Living Out Faith: Lessons from Joshua's Journey
Summary
### Summary
Over the past several weeks, we've been diving deep into the story of Joshua, and today, we focus on how to apply the truths we've learned to our everyday lives. The five key truths we explored are: God is with us, receiving God's promises requires obedience, the Christian life unfolds in the middle voice, Christianity is a team sport, and faith is the inextricable link between belief and behavior.
First, we discussed how God reassured Joshua after Moses' death, emphasizing that His presence was the constant factor. This same promise applies to us today. We should not place our ultimate trust in any human but in God alone, who never leaves or forsakes us. We also need to remember that life will have its giants, but God promises to be with us as we face them.
Second, we learned that receiving God's promises requires obedience. Joshua exemplified immediate obedience, rallying the people to follow God's commands without hesitation. This teaches us that Christianity isn't about checking boxes but about a dynamic relationship with God, where our actions reflect our faith.
Third, we explored the concept of the Christian life unfolding in the middle voice. Just as the Israelites had to fight to receive God's promises, we too must actively participate in our spiritual journey. God provides the resources and the victory, but we must appropriate them by faith.
Fourth, we saw that Christianity is a team sport. Joshua mobilized his lieutenants, and the people worked together, each playing their unique role. We are all uniquely gifted and should use our talents to support one another in our mission to make disciples.
Finally, we discussed how faith is both belief and behavior. Joshua, Caleb, the two spies, and Rahab all demonstrated faith through their actions. True faith compels us to act in accordance with what we believe, and this is how we see God's promises fulfilled in our lives.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Unchanging Presence: Just as God reassured Joshua of His constant presence, we too can be confident that God is with us in every situation. This truth should lead us to place our ultimate trust in God alone, not in any human leader or circumstance. When we face life's giants, we can be strong and courageous, knowing that God is with us and will never forsake us. [03:05]
2. Obedience and God's Promises: Joshua's immediate obedience to God's commands teaches us that receiving God's promises requires action on our part. Christianity is not about merely checking religious boxes but about living in a dynamic relationship with God. Our actions should reflect our faith, and we should be ready to obey God's commands promptly and wholeheartedly. [09:24]
3. The Middle Voice of Christian Life: The Christian life requires active participation. Just as the Israelites had to fight to receive God's promises, we too must engage in our spiritual journey. God provides the resources and the victory, but we must appropriate them by faith. This involves daily putting on the full armor of God and standing strong in His power. [12:31]
4. Christianity as a Team Sport: We are all uniquely gifted and called to work together in the mission of making disciples. Just as Joshua mobilized his lieutenants and the people worked together, we too should identify and use our unique gifts to support one another. This collaborative effort strengthens the body of Christ and advances God's kingdom. [15:29]
5. Faith as Belief and Behavior: True faith is demonstrated through our actions. Joshua, Caleb, the two spies, and Rahab all showed their faith by acting in accordance with what they believed. Our faith should compel us to act, and as we do, we will see God's promises fulfilled in our lives. This involves meditating on Scripture, responding to the Holy Spirit's promptings, and living out our faith daily. [18:25]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:30] - Introduction to Applying Joshua's Story
[03:05] - God is With Us
[06:17] - Practical Ways to Remember God's Presence
[07:49] - Obedience and God's Promises
[09:24] - Living Out Obedience
[12:31] - The Middle Voice of Christian Life
[14:01] - Practical Steps for Living in the Middle Voice
[15:29] - Christianity as a Team Sport
[16:52] - Identifying and Using Our Unique Gifts
[18:25] - Faith as Belief and Behavior
[20:13] - Rahab's Example of Faith
[21:45] - Living Out and Fueling Our Faith
[23:37] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Joshua 1:1-9
2. Ephesians 6:10-18
3. Hebrews 11:31
#### Observation Questions
1. What did God promise Joshua after Moses' death, and how did He reassure him? ([03:05])
2. How did Joshua demonstrate immediate obedience to God's commands? ([09:24])
3. What does it mean for the Christian life to unfold in the "middle voice"? ([12:31])
4. How did Rahab demonstrate her faith according to the sermon? ([20:13])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does God's promise to Joshua in Joshua 1:1-9 apply to believers today? ([03:05])
