The Book's Purpose

• Encourage followers of Christ to find joy, peace, and purpose
• Challenge followers of Christ to pursue the rich spiritual place they long for
• Offer compelling snapshots of people finding “more of God” as they serve Him
• Inspire believers through biblical accounts and stories of modern-day people who have discovered their “promised land,” their special assignment from God

The Book's Message

Are you longing to make a difference~and unwilling to settle for a run-of-the-mill life? A comfortable life will not provide the happiness and fulfillment you’re seeking. God has more for you~ and this “more” includes a deep sense of purpose.

God has crafted an assignment for every one of His people: something unique that only you can accomplish for Him in this lifetime. Exploring the lives of people God has used and is presently using to exercise their gifts for His purposes reveals that when a person taps into this “more of God” he or she experiences more influence, energy, joy, and satisfaction.

Seek Your Promised Land

It’s natural to long for a place where we can be safe, fulfilled, and growing~ where we can freely spread our wings. That goes for our spiritual and emotional lives as well as our physical lives. Jesus told us that He came to give us life~even “life to the full” (John 10:10).

This full, abundant life is available to all followers of Christ. And He wants us to experience it. Imagine~a richer grasp of His Word, a clearer understanding of God’s design for our lives, strength and boldness to communicate our faith, liberty from the pain that distracts and limits us, and internal peace no matter what we’re facing.

The biblical account of God using Joshua to lead the children of Israel toward the Promised Land is full of lessons that will help us as we pursue the “Promised Land” God has prepared for each one of us.

• Moving toward the Promised Land, Canaan, was a struggle that required them to conquer a vast array of hostile armies. Whereas Israel experienced a dramatic deliverance from Egypt, seizing the Promised Land confronted them with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Likewise, God offers us dramatic deliverance from the grip of sin, “yet we still seem to struggle when claiming God’s promise for more.”
• The Israelites discovered that the Promised Land had clear parameters, an exact location. Similarly, God’s plan is “limited to His specific plan for our lives, and we are assured of God’s help if we stay within the boundaries of what He has marked out for us.”
• Pursuing the Promised Land required tenacity and courage. God told Joshua no less than three times that Joshua needed to be “strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6-7, 9). In the same way, pursuing our own Promised Land will be demanding~it will require grit and courage.

And so He promised to provide strength and resources every step of the way. “His promises, when met with our simple faith, cannot be frustrated.”

• God called Joshua to accomplish a unique assignment, one tailored for his abilities. “God has called every single Christian to do something special, something mighty, something unique that only he or she can do.”

Sometimes we make the assumption that God only has specific work assignments for full-time ministers and missionaries. But it is clear that God has plans for all of us. His mission to spread the gospel and raise up committed disciples all over the world requires the involvement of all His followers. Each person’s role is vital.

Celebrate God's Past Provisions

There is a small place in close proximity to Jericho that became a training ground where God reminded His people of His loving care for them.

Gilgal was the first place the Israelites set up camp after they crossed the Jordan River. Gilgal was a training ground, a place where God taught his people many important lessons.

“Look back before you move forward” is one key lesson revealed, as Joshua obeyed God and took 12 large stones from the floor of the Jordan and set them up as a memorial.

This memorial helped the Israelites keep their bearings when circumstances threatened to convince them that God could not protect them from their enemies.

Likewise, rehearsing and recalling the amazing works God has done for us in the past keeps us from becoming fretful.

“Don’t try to move forward in disobedience” is the second lesson of Gilgal. Over four decades of wilderness wanderings, Israel had slipped away from covenant obligations like circumcision. God directed Joshua to lead the people in correcting the situation. In a matter of days, after mounting a circumcision program, Israel once again experienced God’s favor.

Today we need to be acutely aware of the connection between our obedience and the release of God’s favor in our lives.

“The blood sacrifice must always remain central,” the children of Israel learned at Gilgal, where they celebrated Passover. As they placed the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, the Israelites were reminded of both God’s provision and protection.

Today we recognize that it’s only the blood of Christ that protects us from God’s judgment of sin. We can’t earn forgiveness through good behavior; there’s nothing we can do to earn it!

Make Room for the Forgotten One

In general, Christians demonstrate reverence toward two of the three Persons of the Trinity~our heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior. “The member of the Trinity who most often gets neglected in our songs, prayers, and preaching is the Holy Spirit.”

As children, many of us heard people refer to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost. And this positioned Him as a frightening entity. Maybe that’s one reason so many people neglect Him in their songs, prayers, and preaching.

