by Tyler King
Few and far between have I heard people on December 31st proclaim their success in completing resolutions they had set on January 1st of that year. Goals typically go adrift somewhere around the February or March time frame. I personally have seen resolutions flunk as early as January 2nd. I had all the intention in the world to start waking up earlier this year. However, the 17th round of “snooze” going off at 7:30AM told a different story. These ghosted goals can leave an individual feeling defeated and lethargic; not quite the recipe for conquerors.
To any New Years resolution veteran, it is common knowledge that goals are hard to keep. The ancient account of Joshua comes to mind when thinking of someone who had a lot of goals before him, and conquered. Remember, Joshua was commissioned as God’s main leader once Moses was dead. He had a lot of pressure resting on his shoulders. Here’s a collection of thoughts from the book of Joshua that will perhaps help you in your journey of making this year a good one.
1. Remember the God You Serve (1:1-9) – Just as a head coach gives his players a pep-talk before a big
game, so God communicates with Joshua. His main emphasis is for Joshua to take courage and don’t fear. This is a primary result of God being God; notice how God speaks in future tense (1:3). God already knows the outcome, He just needs His people to trust Him. You can’t conquer if you don’t have good leadership. What better trailblazer to have than the Lord Himself?
2. Face Your Battles (1:10-18) – Notice what happens immediately following God’s dialogue. Joshua starts his job. Joshua didn’t take the Lord’s words lightly. With the assurance given from God, Joshua did what he needed to do. There are times where I feel like I’m already defeated before I ever face a situation. A presupposed defeat leaves zero room for victory. Even when the odds aren’t in your favor,
your likelihood of conquering becomes exponentially larger when you face your battles head on.
3. Become a Legend (4:1-7) – Joshua commands men of his number to carry stones on their shoulders
when they cross the Jordan. The men were then to take the stones and place them as a memorial. Joshua tells them, “for when your children ask in time to come, ‘what do these stones mean…'” Part of the fire that fuels a conqueror is simply the fact of leaving a legacy and becoming a legend. These men are not
named in the book of Joshua, but they became legends to those who were near to them.
4. Don’t Stop (7) – Chapter 7 is pivotal in the book of Joshua. It was here where Joshua learned the
inevitability of defeat when God is excluded from his plans. Joshua, seeing his defeat, fell to the ground and began to weep. God in His infinite wisdom says, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?” Here’s the trick about resolutions pertaining to the year. One merely thinks that a single failure means the resolution is broken. God very plainly showed that success is not dictated by singular mistakes, but rather victory is gathered by a consistent pursuit. You will fail this year and there’s no doubt about it. However, will you proceed to conquer by getting back up and resuming your spot in the battle or remain on the ground while those around you proceed? Don’t stop in your pursuit.
Via The Daily Bread