Faithful and Fearless

You'll open your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Joshua chapter 1 Joshua the first chapter will be reading the first nine verses Joshua one after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord Lord said to Joshua the son of non-Moses assistant 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. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you. Just as I promised to Moses 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. 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. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them 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.

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. 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.

Spray, gracious father, we thank you for the gift of your word. We thank you father that through your word you open our eyes to see and to know you.

You guide our thoughts, our lives and paths that honor you and you comfort our hearts. You encourage us.

We thank you father that even tonight, as we look into this passage by your spiritual illumination. We will see truth and we will understand the transforming power of your word as it changes our hearts and our minds renews us helpless. Even this not to think. Your thoughts, to delight in your ways, and to see through your word. The God who loves us and has called us to himself and in whom we live.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus.

Amen. I am grateful for the privilege of being able to share with you tonight is Douglas leaving today stop parking lot and he said not feeling well said, your son said you might have sermon in your back pocket it we could share tonight so hopefully we will be able to hear from God tonight as I share what is laid on my heart if change is is hard, but it's unavoidable. We don't particularly like it, but it's a part of life and it is something that is essential to growth and maturity. Some changes good some not so good for the most part we receive it in bro.

Biden, and we are encouraged by it, but I think one of the things that is difficult for us is the change that goes on all around us that which we have no control. We heard this morning is Douglas sharing of direction that our culture is going and in some of the many difficult things that we see that her almost impossible for us to comprehend and and we just have difficulty adjusting and we we relish really that the comfort of the familiar and the known and the things that that we expect we don't like to be caught off guard and to have someone or some situation turn our whole life upside down and we find ourselves in places where we just not really sure what to do with what's going on over the last hundred years. The changes that have taken place just boggle the mind when you think about the coming from the days of horse and buggy to wear. Now we have streets filled with private cars we've gone from weeklong oceanic voyages to overnight flights halfway around the world. We have gone from a time of infectious disease to having vaccinations for everything from measles to polio and smallpox pneumonia from manual typesetting. I was talking with the son and grandchildren the other night about that and what that was manual typesetting and typewriters and that would get word processors on our personal computers.

You can even do it on your phone. When I was growing up, my grandmother had one of those phones that you do like this and you hold the mouthpiece up close and you asked the operator to connect you and everybody on the party line can understand what you're saying here and you little ones. You don't have to ask your grandparents what partyline is.

But we moved from that to where now we have cell phones and face time in Skype and in the early part of the 20th century had the first flight in Kitty Hawk and now we have space exploration unit of which one is out beyond our solar system out into interstellar space just boggles the mind. But you know is amazing is the technological advances are the changes that have occurred in our culture. Just in the last 2030 years. It is more astonishing and especially those of us who are a little more seasoned in years and we remember the first half of the 20th century is just it's incomprehensible. As we get older we remember how things used to be and we sometimes will talk about the good old days that I think we remember times when we could go out and walk at night not worry about being harmed when children could roam about and play free and not worry about being abducted or killed in whatever lock the door. It was a different world, a time when you even society at large had respect for the church and and there was rarely ever any open blocking of Christianity I remember is as a boy growing up, my little hometown and Clayton over to Raleigh. There were never any school activities on Wednesday nights M's prayer meeting night. In fact, in my little town. Most of the businesses closed on Wednesday afternoon. Get ready for church that night. But you know it it, we we think like that. But the truth is that the war against God and his ways has been with us since the Garden of the there's never been a time since the fall of Adam's sin and evil were not rampant on the earth while the changes that we perceive in our time seem to us far worse than what has gone before us battle for the soul of man has raged throughout history. Now we have a choice.

We can as we face a new day and in a different world. We can cower in fear or we can continue in faith, we can run to the proverbial hills or we can return the sovereign head of the church. We can believe the lie we can bow the head before the Lord in worship and service. I don't know what you are facing today.

Each of us has difficulties and in different ways. Changes that come in text. Thanks. Many forms made an unexpected illness, loss of a loved one.

