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Ask God: Today we will look at the words God gave to Joshua before he and the Israelites entered the Promised Land. God told Joshua to meditate on His Word day and night.

Good Evening Reader,

www.AskGodFor.com is off to a good start. Go and visit and let me know your opinion. I am looking forward to adding lots of lessons which explain God's Word. Like Joshua, let us keep God's Word close and in our hearts.

May God blessed you and keep you.

All Glory to God.

Elvin

God’s Blueprint for Success: Speaking, Meditating, Obeying, and Abiding”
​Keys for believers who want to live out their faith in Christ

John 15:1-17 and Joshua 1:8

As I read the words John wrote in the fifteenth chapter of John, I am reminded of the words which God commanded Joshua to follow. Both emphasize keeping our minds on Christ in all our activities. Yes, we go about our daily schedules, but in the back of our minds, we should be mindful of what glorifies God.

Joshua had a big responsibility ahead of him. After Moses died, he became the leader of the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land—Canaan. Joshua would face many challenges and make many decisions in his leadership role. He needed God’s help. The question I am sure he asked was how best to follow God’s guidance?

God instructed Joshua with the following words.

Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

God said to stay close to Him and “observe to do according to all the law of Moses My servant commanded you” (Joshua 1:7). Receiving God’s help works the same with us. We need God’s help, and to receive God’s help, we must follow His commandments. Let’s look at the wisdom of the words in verse eight.

Jesus realized His followers would need help, and before ascending into heaven, He asked the Father to send another helper, the Holy Spirit. Then it behooves you and me to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

God gave His guidance to Joshua and also to us on how to “make your way prosperous, and then to have good success.” It is our choice whether we follow them or ignore them.

Joshua 1:8 provides excellent advice.

Let the Word of God Flow From Your Mouth

In Joshua 1:8, God tells Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth.” The Lord was teaching Joshua that God’s Word was not meant to stay silent or hidden. It is to be spoken and lived out. Speaking God’s Word keeps it close to the heart and guides our daily choices.

The Bible repeatedly affirms the truth of keeping God’s Word close. Psalm 1:1–3 says the person who delights in God’s law and meditates on it day and night is like a tree planted by water, strong and fruitful. When God’s Word fills our mouths, it shapes our lives.

Then, Deuteronomy 6:6–7 tells God’s people to talk about His commands at home and on the road, making His Word part of everyday conversation. How many Christians discuss God’s Word every day?

Jesus practiced speaking the Word. When tempted in the wilderness, He rebuked the Devil by speaking Scripture, saying, “It is written” (Matthew 4:4). There is power in God’s Word spoken in faith.

Romans 10:17 teaches that faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. The more we hear God’s Word, the stronger our faith grows. Finally, in Hebrews 4:12, we are reminded that God’s Word is living and active.

When believers speak God’s Word, it strengthens their faith and allows wisdom to operate in their lives. Speaking the Word of God keeps our minds focused on God and guides us in His will.

Continuously Mediate on the Word

When should we meditate on God’s word? God tells Joshua to “meditate on it day and night.” To meditate means to take time to think deeply about God’s Word, not just merely to read it. Meditating on the Word causes it to settle in our hearts and become part of who we are. This is the transformation Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8.

God commanded Joshua to keep His Word active in his mind and in his heart at all times. When God’s Word is in our hearts, it guides our thoughts and choices, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us the way.

The Bible connects meditation with blessing. Psalm 1:2–3 says the person who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night is like a strong tree that bears fruit in every season. Meditation helps believers grow strong roots in faith.

Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” When God’s Word fills our hearts, it serves as a shield against sin and the evil around us.

Meditating day and night does not keep us from handling our daily responsibilities. It is keeping God’s truth in the back of our minds while we go about our activities. Proverbs 3:1–6 reminds us that keeping God’s commands in our hearts leads to guidance and peace. Romans 12:2 teaches that our minds are renewed by God’s truth.

When believers meditate on Scripture, God shapes their thinking and strengthens their faith, which allows God to bless.

Be a Doer of the Word

God tells Joshua to “observe to do according to all that is written in it.” This means God’s Word is not only to be read and remembered, but also obeyed. Knowing Scripture without following it will not lead to God’s blessing. God instructed Joshua to live out what he learned, step by step.

The Bible is clear that obedience matters. James 1:22 says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Hearing God’s Word without obeying it is like looking in a mirror and forgetting what you saw.

Deuteronomy 28:1 teaches that blessings come when God’s people carefully obey His commands and do what the Word says. Obedience shows trust in God, even when the path is hard.

Jesus also emphasized obedience. In John 14:15, He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Obedience is not about earning salvation, but about loving God and walking in His ways. Matthew 7:24 compares the obedient believer to a wise man who builds his house on a solid rock.

When believers obey God’s Word, their lives are built on truth. Obedience brings spiritual strength and bears much fruit. It also shows that faith is real and active.

Brings Prosperity and Good Success

When we are obedient, God promises, “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” This prosperity is not about wealth or comfort alone. It is about living in God’s will and experiencing His favor and His guidance. God’s definition of success is living in obedience to Him.

The Bible explains this clearly. Psalm 128:1–2 says that those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways are blessed in their work and daily lives. When believers follow God’s Word, their paths are shaped by His wisdom.

Proverbs 16:3 teaches, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Obedience allows God to direct the steps of those who trust Him.

Jesus reinforced this truth. In Luke 11:28, He said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Blessing follows obedience.

John 15:5 explains that when believers abide in Christ, they bear much fruit. Fruitfulness is God’s measure of success.

For believers, prosperity means spiritual growth, peace, and a strong faith, enabling our lives to impact others for Christ. When we hear God’s Word and do it, He leads us into true success—success that lasts now and for eternity.

Abide in Me, and My Words Abide in You

Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). These words tie beautifully with everything God taught Joshua. To abide means to remain, to stay closely connected. God told Joshua to speak the Word, meditate on it day and night, and obey it. Jesus reveals that this kind of life is possible only by staying connected to Him.

When believers let Christ’s words abide in them, they are doing what Joshua was commanded to do—keeping God’s Word in their hearts and mouths.

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” This happens as we read Scripture, speak it, and live it out. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it remains in the vine, believers cannot live fruitful lives apart from Christ (John 15:4–5).

Abiding leads to obedience. Jesus said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:10). Obedience is the evidence of a living relationship with Him. This is where true success and prosperity are found—not in worldly gain, but in spiritual fruit.

When believers abide in Christ, and His Word abides in them, God directs their path, strengthens their faith, and produces the fruit of the Spirit. This is the fulfillment of the promise in Joshua 1:8, lived out through Christ.

A Good Treasure of the Heart

Jesus said in Matthew 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things.” We are to store God’s Word in our hearts because “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Verse 34). Our prosperity and success lie in what we have stored in our hearts. We live our lives daily according to what is stored in our hearts. It is who we are.

“If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you desire, and it shall be given to you.” Every day, we store information in our hearts. Unfortunately, we too often allow the ideas and thoughts of the world into our hearts rather than God’s Word.

Imitate Joshua by continually speaking the Word of God, meditating on the Word, and being careful to do all that God commands.

Elvin

Ask God For

Christian faith

PS. Share your newfound knowledge with you friends.

Reader,

Hosea said his people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. Knowledge give believers and non-believers a choice. When a person does not know, they cannot choose.

Feel free to forward this lesson to your friends and family.

Grow in the knowledge of God.

Elvin

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