is this preoccupation with the self that lends to the deceitfulness of the human perspective of what success really is. Such success is generally appraised by the fleeting elements of this earthly realm, which are wholly inadequate to measure the total life of a person. Jesus stated very clearly that a person’s life—success or failure—cannot be measured by his materialistic abundance or lack thereof.
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:15, NIV
Thus, there must be more to success in this life other than one’s material possessions. This book is about the achievement story of a man called “Joshua,” who God promised good success if he would position himself in obedience to His will. What is even most interesting is the fact that Joshua’s life serves as a mirror in which we are able to see the reflection of our own life story.
You are about to begin a very exciting journey that will stir your deepest emotions, pry your most intimate thoughts, destroy your inhibiting fears and open new windows for a fresh vision of achievement and success in your life. God is not just your heavenly Father way beyond the blue. He is your lifelong Counselor and Friend right here and now. He wrote the success story of your life long before you arrived on this planet, and is now waiting for you to step into the storyline He has written for you.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:15, 16
Notice, God knew you (verse 1), wrote your destiny and the days He ordained for your life, long before your arrival in the delivery room where you were born. Such knowledge is so high, it’s mind-boggling, and no one could attain it (verse 6). His thoughts are not our thoughts; neither are our ways His ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8, 9). Every life on this planet has a divine purpose, but very few have realized their true potential and destiny, because the position strategies they have chosen for their lives do not harmonize with God’s perfect plan for them. God, Himself said:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
This very resourceful book offers you the enviable opportunity to re-position yourself for good success. Your pre-ordained destiny awaits your presence, O child of God. Rise up, move forward, and embrace it now! God is waiting to do wonders in and through you.
CHAPTER 1
This is God: May I have Your Attention?
“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.”
Joshua 1:2
Joshua and all the children of Israel were in deep mourning over the death of their beloved leader, Moses. For thirty days they were weeping and lamenting in the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:8), as they remembered and rehearsed all their marvelous experiences associated with Moses’ leadership since they left Egypt. Although they knew that their aged prophet and leader was quickly approaching his death, when it did finally occur, they were completely devastated. When the stark reality of his absence did set in, and the silence of the wilderness was no longer punctuated by his commanding, spirit-filled voice, a strange and foreboding emptiness pierced the souls of the wailing multitude.
The distraught people suddenly became acutely aware of how much they really did love Moses, despite the numerous occasions they wanted to get rid of him. What a fickle multitude of ex-slaves they were! Even while Joshua understood and accepted God’s commission to be the new leader to replace Moses (Deuteronomy 31:23), he could not detach himself from the gripping sadness of that very tear-jerking occasion. Although Joshua had received the official endorsement of Moses in the presence of the people, through the laying on of the prophet’s hands, he probably felt stuck in the lingering waves of emotions that had overcome the people.
God remembers the past, but does not live in it.
It was during this period of emotional numbness that the God of Israel and of Moses suddenly appeared to Joshua. He was possibly at a loss with regard to where to begin in executing his new role as Israel’s leader, and with how to motivate them to move forward to possess their inheritance. While he was thus engaged, waiting patiently to get Israel’s full attention, God was ready to direct his. He too had been waiting to perform wonders through Joshua.
The Bible says that God spoke to him, saying: “Moses My servant is dead . . .” This was not only a statement of confirmation about the death of Moses; it was also a declaration of finality. There was no going back to Moses, although he was God’s faithful servant and had done many wonderful works on His behalf before the people and against foreign nations. God remembers the past, but does not live in it. He is the great I AM, the ever-present One.
Consequently, God first had to lift the dark cloud of sadness that had engulfed Israel, and that had momentarily stymied the enthusiasm of His servant, Joshua. However, once God had gotten his attention, He immediately gave Joshua his marching orders. God’s first command called for swift action; He expected a prompt response: “Now therefore arise. . .” The “therefore” links the present to the past, and has the reference to the dead prophet, Moses.
In other words, “he who is dead, is dead, Joshua!” “Now therefore arise!” God had been grooming His servant, Joshua for this very moment from the time Israel begun it journey through the wilderness (Exodus 33:7-11). He is the One who promotes men and women to positions of greatness for His own purpose. Joshua’s unshakeable confidence in the words of Jehovah, amidst the faithless, oppositional cry of an angry multitude which was, at any moment, ready to stone him and Caleb, had singled him out as a man great faith and courage.
6Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “ The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us— a land which flows with milk and honey. 9Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” 10But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
Numbers 14:6-10
Joshua had distinguished himself before Moses and the congregation of Israel as a man who could be trusted to carry out all of God’s commands. He was also a very faithful servant and follower of Moses over the forty years of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. That’s a very long time to walk humbly, but faithfully, in the shadow of one’s predecessor.
It was Joshua who accompanied Moses up the mount to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:13), and never once turned away from his leader’s side. Joshua had learnt quite a lot from just being in the presence of the only prophet (beside Jesus) that ever walked the face of the earth who knew God face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10). He was such a loyal understudy of his master, that by the time of Moses’ death he was a very seasoned, God-fearing leader, characterized in the Word as one who was filled with the spirit of wisdom (Deuteronomy 34:9).
God is the One who promotes men and women
to positions of greatness for His own purpose.
In spite of the very sad circumstances that surrounded him, Joshua was fully ready to assume the leadership of Israel when God called on him. Thus, God could forthrightly and confidently say to His