Joshua 1:8 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. 9 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.
This passage of scripture teaches us of the way success is granted to all who believe and trust in God, and it includes observing and implementing the various laws and instructions that are given for us to be successful. Whenever the human agent sets his heart on God, to do His good pleasure by submitting to His all-wise plans, then the end result can be nothing but success, for God cannot lie, and though His promises may seem to be prolonged, yet they are as sure as the sun rising in the east.
But this passage is often misunderstood to mean that the promises of success will bring no adverse circumstances, and it is because of this erroneous interpretation why the devil is able to tempt us to throw in the towel and forget all about God. A notable example of what is being spoken of occurred when the Hebrews had left Egypt, armed with the promise that God would lead them to Canaan, a land that flowed with milk and honey.
Not long after they had left, pharaoh and his army mustered their forces, complete with horses and chariots, and they pursued the children of Israel who were ill-prepared for war, and who, to all appearances would fall an easy prey to their enemies. This was definitely not the milk and honey they were expecting, and they vented both their frustration and anger at Moses, for bringing them into such desperate straits. Let's read:
Exodus 14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea".... 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
Whenever God has given promises of success or deliverance to His people, there are certain things we must expect in the process, so that our faith may not be unduly shaken when they occur. First of all, the devil is going to mount a serious challenge to our faith in God, in which he will seek to discourage us from moving forward, and if possible cause us to stumble or turn back. This is certain to occur on every occasion, because the Christian does not make progress towards success in a vacuum, but rather through severe conflicts and stern disciplines of faith, trust, and hope in God's power to save and deliver on His promises. This is the reason why the response of Moses' is worthy of emulation in our own lives, for this is the general format in the process of God's promises being fulfilled in due season. Let's read:
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
The same promises of success and deliverance given to God's people in ages past are still available to us today, and on the same terms and conditions, for absolutely nothing has changed. When we have done our very best, and we look forward with eager anticipation to reaping the rewards of our efforts, there comes the old devil, to try to cause us to stumble, and to doubt. After the great disappointment of 1844, many who were eagerly looking forward to the immediate fulfillment of Christ's promise to return, lost their zeal when He did not come as expected, and many more turned their backs permanently on the promise.
But as Christians we should dwell in the positive, by repeating the promises of God, even when faced with the most daunting challenges to the contrary. In other words, the Bible encourages us to hope in God when it seems all hope is gone, and if we were to persevere by trusting in Him, the deliverance and the success will come when most needed, for the promises of God know no haste and no delay. Let us therefore set our hearts upon The One who is mighty to deliver, and may we ever learn that most important lesson, that our faith in God is our greatest asset.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to exercise a living faith in God, for at the appointed time, every word and every promise will be fulfilled, according to His good pleasure. Let's read:
Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!