall find the nation on the whole obedient to God, though the seeds of the failure so apparent in Judges will be discovered. Israel, as one has said, must be shown to be not only ungodly, as in Ex. 32, but without strength (Ro 5:6); not only guilty, but helpless, unable to obey God's holy law in their own power. Till man learns both these lessons, God cannot come to him in grace. BOOK OF JOSHUA PARALLELS BOOK OF EPHESIANS The book of Joshua will be found very rich in spiritual and typical truth, because there is a realm of promise granted to the Christian corresponding to the land of Canaan as given to Israel. In the book of Ephesians, which sets forth the church's inheritance, and corresponds to the book of Joshua, this realm is called "the heavenly places." (Ep 1:20 2:5, 6) To be in Christ is to be in this realm: that is, every real believer now is already in "the heavenly places." In Ep 1:3 are seen our possessions there—that which is already ours and is to be entered on by faith. Compare 2Pe 1:3, 4. and Josh 1:3. The law of possession is seen in Mt 9:29 —"According to your faith be it unto you." The secret of getting these wonderful things into our experience is to believe that they all are already ours in fact, in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom, we are. When, as did Israel, we fully believe that our Canaan really belongs to us— hath been (past tense!) granted to us, not will be (future tense!) granted to us, we are ready to march forward with victorious faith to take possession. The knowledge and constant realization in experience of this our standing in Christ, is absolutely necessary, it we would have any real liberty or joy in the study of these Old Testament Scriptures.. It is, alas, rather the exception than the rule, in these days to find Christians whose lives fit the heavenly places where God puts them, Ep 2:6. Not that their failure to realize their position, possessions, and privileges, changes at all these blessed facts. Thank God, no! Christ has forever secured all things for us by His own finished work. But it is to be feared that Paul would class most of the Church today as Galatians and say. "I am perplexed about you." (Gal 4:20). Whence all this observing of "days, months, seasons, years" (Gal 4:10), in modern Christendom, if this be not true, that they are desiring to be "again under bondage"' (Gal. 4:9, 21)… It is to be gravely doubted if the many of Christians today know experimentally what that word grace (charis) means. And yet it is the key-word of Church truth… The separate and distinct callings of Israel and the Church must be thoroughly apprehended, in order to our right application of the different parts of Scripture (especially of the Old Testament) and our definite grasping, by appropriating faith, of those things given peculiarly to believers of the present dispensation. In 1Co 10:11 is set forth a great principle of Biblical interpretation, which, though ignored by many, and even ridiculed by others, has, nevertheless, furnished untold riches to those who have humbly and believingly approached, by its direction, the examination of the material of the Old Testament. The passage is: Now all these things happened unto them for types [literal margin]; and they were written for our admonition. To one who, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, is willing to lay aside all prejudice on the one hand, and all fantastic imaginings on the other, the study of the types of Scripture yields unspeakable delight and profit. (See Caveats in Discussion of Biblical Types) Israel are the earthly people of God, and the Church of the present dispensation His heavenly people. We might expect to find much in the inheritance and history of the former typical of those of the latter. Such is, without doubt, the case… Nothing, moreover. I believe, so wakens and holds the interest of Christians in the Old Testament as the personal discovery of the riches placed there for them in the form of type and shadow. As we have above stated, the Epistle to the Ephesians is to the Church what the book of Joshua was to Israel. The Church, the body of Christ (Ep 1:23, Ep 5:30), has been brought up out of its Egypt, the world (Ep 2:1 2 3), having been quickened in Christ, its Head (Ep 2:5) It has been brought up through and out of its Jordan (the grave of Christ, Ro 6:3, 4) and has been raised up with Christ (Ep 2:6) into that realm of spiritual life and power described five times in Ephesians as "the heavenly places" (Ep 1:3 20 2:6 3:10 4:12). This is the Christian's Canaan of inheritance; his proper sphere (Ep 2 6), where his Joshua or Princely Leader is (Ep 1:20 21 22 23; He 12:2), where his present real possessions are (Ep 1:3); where his desperate enemies are (Ep 6:12), and in which sphere God has determined through His dealings with the Church to make known His wisdom to those high ones of evil who are yet allowed the freedom of the same realm, and the dominion in it under Satan its prince and theirs, over all but the trusting saints. (Ep 2:1 6:12; Jn 14:30; Mt 12:24 25 26) How alone the saints are able to resist their domination is seen in Ep 6:10-20. These hosts of darkness are the real Canaanites to the Christian (Ed: I would add world, and the worst [because it's inside the "castle gates" so to speak] the flesh). But just as faith conquers the world (1Jn 5:4), because it enters into the victory Jesus gained for us (Jn 16:33), and looking on ahead sees the world condemned in the judgment and punished: so also it is faith that gets the victory over the legions of Satan (1Pe 5:8 9 Jas 4:7), that faith which, without presuming to attempt personal battle simply enters into the victory Christ has secured for us—first, through His wilderness victory (Mt 4:1-11, etc.); then through His cross (He 2:14 15 Col. 2:15)—using Goliath's own sword to vanquish him (see 1Sa 17:51); and. finally, through His ascension. His seating (Ep 1:21 22 and likely Ps 68:17, 18) and His watchful and effective intercession (He 7:25 cp Lk 22:31 32). Into all this faith triumphantly enters, and of course, gets the victory everywhere and it keeps looking on expectantly to the final complete overthrow of its enemies, and their expulsion from the heavenly places, in the tribulation period to come (Rev 12:7 8 9 10; Is 24:22); and to their binding in the abyss at the inauguration of the millennium (Rev. 20 : 1-3; Isa. 24 :22): and on to their final and eternal relegation to the place prepared for them (Re 20:10: Mt 25:41) (Click for all Newell's Notes on Joshua - Joshua - Lessons from Union Bible Classes) DEVOTIONALS The Way