Questions

1. Fill in the blanks below from Josh 1:5-8: ⁵ No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or ________ you. ⁶ Be strong and ____________, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, being _______ to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall _________ on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
2. TRUE or FALSE: Biblical courage is the absence of fear.
3. Why does God repeatedly command Joshua to be strong and courageous?
4. Joshua lacked military experience.
5. Israel was larger than the Canaanite nations.
6. Courage would be required because Joshua would need to trust God's promises rather than his own abilities.
7. Moses had not prepared Joshua adequately.
8. The wilderness journey repeatedly demonstrated God's __________ despite Israel's unfaithfulness.
9. TRUE or FALSE: According to Joshua 1:8, biblical meditation is intended to influence speech, thoughts, and behavior.
10. God's provision includes not only resources but also His power, strength, and __________.
11. The key to courage is confidence in __________ rather than confidence in ourselves.
12. Why does the sermon use Paul's thorn in the flesh as an illustration?
13. To show that God eventually removes all suffering.
14. To demonstrate that God's power is often displayed through weakness.
15. To explain the importance of prayer.
16. To illustrate spiritual warfare.
17. TRUE or FALSE: Spiritual maturity is demonstrated by increasing dependence upon God rather than increasing self-sufficiency.

Discussion

1. Why do significant life transitions often expose what we truly trust?
2. How is biblical courage different from self-confidence?
3. Why do you think God emphasized His presence to Joshua more than specific military strategies?
4. What does God's faithfulness during Israel's repeated failures teach us about His character?
5. Why is remembering God's past faithfulness essential for trusting Him in the future?
6. Joshua 21:45 says that not one promise failed. How should this verse shape the way Christians interpret present disappointments or delays?
7. Which is easier for you: trusting God's power or trusting His timing? Why?
8. How does Paul's experience with the thorn challenge modern ideas about success, comfort, and blessing?
9. Why does God sometimes provide sufficient grace instead of removing the difficulty itself?
10. How can fear become an opportunity for spiritual growth?
11. The sermon repeatedly emphasizes God's Presence, Promises, and Provision. Which of these is most foundational to the other two and why?
12. How does Joshua 1 prepare believers to face both success and suffering?
13. Why is personalization of Scripture helpful, and what dangers should believers avoid when doing it?

Sermon Outline

Change is something we all face. We find comfort in what is familiar, so when life shifts, it can bring uncertainty, fear, and questions about the future. We wonder: Will I be able to handle what's ahead? Will God provide what I need?

One thing is certain: change is in the wind.

Debbie and I are entering a significant new season. After 43 years in ministry, I am retiring and moving to Grand Rapids. While leaving behind what is familiar is not easy, we are excited to see what God has planned next.

Change is also coming to Cornerstone. Many have asked what the church will look like without me, but I am confident that God has already been preparing the way. Pastor Paul Adcock, Elder Mike Beck, Pastor Chris, and many faithful servants are helping lead this church into the future. In fact, I have never been more optimistic about Cornerstone. This congregation loves the Lord, loves to serve, and has a bright future ahead.

Most importantly, God loves this church far more than I ever could. He has been faithful in the past, and He will remain faithful in the future.

The same is true for each of us personally. Whether you are facing changes in your family, career, health, relationships, or circumstances, God may be using this new season to deepen your faith and dependence upon Him.

Change is inevitable, but we can face it with confidence, knowing that the God who has been faithful in the past will be faithful in the future.

Moses had led Israel for forty years and had been Joshua's mentor, teacher, and example. So when God chose Joshua to lead the nation into the Promised Land, it is easy to imagine that he felt overwhelmed. How do you replace a leader like Moses? Joshua had witnessed both Moses' greatness and the challenges of leading a rebellious people.

Yet God had chosen Joshua for this task. Knowing he would need encouragement, God repeatedly told him, "Be strong and courageous" and reminded him not to be afraid or discouraged. Those words are just as relevant for us whenever we face uncertainty and change.

An impala can jump thirteen feet high and thirty feet in a single leap. Yet it can be contained by a simple three-foot wall if it cannot see where it will land. It refuses to jump into the unknown. We are often the same way. We prefer certainty before taking a step forward. But faith requires trusting God even when we cannot see what lies ahead.

Whether we are facing a new job, a move, a health challenge, or another life transition, God calls us to move forward with courage. We do not get to choose how we will glorify Him or where He may lead us. Joshua may have been comfortable serving as Moses' assistant, just as I was comfortable far from Africa. Yet God had different plans.

The good news is that when God calls us into a new season, He also provides the strength, courage, and encouragement we need to follow Him faithfully.