But the Holy Spirit is not frightening. He is a person and He is real. “He is a living being who has feeling and speaks to God’s people.” Without doubt, after Jesus left this world to join the Father, He dispatched the Holy Spirit to “take His place among disciples.”

One thing the Holy Spirit does is guide believers into God’s work and equip them to accomplish it through His power.

The Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament, and we can see countless ways He empowered people to do amazing deeds. Consider these four examples from the book of Judges:

Othniel

Caleb’s nephew, Othniel, became a national hero when he became Israel’s judge (leader) and overpowered the king of Aram. This began a process that enabled Othniel’s people to sustain four decades of peace. The biblical record affirms that Othniel was able to do this because “The Spirit of the Lord came on him” (Judges 3:10).

Gideon

A shy underachiever, Gideon was approached by an angel who called him a mighty warrior. Over time, he discovered incredible strength when “the Spirit of the Lord came upon [him], and he blew a trumpet summoning [his clan] to follow him.” Two days later, Israel enjoyed an amazing victory.

Jephthah

The Bible says little about Jephthah, a leader with a chip on his shoulder. His family scorned him because he was the product of a relationship between his father and a prostitute. Judges 11:3 reveals that Jephthah ran with a “gang of scoundrels.”

Amazingly, when Israel needed a leader, the elders thought of Jephthah.

Scriptures tell us that “the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah.” He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Amorites and the Lord gave them into his hands.

Samson

Even though he made poor choices later in life, Samson experienced God’s power, and God used him to accomplish His goals (Judges 13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14-15).

Persevere for the Long Haul

Caleb personified wholehearted, unwavering commitment to God’s plan for Israel. Not swayed by peer pressure when he and his fellow spies returned after checking out the Promised Land, Caleb insisted, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” He was able to convince his friend Joshua, but “they lost the debate that day.”

Caleb modeled wholehearted commitment in the following four ways:

• Even though he was penalized with the majority and he wandered with them in the desert for 40 years, he never grew bitter or gave up.
• Caleb never retired. At the age of 85, he remained vigorous and ready to obey God (Joshua 14:10-12).
• Serving God often has a ripple effect.

• Caleb recognized his complete dependence on God. He held on tightly to God’s promises and refused to be detoured or distracted~even while enduring a four-decade delay.

Seize the Benefits of Hardships

When we face difficulties in our lives and things just don’t seem to make sense, it’s normal to ask God, “What’s up with this?”

During these times, we must hold on to the fact that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that chances are good that we will never completely understand His thoughts or purposes.

Unseen Benefit 1: These difficult experiences yield strong levels of endurance and tenacity in our lives.

Unseen Benefit 2: Hardships drive us to prayer, the kind of prayer that “evidences desperation that says, ‘I must have you answer me, God!’” We need to view trials in our lives as catalysts to bring us closer to God in prayer.

Unseen Benefit 3: Enduring hardships gives us a real-life testimony we can pass along to others to let them know about God’s goodness and power. He can use these stories to help others who are young and going through similar problems. The challenges in our lives~those circumstances that on the surface seem senseless~are catalysts to strengthen us, to cause us to pray more fervently, and to provide a “testimony to help others in need.”

Exchange Your weakness for His Strength

Like a trial attorney finding fault with a line of questioning, at times we say, “I object” when we sense God is leading us to step out in faith. Perhaps we object respectfully, reminding God how His request is illogical.

Gideon was a biblical character who questioned God when He hand-selected him to lead the nation of Israel. A humble farmer, Gideon was hiding out threshing wheat in the cramped quarters of a winepress when an angel of the Lord greeted him and called him a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12).

In response, Gideon voiced four objections:

Objection 1:
“Where have you been?” Frustrated by God’s seeming absence from Israel as the nation faced the Midianites, Gideon complained that God had abandoned him and his fellow Israelites. In reality, the Israelites had abandoned God to worship idols.

God’s angel did not dignify Gideon’s complaint with an answer. Instead, he challenged Gideon to move ahead in God’s strength and rescue his people from the Midianites.

When God calls us to do something, we need to discipline ourselves to fix our eyes forward and not dwell on the past.

Objection 2:
“I don’t have the right connections.”

Gideon, recognizing that his credentials and his family background left much to be desired, asked how he could possibly save Israel. God reminded Gideon that He would be with him.

“You may not have the right connections~but you have me! I’m your source. I’m the one you need to call. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

When we step out of our comfort level, “when we take the risk to follow Him, He will meet all our needs.”

Objection 3: “Would you give me a sign?” Gideon still seemed uneasy about obeying God, so he asked Him for a sign. God obliged and accommodated his request by drenching a fleece left out overnight with dew.

