God Has Given Me What It Takes
[1] After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, [2] “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. [3] Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. [5] No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. [6] Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. [7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8] This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. [9] Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:1-9
The Burning Question
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead… - Joshua 1:1-2
Do I Have What It Takes?
Our Abilities vs God’s Promises
Many times we are called to move forward in a single moment. There is no time for hesitancy.
Why are we hesitant?
We focus more on our own abilities than God’s promises
When we focus on our own abilities, we’re going to find cracks
God’s faithfulness is a firm foundation, there are no cracks
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. - Joshua 1:3-4
His promises are rooted in His faithfulness, not our abilities
Our Strength vs God’s Strength
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. - Joshua 1:5
Do I have what it takes? We question this sometimes because we doubt God’s calling on our life.
Not that we don’t believe God, but we compare ourselves
Joshua could have so easily compared himself to Moses
When we compare, we freeze. The paralysis of analysis
[1] I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? [2] My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. [3] He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. [4] Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. [5] The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. [6] The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. [7] The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. [8] The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. - Psalm 121
If you play the comparison game, you’re going to lose every time.
Your help is not in your own abilities, it’s in God’s strength.
“Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.”
Where does my help come? It comes from God and God alone.
Our Way vs God’s Way
[6] Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. [7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8] This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. - Joshua 1:6-8
Strong - be or grow firm
Courageous - resolute
When faced with the question, do I have what it takes, a lot of times we question if we have what it takes to lead in the right direction.
How am I going to make the right choices?
What if I make the wrong choice and now we’re off way over here?
That is why God give Joshua a compass
So when you are reminded that you need to be strong (firm)…
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
So when you are reminded that you need to be courageous (resolute)...
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. - John 14:27
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9
Dependence on God
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9
Do I have what it takes?
God has given you what it takes
If we had what it takes, we wouldn’t need God.
Just like Joshua had an utter dependency on God, we need the same
All things are possible, you can lead where He is calling you to lead
We must remain dependent on God
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! - Psalm 27:14
Answering the Call to Lead
Even though, without God, we don’t have what it takes, He still chooses us to lead
…for you shall cause this people to inherit the land… - Joshua 1:6
God, who is capable of doing it all by himself chooses people like us to make it happen
God has given you what it takes because He is with you
All things are possible, you can lead where He is calling you to lead
Reflective Questions
What hesistency keeping me from answering the call to lead?
Am I doing things on my own strength or God’s strength?
Who am I comparing myself to and need to stop doing that?
Is the Bible my true north compass that I use to lead me as I lead others?