The Promised Land - 5/31/06

Joshua 11:12, "He did just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded."

Joshua was the leader responsible for establishing a place for the Israelites to build God's nation. After leaving Egypt and wandering the desert for decades, the Israelites came upon the land of Canaan - the land God had promised to the people He chose to spread His name across the globe.

God needed to secure this land for the only group of people who worshipped Him on the planet. This is the place where His son would be born into the world and offered as a sacrifice to reunite God with all of His children - the same children who had separated themselves from Him by sinning. But first, Joshua must lead the smallest of nations into this land and defeat dozens of kings and their people.

Joshua and his army succeeded in every military campaign because he was obedient. He did exactly what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded. Therefore it wasn't by Joshua's own power or ability that he was able to deliver this land to God's people, but because the power of God went before him.

One thing that truly amazes me is that the same God, the exact same person who helped Joshua; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who defeated Pharaoh and the one who invented air, water, earth, and love - works directly in my own life with the same power and authority He had over His people throughout history.

Since that time though, the law has changed. God no longer needs a temple and a blood sacrifice because Jesus' blood sacrifice paid the debt caused by sin, and God has chosen the hearts of His people as His temple.

With the spirit of the living God living in me, I can experience the same level of direction and success when the odds are against me - as long as I am living according to God's will and honestly seeking His direction. Ephesians 6:14 emphasizes the concept of living by God's direction when it speaks of the "Armor of God." This armor consists of:

the belt of Truth
the protection of Right Living on your chest
on your feet wear the good news of Peace
carry the shield of Faith to stop all burning arrows of the Evil One
accept God's Salvation as your helmet
take the Sword of the spirit which is the word of God
... and Pray in the spirit at all times

Joshua had the "protection of right living" on his chest. He lived according to God's will, plan, and purpose. For that reason, he was protected when standing against an army three times the size of his own. In the same way, God will protect us if the way we live is right in His eyes. Not only will He deliver us from our enemy, but He will establish us in a land flowing with milk and honey - a prosperous life where the protection of His hand will allow us to enjoy success.