Resolution

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses's assistant, saying: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel... No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage... Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you... This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night... Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:1–9)

At the edge of the Promised Land, Israel had to leave behind everything comfortable and step forward in faith—and so must we.

A Season of Resolutions

For some people this time of year is inconsequential—the calendar page turns and they simply forget to write the new year for a few weeks. For others it means a major transition. Statisticians tell us that about 45 percent of Americans make New Year's resolutions every year, another 17 percent do so from time to time, and the remaining 38 percent have realized that only about eight percent of those who make resolutions actually keep them, so they've stopped making them altogether.

The number one resolution, of course, is to lose weight. Over the next several weeks the fitness clubs will make the bulk of their money on memberships that get used for about three or four weeks. If you plan on going, it will be hard to find any equipment until the fourth week of January—so you might want to delay your resolution until then.

But for most people this is a time of contemplation about what lies ahead. Personally, every year at this point I think about my walk with the Lord, my relationship with my wife and children, and the work God has called me to do with the church—how those things need to change, be strengthened, or be built up.

Where Israel Stood

As we come to Joshua chapter 1, the children of Israel were facing a significant transition. They stood at the edge of the land God had promised hundreds of years earlier to their father Abraham. In Genesis 12 God called a man named Abram—later renamed Abraham—and said, "Leave the home and family you know in what is modern-day Iraq, and follow Me to a land I will show you. I will give it to you and your descendants, and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed."

That blessing would ultimately come through one of his descendants thousands of years later—Jesus. God reaffirmed the promise through Isaac, then through Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel and whose twelve sons became the twelve tribes. But when Genesis closes, the family is not in the Promised Land—they are down in Egypt, where God had used Joseph to provide for them.

From Egypt to the Edge of the Land

Between Genesis and Exodus lie about four hundred years. When Exodus opens, the key figure is Moses, whom God called from the burning bush in his eighties to go to Pharaoh and demand, "Let My people go." Through ten plagues God brought Israel out, opened the Red Sea, and decimated Egypt's army.

In the wilderness God provided miraculously—manna on the ground each morning (the word manna means "what is it?"), water from rocks, clothes and shoes that never wore out over forty years. At Mount Sinai God gave the law and confirmed His covenant. Then in Numbers, two years after leaving Egypt, twelve spies were sent into the land. Ten returned terrified of the giants; only Joshua and Caleb said, "Yes, there are giants, but God has given us the land—we need to go in."

Because of their unbelief, that entire generation wandered for thirty-eight more years until they died off. Only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter. So when we reach Joshua 1, Moses has died, and Joshua—the former spy and Moses's assistant—is called to take the helm and lead Israel into the land.

The Difficulty of Change

Most people do not like change. Yet change is inevitable. One writer observed that many people will not change until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing. Sometimes God puts us in difficult, painful situations precisely to move us forward. It is amazing how a cardiologist can tell a patient, "Change or you'll die," and still find them struggling to make those transitions.

Consider Israel at the edge of the land. For forty years they had known nothing but consistency—the wilderness, Moses's leadership, manna on the ground, water from rocks, clothes that never wore out. A tent for forty years doesn't sound comfortable to us, but it was their normal. Now their beloved leader was gone—"Moses My servant is dead"—and they were leaving behind everything comfortable and known.

Leaving the past behind takes faith. We all know that step into uncharted territory: moving from elementary to junior high, from single life to marriage, from being a couple to having children. Faith is always involved when the details are not all worked out. The temptation is always to stay where it is comfortable.

In fact, two and a half of the twelve tribes said, "We don't want to go in; we'll stay on this side of the Jordan." God allowed it—but they still had to send their men to fight the battles, while missing the blessings of the land. The temptation to stay comfortable cost them.

Honor the Past by Learning From It, Not Lingering In It

Deuteronomy 34 tells us Israel mourned Moses for thirty days, honoring all God had done through him. That brings us to the first point: honor the past by learning from it, not lingering in it.

After honoring Moses, God said, "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise." We are not staying here any longer. We would love to linger in our accomplishments, hold onto past experiences, and boast in former victories—but God says it's time to go.

The Apostle Paul speaks to this in Philippians 3:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord... not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ... Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:7–14)

Those Who Never Move Forward Never Mature

Notice the opening words of verse 15: "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind." Those words reveal the second point: those who never move forward never mature.

God wants us to grow. Every parent wants their children to mature; none of us want a child still throwing the same tantrums at twenty-two that they threw at two. Paul cautions us from staying in one place. Maturity means letting go of the past—learning from it, being blessed by it—but pressing on to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus laid hold of us.

