The Book of Joshua: An Age-defying Blueprint for Faith-Fueled Success
For those that are interested in the reading and understanding the Bible, there are three books I would recommend you read and study to get started. I would recommend the books of Joshua in the Old Testament and the books of John and Romans in the New Testament.
This provides the best foundation for what Isaiah referred to as the Quiet Strength, in Isaiah 32:17. Our quiet strength yields our health, peace and confidence: The fruit of that righteousness will be peace and health; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
In a nation where Gen-Z and even older generations are trying to look for meaning in their lives and those attributes of what is referred as an ALPHA characteristic for both men and women, the book of Joshua provides the best pathway for you to do so. From the first chapter to the last chapter, Joshua offers characteristics of what Isaiah calls the Quiet Strength.
Joshua in verse 1:9 offers encouragement with- Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. In a life full of doubt, obstacles, and discouragement Joshua is offering the pathway of our Quiet Strength based on patience, confidence, commitment, and perseverance of our faith.
The Strength of Experience from Failures and Confidence from Successes
Joshua demonstrates how he gained experience through his failures and struggles and developed his confidence from his successes both based on a strong faith. Both experiences through struggles and successes through achievements are indispensable.
What Joshua was able to achieve is because of what he noted in the last chapter of Joshua 24:15, Joshua declares, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This focus on being the outlier underscores the necessity of deliberate commitment.
Be willing to be Outliers
Both Joshua and Caleb were what we call today as outliers, because they were the only two committed to entering the Promised Land when 600,000 people waned, that also included Moses, that elected to be what we would refer to as today as BETA, or the lack of confidence and commitment.
Caleb Age-Defying Lifestyle
Both Joshua and Caleb were honor for both exhibiting their confidence and commitment as described by Caleb in Joshua 14:10 and 11 that also included the blessings of health:
(10) And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am now eighty-five years old.
(11) I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.
The experiences of both Joshua and Caleb teach us that true dedication involves being an outlier that sometimes defies logic even when the odds are stacked against us. In pursuing success, such dedication manifests as consistent effort in education, work experience, the ability to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor along the way and giving guidance to others that yield long-term rewards.
But still perseverance is perhaps the book of Joshua’s most vivid theme. Perseverance is the blue-collar worker’s version of our Faith that is difficult to describe to others, especially new to the Word. This perseverance mirrors the quiet strengths of faith: patience, confidence, and endurance.
I would like to reiterate what Isaiah 32:17, what I consider as the Shakespeare of the Bible states- The fruit of that righteousness will be peace and health; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
Micah 6:8 And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
Being humble includes remembering that the best revenge is obtaining success over the long run as Joshua and Caleb did. Opting for success instead of revenge, you never have to apologize, ask forgiveness, or lower your standards. Being humble means you let your performance on the field, office, or shop speak for itself.
Romans 12:19- …never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
The Apostle Paul Writings
Reading these three books, Joshua, John, and Romans will provide a good understanding for reading the Bible. The Apostle Paul who wrote the majority of the New Testament is a great instructor of the Bible.
Here is another part of Paul’s writing that is in Ephesians 3:20 especially focusing on the part that states the power at work within us– Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, just don’t focus on your Timex watch, because this is based on God’s timetable not ours; remember key word perseverance.
Meditate on your Reading and Studying
Going back to Joshua 1:8- 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. Remember it isn’t the volume of scriptures you read, but the understanding with which you read. I keep a Word document of my reading through the Bible and any of my personal notes that I update each time I read through the Bible in the time it takes me.
If you want a Cliff Notes version of History of the Holy land from Abraham to modern-day Israel and an in depth look at the book of Joshua, please look at my two Books on Amazon Kindle:
