Inhabit the Land

1. Inhabit the Land Life Principles From the Book of Joshua

2. Joshua 1:1-18 • After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had served Moses: • “Moses My servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. • I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. • Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites—and west to the Mediterranean Sea. Page 179, Holman Christian Standard Bible

3. No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you. • “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance. • Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. • This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper

4. and succeed in whatever you do. • Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” • Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: • “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’ ” • Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh:

5. “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’ • Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them • until the Lord gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

6. until the Lord gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.” • They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. • We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. And may the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. • They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go.

7. We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. And may the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. • Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

8. Inhabit the Land Get Ready! We’re going In

9. 1. The Long Awaited Word • Vs. 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’”

10. 2. A Long Standing Promise • Vs. 11 “the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.” • Vs. 3 “I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses.” • 3 Generations: Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob • Twelve Tribal Fathers • 400 years in Egypt • 40 years in the wilderness under Moses

11. 3. Promises Are Made to be Appropriated • Vs. 11 “… to go in and take possession of the land”

12. 4. An Empowering Presence • Vs. 5 “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you.” • Vs. 9 “…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

13. 5. The Duty of courage • Vs. 6 “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.”

14. 6. The Key to Being Blessable • Vs. 7-8 “…carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” • Obedience (“observe”) • Meditation (thinking about what it means & how it applies to your life) • Recitation (talking about it regularly)

15. 7. Blessed to Be a Blessing • Vs. 12-15 “Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: ‘Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’ Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them. until the Lord gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

16. 7. Blessed to Be a Blessing • Vs. 12-15 “Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: ‘Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’ Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them. until the Lord gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

18. Vs. 14 “But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them until the Lord gives our brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them” • It’s part of the promise… • Genesis 12:2 “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing”

19. David Dykes • God did not place us here not be a blessing receptacle but to be a channel of blessings to others! • Part of our preparation for entering this new building is to be ready for the new people God is going to send. For God to bless us, we are going to have to take a new attitude into this new facility. Sometimes church members get all hot and bothered about things like music styles, drama or non-traditional approaches to reaching people. I believe that attitude stems from the belief the church exits to be a blessing to them and anything that doesn’t bless them must be wrong. …our church exists not for those of us who are already saved but to be a blessing to those who haven’t entered into a personal relationship with God yet.