Pastor Jeon

The Spiritual Authority of Joshua

The Spiritual Authority of Joshua (Joshua 1:10-18) 

1/21/2014 ITCS Morning prayer meeting

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’ ”

12But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’14Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

Introduction:

  1. The absolute obedience of all the Israelite to the first command of Joshua established the spiritual authority. (17 Just as their fathers fully obeyed Moses, so They will obey Joshua. Only may the Lord your God be with Joshua as he was with Moses.) To establish the spiritual authority is very important to accomplish the will of the Lord in our lives.

  2. How does the spiritual authority establish?

  1. First, it shall be established by following the command of God. (16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ) It is to follow what God command, because it is his will in that stuation. Then Joshua commanded to the Israel leaders to prepare the necessary food for crossing the Jordan river within 3 days.(10-11 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’ ) to aid the other tribes until occupying the remaining land to the 2 ½ tribes.(12-1312But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’) This was the repeated command that Moses gave to Israel. The spiritual authority shall be established not by executing the great thing, but by being faithful to a small thing. In other words, it means that it shall be established by giving attention on the word of God. Why ? Because it is the absolute authority of God.

In our Christian life we have to establish the spiritual authority by following the word of God faithfully. When we say something to our neighbors just like God did to us. Especially preachers and teachers need to sustain the authority in the ministry. Therefore they should try to hide in the word of God. They should love to accept the teaching of God. When we read the word of God and listen to it, we should attach to the authority of the Scripture in order to reveal only the power of God as Paul did in the Corinthian church. “And I, when I came to you, brothers,a did not come proclaiming to you the testimonyb of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”(ICorin.2:1-4)

  1. Second, it shall be established by Immanuel. Look at the verse 17. (17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.) Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. The faith to be with God has the authority of God. Literally it means Immanuel, “the union with God, the presence of God, and true salvation. Although it is very simple state, it is very important to execute the divine authority in our ministry. In our actual school life we should concentrate on the life walking with God by personal godly activities.

As we find that Israel overcome their enemies by depending on God, the events of the Acts also reveals the same principles , the authority of being with God

continuously.

  • The ministry of apostles – they longed the power of God.

  • The house of Cornelius – they waited for the work of God.

  • The ministry of Peter – he watched on the work of Holy Spirit.

  • The ministry of Paul – he served in the grace of God humbly. In a short word,

their successful ministry came out of Immanuel.

= Actually we have to concentrate on the work being with God. What do you think of this issue? Are you conscious of God’s presence in your school life?

  1. Third, it shall be sustained by longing the Word of God with spiritual tension faithfully (18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!).

  • What is the Word of God? It is the written word and the oral word told through Moses what God said. Now it is the Scripture.

  • So we want to hide in the Word, with the word and on the word in our lives. Then the authority of the Word establishes our authority. As we know, the Apostle Paul proclaims that “32And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts20:32)”

  • What does it mean? He assured that the word of God has the same authority of the Lord. His ministry of word is the work that the Lord Himself works in the ministry.

Conclusion:

  1. My beloved student, Where is your authority? You have to concentrate to establish the word of God in your school life. Now you are working the work of the Lord. Absolutely God shall establish the authority in your heart and in your ministry.

  2. In the spiritual chaos day we have to concentrate on keeping the authority by obeying the word of God, by assuring Immanuel and by longing the will of God with spiritual tension.

In this year Let’s keep the spiritual authority in our school lives.