Good Success Joshua 1:8-9 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

If you want your way to be prosperous and have good success by God’s measure, then there are certain things that you must do. They relate to the words of God.  This book of the law must guide:

Your words – Jos 1:8 – “this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth.”  Learn it well enough to quote it, and when you attempt to quote it, say what it says.  People often say that the Lord will never give you more than you can handle.  But the Bible doesn’t say that.  By misquoting the verse, they cause themselves undo heartache.  For instance, salvation is more than you can handle (Matt 19:26; Lk 18:27).  Temptation is more than you can handle (1 Cor 10:13).  Life can throw things at you that you cannot handle (2 Cor 12:7-10).  But the Lord can handle all these.  He is faithful.  The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.

You should memorize scripture so that you can speak to yourself and answer others as the oracles of God.  A fellow asked me a question after church this morning concerning the salvation of the thief on the cross (Lk 23:43).  He couldn’t understand how the thief could be with Jesus in paradise when Jesus went into the heart of the earth after he died.  When I explained that paradise was, at that time, in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:19-31), he said that was the best explanation he had ever received.  Indeed, it was.  It was the Bible explanation.

Your thoughts – Jos 1:8 – “thou shalt meditate therein day and night.”  You should meditate on the words of God day and night.  As you consider things, filter your thoughts through this book. The Bible says that, “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,” (Prov 23:7).  That is, you become what you think about and you do what you think about.  If your thoughts line up with this book and are filtered through Phil 4:8, then you turn out right.  If not, you don’t.  By meditating on the words of God, you get God’s perspective on everything.  You understand human nature, history and world events in a way that no one else can, because you see them the way that God does.

Your actions – Jos 1:8 – “that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.”  This book should rule over everything you do and over everything you don’t do.  This book will tell you all that God wants you to know about marriage, finances, exercise, education, and on and on.  You must do what the book says if you want to have good success.

Now all of this is easier said than done.  So, the Lord tells us that he will go with us wherever we go.  He must be there to help us.  God will help you to:

Be strong – Jos 1:9 – “be strong.”  Moses had to be very strong to face Pharaoh.  However, he was weak when he first approached Pharaoh.  He didn’t tell Pharaoh exactly what God wanted him to say.  In time, though, he became very strong and courageous.  He had to be very strong to keep that herd of Jews out in the wilderness.  He had to be very strong to intercede for them when they were out of line with God.  And he had to be very strong to win the victories over Sihon and Og.  God made him strong when Moses followed his words.

Be not afraid – Jos 1:9 – “be not afraid.”  Fear will suck the wind right out of your words, your thoughts and your actions.  They will be dominated by fear when you are afraid.  Any decision that you make in fear is going to be a bad decision.  That’s why God has not given us the spirit of fear.  That’s why God goes with us wherever we go.  He’ll keep you from being afraid so that you can do right and have good success.

Be not dismayed – Jos 1:9 – “neither be thou dismayed.”  To be dismayed is to be discouraged at the prospect of trouble or danger.  Dismay will fill you with apprehension.  You begin to calculate and figure the outcome of a thing before you face it.  Moses tried to avoid God’s will by professing that he was not eloquent.  Jeremiah tried to avoid his calling by professing that he was a child.  God told him to not be dismayed at the faces of the people or else he would confound him before them (Jer 1:17).  You can’t have good success like that.

Conclusion: The Bible must guide your words, your thoughts and your actions.  The blessing is that God is in this book and he is in you to make you strong and keep you from being afraid and dismayed.  As much as your pastors would like to help you with every difficulty in your life, we cannot.  However, we can give you this one bit of advice.  Get in your Bible and let it govern your words, your thoughts and your actions.  Then your way will be prosperous and you will have good success.