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??Have you ever played “Follow the Leader？” It’s a game where one child is the leader and the other boys and girls have to follow him in a line and jump if he jumps, and turn around if he turns around, etc. Whatever they see the leader do, the followers must do. Would you rather be the follower or the leader？The leader, of course! Now that can be a lot of fun in a game, but in real life, it’s not always easy to be a leader. The leaders in our Bible lesson today faced some BIG problems.
??The first leader in our lesson was Moses. God called him to lead the nation of Israel out of slavery from Egypt. Let’s go back to Exodus 3：10-12 and remember how God called Moses：Come now, …and I will send you unto Pharaoh, that you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt？”
??And he (God) said, “Certainly I will be with you; …” And God kept His Word! He WAS with Moses and He DID lead the people out of slavery. God gave Moses a godly young man as his minister, or closest helper. His name was Joshua.
??And it was Joshua whom Moses sent to lead the battle against Amalek, their enemies. It was Joshua whom Moses took with him up into Mt. Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. It was Joshua Moses chose to go with 11 other spies into the land of Canaan. And it was Joshua along with Caleb who stood strong in their faith even after seeing giants in the land of Canaan. And it was only Joshua and Caleb whom God granted the privilege of living to see the land of Canaan. All the rest of Joshua’s generation had rebelled against the Lord in not believing Him. Because of their unbelief, God made the people wander around in the wilderness for 40 more years, until all of them died…except Joshua and Caleb.
??Not believing our God is a serious sin, and brought serious punishment on the people of Israel. It caused the people who were Joshua and Caleb’s age to miss going into the Promised Land. Instead they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years, until all of them died. But now, the 40 years have passed, the younger people are all grown up, and God has once again brought them to the border of Canaan, the Promised Land! The muddy brown Jordan River was all that stood between them! Moses was about 120 years old now, but still bright eyed and energetic, the Bible tells us. Yet Moses knew it would not be his job to lead the people across the Jordan into their new home. God was about to take Moses to his forever home in Heaven. God said to Moses, “Take Joshua and lay your hand on him in the sight of all the people. He will be the leader for all the children of Israel.” Moses obeyed the Lord, and told Joshua, “Be strong and of a good courage, ” he said. Joshua was going to hear those same words over and over! And that’s part of our memory verse today, isn’t it! Moses continued, “You must go with this people to the land God promised them, and the Lord, He is the one who goes before you; He will not leave you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be dismayed.” As a new leader, Joshua needed to hear those encouraging words!
??Then not long after that, Moses died. God told Joshua, “Moses My servant is dead. Now arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people to the land I have given to the people of Israel.”
??God promised Joshua that every piece of ground his foot touched was going to be given to him, and that no man would be able to stand against him. Moses had encouraged him, now God was cheering Joshua on! As a new leader, Joshua surely needed to hear those words! Not only was Joshua going to be leading about two million people, but they were going to depend on him to get them across that Jordan River, and Joshua knew across that river lived many enemies, some of which were giants.
??These were big problems, and Joshua knew he was not able to solve them! But Joshua also knew the Lord God was with him, and his God was bigger than ANY problem! He knew the LORD was with him!
??God continued to instruct Joshua：As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. Only be strong and very courageous, and keep My laws. Don’t turn from my law to the right or to the left.
??This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so you will remember to do all that is written there. This will be the secret of your success.
??Then God spoke the words of our Bible verse for today. Won’t you stand right now and say it with me？Joshua 1：9 Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
??Did you know those same encouraging words are also for you, if you have believed on the Lord Jesus' Remember, the Lord is with you! No matter what problem or project you are facing, God has promised He is with you to help you. In Jeremiah 32：7 God asks a question that needs no answer：“Is there anything too hard for Me？” The secret of success for you is the same as for Joshua：that you hear, read, meditate, memorize and OBEY the words of your God! Let’s say one word for each finger on our hand, starting with the smallest finger. When you memorize these encouraging words, then you can turn them into a prayer when you are feeling discouraged. You can remember His truth and ask Him for His help! God is bigger than any problem, and if you know the Lord Jesus, HE IS WITH YOU and will help you. Joshua had seen that all of his life, but still he needed those encouraging words from the Lord!
??Then with confidence in the Lord, Joshua was ready to take the next step. He commanded the officers of the people：Go through the camp and tell everyone to prepare food and get things ready, for in 3 days we will pass over the Jordan River to go and take the land God has given us!
??Boys and girls, don’t you know the people were excited!! After all these years, FINALLY, they were going into the Promised Land! The mothers began to prepare food, maybe the children and teens were milking cows and goats, and picking berries. Perhaps the fathers were sharpening knives and spears. Some of the people responded to Joshua, All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. May the Lord be with you as He was with Moses. And then they added the words from our Bible verse!
??Can you say them with me？Be strong and of a good courage!
??Conclusion：First from Moses, then from the Lord, now from the people Joshua was being encouraged with those words! And with God’s help, Joshua knew they would go into the land of Canaan!
