By God's Grace, You Can Do It

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” (Jos 1:7 AV)

These words are tender and challenging.  These words are from the LORD to Joshua upon the death of Moses.  They are a challenge because it places success in one’s life and calling squarely on obedience to the word of the LORD founded upon the faith given by the Spirit of God.  This need not any more exposition, but it needs more emphasis.  Many desire success and blessings in life, but few are willing to exercise the discipline of obedience to attain it.  Obedience requires yielding.  Yielding to the influence and control of the Spirit.  Relying upon the power granted by the Spirit as we walk with God to fulfill that which God asks.  He does so as every godly parent desires the same.  We desire for our children to be successful before the LORD and enjoy the blessings which come of the obedience.  There is no greater joy than to learn self-denial that the grace of God might abound to His glory!  There is another side of this verse which we wish to meditate upon.  That truth is the tenderness of God towards His children and the desire of the divine to see that His children are blessed indeed.

I have known a few fathers who have been intimidated by the success of their children.  It seems they were in a constant state of competition with their child so their child never exceeded their own accomplishments.  Instead of words of encouragement and motivation for higher goals, these fathers tear down their children and convince them they will never measure up.  These children go on into life being under-achievers.  Because their father had no faith in them, they have no ability to have faith in what God can do with them.  They are stuck in a life of mediocrity because they think their life will always be one of failure at worst, average at best.  In our verse above, God certainly does not think that of Joshua.  The verse is not only one of challenge, it is one of encouragement and positive expectation.  This verse above shows us God’s tenderness towards His children and His belief that if the child of God will simply obey His word and trust Him with all, there is nothing God cannot do with him.  What a word of hope!  What a word of dreams and visions!  Goals can be set and achieved.  There is nothing too hard for the LORD.  Yielding is the only thing God requires.

The devil makes a career out of discouraging the child of God.  He is the accuser.  He is the destroyer.  If he can convince you that you are beyond God’s ability to transform to the end He might gain the glory, the he has won.  This is his device.  This is his hope.  He hopes the child of God will see himself as absolutely beyond God’s grace and give up in his mediocrity.  This results in pattern of life of disobedience and lack of faith.  Maybe not out and out rebellion.  Just enough disobedience to make his life of no consequence.  If God believes you are not beyond His grace and work, then you need to believe the same.  Walk in obedience and faith and be astounded at what the LORD can do through you!