Lead Like Joshua
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, guide my understanding today as I read Your Word. May I hold fast to all of Your teachings.
Read JOSHUA 23:1–11
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. 3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. 4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.
6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. 8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.
9 “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the Lord your God.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Before reading further, spend some time thanking God for the leaders he has provided throughout your life.What does good leadership look like? In Joshua, we can see the characteristics of a great, godly leader. People followed him—and they did so through significant challenges, unusual requests and difficult situations. Having reached the end of the line (2,14), Joshua was concerned that his people follow God even if he wasn’t there, because he cared deeply for them. In this first part of the speech to his people there are four key elements that we can apply to our own lives:
1. Don’t forget what God has done, and let that fuel your faith for what he will do in your future (3–5).
2. Never compromise or weaken your obedience to God’s Word (6–8)—it won’t end well.
3. Don’t only obey God, but love him undividedly (6,11).
4. It’s not about superstars: your success has been given by God (3,5,9,10).
We don’t have to be in leadership roles to provide leadership. The keys above are worth applying throughout our lives, no matter what season we are in, no matter how old or young we are.
Apply
Which of these four keys do you need to reinforce in your life and thinking the most?
Closing prayer
Lord, make me a godly leader in my sphere of influence—no matter how large or small it may be.
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