THE CANAAN CONQUEST – PART ONE
“This Land is Our Land”
Joshua 1:1-18 - ©Dr. Larry L. Thompson (2007)
Introduction:
THIS LAND IS OUR LAND! The Canaan Conquest is an expository series that we will be studying from the book of Joshua over the next few weeks. 2007 is an historic year for us at First Baptist Church. It is the celebration of our 100th year of ministry here in South Florida and I can not think of a better book for us to begin this year with than by enjoying the rich truth found in the journeys of Joshua. THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT TAKING POSSESSION OF WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED IN YOUR LIFE, in my life and in the life of our church. This year we will be taking possession of what God promised to me in a word He gave me years ago. We will be moving into a new CLC, that will minister to literally thousands of people over the next few years and we will claim that new center totally DEBT FREE. The people of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, were people who followed the Lord with HEART AND SOUL. I am proud to be among the same type of people who are serving the Lord in South Florida with the same conviction and with their whole HEART AND SOUL.
I have noticed there are many misunderstandings surrounding the Christian life. A trip to most Christian book stores confirms this concern. The shelves are lined with books that talk about how to make the Christian life easier and more acceptable to the world. However, the Christian life is a journey and as take that journey we will absolutely face battles that must be fought! We are engaged in warfare with a spiritual enemy who is far more powerful than any of us in this room today.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph. 6:12 (NIV)
In our own strength, we are no match for the devil! The good new is he is no match for the God we serve!
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NIV)
Therefore, in the midst of the battles we face in the journey we call the Christian life, there is always hope for victory, there is always the possibility of CONQUEST! The Bible tells us that we are the recipients of victory through the Lord Jesus Christ!
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:57
While we are engaged in the battle with evil, there is the expectation that we can and will walk in victory in our lives. For me, this is what the book of Joshua represents and this is the truth I want us to understand in this expository series, “The Canaan Conquest.”
In this book, we find that Moses, the great leader of Israel has died and a new leader named Joshua has been appointed to lead the nation of Israel into Canaan. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel is about to take possession of the land which God promised Abraham centuries earlier as we read:
“The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.” Gen. 12:7
This book is an excellent resource that instructs us on how to live the victorious Christian life.
First, let’s talk about the Promised Land we call Canaan. Canaan isn’t Heaven, but it is a picture of the life of victory that is available to every child of God this morning!
My goal in this preaching series is help you to stop wandering around in a spiritual wilderness and to encourage you to enter your own Promised Land and enjoy the Canaan Conquest in your life. This first chapter serves as something of an introduction to the book. Listen carefully to what the Lord has to say to Joshua. These verses will help us to understand what it takes to go from the frustration and defeat of the wilderness to living in a land of victory. There are 3 truths which enable us to say in victory: "This Land Is Our Land!"
I. THE CALL FROM THE LORD – (v.1-9)
• THE CALL TO CLAIM THE LAND – (v.1-4)
“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.
Joshua is reminded that the Lord has already given the land of Canaan to the children of Israel. Joshua is commanded to lead the people into Canaan to claim the land that they had been promised by the Lord.
Remember, the land was given to them back in Gen. 12:7 and God’s promises were reaffirmed to every succeeding generation of the nation of Israel. They had the land, all they had to was to possess what God said already belonged to them!
Today that there are some of you who are defeated, you are struggling with sins and you really want the victory but have resigned to the fact that you are doomed to just continue wandering around in a spiritual wilderness. It does not have to be that way!
Remember, what God has promised you as a Christian: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” 2 Cor. 2:14
God did not save you to see you live in defeat! Most of the time, we are defeated because we refuse to walk in victory! I believe there is a place of conquest for every child of God this morning if we follow His leadership provided in this book.
a) THE CALL TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD – (v.5-6, 9)
“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.” - (v.9) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua is reminded of some very precious promises in these verses. Notice The Promise of…
• Victory over every enemy. (v.5)
• His presence and power (v.5)
• The faithfulness of God. (v.5)
• Absolute victory. (v.6)
• God to keep His promises. (v.6)
What did Joshua have to do to make these things happen? Just one thing: Trust God! God was going to give Israel the victory. Joshua was merely the instrument that God had chosen to use to do it. These things were going to happen! For Joshua to be a part of it, all he had to do was have faith in God!