Financial reversals the attack of the enemy comes from every quarter breakup of marriages child's rebellion friends petroleum is the open hostility of the world around us and maybe even persecution may be not that far away for some of us I don't know what's in store for you for me today or tomorrow, but I know this God is not surprised by any of it. He knows the end from the beginning, and he's at work and all of it for our good and for his glory. And so here's the proposition almost considered tonight as we look at this.

These opening verses of Joshua because of who God is, because of what he said because of where he dwells, we can enter the battle with confidence and without fear moving forward in faith.

So let's consider this passage from Joshua chapter 1 Moses is not an Joshua has been has received the mantle of leadership the nation of Israel.

They just spent 40 years in the wilderness there about to go into the promised land and it's going to be a big fight. They are facing a difficult time. They have been led for 40 years by man who spoke personally face-to-face with God, who just the covenant God had called him into his presence in a unique way and revealed himself to them and he had entrusted his word to them through Moses and now they face his death, and a new beginning under the leadership of Joshua any kind of change that comes into our lives brings a certain degree of uncertainty and anxiety we face the future unknown and sometimes that trepidation can just paralyze us, and so moving forward is almost an impossibility. But like the Israelites on the brink of Jordan we can move forward with faith in the person of God changes a part of life for you and for me and it may be a present reality in this Old Testament story we have a perfect example and is recorded for our instruction, these ancient accounts present us with the historical truth of what God did among his people. But there's also that spiritual truth revealed that applies to us today.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, said these things took place as examples for us and they were written down for our instruction, so let's not be like the dad who trying to put the bicycle together with ever taking a look at the instructions and reading them, but let's read the instructions and learn from the example like Joshua, we can face the battle ahead, we can face it with faith in the person of God who he is. So let's look first at the beginning of verse five Joshua chapter 1 verse five God says no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of life and why is that because this God who is leading the nation of Israel is God whom they serve is invincible. No man will be able to stand against him, not the king of Bashan, Psion, the king of the Amorites, not the Amalekites, not Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Not all the Canaanite kings banded together the Israelites had witnessed the awesome power of God. Time and time again and no army could stand no matter how numerous no matter how well armed, no matter how well trained. No man could stand against Yahweh, it demonstrated that before God is invincible and God is immutable. He is unchanging. He's always the same, continue. Verse five he says, as I was. Joshua knew the history. Joshua had been there when he had conquered the arm and arm of the Amalekites was as Moses lifted up the rod the mountain had been with Moses on Sinai received the tables of the law did witness God's provision for his people in the wilderness they had manna for food. They had water in the desert as I was with Moses, God says so I will be with you.

God is impartial and immutable. It does not change in his dealings with his children are grounded in his own love his own character as I was with Moses, so I will be with you sister Joshua is enabling power will be with Joshua. Just as it was with Moses is unchanging nature is affirmed in the covenant name that he had given revealed it to Moses at the burning bush. He is the eternally self existent one.

I am he is who he is is invincible. He's immutable. He never changes is always faithful that last part of verse five says I will not leave you the King James translators that I will not fail you. The word literally means to sink or to relax. We all cherish the assurance of the psalmist when he says he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Not only does he never sleep as promised, here Joshua is, he didn't even relax.

He's always on the alert, always watchful, always aware, never let his guard down and he will not leave or fail he will not forsake God never abandons his people, no matter how bleak the prospect may be from our finite perspective.

God's promise is that he will never leave. He will never forsake Israel in Joshua can move fold with faith in the person of God, the covenant God who will never leave his people. Since these things took place as examples for us and were written down for our instruction.

Think for a moment about what this Old Testament account says to the New Testament believer in Paul's words to the Roman Christians. How may we through the encouragement of the Scriptures have hope. First of all, the invincible, immutable, faithful God is the same yesterday today and forever doesn't change in his promises to you just as sure as was his promise to Joshua. In fact, Paul says that in Christ all the promises of God, find their yes there amen God is unchanging, immutable, faithful in all his promises are sure he declared to Joshua. I will not leave you or forsake you and to us the promises the same. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Jesus said to his disciples before he ascended and over in Hebrews 13 Phibro told I will never leave you nor forsake because of who that is, we can go forward in faith without fear. Regardless of the change, but our faith is not only in the person of God. It is also in the promise of God. God is trustworthy. He keeps his promises.