God reassures us with His presence

Joshua 1:5 – ⁵Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Joshua 1:9 –⁹The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Throughout the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God faithfully provided for His people. Their clothing and sandals did not wear out. He supplied manna from heaven for food and brought water from a rock to satisfy their thirst. By day, a pillar of clouds shielded them from the scorching desert sun, and by night, a pillar of fire provided light, warmth, and direction. Every step of the journey was marked by God's faithful presence and guidance.

What is remarkable is that God remained faithful even when His people were not. Repeatedly, the Israelites struggled with doubt, fear, and disobedience, yet God continued to lead, provide, and care for them. He did not abandon the work He had begun because God always finishes what He starts. His ongoing presence reassured His people that they were not walking through the wilderness alone.

That same confidence is reflected in Psalm 73, where the psalmist declares to the Lord,

Psalm 73:23-24 – ²³Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Today, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, providing ongoing comfort, guidance, and strength.

John 14:16 –¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.

As we face new seasons and new challenges, God promises to be with us every step of the journey. A dear friend of ours named Helen has been a tremendous source of encouragement over the years. She has demonstrated a faith that has inspired many people.

Today, Helen is in the final season of her life and receiving hospice care. During my last visit with her, I asked, "Helen, is there anything you're afraid of as you face death?" She looked at me almost puzzled by the question and replied, "He's been with me every step of the way. Why would I expect anything different now?"

What a profound testimony of trust. Helen's confidence was not rooted in her circumstances but in the faithfulness of God. She knew from experience that the Lord had never abandoned her, and she had no reason to believe He would do so now.

None of us get a rehearsal for life's final chapter. We don't get to choose all the circumstances through which we will glorify God. But we do have His promise: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Beneath us are His everlasting arms, sustaining us through every season of life.

Whether we are stepping into a new opportunity, facing an uncertain future, or walking through our final days, God's presence remains our constant source of strength, comfort, and assurance. He is with us, and He will continue to be with us every step of the way.

God reassures us with his promises

In verse 5, God offers Joshua not only the comfort of His presence but also the certainty of His promise. The Lord declares,

Joshua 1:5 – ⁵Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

And in verse 3, he says,

Joshua 1:3 – ³Just as I promised to Moses...

Moses was gone, but God was still at work. The same God who had guided Moses now called Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land. After years of wandering, the time had finally come for God's people to claim what He had promised them.

Joshua's confidence did not rest in his own abilities but in God's faithfulness. When God makes a promise, no contract or guarantee is needed—His character is His guarantee. Throughout his life, Joshua witnessed God's faithfulness firsthand, and by the end of his life he could testify that not one of God's promises had failed. Every promise had been fulfilled exactly as God had said.

Joshua 21:45 – ⁴⁵Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; Every one was fulfilled.

Today, we possess an even greater treasury of God's promises than Moses did. Moses had the promises contained in the first five books of Scripture; we have the entire Bible—the complete record of God's faithfulness, character, and promises. From Genesis to Revelation, God assures us that He is with us, He is for us, and He will accomplish His purposes in our lives.

I often share a story from the 1988 Armenian earthquake. After an elementary school collapsed, a father rushed to the ruins looking for his son. Remembering his promise, "No matter what happens, I will always be there for you," he kept digging long after others had given up hope. After 38 hours, he found his son alive.

The boy later explained that he had encouraged the other trapped children by reminding them that his father would come because he always kept his promises. His hope endured because he trusted his father's word and character.

In the same way, God calls us to trust His promises when we face uncertain seasons. We may not know what the future holds, but we know the One who holds the future.

So let me leave you with a challenge. Is there an area of your life where God is calling you to take a step of faith? Perhaps He is prompting you to use your gifts in a new way, but fear, uncertainty, or feelings of inadequacy are holding you back. I've been there myself. When God first began leading me toward ministry in Africa, my initial response was, "I don't think so."

For the next week, focus each day on a different aspect of God's character—His faithfulness, love, wisdom, mercy, or goodness. Then, during the following week, focus on God's power and His ability to work through ordinary people who trust Him.

As you meditate on God's character and His strength, allow His Word to build your faith and courage. The God who calls you is also the God who equips you. He is fully able to provide everything you need for whatever He asks you to do.

God reassures us with His provision

God equips His people with everything they need—His presence, His promises, and His provision. In verse 3, He says,

Joshua 1:3 – ³I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads.

And then in verse 5,

Joshua 1:5 – ⁵No man shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life...

God's provision includes not only His resources but also His power, strength, and peace. Scripture offers many examples.

