Joshua had some very big shoes to fill. He was facing one of the greatest crises points of his life. He was not only facing the challenge of replacing Moses as the leader of the nation but also of leading the people into the Promised Land. Questions flooded his mind and anxiety and fear threatened to crush him. Would he be able to fulfill a great responsibility? What if the children of Israel should reject him as they had done to Moses so many times? Would they follow him? What if he failed? These and other questions filled his heart with dread.

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There were two things that Joshua needed to keep in mind for success as he began this new adventure as the leader of the children of Israel.

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1. Joshua’s strength and courage had to be found in God alone.
   Joshua had only to find his strength and courage in God. Why? -because it was God who was going to do all the work. There was nothing that was going to take place in the life of Joshua that God would not be involved in. Every step that Joshua took, every piece of land that he claimed, every battle that he won would be the direct result of God working for him; not in his strength. The courage and strength that we draw upon is not from ourselves but from God. This formula of encouragement becomes a formula of faith.
    

2. Joshua’s life needed to be grounded in the Word of God.
   Obviously, Joshua didn’t have the full text of the Scripture like we have today. In fact, at this point, he most likely only had the Law that was handed down to him from Moses. But God tells him that being grounded in that Law is absolutely necessary for Joshua’s strength and courage. Joshua would need to know the Law inside and out, backward and forward. He would need to make it the tool he went to when times got difficult. God made it very clear that he was to obey that Law. Josh 1:8 NLT says, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

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And what was the result of Joshua finding his strength and courage in God alone and being completely grounded in God’s Word?  "For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

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There is no promise of easy days ahead of us too, because we live in a broken world which is under the sway of the enemy. However, as we find our strength and courage in Christ alone, we will be able to face whatever challenges come our way. Our lives must be grounded in God’s Word. There is eternal life, purity from sin and there is direction for the way we are to go when we are grounded in God’s Word. The more we meditate the Word, the better we can see God’s hand in our circumstances and we can understand that He has a better plan.

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True success is not what the world thinks of you and what you have done, but what God thinks of you and what you have done.

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A Promise:
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Proverbs 16:3