So because of what God has said we can go forward with faith in the promise of God. Looking back at the text once again in verse six we find examples from Scripture, God says be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.

God had promised an inheritance to Israel to Abraham, to Isaac to Jacob to promise their offspring that they would inherit the land God had revealed to Abraham the 400 years of bondage in Egypt and the return to the land of inheritance and now he tells Joshua that he will actually divide the inheritance among the people back in verse two he promises to give the land all the people in all the lands included in the inheritance, and he spells out what it is and he says in verse three every place of the sole of your foot trots upon. I've given to you. Just as I promise to Moses 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.

Not only had had God promised the inheritance. It also prepared and kept the inheritance for them during the 400 years of Egyptian bondage. God had not left the land to deteriorate and become a wasteland wilderness.

He had the heathen nations cultivated and keep it.

He had the Israelites coming to a place that would have cities they didn't build in houses that they didn't fill in sisters they didn't dig in olive trees that implant God had prepared that land for them and kept it for them and then he drove out the heathen nations, and he gave the land to his people, but it didn't drive them all out at one time so that the land would be overrun with wild animals and wild growth.

Ryerson weeds and corrupting the vineyards in the groves. The land was God's gift to the nation, but they had to go in and possess this inheritance of God's grace receiving the inheritance would require strength encourage and obedience, God's promise came with the command going all the way back to Abraham.

We find this to be God's way that when Abram was 99 years old. Lord appeared to them and said to him I am God Almighty walk before me and be blameless that I may make my covenant between you and me, and may multiply you greatly. Now's the same pattern.

The verge of Israel's entrance into the land of promise got points Joshua to the book of the law and he says this is your instruction manual. This is what you are to know and meditate on and make a part of your thinking in your way of life and there's a key phrase in that way, says that this book of the law is not to depart out of his mouth.

Meditation in the biblical sense that has this idea just kind of murmuring the words of God. We are to have the word of God so much in us is that it just becomes a part of our thinking and we meditate on it. We murmur it to ourselves day and night. He says story is told of the Hebrew scholars award asked the Rabbi they could study philosophers and the rabbi said yes but you you welcome to do that anytime you can locate a time other than they are night you can percent of the philosophers we are to be saturated with the word of God.

You, Paul reminds us that we are to be encouraged through the Scriptures and this example from the Bible is an encouragement for the believer, just like the promise to Israel. God has promised us an inheritance, we are entitled to receive the inheritance we have a legitimate claim to the inheritance were reminded of this and there are sons glisten this morning and we are children and joint heirs with the only begotten son of God, Jesus Christ himself. Paul writes in Romans eight we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Every child of God shares in this inheritance. Just as all the people of Israel were given the inheritance. Even so, all who trust in Christ share in inheritance and the Peter tells us in his first epistle that this inheritance is imperishable and undefiled unfading. It is kept in heaven for us. We all received inheritance and we get it all. Ephesians use the phrase every spiritual blessing.

That's what is ours in Jesus Christ, that is God's promise to the believer's promised an inheritance and is prepared and That inheritance and we get it all, but not all at once, like Israel, there is a battle is more fair, Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage, but they had to take the land we are saved from the penalty of sin, but we must grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Salvation is followed by sanctification. This receiving of our inheritance is a process of growth and maturity requires change.

It requires fighting it requires work growth comes most often through suffering and death to self. Like Joshua, if we are to be successful and prosperous in the battle. We need a word from God. Whatever we face in life, upheaval and change spiritual warfare persecution even our deep need is to know what God has said we need to have our marching orders. In order to faithfully obey someone speaks of the land. The blessed man who delights in the law of the Lord meditates on it day and night, we can confidently face the battle we can move forward in faith. Faith in the person of God also faith in the promise of God. Vertebrae can do this without fear because of the presence of God.

Back at the text in verse nine God says to Joshua in verse nine 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. In this command is of twofold nature. In his first positive and also -1st full God says be strong and courageous.

