CLAIMING THE PROMISED LAND

    After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "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. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.

Joshua 1:1-3

   

                One of my many short-comings is that I tend to be timid. When others rush forward, I tend to hold back. I came to learn that my reluctance stems from a need to be given permission to act. That need was implanted in me back in elementary school, when I had to learn to raise my hand and wait for the teacher to call on me. Unfortunately, that lesson kept me captive for many years.

                I became fully aware of my reluctance to step forward a number of years ago. I was working on my doctorate. My cohort group was gathered for a group project. We weren’t making progress, and I was getting a little frustrated. The elder statesman of our group turned to me and said, “Dave, you are the leader of this group, so lead.” It was a wake-up call for me. Throughout my life God has placed me in leadership positions. Over and over again he has had to remind me,  “Dave, you are the leader of this group, so lead.”

                That was the situation that Joshua was in. He had faithfully served as Moses’ aid. Up to this point, he had lived in the shadows, watching and learning. God was preparing him for an important task. When the day finally came, Joshua was not sure he was ready. God told Joshua to move out of Moses’ shadow and lead the people into the Promised Land. God gave Joshua two amazing promises. He told Joshua that He had already given the land to Israel. He also told Joshua that it was up to him to claim the land. Everywhere that he placed his foot would be his.

                God reinforced His command with words of promise and challenge. Three times in the next few verses God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous.

    "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Joshua 1:6

    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. Joshua 1:7

    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 1:9

                God’s message to Joshua is a message we need to hear today. In many ways the Church has become timid. We have allowed secular society to set the agenda for life. We have passively allowed ourselves to be marginalized. Our voice in the public forum is faint at best. We have been anything but strong and courageous. It is time to step forward and claim the Promised Land.

                One of my favorite characters in the New Testament is Timothy. I like Timothy because I can identify with him. He was Paul’s understudy. He traveled with Paul, learned from Paul and worked alongside of Paul. Then one day, Paul told Timothy it was time for him to lead. He left Timothy in charge of the church at Ephesus, while he continued his itinerant ministry. Timothy was a little overwhelmed at first, so Paul wrote to him to encourage him. In essence, Paul told Timothy that it was his time to lead, so lead. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he exhorted him to be bold. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7

                The experiences of Joshua and Timothy stand as a challenge and an encouragement to us today. We do not have to passively stand by and watch the world plummet toward hell. We have a right and a responsibility to step into the fray and claim territory for Christ. Here are a few of the lessons we can learn from Joshua and Timothy.

- Claim God’s promise to be with us wherever we go. We are not alone in the world. Through the Holy Spirit, the power and presence of Christ are always with us.

- Be strong and courageous. Be willing to take bold risks for the cause of Christ. Don’t hold back, but press forward in the power of Christ.

- Claim territory for Christ. We cannot do this from a distance. As God told Joshua, we need to put our feet into action. We can begin by claiming our family for Christ. Then our neighborhood, our community, our town, our state, our country, and finally our world. The early church had no political power, yet it turned the world upside down. We can do the same thing.

                God has given us permission to claim the land. He has promised to give us success. He has promised to go with us. The only thing that is holding us back is us. It is time to set aside our fear and apprehension and cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land.

    Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:18-20