There used to be an evangelical song, "Come Just As You Are." It is true that we come to Christ just as we are; we don't have to clean ourselves up first. But although we come as we are, we ought not stay the way we were. Sadly, there are Christians of one, five, ten, or twenty years who have never been baptized, never shared their faith, never invited someone to church, never given, never served, never read through the Bible. We don't put our confidence in those things, but they are measures of growth—alongside the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness. We need to be moving forward into maturity.

Step In and Lay Hold of All That God Has For You

The children of Israel knew a lot about the land—they had heard the stories, the prophecies, dreamed and talked about it for four decades. Now they could actually see it; only the Jordan River stood in the way. But there is a big difference between knowing, dreaming, and even seeing something, and actually experiencing it. They had not yet tasted the goodness of the Lord in the Promised Land.

Many Christians can talk about the good things we have in Christ but have not yet moved into them. Paul says, "Lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of you." God created you with gifts and abilities and saved you for a purpose. If you're not stepping into that purpose, understand that God may make life uncomfortable until you do—like the eagle stirring up the nest so the eaglets will fly.

Consider Paul before his conversion. God said to him in Acts 9, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." A goad was the farmer's pointed pole, used to direct a stubborn ox. God was directing Paul, and Paul was resisting. Don't fight against the Lord—it never ends well; you could end up walking with a limp the rest of your life.

So God says, "Arise and go over the Jordan." When the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the overflowing river, the waters parted and Israel crossed on dry ground. God was saying, "What I told you—every place the sole of your foot treads is yours—I meant it. Just step in by faith."

This is true for us spiritually. "All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). God "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). By His divine power He "has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). It's all ours; we merely have to walk into it. As for the giants and obstacles—"No man shall be able to stand before you... I will not leave you nor forsake you." No weapon formed against us shall prosper; we are more than conquerors, and nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Be Strong and Courageous

Three times God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous. But on what basis? Simply telling a fearful person "be strong" is not enough. God gives three foundations.

First, God's past promise: "the land which I swore to their fathers" (v. 6). Because He promised it in the past, He will make good on it. Second, the surety of His future blessing: "you shall divide this land as an inheritance" (v. 6)—not "might," but "shall," by His power. Third, the certainty of His presence: "the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (v. 9).

That brings us to the third point: step in and lay hold of all that God has for you. It is yours for the taking. Be strong and courageous on the basis of His past promises, the surety of His future blessings, and the reality of His present presence.

Obedience and Commitment

But strong and courageous to do what? Surprisingly, God does not say, "Be strong to fight the battles and conquer the cities." He says, "Be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law" (v. 7). Be strong to walk in the Word and obey.

This is the fourth point, illustrated as a cycle of two words—obedience and commitment—that fill in either blank, because it works both ways. Obedience strengthens our commitment, and commitment strengthens our obedience. As we take a step by faith to obey, our commitment to the Lord grows; as we commit ourselves to Him, our obedience grows. The cycle continues as we stay on the path of God's Word—we keep His Word, and His Word keeps us.

Twice in this section (verses 7 and 8) God ties this to a successful and prosperous journey. Now, success and prosperity in God's kingdom differ from the world's measures—the world's is temporal and fades, but the kingdom's continues into eternity. If you want to be successful and prosperous in the life God has for you, keep His Word in your mouth, your mind, and your heart, and be strong and courageous—"for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Our courage ultimately rests in His presence with us.

Resolve to Possess Your Possessions in Christ

That leads to the final point: in this new year, resolve to possess your possessions in Christ. Among all the resolutions people make—to lose weight, get out of debt, go back to school, spend more time with family—my encouragement as your pastor is to resolve to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus laid hold of you.

He saved you for a purpose. The question is simple: are you fulfilling the purpose for which God ordained and called you? My hope is that as we move into this year, we will take new ground individually and as a church corporately in the kingdom of God.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I thank You for Your Word, and that You have given us the presence of Your Spirit, and that by the power of Your Word and the presence of Your Spirit You will perfect those things that concern us. We can be confident that You who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it until the day we stand before You, Jesus. I pray that You would stir us not to linger in the past but to learn from it and move forward into greater maturity and Christlikeness; that we would step in and lay hold of all You have for us this year; that we would commit to be obedient, and that as we step out by faith our commitment would be strengthened and our obedience grow; that we would possess more of our possessions in You than we did last year, and that You would shine brightly through each of our lives. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.