How To Have a Successful Life

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How to Have A Successful Life
Joshua 1:1-9


Intro: We all want to have a successful life and to succeed means to accomplish a desired task. To be a success means that you achieved and accomplished your goals in life. A successful life is a life that Counts! It counts for God and his kingdom and it counts in earthly life.
As far as the world is concerned, success is defined in totally material terms It means that you have a good income; financial abundance; can afford comforts & conveniences; can afford quality & luxury; not just barely getting by; not living “hand to mouth,” You have prospered materially.
BUT- The Truly Successful Life is not really about financial status; not about social status; not about political status; not about position or possessions.
To understand the Truly Successful Life we must see it as God sees it- not as man sees it- define it as God defines it.
Looking at this first chapter of Joshua we find some ingredients of the truly Successful Life. Notice three times God told Joshua to “be strong and of good courage.” Also notice three times God spoke of “prospering,” being “prosperous” and having “success.” God cares about you having a successful life.


I. The Successful Life is a Life Lived for the Purpose of God.
To have purpose in your life is important.
A few years ago Rick Warren wrote a best selling Christian book titled the Purpose Driven Life. It has taken some criticism but it does make a great point: God has Purpose for Every life and a Life lived with NO Purpose is a Wasted Life; not a successful life. Also, A life lived only for one’s OWN purpose is a wasted life, not a successful one.
Notice the first two verses:
After the death of Moses, the Lord spake to Joshua saying, Moses my servant is dead, now therefore Arise- Go over this Jordan, thou and all this people...
Arise! Go! Joshua was given a Clear Command! Definite Direction!
For Joshua to have a successful life he would have to live in and for the Purpose of God; not his own plans, not his own desires; not his own purpose- God’s.
This was God’s Purpose. Israel was to Inherit the Land of Canaan and Joshua was to Lead them to that Inheritance. THE one accomplishment that would make Joshua’s life a Successful Life was to Lead the people into the Promised Land.
God’s Ultimate Purpose is the same for every Person- Heaven & Eternal Life.
God’s Practical Purpose differs from person to person as to the details. God does not lead us all into the same vocation; into the same career; into the same calling. We live in different places; work different jobs; have different circumstances; experience different situations financially, physically, family wise... Still, for us to live a truly successful life we must Find God’s Purpose for our life and Fulfill it.
Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Understanding the Lord’s will is NOT just for the pastor, preacher, evangelist, missionary or full time Christian worker. It is for Every Believer!
You need to SEEK for God’s will; Surrender to God’s will.
Live your Life for God’s Purpose; not just your own.


II.The Successful Life is a Life Lived by the Promises of God.
God told Joshua that the land he would lead them into was a Land “which I Do Give them.”
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you.
You Tread- I Give. There’s Our Part and there’s God’s Part. It’s Not ALL Me- Not ALL God.
God gives promises- but they are always conditional. We have the responsibility to do our part then we trust God to do his part.
I have said it before, I’ll say it again. We Can not Do God’s Part- He Will Not do our Part.
One man said it like this: “There can be no real progress in spiritual life without a planting of the foot of faith upon the sure promises of God. The believer must be prepared to venture like Peter out on the deep waters at our Lord’s bidding.”
So true! We must plant our foot of faith upon the promises of God.
There will be Jordans to Cross.
There will be Jerichos to Conquer.
We will have to step out into the waters sometimes Before they part- but God will make them part.
We will have to walk around the walls and shout Before they fall down But God will bring them down.
A truly successful life is lived in the Purpose of God and by the Promises of God.


III. The Successful Life is a Life Lived In the Presence of God.
Vs 5- As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee- I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.
Nothing in this world can take the place of knowing you are living in the Presence of God.
Not money, not material things, not popularity, not pleasure, not health, not social standing or political power and position. Without God’s presence no life can truly be a success.
With God’s presence you will have:
Strength- (6,7) You will Be strong and Courageous-
Isaiah said that even Youths will become weary and faint- but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles
Steadfastness-(8) You will observe the Word of the Lord without turning either to the right hand or the left. Those who live out of the presence of God find their lives wavering- their convictions change, their beliefs change, their behavior changes, they are unstable and uncommitted.
Those who live in the presence of God find Steadfastness- Commitment- Conviction- Enduring Courage.
Sustenance- (7,8) You will prosper whithersoever you go-
While God does not value material things like man does- God does know that we need material things for earthly life. Jesus said we are to seek First the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that God will add these others things to our lives as we need them.
God will supply all your need according to his riches in Glory.
Jos. 1:8 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.
Purpose of God + Promises of God + Presence of God= Success!