2. What are the implications of viewing Christianity as a "team sport" in the context of the church? ([15:29])
3. How can believers actively participate in their spiritual journey while relying on God's strength, as described in Ephesians 6:10-18? ([14:01])
4. In what ways does Rahab's story in Hebrews 11:31 illustrate the connection between belief and behavior? ([20:13])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge. How did you experience God's presence during that time? How can you remind yourself of His presence in your daily life? ([06:17])
2. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with immediate obedience to God. What steps can you take to align your actions with your faith? ([09:24])
3. Think about your spiritual journey. How can you actively participate in it while relying on God's strength? What practical steps can you take to "put on the full armor of God" daily? ([14:01])
4. Consider your unique gifts and talents. How can you use them to support others in your church community and advance God's kingdom? ([16:52])
5. Reflect on a recent situation where your actions did not align with your beliefs. What changes can you make to ensure your behavior reflects your faith? ([18:25])
6. How can you cultivate a dynamic relationship with God rather than just checking religious boxes? What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your relationship with Him? ([09:24])
7. Identify one person in your life who is curious about faith. How can you engage them in a spiritual conversation this week? ([16:52])
Devotional
Day 1: God's Unchanging Presence
God's presence is a constant in our lives, just as it was for Joshua. After Moses' death, God reassured Joshua that He would be with him just as He had been with Moses. This promise is not limited to Joshua; it extends to us today. We are reminded that our ultimate trust should be in God alone, not in any human leader or circumstance. Life will present us with giants—challenges and obstacles that seem insurmountable—but we can face them with strength and courage, knowing that God is with us and will never forsake us. This truth should be a source of immense comfort and confidence as we navigate the complexities of life. [03:05]
Joshua 1:9 (ESV): "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Reflection: Think about a current challenge or "giant" in your life. How can you remind yourself of God's constant presence as you face this challenge today?
Day 2: Obedience and God's Promises
Receiving God's promises requires our active obedience. Joshua demonstrated this through his immediate and wholehearted response to God's commands. This teaches us that Christianity is not about merely checking religious boxes but about living in a dynamic relationship with God. Our actions should reflect our faith, and we should be ready to obey God's commands promptly and wholeheartedly. This kind of obedience is not passive but active, involving a willingness to follow God's lead even when it requires sacrifice or stepping out of our comfort zones. [09:24]
James 1:22 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Reflection: Is there a specific area in your life where you feel God is calling you to act in obedience? What steps can you take today to respond to that call?
Day 3: The Middle Voice of Christian Life
The Christian life requires active participation. Just as the Israelites had to fight to receive God's promises, we too must engage in our spiritual journey. God provides the resources and the victory, but we must appropriate them by faith. This involves daily putting on the full armor of God and standing strong in His power. The concept of the "middle voice" in grammar, where the subject is both acting and being acted upon, beautifully illustrates our role in the Christian life. We are not passive recipients but active participants in God's work in and through us. [12:31]
Ephesians 6:11 (ESV): "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."
Reflection: What is one practical way you can actively participate in your spiritual journey today? How can you "put on the full armor of God" in your daily life?
Day 4: Christianity as a Team Sport
We are all uniquely gifted and called to work together in the mission of making disciples. Just as Joshua mobilized his lieutenants and the people worked together, we too should identify and use our unique gifts to support one another. This collaborative effort strengthens the body of Christ and advances God's kingdom. Christianity is not a solo endeavor; it is a team sport where each member plays a crucial role. By working together, we can achieve far more than we could individually, and we can support and encourage one another in our spiritual journeys. [15:29]
1 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ."
Reflection: What unique gifts or talents do you have that can be used to support your church community? How can you actively contribute to the mission of making disciples?
