Regarding His Word, God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8(NLT), “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua received a three-fold commandment in God’s instruction. In order to prosper and succeed in all his endeavors, Joshua needed to study God’s Word continually, meditate on it in the same manner, and obey every aspect of God’s Word. Studying requires us to devote time and attention to acquiring God’s knowledge and wisdom. This allows us to understand the meaning of what God is saying to us, but meditation involves the heart. Meditation upon God’s Word is the practice of deeply thinking and focusing our minds on it in calm and silence. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to open revelation to us so that God’s Word can be imbedded in our hearts.
Heavenly Father gave this instruction to Joshua, because He wanted Joshua and the Children of Israel to be successful. Being obedient to the Word of God was the only way to accomplish this and God made this crystal clear. God’s Word had to be the priority and practice, and this is no different for us living today. If we want to be successful and prosperous in life, we must renew our minds to the Word of God. Jesus Christ told us in Matthew 6:33 that we must seek God and His righteousness first in all that we do, and if we do this, blessings will chase us down.
Many people have gotten away from this simple and clear instruction. They have concocted their own plans about how to approach life and what they should do with their time. People are so entrenched in their own agendas that, for many, their time is occupied with the business of the world. Social media is their everything, and it is almost as if their cell phones are an extension of their hands. They would tell you that they don’t have time to study God’s Word and mediate on it, when the truth is that they are bent on doing their own thing.
Moses died and Joshua had to take his place and lead God’s people. It was an enormous undertaking, and Joshua was very nervous about it. The people were often unruly, stubborn, and disobedient. They could easily get off track and stop following God’s Word. So, Joshua needed to be encouraged, and Heavenly Father told him that He would be with him every step of the way.
We have made a very big mistake in underestimating how damaging the distractions of the world have injured our spiritual growth, our faith, and most importantly, our relationships with God. 1 Peter 2:2 (ESV) tells us, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” This should be our attitude about God’s Word. We should long for it as desperately as an infant wanting milk. God’s Word feeds us and does so in ways so complete and supernatural that we can’t quantify it.
We are not random creatures that wonder upon the earth. We are children of the Most High God. We have a purpose, and we were created to walk in His love and to prove His good and perfect Will. If we fail to feast on God’s Word, we will set ourselves up for failure, because God said in Hosea 4:6(NLT), “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.” If we don’t build our lives on the foundation of God’s Word, we’ll roam around in circles, the way the Children of Israel did in the wilderness for 40 years. And the devil will continue to attack us because without the Word we are weak and vulnerable.
We can see this happening in the lives of many we know today. They haven’t realized that all the answers they are seeking can be found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They don’t know that God created them with a purpose and has provided everything they need to carry it out. And they don’t know how much God loves them and wants the best for them. This is why He’s given us His Word, because it is the bread of life and nothing can compare to its treasure.
As Children of God, we must have God’s Word imprinted on our minds and hearts. He has been very patient with us, but we have entered a season where we no longer have the luxury of taking our time to know God’s requirements. Heavenly Father wants us to have loving relationships, to have good health, and to have our needs met to the point that we have plenty to share with others, and through His Word and the example of Jesus Christ, He has shown us the way to have these things. It is by studying His Word, meditating upon it continually, and obeying those things He has told us to do. If we are faithful and diligent in those things, God’s promises that we will prosper and succeed in all we do!■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV), The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
“Clear Instruction for Successful Living”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.