Joshua of the Old Testament was an amazing person. He certainly was not perfect, but he accomplished amazing feats.
When you study the life and leadership of Joshua, you learn lessons which can bless you for all of your life.
In spite of all those accomplishments, Joshua’s greatest attribute was his obedience to God. Joshua succeeded because he obeyed. He led the people of Israel to conquer the land because he was willing to follow God.
If you want to make your life better, you must become a person of obedience.
God told Joshua to obey, and for the most part he obeyed. When Joshua obeyed, he succeeded. When he failed to obey (like at Ai), he failed.
Obedience blesses us and makes us successful because it draws us into the realm of God.
Drawing nearer to God draws us closer to His blessings. It draws us closer to His healing, and it draws us closer to His guidance.
Those are the things which Joshua enjoyed. He followed God and God blessed him with success.
After all, that was exactly what God told Him: “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law (instruction) 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” (Joshua 1:7).
While we all have a natural tendency (it’s called sin) to disobey, we often think that disobedience will actually may life better. It’s just the opposite.
Obedience blesses us; disobedience is a curse.
Which would you like to have?
One Response
Obedience to God is one of the evidences of true conversion. But is it of your own effort.
Notice all of the “I” statements by the Lord.
Ezekiel 36:24-28 NKJV
24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Philippians 1:6 NKJV
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
God saves you from His divine justice, to Him in love, and for His glory. He does not do it for you. You will not obey because you choose to obey. God will cause you to obey Him, and He will continue to sanctify you until the day of Christ Jesus.
Is there sin in the Christian life? Unfortunately, yes. Why?
The heart of flesh from God is resting in unredeemed flesh. He is prefecting us, i.e. you’re not perfect until He brings you to glory. But you will be cleaned and you will have a new hatred for the sins you once loved.
Learn who the God of the bible is. This knowledge will drive you to repentence. Which will drive you to the only sufficent sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ who died for your sins and suffered the wrath that should have been directed at you.
When he saves you, He will empower your obedience.
Praise the Lord! He has risen from the dead. Seek him until He has saved you, and remember the crushing of idols and cleansing will continue until the day of Christ Jesus.