• Philippians 4:19 – ¹⁹And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
• Paul said to the Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians 9:8 – ⁸God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
• When God calls us into a new season, He doesn't leave us to rely on our own abilities.
• He provides His power and strength to sustain us.
• Joshua 1:5 - ⁵No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.
• Simply put, anyone who stood against Joshua was standing against God Himself.
• Paul echoed that same principle centuries later when he said,
• Romans 8:31 - ³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
• Paul gives us the assurance of God's power.
• Philippians 4:13 – ¹³I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
• Another passage that closely parallels this idea comes from David in Psalm 18.
• Psalm 18:32 – ³²It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
• We all know the story of Paul's thorn in the flesh. He earnestly asked the Lord three times to remove it, yet God chose not to. Instead, God responded with a promise that transformed Paul's perspective.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – ⁹My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I'll boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...¹⁰For when I'm weak, then I'm strong.
• God's power is displayed most clearly when we come to the end of our own strength. Recognizing this, Paul declares,
• 2 Timothy 1:7 – ⁷God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power and love and sound judgment.

Fear often grows when we place more trust in ourselves than in God.

When I was a kid, my brothers and I loved skating on nearby lakes. Before venturing out, we would cautiously test the ice near the shore. We'd look at its color and listen carefully as we took a few tentative steps. If the ice held, our confidence grew. We would take a few more steps, then put on our skates and venture farther out. With each successful step, our trust in the ice increased.

Walking with God into a new season works much the same way. Every time we trust Him and discover His faithfulness, our confidence grows. One step of faith leads to another. As God proves Himself trustworthy, it becomes easier to follow His leading into the unknown.

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the One who is leading."

 – Oswald Chambers

Faith grows as we discover God's character and learn that He always has our best interests at heart. So how do we keep our eyes off the circumstances that produce fear, anxiety, and self-doubt? How do we learn to look to God first rather than as a last resort?

The disciples faced that very struggle on the Sea of Galilee. As a storm threatened to sink their boat, they did everything they could before finally turning to Jesus, who was asleep in the stern. Only when their efforts failed did they cry out, "Lord, don't You care if we drown?"

We often do the same thing. We try to solve problems ourselves. We look to our own abilities, to advice from others, or to the latest technology. Then, when all else fails, we finally turn to God.

What if we reversed that pattern? What if, like Paul, we acknowledged our weakness from the very beginning and invited God to display His strength? What if we entered each new season fully aware of our inadequacy but confident in His sufficiency? That is where we discover His power, His provision, and His peace in the midst of uncertainty.

Let me give you three ways that you and I can retrain our minds to look to God instead of our circumstances.

1. Remember what God has done in the past. Keep a journal or keep a list of the times when God has demonstrated His provision of power, His provision of peace to you, or His presence has gone with you when He's answered your prayers in miraculous ways. Then set aside time to reflect on those events and ask God to remind you what you learned as you went through those experiences, and take time to thank Him, remembering that thanks increase our trust. That way you're going to be building up your mind, and you'll have an easier time trusting God for the unknown, because you look back on His track record of faithfulness with you.
2. Memorize Scripture. It's a great way to train our minds to look to God, because we're feeding them with God's truth, and that truth rises up to the surface when it's needed. Jesus said, The Helper, the Holy Spirit, will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you. In verse 8 here in Joshua 1, God instructs Joshua to speak, to ponder, to obey the Scriptures continually. He says, God's Word must characterize our speech.

Joshua 1:8 – ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

God's Word must be the focus of our thoughts.

Joshua 1:8 – ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

God's Word must direct our behavior.

Joshua 1:8 – ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

1. Personalize the Scriptures. One of the mistakes we often make when reading the Bible is thinking that it is only a book about people who lived long ago. But Scripture was written for us as well. God's promises are not merely historical; they are deeply personal.

One simple way to make God's Word personal is to insert your own name into a promise. Take 2 Corinthians 9:8, for example:

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, Brian,

so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you, Brian,

will abound in every good work."

When we personalize Scripture in this way, we are reminded that God's promises are not just for others—they are for us.

The more we fill our minds with God's truth, meditate on His promises, and make them our own, the more clearly, we will recognize His voice above the fears and uncertainties that surround us.

I have been preaching it not only to you, but also to Debbie and me. We are all facing a new season. And when we are tempted, like the impala, to hesitate because we cannot see where we will land, we need to remember that God has already provided everything we need for whatever lies ahead. He has given us His presence, His promises, His provision, His faithfulness, and His strength in our weakness.

God calls us to trust Him enough to move beyond the walls of fear and doubt that keep us from following His leading. It is perfectly acceptable to admit, "Lord, I've never done this before. I don't feel adequate for this task." Joshua, Moses, and many of God's servants felt that way. The key is not confidence in ourselves but confidence in God. We may not be able to do it on our own, but with His help we can.

So as you face a new season, don't allow fear or feelings of inadequacy to hold you back. Say yes to God. Trust Him. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of tomorrow, because God is already there.

It has been our great privilege to serve you these past thirty years. Debbie and I love you deeply, and we will miss you more than words can express. Yet we look to the future with hope and confidence, trusting that God's absolute best lies ahead—for us, for you, and for Cornerstone—as together we continue to follow Him.