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JOSHUA 1

"POSSESSING OUR POSSESSIONS"

I. MOSES MY SERVANT IS DEAD: NOW THEREFORE ARISE, GO OVER THIS JORDAN.
        A. Moses name synonymous with law.
                1. Not allowed to lead Israel into promise.
        B. Man's best unaided efforts cannot lead to life of blessing.

II. THE PROMISE OF POSSESSION.
        A. Land legally theirs.
                1. Promise to Abraham Gen. 15:18. "Unto thy seed have I given the Land."
                2. Promise not "I will give."
                3. Theirs the moment promise made.
                4. Many blessings legally ours by gift.
                        a. Must be appropriated.

III. THE PREPARATION FOR POSSESSION.
        A. Nations to be conquered strong.
        B. Joshua must be prepared.
                1. Divine side.
                        a. Assurance of Divine Enduement. vs. 5a.
                        b. Promise of Divine presence vs. 5b.
                        c. Affirmation of Divine faithfulness vs. 5c.
                2. Human Side.
                        a. Told to be strong and of good courage vs. 6.
                                1. Courage must be in God.
                                        "Be strong implied that he felt weak."
                                        "Be of good courage implied that he felt afraid."
                                        "Be not dismayed implied he was dismayed."
                        b. Commanded to meditate on Word. vs. 8.9.
                                "Whatsoever a man soweth."
        C. Preparation for people.
                1. Change of diet  Chap. v. 11.

IV. PRINCIPLES OF POSSESSION.
        A. Dispossession  Num. 33:53.
                1. Failure would bring defeat 33:55.
                2. Wicked nations in heart - Pride,  jealousy,  impurity,  dishonesty, ill
                   temper.
                3. "I've tried but I can't do it."  God can. Ex. 33 "And the Lord said "I
                   will drive out the Canaanite,  the Ammonite,  the Hittite."
                        a. Let Him do it.
        B. Appropriation.
                1. "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon. that have I
                   given you." vs. 3.
                2. Many unclaimed blessings.
        C. Progression (not required to possess whole at once. Deut. 7:22.

V. THE PERILS OF POSSESSION.
        A. Partial Possession.
                1. Event of time of David.
        B. Non-Possession - Reuben,  Gad,  half of Manasseh.
                1. First to fall.
                2. Source of trouble for Israel.
                        a. Two separate nations.
                3. Their descendants the Gaderenes.