Every Single Word: Joshua 10:16-12:24 — 1/13/2025 10:00 AM

Notes

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White reminded us that God will ultimately be victorious and that our role is to respond in faithful obedience. Joshua's life demonstrates what it means to keep a Kingdom vision in sight, stand firm in faith, and continually trust in God's sovereignty. 

Joshua’s leadership in Joshua 10–12 teaches us several key lessons, starting with his vision. He maintained a clear focus on God's promises, not allowing distractions, even good ones, to derail his mission. In our own lives, we must ask, “Do I have a vision for my life that aligns with God’s purpose?” If we lose sight of God's Kingdom goals, we risk getting sidetracked by the lesser things of life. Like Joshua, we must stay focused on the ultimate mission of God’s glory. 

Joshua also boldly modeled strong and courageous faith. In Joshua 10:24–26, he led by example, stepping forward to confront the enemies of God. The Lord encouraged Joshua to act with courage, and Joshua obeyed without hesitation. We must ask ourselves, “Are we willing to be an example of faith to those around us?” Are we willing to take bold steps in obedience, even when it’s difficult? 

Another leadership principle we see in Joshua is his ability to choose the right friends. Joshua surrounded himself with those who were committed to God’s mission. We too must be cautious about our associations and befriend those who will push us closer to the Lord instead of further away.  

Joshua also obeyed in the small matters. From the allocation of land to the small details of God’s commands, Joshua remained faithful. In Joshua 11:20–23, even when things seemed trivial, he did what God asked because obedience in the small things matters. In our own lives, we must take care of the details: consistent Bible reading, regular church involvement, and fulfilling commitments with excellence. 

Moreover, Joshua failed forward. When he made mistakes, he learned from them and kept moving forward, trusting God’s plan. The important question for us is, “How do we respond when we fail?” Do we give up, or do we press on, learning and growing from our failures? 

Serving God requires hard work and perseverance, as we saw in Joshua 10:26–27 and 11:18. Joshua embraced and continued to serve God through the hard things. Are we willing to do the hard things for the sake of God’s Kingdom? If you’ve never done something hard, it’s time to find something challenging and pursue it with all your might.  

Finally, Joshua always gave glory to God for the victories. Psalm 2 reminds us that God is sovereign over all. His victory is assured. Our role is not to seek glory for ourselves but to humbly acknowledge God's power and dominion. Dr. White asked left us with this question: Will we reject the rule of King Jesus or take refuge in Him? The ultimate victory belongs to God, and we are called to be faithful servants in His plan.