What lay ahead for Joshua and the Israelites was in many ways a very terrifying prospect, sons of Jacob were sheepherders they were not warriors. They been wandering around in the wilderness. In fact, the current generation had known nothing but the wilderness life of the nomad. And here they are up against fortified cities hostile terrain called on to drive nations out of their homes to stand alone against the alliance of many kings against the deception of crafty schemers, humanly speaking, there is great reason to fear God's word to them is be strong and courageous strength encourage our requisite to obedience someone in modern time is use the phrase do the hard things.

It's not easy to follow God's way and in fact I was reading just this week. Quote from CS Lewis where he talks about when the whole world is headed toward the cliff, the one going in the opposite direction is the one who seems to be insane.

It's hard to do it God's way is no easy task.

Taking possession of the promised inheritance the instruction to Joshua is profitable for the believer today. We are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, even though salvation is a gift from God and inheritance of his grace, we must fight it. Isn't it interesting how many times the metaphor of warfare and soldiering is used in the New Testament to describe the Christian life that Paul speaks of having fought the good fight. He encourages the believer to put on the whole armor of God, he declares that we are led by God in triumphal procession which indicates there's been a warfare been a battle we in the first Corinthians speaks of the fact that through the love of God, we are more than conquerors in enrollments like the Israelites, we must be strong and courageous. On the other side of that coin, there is the negative part of the command we must not be afraid or dismayed. Don't be frightened. Don't be afraid. Don't be dismayed you many times God has to say that to us throughout the Scriptures we find that almost every page. One year my wife and reading through the Bible started marking every time God says don't be afraid if you are not even when the joyful announcement of the Messiah's birth comes is such a terrifying sight that the shepherds were just shaking in and that they have. So don't be afraid in the same thing with Joseph and Mary got says that Angel messages Adobe freight there something terrifying about an encounter with God and we must learn to be not afraid because of who God is and what is promised and what he is doing to make provision for us. So don't be afraid it. The truth is that what God commands and requires of us. God provides and equips first people I got says to Joshua.

Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you. That's why I didn't have to fear.

That's why he didn't have to be dismayed because God was with him the strength and the courage to play the freedom from fear and despair flow from the presence of the Lord is with his people wherever he calls him to go and he'll never leave you or forsake you, as we've already seen God is unchanging is the same yesterday today and forever.

So the promise to Joshua and to every Israel is given to us as well. In fact, the very name of our Lord declares his presence.

He is Immanuel, God with us. That's one of the essential meanings of his coming into the world. He is with us and he will never leave us or forsake us that when the promise is repeated in Hebrews. The Greek phrase. There has five negatives where told in English not use double negatives that they would agree, that was not a problem that the closest thing I can think of and expressing that an English is the last stanza of that great him how firm a foundation you remember the words the soul that own Jesus Kathleen for repose. I will not, I will not desert to expose that sold though all hell should endeavor to shake. I'll never know.

Never know never forsake. So what does all this mean for us today in the heat of the battle when it seems that the devil himself is unleashed in the hosts of hell are raging against the souls of God's children. When the darkness of this world is so thick you wonder if any. Light can penetrate. Remember the promise of his presence. As a believer you are hidden with Christ in God. And the very spirit of Christ dwells in you.

And so when the enemy of our souls comes against us.

He found the finds us surrounded by God himself. And when God gives him leave and let simmer loose on us.

He finds us filled with Christ, the victorious Christ, you are on the winning team and you can fight the good fight of faith without fear because God is God's word is true and he is with you trust who use trust what you said rest and be refreshed in his presence, and we can go forth with faith in the person of God, trusting the promises of God, fearless in his presence must pray father so often we limit ourselves by looking around us at the world and thinking in terms of time and space material things and physical things and we are dismayed and were frightened by the grant us grace to set our affection on things above, to think in terms of eternity to always be aware of the realm of the spirit that is even more real than the shadows, where we now have our dwelling, Greta's father the grace to go forward for the kingdom. Trusting you trusting what you have said resting in your presence with us.

We asked in the precious name of Jesus. Amen