Day 5: Faith as Belief and Behavior
True faith is demonstrated through our actions. Joshua, Caleb, the two spies, and Rahab all showed their faith by acting in accordance with what they believed. Our faith should compel us to act, and as we do, we will see God's promises fulfilled in our lives. This involves meditating on Scripture, responding to the Holy Spirit's promptings, and living out our faith daily. Faith is not just an intellectual assent but a lived reality that shapes our decisions, actions, and interactions with others. [18:25]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you had the opportunity to act on your faith. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience to apply in future situations?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God is with us. He will never leave or forsake us, and therefore everywhere he commands us to go and everything he commands us to do, we can be strong and courageous to obey. So if we know this truth, then what will it look like if we're actually believing and living in it? Well, we can learn two things from Joshua. First, we will not be a people who look to or place our trust and hope in any one person. God alone is the one who never changes. He alone is the one who will never leave us or forsake us." [03:05] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God never promised that there wouldn't be giants. He promised to be with us when we face them every single time. So how do we actually start living this way? Well, I think we often tend to over-spiritualize this stuff, and we make it so complicated that it becomes virtually inaccessible. So let's just think about it logically for a second. How are we reminded of anyone else's presence in our life? You know, we see them every day, maybe. We talk to them on the phone, we text." [06:17] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Christianity isn't about checking boxes and looking the part. It's about a dynamic relationship with the living God. It's taking hold of God's promises and living in the fullness of his grace. He's offered us a veritable feast and we're just kind of taking little nibbles at it. Or in the context of what we're learning in Joshua, you know, we've got our orders to go and make disciples, and again, we know that God is with us, but we're never doing it." [09:24] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Faith is both belief and behavior. You can't have one without the other. The two cannot be separated. We've seen ever since our study began in Numbers how Joshua and Caleb lived by faith. They were the only two of the 12 original spies who believed God's promises and were ready to go and obey him because they trusted him to do what he said he would do. Their behavior was in line with what they professed to believe." [18:25] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Faith is key. That is exactly what we see in the lives of Joshua and Caleb and the two spies in Rahab. Their faith was genuine, earnest, heartfelt, and actionable. In other words, they were fully devoted to God. Heart, mind, body, and soul. Church, we are called the by that same faith. We must. Without it, we will never see God do in and through us what only he can do. So church, let's go. Let's obey our commission and make disciples for God's glory alone." [21:45] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "So the second truth we learned from Moses is that, or Moses, well, yeah, Joshua 2, is that taking hold of God's promises requires us to be careful. And the second truth we learned from Moses is that, be obedient. Joshua was a great example for this. He didn't waste a minute. Right after God reminded him of the mission and reminded him that he was going to be with him, Joshua turned around and got to work. He knew his role, and so he immediately began getting others ready to do their part, too." [07:49] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So what does it look like if we're living out of the knowledge that obedience gives us hope because God always makes good on his promises? Well, first, we need to know that it is not enough to just play the part and check some boxes. Coming to church, reading our Bibles, putting money in the boxes, maybe we even go to Bible study once a week. Church, if we have believed the lie that that's all it takes to be a good Christian, then we don't begin to understand what it really means to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ." [09:24] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So how do we actually start living this way? Start living out of this truth. Well, don't psych yourself out before you even get started. Just do the next right thing. And after that, you do the next right thing. You just do it one decision at a time. Identify from God a promise, that you have a hard time trusting, right? Think about how and why your fear and unbelief tends to keep you paralyzed, and then go talk with God about it. Prayer is such a gift. It's the way that we communicate and engage this relationship with the living God of the universe." [10:58] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So what does it look like for us to live in the middle voice? Well, like the Israelites, we have the coming kingdom, the promised land. We're looking forward to it, right? It's there. It's ours, but we have to walk that path of obedience, holiness, to get there. That's our response to what God has done for us. We can't just sit back and watch everyone else fight the fight of faith while we do nothing, expecting God to just deliver it up on a platter. But we definitely don't do it all ourselves in our own strength. That doesn't work at all." [12:31] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "So how do we do this? Train up in a pillar, y'all. Every time you get the chance, start practicing. You know, we all need to be proficient in all of them, but we'll all have areas that we're designed to just really take off, right? First base. Find them and go. All the while, be thinking about and praying for yourself or think and talk about it as a family. What is your niche? You know, are you into sports? How can you use that unique set of gifts and opportunities to make disciples? Are you a person or a family that loves hiking and camping and fishing, all those things?" [16:52] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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