SERMON SUBJECT: FACING THE CHALLENGES OF A NEW YEAR WITHOUT FEAR

SCRIPTURE TEXT: Joshua 1:1-9

SERMON THESIS: We can face the New Year without fear by putting our faith in the Father.

INTRODUCTION: Joshua, and the people of God, standing before an overflowing Jordan River, faced a new challenge. It was a challenge that afforded them new possibilities as well. It was an open door to the future. As we come face to face with the challenges and the possibilities of a New Year, we can face 2007, with confidence because, like Joshua, and the people of God, we have been given, as revealed in our text . . .

1. THE POWER TO PERSEVERE – God said to Joshua, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life”(Joshua 1:5a). But you say, that was a promise to the Israelites—What about us? Go with me to the writing of the Apostle Paul . . .

“Not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us”(Romans 5:3-4).

The writer of Hebrews spoke in these terms as well, when he wrote . . .

“THEREFORE, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked before us”(Hebrews 12:1)

“THEREFORE,” points back to that great Hall of Fame passage—chapter 11. God has given us great examples to follow and models to emulate. Like Joshua of old, who faced seemingly overwhelming odds, as did many other Old Testament characters, nevertheless, God gave them the power to persevere.

What challenges are you facing in 2007? Whatever they are, take courage and move into the future without fear because God will give you power to persevere.

Not only does God give His people the power to persevere, He has, likewise, given us . . .

2. THE PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE – Now hear these words given to Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”(Joshua 1:6b)

Back in Genesis, God had made a similar promise to Isaac, a promise that laid the foundation for this renewed promise to Joshua, as it relates to the possession of the land . . .

“The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, Do not go down to Egypt, live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in the land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you”

(Genesis 26:2).

In New Testament terms, you and I have been given the promise of His presence. The writer of Hebrews stated the promise like this, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid . . .”(Hebrews 13:5-6).

The promise of His presence is stated like this in that Great Commission passage concerning the sent out ones, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”(Matthew 28:29)

Therefore, picking up on the phrase from Hebrews, “ . . . so we can say with confidence,” I can face the future without fear because God is with me.

Not only can we face the future with the power to persevere, the promise of His presence, we, likewise, have been given . . .

3. THE PROVISIONS FOR PROSPERITY – God said to Joshua, “Then you will be prosperous and successful”(Joshua 1:8b), He further states in v. 9, “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go”(Joshua 1:9).

Blessings are a sovereign act of God. Back in Deuteronomy, God said to His people, “You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out”(Deut. 28:6).

Now concerning the provisions for prosperity that God, the Father has given us, there is more here than “naming it and claiming it.” Sure we can name it if God claims it, but let me remind us that there are both conditional promise and unconditional promises in God’s Word. Here we have a conditional promise.

Note the phrase, “Then you will be prosperous and successful”(Joshua 1:8b). The “then” points back to that which God had just said to Joshua . . .

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 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. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it”(Joshua 1:6-8).

Note the phrases found in these verses, “Be strong and courageous,” Be strong and very courageous,” Be careful to obey all the law . . . that you may be successful wherever you go . . . do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth . . .”

Now for our application in light of these promises made to Joshua and the people of God, as we move from 2006 to 2007, there are some important questions that we must ask ourselves:

1) Is there a sin for me to avoid? As I see it, there are two: the sin of unbelief, and the sin of disobedience.

2) Is there a promise to claim? The answer is “yes!” We have been promised the power to persevere, the promise of His presence, and the promise of His provisions to prosper. As recipients of His many promises, there is abundant praise to offer, and prayers of thanksgiving to give.

3) Is there an example for me to follow? Joshua, whose name means salvation/deliverer, who was in fact a type of Christ, is our example to follow. In the larger context of the Book of Joshua go with me to the end of the chapter and see Joshua’s commitment . . .

“Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”(Joshua 24:14-15).

4) Is there a command for me to obey? We are to obey God’s Word, meditate upon it, and be careful to do everything written in it.

5) Is there knowledge for me to learn? The knowledge for us to learn is that we must always be making preparation for the future. “So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: Go through the camp and tell the people, Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own”(Joshua 1:10-11).

CONCLUSION: “Then” if and when we meet God’s conditional promises, we can sore with confidence and without fear into the future, singing as we go, in the words of that great hymn by Bill and Gloria Gaither, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know, yes I know who holds the future, and life is worth the living just because he lives.”