To Success - During the Chinese New Year it is customary for hongbaos (small red envelopes containing money) to be given away. When parents give hongbaos to their children, it is also to wish them prosperity and success. Knowing that this sincere wish is insufficient, however, they also remind their children to study hard. Chinese people generally believe that a good education is the key to one’s success in life. In Joshua 1, God told Joshua that his ways could prosper as he assumed Moses’ leadership role. But he and the people needed to display courage in the face of stiff opposition as they entered the Promised Land (Josh 1:6). God promised to give them success if they heeded His “Book of the Law” (Josh 1:8). Believers today also need to live according to God’s Word if we are to enjoy success in our spiritual walk. The Bible contains not only the do’s and don’ts for living but also records the life experiences of those who pleased or displeased God. We, like Joshua, have God’s promise that He will be with us always (Josh 1:9; Matt. 28:20). That should give us strength to face the challenges and difficulties that inevitably arise as we seek to please Him. Be strong! It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong, How hard the battle goes, the day how long; Faint not—fight on! Tomorrow comes the song. —Babcock When facing a crisis, trust God and move forward. Thomas Watson - Live Your Meditation This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8 Live out your meditation. “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” (Josh. 1:8). Meditation and practice, like two sisters, must go hand in hand. Cassian says that “the contemplative life cannot be perfected without the practice.” We read that the angels had wings, and hands under their wings (Ezek. 1:8). It may be an emblem of this truth; Christians must not only fly upon the wing of meditation—but they must be active in obedience, they must have hands under their wings! The end of meditation is action. We must not only meditate in God’s law—but walk in His law (Deut. 28:9). Without this, we are like those Gnostics, who had much knowledge—but were licentious in their lives. Christians must be like the sun, which does not only send forth heat—but goes its circuit round the world. It is not enough that the affections are heated by meditation—but we must go our circuit too, that is, move regularly in the sphere of obedience. After warming at the fire of meditation, we must be fitter for work. Meditation is the life of piety; and practice is the life of meditation. It is said in the honor of Gregory Nazianzen, that he lived out his own sermons. So a godly Christian must live out his own meditations. Recipe For Success - Wrinkled noses and puckered lips—sometimes this is my family’s reaction to my cooking, especially when I’m trying something new in the kitchen. Recently, I had a breakthrough with a unique version of macaroni and cheese. I jotted down the ingredients and tucked the recipe away for future reference. Without that set of instructions, I knew the next batch would be a flop. Without God’s instructions, Joshua would have failed at leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. The first step was to “be strong and of good courage” (Josh. 1:6). Next, he was to continually meditate on the Book of the Law, and finally, he was to do everything it said. As long as Joshua followed the directions, God promised him “good success” (v.8). God’s “recipe for success” can work for us too, but His idea of success has little to do with money, popularity, or even good health. In the original Hebrew, “then you will have good success” means “then you will act wisely.” Just as God called Joshua to walk in wisdom, He wants us to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). As we take courage in the Lord, feast on His Word, and obey Him, we have a recipe for godly success that’s better than anything we could cook up on our own. You will surely find at the journey’s end, Whatever the world may afford, That things fade away, and success is seen In the life that has served the Lord. —Anon. Obedience to God’s Word is the recipe for spiritual success. An old sailor repeatedly got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed their advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find his way back. Finally he was rescued by his friends. Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept pointing southeast.” He was so certain he knew which way was north that he stubbornly tried to force his own personal conviction on his compass. After the death of Moses, God spoke to Joshua just before he led Israel into the Promised Land. The Lord reminded Joshua of His law and told him, “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Josh. 1:7). Those who follow God’s instructions and warnings are spared the waste of foolish wandering and the heartache of shipwreck and ruin. We must ask God to point the way. Then let’s trust the compass of His Word. All the way my Savior leads me— What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my Guide? —Crosby To know God's will, trust His Word. Woodrow Kroll has the following devotional on Lessons on Living… The Key to Good Success - My local newspaper reported that a man and woman who tried to hop a Union Pacific train from North Platte, Nebraska, to Omaha were being held in Dawson County jail on trespass charges. But the couple wouldn't have gotten to Omaha even if they hadn't been apprehended; the train was headed to Kansas City. Many people who think they're on the train headed for success are really going in the opposite direction. History is awash with examples of men and women who found a form of success, but lived to regret it. It was not what the Bible calls "good" success. Lord Byron, who achieved fame both as a poet and a libertine, wrote at the age of 35: My days are in the yellow leaf, The flowers and fruits of love are gone; The worm, the canker, and the grief Are mine alone. God's success is far different; it's always headed in the right direction. Joshua was assured that if he lived consistent with what was written in God's Word, he would achieve success--but not just any success. God's promise to Joshua, as well as to you and me, is that if we live by all that is written in the Bible, we will achieve "good" success. The key to good success is obedience to God's Word. If you conform your life to God's will, as it is revealed in His Word, you'll experience the kind of success that will be a blessing rather than a burden. Only a good God can give good success. (Back to the Bible) Rob