vs17-18, “Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
In dealing with sin and obtaining promises, be strong and of good courage. The land is given to you as inheritance, the gift of God. The fact that we must fight to obtain doesn't mean that it isn't ours and shall be ours by possession. God is faithful to His word, God uses means to accomplish His word, and we are to believe that in spite of unbelief, rest is ours.
First, God is faithful to His word. Therefore, “be strong and of good courage”. He promised the land to us through Moses, and now by Joshua, it shall be given.
We don't fear the size of the opposition more than we fear the God who makes us obtain good things. Scripture says, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28). He commands that we fight, even as Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh must fight with their brethren. He said, “But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them” (Josh 1:13-14). There is no discharge in the war, and none are allowed to live as we see fit. We will help the brethren and please God, or we'll die in sin.
Yet, when God makes promise, know that the obstacles are bread for you. Joshua and Caleb had said, “their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them” (Numb 14:8-9). They can't conquer God your Savior.
If it was up to man, if man provided the “final straw”, then it wouldn't work. But, since He saves by faith, which is nothing more than RELYING upon God to do (1) what He has said (2) for us (3) for Christ's sake (4) by the power of His almighty faithfulness, then you can conquer and you can endure. You can obtain the promise, do the command, and escape by the warning. God hasn't given salvation to us in theory, but in reality, and we can possess it without fail.
Secondly, God uses means to fulfill His word. He tells us, “be strong and of good courage”. We must fight, war, resist, and deal with fears. Spurgeon wrote on this chapter in Joshua, “From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice.”
People think the gift of God means that they only receive; that there is no striving, no seeking, no hardship. But, this isn't the way.
Christ was promised victory, but He must suffer and die, holding on by faith. He kept believing, “You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:27). Likewise, you have been promised victory, but you and I must endure unto the end, so that God's victory is not without grief, faith, and perseverance, but it includes these things. Of Abraham, it is written, “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise” (Heb 6:15). Thus, He promises to give the faith, promises to give the endurance, and He promises that those who overcome will be rewarded. All is of God, but it is by grace, through faith, unto good works.
Works are promised for us, but it doesn't exclude prayer and fasting. Our Lord said of some spiritual failures, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). Peter said “giving all diligence, add to your faith”, and make your obedience real (2 Pet 1:5-10). Rest is promised, but we REST by warring against sin, believing God.
Thirdly, in spite of imperfect faith, rest is ours. He said to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, “you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise” (Josh 1:15).
Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh stopped short of the Promised Land, judging by sight, and choosing land outside of Canaan (Numb 32:1-5). Yet, God received them in this, demanded they help the brethren, and gave them rest regardless. He said, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord” (Numb 32:20-22). He accepted imperfect and barely fruitful faith, and He received these people even as He receives us. We may be weak in faith, slow to believe, foolish in many ways, etc, but if we believe on the Son, though our understanding is small, though we don't see Him clearly in all the scriptures, He is with us and lets us be with brethren as equally accepted sons. Yes, so and so doesn't see all that you see, but he honestly believes God and helps His people. He isn't as kind or as gracious as you. He can't see as much of God's glory in obedience, etc, but he loves and serves the church, loves the gospel, and loves people. God has received him, and he helps you. He says, “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom 15:7). Don't despise him, even if he isn't part of the group that you are. Christ said, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side” (Luke 9:49-50). If he loves Christ, then that is enough.
Finally, grow in grace and press on. “Be strong and of good courage”. Don't be stagnant, accepting things how they are. Be the great man or woman that you can be. Fulfill potential by faith alone. Have a relationship with God that is conquering, trusting, and thereby restful.
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