Joshua 1:6-9 “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Text Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Moses is dead and Jehovah has found his replacement in “Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister” (Joshua 1:1). In Joshua 1:1-9, Jehovah delivered a challenge to His new recruit! The challenge guaranteed total success; “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (vs.5). Upon close examination of the Divine Challenge we discover that within the providential promise is a provisional principle! Ultimately, success wouldn’t be attributed to the Sovereign sufficiency, but to the servant’s strategy. Please note God’s choice of words in verse 8; “for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” The season of success, (“for then”) and the source of success, (“thou shalt make”), would be attributed to the servant and not the Sovereign! Success lay in the hands of Joshua; it rested on compliance and conformity to the providential promise of God’s Word. When speaking to Isaiah; God promised that His Word would always be productive, powerful, and prosperous! When Joshua found himself defeated in the fight (see Joshua 7) and deceived by the foe (see Joshua 9); he would have to accept responsibility! While success rested in his hands; so did defeat. In many cases, we try to blame God for the failures in our lives, but each defeat can be traced back to our rebellion and defiance of His Word. Success is not only possible; but it rests in your hands!