Joshua 1:5
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Moses, the great man of God and faith, had died, and Joshua faced the unenviable task of taking over and trying to lead Israel into the Promised Land. Rarely does a man take over after a great man of God and keep going what was built; however, Joshua was one of the rare men who was able to accomplish this great feat.
What was it that gave Joshua the courage and strength to continue what Moses had accomplished? One phrase is likely the cause that helped Joshua understand that he could build upon the great works of Moses to do great works himself. That phrase, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. God was telling Joshua, “I am not dead.” Just because Moses died did not mean that God died. The same God who helped Moses, despite his weaknesses, to lead these people out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the border of the Promised Land was still alive to help Joshua take these people to take this land.
My friend, the God of Moses and Joshua who said, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee,” is still alive. It does not matter what decade we live in; God is still alive. Many will say we live in the Laodicean age, which is a bunch of hogwash; however, let me remind you that God is still alive. This reminder to Joshua should remind you of several things about God.
First, the God who fights for you is still alive. The God who fought for Moses still fought for Joshua because He was still alive. The same God who fought for Joshua is still alive today to fight for you in your problems. When you face insurmountable odds of making it, and when it seems those in power can dictate what you can do, never forget that God is still alive. The God who fought for Israel in Moses’ day, and the God who fought for Israel in Joshua’s day, is still alive to fight for His people today no matter what is against them.
Second, the God who is an ever-present help is still alive. The God who never left Moses or Joshua despite their mistakes and sin will never leave you because He is still alive. The God that comforted Joshua and Israel when they lost Moses is still alive to comfort you today. No matter what you face today, God is still alive and will be with you when you go through the valleys. Oh, my friend, God is alive and with you even when you seem all alone in your battles.
Third, the God of miracles is still alive. God has never lost His power to do the miraculous because He is still alive. Omnipotence is the aura of God. As long as God is alive, His omnipotence is available for the believer who needs God to do the miraculous in their lives. The God that delivered Moses through the Red Sea, delivered Joshua through the Jordan River, and Peter through the storm by walking on the water. This same God is still alive to do the miraculous in your life if you will attempt the miraculous by faith.
Fourth, the God who saves is still alive. This is maybe one of the most comforting of all! God can still save any sinner no matter how bad their sin they committed is. If Christ, who is God, can make the complete payment for sin with His sacrificial death, and conquer death by rising again, then He is able to save any sinner who will call on Him.