I remind you that the same promises God made to Joshua are in force for you and me this morning? You can count on the Lord to do everything for you that He promised to Joshua!
• He still gives victory over all our enemies - 1 John 5:4-5.
• He is still ever-present, Heb. 13:5, and all powerful - Matt. 28:18.
• He is still faithful - Matt. 28:20.
• He still gives absolute victory - 1 Cor. 15:57; Rev. 21:4, 27
• He still keeps His promises - Rom. 4:21.
What do we have to do to see these things come to pass in our lives? Just one thing: Trust God! When everything else fails, faith will ever stand the test! He will never fail the believer who has their faith in Him!
b) THE CALL TO CARRY OUT THE LAW (v.7-8)
“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.”
The Lord tells Joshua that if he is to lead the people of God to rest in Canaan, and obey the word of God. Remembering obedience to the Word of God is an essential step to experiencing the victory in your own Canaan Conquest. Notice what the Lord told Joshua about the Word and how this applies to our lives today.
• He was to Keep the Law – (v.7) He was to do everything the Law said to do, not turning from it the least little bit.
• He was to Meditate on the Law – (v.8) Day and night, his mind was to be occupied with God’s word. He was to love it and let it fill his heart and mind.
• He will Prosper by honoring the Law – (v.7-8) God’s promise to Joshua was that if he lived his life according to the word of God, God would prosper him in everything he did and that God would make him very successful.
If your life is centered in the Word of God it will be easier to do the will of God!
What is the truth for us in this text? If you want to live in Christian victory today, you too must develop a love for the Word of God! Just as Joshua was commanded to honor the Law, we are commanded to honor the Book of God! That is why I encourage you to join us in reading through the Bible this year. It’s not too late for you to start today.
If you are not in the Word then I can promise you that your spiritual life will be weak and ineffective. You will settle for spiritual wandering instead of victorious conquest!
c) THE CALL FOR COURAGE IN LEADERSHIP (6a, 7a, 9a)
Notice that three times God encourages Joshua to be strong and courageous! These words carry the idea of "standing strong in the face of opposition." Joshua would need great courage to face the enemies of Israel and to lead the people to victory in the Promised Land. God’s challenge to Joshua is for him to stand!
Listen to me, there is just as great a need for people to stand for the Lord now as there was in the days Joshua! All around us, Christians are falling by the wayside. We need God’s children to be moved in the depths of their souls to stand up, renew their commitments to the Lord and say, "By God’s help, I’ll stand and not fall all the days of my life!" We need leaders in the church who make their stand for the Lord. We need to remember the words of the Apostle Paul:
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Cor. 15:58
It is time the church stopped allowing herself be a doormat for the world and the devil. It is time we stand with the people of God and follow God’s call to be brave and strong in these last days. First we have: The Call From The Lord
II. THE CHALLENGE FROM THE LEADER (v.10-15)
After Joshua receives his challenge from the Lord, without hesitation, he goes to the people and tells them that the time has come to take their land. First, he challenges the nation as a whole and then he addresses a specific group within the nation of Israel.
a) A CHALLENGE TO READINESS – v.10-11 “So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 "Go through the camp and tell the people, ’Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.” Joshua 1:10-11
These are the words they had been waiting to hear for 40 years. However, before they could go in, they had to get ready! God told them to prepare them some food. You see, the manna was about to stop. God had promised the people manna while in the desert, but it would cease when they entered the Promised Land. The manna was desert diet, now they were about to move up to something a whole lot better. They were going to a land flowing with milk and honey. WHAT WORKED IN THE WILDERNESS WON’T BE SUFFICENT IN THE LAND OF BLESSING!
The same is true for us today. Before we can enter our Canaan, we have to prepare for that land. The way we live must change. The things we feed on must change. The entire scope of our lives must be altered to adjust to life in Canaan! This is why so many never enjoy the victorious Christian life. They simply refuse to make the necessary changes to adjust to living in spiritual victory. The fact is; it’s His way…not your way.