Objection 4: “How about another sign?” Amazingly, Gideon asked God for yet another sign, this time a dry fleece left out overnight on wet ground. God showed His patience by providing the sign Gideon requested.

In time, Gideon “went out and won a spectacular victory over the Midianites in the most unusual manner,” proving God’s strength despite Gideon’s weaknesses.

What made the difference? Hebrews 11 lists Gideon as a hero of the faith~he accomplished the victory by faith. We need to ask God for this special gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9).

As God gives us the certainty that He can be trusted to do what He said He would do, three things happen:

• God’s promise possesses us.

Pursue Peace

When wartime ends, peace is especially sweet. Joy abounds~and people pull out all the stops as they celebrate. Imagine the joy that the Israelites experienced when their leader, Othniel, claimed a victory that afforded the people 40 years of peace (Judges 3:11). And consider how happy they must have been when the second leader, Ehud, led another victory that resulted in peacetime for eight more decades.

The Bible records that the Israelites celebrated by praising God in song when the next leaders, Deborah and Barak, ensured another 45 years of peace (Judges 5:3, 31).

In the midst of a war on terrorism in the early 21st century, we wonder when we will experience peace again. Sadly, even if the nations of the world could come together and forge a lasting peace, this would not guarantee internal peace. “Stress on the interpersonal level takes a heavy toll on millions.” An absence of inner peace robs people of the simple joys of life.

The Peace of God

True peace cannot be manufactured; it is not a matter of our will. Consider what Jesus told his disciples during the Last Supper as he was preparing them for what was coming. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Notice that God called this “my peace.” “It was supernatural.” He modeled this peace, His peace in the midst of unthinkable mental, emotional, and physical pain during His trial and crucifixion.

Later Paul wrote about “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.” It was this peace that Paul said “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Although many followers of Christ overlook this “piece of heaven, the place of no tears, the place where shalom rules,” and instead ask God to provide us with healing, better jobs, or more money, He wants to lavish His peace on us. He wants to lead us in the path of His peace in the midst of all of life’s circumstances.

Satan, the enemy of our souls, is eager to prevent us from seeking or enjoying God’s peace~and he often uses four strategies to do so. He makes accusations, stirs up hostility, causes us to fret and worry, and fills our minds with rubbish.

Recognizing the importance of peace in our lives, we must prepare ourselves to stand our ground against the enemy in the following ways:

• Resist accusations Expect Satan to bring up sins and failures of the past~that’s part of who he is as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10). Defending ourselves against or arguing with Satan is a waste of time. Perhaps the best way to neutralize him is to rejoice in the Lord and thank God for what He has done for us, including the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven.
• Resolve animosity Harboring resentment and anger and concentrating on the wrongs we have suffered will deplete our peace. But God wants His peace to flow in our lives~and He has provided some basic instructions for proactively pursuing reconciliation in Matthew 5 and 18. God has placed a high priority on restoring peace and resolving animosity with others, particularly those within the family of God.
• Release anxiety When we become preoccupied with the cares of life~even those that are overwhelming~we miss out on experiencing God’s peace. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6 that instead of being anxious about these

Here’s the key. We need to “take the weight that is bearing down on us and give it to God in prayer.”

• Renew your mental “atmosphere” We need to take great care in what we allow to take control of our mental state. We live in a world full of noise~and if we are not careful this noise will poison our minds until we cannot think straight. Paul advises us to focus our minds on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praise- worthy (Philippians 4:8-9). We need to stand guard over what we allow into our minds~ and the instant a thought that will pollute us enters our minds, we must be ready to “tell Satan to take his garbage and get out.”

Embrace Your Promise

In our world, promises are not always kept. Politicians are often unable to deliver on their campaign promises after they are elected. Those of us who are parents are well aware of the protests that will ensue if we try to break a promise we have made to our children.

But we never need to remind God of His promises~He “is an entirely reliable promise maker.” Consider the confidence with which Joshua could march into Canaan and take on the enemy. He took God at His word when He told him He would be with him. Other Bible heroes~including Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and David~learned firsthand what it means to receive a promise from God. As we read their stories, we see how God taught these people to trust Him implicitly.

Whenever we wonder if God will really make good on His promises, we can turn to Psalm 119:49, which simply states, “Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.”

This “word” refers to the Bible, the rock-solid foundation for our faith “where we find God’s irrevocable promises about many things.” Never give up on His word. God keeps His promises~we can depend on Him.

As you walk in God’s promises and spend time asking Him how He wants to use you, He will invigorate you and direct your steps. He made you for more. “You are His beloved child, and He is the best Father in the world. He will do what He has promised in your life.”