A Year of Success (Joshua 1:7-8)

God wants you to prosper.

When I was in college was the first time I ever heard the word “prosperity gospel.” College kids were high on opinions at my Christian university, and so I knew the strong opinion about the prosperity gospel, that it was a false gospel and a tarnish to the real gospel. And that’s true. The prosperity gospel of the 1980’s that God wants you to be wealthy, fat and happy is indeed a false gospel.

But that doesn’t mean that God doesn't care about your success. And it certainly doesn’t mean he doesn’t have plans for you to prosper. In 2025 that may seem like a dangerous phrase to say, after all, Jesus never promised life without trouble, pain or problems. But Jesus does have plans for your life, purposes, and direction. And without a doubt those are ones that will be steady, and successful.

Today we’re looking at these texts in Joshua 1:

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” - Joshua 1:7-8

God is giving Joshua counsel, for how to enter into a BRAND new land, and how to be SUCCESSFUL. He tells Joshua to keep his eyes on the instruction of the Law, and to meditate on it day and night. Don’t turn from it to the left or to the right. It’s a picture of someone on a journey… and there is potential to be distracted to the right or to the left.

God says that when we meditate on God’s word day and night, this is where he can lead our paths successfully.

Lately I’ve been reading large chunks of scripture in the morning. It’s amazing what it does to steady my mind and heart before I begin the day. The other crazy thing is - I crave God’s word more as I read it more. It’s having that wild effect that eating healthy does to you over time: suddenly nothing satisfies like leafy greens and good protein. In the same way all we crave is God’s word.

God says when we meditate or “eat” his word, our lives will be on the journey they are meant to. He can light our path with his word, literally. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” - Psalm 119:105 It lights our way as we read it.

”Don’t turn to the right or to the left,” God says. Stay on the path I’m giving you. Obey the word I speak to you. When you do this - it’s on the path that prospers.

God wants to prosper your journey. He wants your path to be successful - the way he does this - is with His word.