Topic: Stepping into bigger shoes
Text: Joshua 1
Key verse: This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
There is no man the Lord has called who had everything he needed in himself to perform the call of God. We always have some form of weakness or the other. This area of weakness is where we need to turn to the Lord for. Joshua had served as Moses assistant for so many years, watching from afar the dealings of God with Moses without knowing exactly what Moses heard.
Suddenly, the baton of leadership was passed to him; it was now his responsibility to hear from God himself and to give the people direction. Definitely, the task was huge, Moses had an imposing personality, recall he had been trained as an Egyptian from his childhood, and then he had several miraculous encounters with God in the wilderness. Then he single handedly provided the leadership that supernaturally brought Israel out of Egypt and across the Red sea. Stepping into the shoes of such a leader was not a small task.
Responding to the call to lead the family after your husband\’s passing is not an easy task, you battle not only with the loneliness of his absence but you struggle with fears of how to lead into the future. As a new leader in an organization or a pioneer in a project, your feeling of inadequacy can be overwhelming.
The funny thing is people around you envy you because of the new position and the power you wield, without knowing how afraid you are of the future. God cannot use you effectively with a heart full of fear. We can learn a few keys to overcome fear of the future, rejection or failure from Joshua.
I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you
God is committed to go only as far as your faith can go! Whatever you think is achievable, God will ensure you have it. As long as you are willing to pursue and posses any territory, opportunity, or position God is bound by his word to give it to you.
God gives a second promise to Joshua. The key here is his presence.
No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you
People will attempt to oppose , reject or resist your leadership but, as long as you are conscious and nurture God\’s presence in your life, God\’s promise is dependable,… For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you
Don\’t be presumptuous, seek God as Moses sought him, and ensure that you carry his presence with you as you make all decisions, major ones and even minor ones like who you add on your team. Many people will come to help with a multitude of counsels, the timing might look perfect to act, but always remember Moses said…, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here”. Exodus 33:15. Be ready to wait until you are sure it is God\’s will and the right time.
Strength and courage is so important God used it together three times in one chapter of the bible. Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.
When you feel inadequate, what you need are not more people to support you, but rather strength and courage. You need to be strengthened in your inner man. Feed yourself with the word especially the word that reveals your identity as a child of God. Assure yourself you are not an ordinary person but a God man or God woman. You are a carrier of God\’s Spirit, so you have his wisdom, ability and insights to execute his assignment for your life.
You can be strong mentally, spiritually and physically but if you lack faith in yourself, then courage will be absent and fear will set in. Just as a child is not afraid to deliver a message to anyone, you must not be afraid to fulfill your assignment because you didn\’t send yourself, God sent you.
Knowing God\’s will revealed in his word and obeying them is your guarantee to good success! 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.
Never replace the word of God with the opinion of any man. There will always be other options that have been successful for others, but if it is not according to God\’s word, it will not end in good success. Success is good when there is no trace of regret in the process.
Stop wishing you had more or better people in your team, if the Lord God is on your side, you are a winner. He doesn\’t need experts to bring his word to pass.
For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Who is the Lord your God? What can he do? What has he done before? Build up your faith by reminding yourself of the great and mighty things he has done before and trust him for what he can still do for you and through you.
Fear no more!
Roses & Thorns