THE MAN GOD USES. Joshua 1:9-18 Leadership requires a faithful person. Joshua did the small things correctly before taking on bigger tasks. He was willing to serve and work in Moses' shadow. He trusted God during the battle of the Amalekites. He ministered to Moses on Mt. Sinai. He was not involved in the worship of the golden calf. He was one of the faithful spies. He encouraged Moses. Moses laid his hands on Joshua. He learned from Moses and followed his example. He learned to obey God and trusted Him even when it didn’t seem logical. The walls of Jericho fell after a week of no action. His wisdom shines as they journey through the land.
Leadership calls for a commitment to lead. Joshua heard God say, “I will be with thee.” Men who have truly experienced God and are humbled, who seek only His glory, have discovered the secret of power. They have no competing claims. A leader must also understand the Word of God. He needs to learn the Word so he can teach it to others in a way they understand. Leaders are called to be vessels through which God works to bless His people. They must clear away all other reasons for leadership except what they believe is God’s will, and they need to practice holiness.
Effective leadership often results from good preparation and encouragement. The individuals we choose as models will significantly influence us. Someone we know who is committed to God provides the best example. Four essential requirements for leadership are: the leader must be aware of God's presence with him [v.5]. This awareness helps overcome discouragement, compromise, and uncertainty because it relies on the Lord for assurance. The leader must also be courageous in his spiritual life [v.6], especially when handling sensitive issues like land division. Keeping God's actual purpose at the forefront and communicating His promises to others is vital. Additionally, he must have a strong familiarity with God’s Word [v.8].
To be effective, he must be personally [1] devoted to God’s Word [2], a man of meditation [3], someone who practices what he preaches [4], and prepared to give God alone the glory for success. He needs the confidence of the Lord’s people [v.17] because he has proved reliable in the past when leading them for God's work. Joshua wasn’t a man who wavers in his purpose, and the children of Israel used the same words as the Lord did when they assured him of their acceptance of his leadership. . Three times, Joshua is told to be strong and very courageous:
- Reason # 1 to be strong: God’s promise, v.5-6. It was a sure victory.
- Reason# 2 to be strong: God’s Word, v.7-8. A safe Guide.
- Reason #3 to be strong: God’s presence, v.9. A sustaining power.
Victory comes through warfare and conflict, not through apathy and complacency. Life on the Canaan side of the Jordan followed deliverance from a wilderness experience of defeat. What kind of person does God trust with spiritual leadership? Joshua was aware of his inadequacy and weakness, so God encouraged him to “be strong”; “not afraid”; “neither be thou dismayed.” God must humble, break, and empty us to enable us to do His will. He uses weakness to strengthen His power.
Joshua’s strength as a leader was his faithfulness. He was faithful as a servant to Moses and willing to do the small tasks. He understood suffering in Egypt and is like a shadow of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the reality. One day, the Lord Jesus stepped out of obscurity and began His ministry. God spoke aloud, identifying Him and expressing His pleasure in the Lord Jesus. This is what God desires from those who lead His people today.
He had a clear calling. Joshua knew the enemy would oppose God's people but was confident in God’s call to lead them. There was a river to cross, walled cities to capture, and land to conquer. Yet, he looked beyond these challenges to God's revealed purpose and entrusted himself to the channel through which God could work. We need such people today. He had the indwelling Word of God.
Through the Word, we understand that the Spirit of God has come in fullness, and the Son possesses us, strengthened by His power and filled with His Spirit to serve Him. Meditation on God's Word leads to walking with God, living a holy life, and taking spiritual authority. The Lord Himself used, “It is written.” He said, “The words that I spoke unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” God uses the weak and nobody as channels to fulfill His will. A faithful past, clear direction, and being filled with the Word of God identify the man or woman God can use. Remove every responsibility in your life except what you believe to be God’s will for you.