This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with a mini-series within it entitled “Focusing on the Word”. Yesterday I had to travel and on my way to the airport I began to meditate (and medicate) on Joshua 1:8. I thought about Joshua’s situation and the instruction the Lord gave him. Joshua was facing a tremendous challenge; a challenge easy to identify with. The onus and the spotlight were on Joshua. Millions of people were looking to him for guidance. Thousands of families were banking their future on every word that came out of Joshua’s mouth. If Joshua took on the pressure to perform, it would be enough to make any man buckle. But God did not want Joshua accept the pressure to perform. God did not expect him to operate in human ability alone. The grace of God was on Joshua to succeed. Joshua simply needed to use his faith to access God’s grace.
This takes me to the key counsel God gave Joshua. I call it God’s formula for Joshua’s success. God said, “Keep 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.” (Joshua 1:8 NIV). In one verse, with one statement, the Lord gave Joshua very clear keys to success. We will discuss those keys today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- God makes His grace for success abundantly available to you. However, your part is faith. The grace has already been given. You must now access God’s grace with your faith.
- When the time came for Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, the Lord made it clear to Joshua that the grace was already on him to succeed. Joshua needed to provide the faith. If he did, God promised Joshua would be both prosperous and successful. What was true for Joshua back then is true for you today.
- God told Joshua to keep His Word on his lips continually. In order to do so the Lord instructed Joshua to keep the Word on his mind. If keep the Word of God on your mind, day and night, you will have no option but to have the Word of God in your mouth. Whatever is ON your mind continually with be IN your mouth consistently. This is the way the Lord expects us to live.
- After telling Joshua to keep the Word of God ON his mind and IN his mouth, the Lord made it clear that Joshua was then supposed to DO what he was meditating on. The Bible is not a textbook to study. The Bible is a life-book to live. Your learning MUST turn into living. Your meditation MUST turn into application. Anything less is merely lip-service.
- God’s formula for success for Joshua was simple. Joshua was supposed to keep the Word of God on his mind and in his mouth, and he was then supposed to go out and DO what he was meditating. It worked for Joshua and it will work for you.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I learn from those who have gone before me. This morning I learn from Joshua. You told him to keep Your Word ON his mind and IN his mouth. You then told him to DO all he was meditating. I declare that I do. I meditate and medicate on Your Word day and night. Your Word is life to me, it is health and healing to all my flesh. I don’t live by bread only, I live by every Word that proceeds from out of Your mouth. I meditate Your Word SO much that it fills my heart. And then, out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth speaks! I speak the Word only. My words line up with Your Word. I speak life and not death, blessing and not cursing, victory and never defeat. And then lastly Father, I don’t just think about Your Word. I don’t just talk about Your Word. No, I DO WHAT IT SAYS! I am a doer of the Word of God and I am blessed in my doing. Living this way I am both prosperous and successful. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
