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The Only Way to Win, April 20
Joshua 1:1-9
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.
Joshua 1:8
.
If men will walk in the path that God has marked out for them, they will
have a counselor whose wisdom is far above any human wisdom. Joshua was a
wise general because God was his guide. The first sword that Joshua used was
the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God....
It was because the strongest influences were to be brought to bear against
his principles of righteousness that the Lord in mercy charged him not to turn to
the right hand or to the left. He was to follow a course of strictest integrity.... If
there had been no peril before Joshua, God would not over and over again have
charged him to be of good courage. But amid all his cares, Joshua had his God
to guide Him.
There is no greater deception than for man to suppose that in any difficulty he
can find a better guide than God, a wiser counselor in any emergency, a stronger
defense under any circumstance....
The Lord has a great work to be done in our world. To every man He has
given
His
work for man to do. But man is not to make man his guide, lest he be
led astray; this is always unsafe. While Bible religion embodies the principles of
activity in service, at the same time there is the necessity of asking for wisdom
daily from the Source of all wisdom. What was Joshua’s victory? Thou shalt
meditate upon the Word of God day and night. The word of the Lord came
to Joshua just before he passed over Jordan.... This was the secret of Joshua’s
victory. He made God his Guide
Those holding the positions of counselors should be unselfish men, men
of faith, men of prayer, men that will not dare to rely upon their own human
wisdom, but will seek earnestly for light and intelligence as to what is the best
manner of conducting their business. Joshua, the commander of Israel, searched
the books diligently in which Moses had faithfully chronicled the directions
given by God,—His requirements, reproofs, and restrictions,—lest he should
move unadvisedly
[117]
26
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 2:993
.
27
Ibid., 993, 994
.
119