What will you have to do to get ready for Canaan?
b) A CHALLENGE TO RESPONSIBILITY –v.12-15 “But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: ’The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers 15 until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” Joshua 1:12-15
Joshua addresses the tribes of Reuben, Gad and that half tribe of Manasseh. These tribes had sought, and gotten, permission from Moses to remain east of the Jordan, just outside the Promised Land. However, they made a commitment they would fight along side of the other tribes until the Promised Land was conquered. Joshua was now challenging these people to remember their responsibility!
There is a very powerful lesson for us in these verses. We have scores of Christians who are just like these 2 ½ tribes. They are more concerned about making a living than they are about making a life! The primary thing that motivates them is getting ahead in life. In other words, they are materially minded instead of spiritually minded! These are people who have trusted Jesus for salvation, but that is about as far as they are will to go. They will come when they want to, tithe when they feel like they can afford to, fight a battle now and again, but most often, they are seen just playing around the edges, refusing to put God first in their lives. BY THE WAY, IT IS THIS TYPE OF CHRISTIAN WHO IS USUALLY THE FIRST TO FALL IN TIMES OF ATTACK AND TEMPTATION! If you really love God this morning, then how about deciding to cross on over today with your heart and soul! Make the decision to leave behind anything that is holding you back from serving God like you should. You can rationalize but if you refuse to line up with the will of God for your life, then you can be assured of the fact that one day, you will fall. Let’s Review: I. The Call From The Lord - II. The Challenge from the Leader
III. THE COMMITMENT FROM THE PEOPLE (v.16-18)
a) COMMITMENT TO A LIFE OF SURRENDER “Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.” (v.16)
These people now make their stand with the Lord. They promise absolute obedience and surrender to the will of God.
This is the only way spiritual victory will come to any life. There must be total and absolute surrender of every area of life to the will of God and to His divine leadership. Anything less hinders the work of God in your life and mine. What are you holding back from the Lord this morning? God’s will is that we surrender our will and follow Him to victory. I challenge you to make a complete surrender to God. Run up the white flag today and get in line to go with us on this journey to the Canaan Conquest!
b) COMMITMENT TO A LIFE OF SUBMISSION “Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.” (v.17)
These people also promised to follow the leadership of God’s man. Just as they had followed Moses, they committed themselves to following Joshua!
While I believe that there is a certain amount of authority invested in the pastoral office, and that the people of God ought to follow the man of God as he follows God’s will for the church, there is a higher authority that every person in this room must acknowledge. We are to submit to the leadership of God! Too often, we rebel against anything that seems like authority in our lives. None of us like to be told what to do! Your entire duty could be summed up in one word: Submit! If you are ever going to get to really have victory, then you must submit everything to God. Have you done that? Or, are you holding things back from the Lord? The Canaan Conquest is only for those who have the HEART AND SOUL to submit their lives to the perfect will of God.
c) COMMITMENT TO A LIFE OF SEPARATION “Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!” Joshua 1:1
Finally, the people commit themselves to separating from those in their midst who refused to comply with the commandments of the Lord. This commitment was so strong that they vowed to put to death anyone who rebelled against the leadership of Joshua. These people knew that allowing rebellion in their midst was a sure way to guarantee defeat.
The lesson is clear this morning. If we want to walk in victory, we must practice separation in our lives as well. We should separate ourselves from anything that would prevent us from having victory in our lives. Whether it is from certain people, in the way we dress, the way we talk, the things we watch and do, where we work, how we think or in any other area of life. If it is a hindrance to your opportunity to experience victory in your life then it must go. Otherwise, you will always be defeated and in danger. Even as I speak, you already know what it is that is holding you back this morning.
Conclusion:
Canaan is our land! It has been given to us by the Heavenly Father and all we have to do this morning is to march in and claim it for ourselves. However, while it is ours, it isn’t cheap! If you really want to walk in spiritual victory and live in the victory of the Canaan Conquest, then it will cost you…Your Heart and Soul Commitment to following the Lord Jesus Christ in your life.
What is it going to take to get you into Canaan today? Are you willing to pay the price, whatever it is? Or, are you more willing to stay on the other side of Jordan and be the first to fall in times of trials? It is entirely up to you today!
