(February 25, 2025) Dr Richard Winter reflects…

Recently I was in a meeting with eight others and the task set before us was to examine major trends affecting the modern-day police force.

At one point we happened to focus on young people and agreed that they are technologically savvy—

• They all have smart phones connected to the internet; If they’re somewhere and they photograph it, it’s instantly on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube!

Thinking then about modern technology, we acknowledged that if a virus can be planted in anyone’s  phone/computer, we may never get the message and our ability to communicate is compromised. That this is a digital world of communication — and if a cell phone today isn’t 5G then it’s an old phone!

Heavenly Communication
As an observer of the modern church I can tell you that it’s easy to see that many Christians are trying to communicate with God… and are fighting spiritual battles due to their ‘old phone.’ What do I mean by ‘their old mobile’? Well their connection is not a good strong one, it’s irregular, sporadic. In fact, their communication equipment is in disrepair, it’s not 5G!    

Some of our Christian family are in a battle for their spiritual life because they’re not ready for change nor are they willing to change. Consequently they’re losing the war and are suffering from fear and fatigue, and spiritual discouragement. In effect they are fighting alone.

Could that be you? The problem is rather simple— infrequent communication means that you may have missed out on vital instruction. Or even worse if you are listening to the enemy’s voice and advice! There’s a virus or malware directing you and you’re hearing all the wrong messages. You’re listening to something other than the voice of God from heaven.

Heavenly Direction
Let’s turn to Joshua 1, a chapter about listening to the right voice… the voice of God!

Moses had been a great leader of Israel but he wasn’t to be the one who would direct the Israelites into the Promised Land— now that honour was given to Joshua, one of the original 12 spies sent into that land years earlier.

And ‘the right voice from heaven’ that Joshua now heard explicitly described his latest charge—

‘Get ready to cross over the Jordon River into the land I am about to give to them— to the Israelites’ (v2). They had had relative peace for 40 years during which God had provided all their needs for food and water; their very clothes didn’t ever wear out. And now Joshua  was to motivate the people into action! Things were about to change— their life of comfort was about to change for one of a new vision and a new way of living.

Our lives have changed because of Covid19— meeting together is not as easy as it once was. We are internationally looking at race and racial inequality! Our vision for 2025 must be what God wants from us. Are you hearing that heavenly direction?

Heavenly Blessings
For 40 years Israel had been content with God’s provision, His heavenly blessings; they didn’t need to plant gardens, or pull weeds or harvest crops.

Now contentment is commendable— but… contentment with the wrong thing can be destructive to you. We can become content with mediocrity, failure, and yes even sin! Israel had become content with the easy path. But Christians need to learn a lesson here… we will have differing seasons in our life: times of blessings, ease, or ill health, trouble, pleasure, success, but when the season changes, we have to be ready for it.

Israel would need an incredible injection of courage and faith when Joshua would tell them to get ready, that things were about to change. They had been content with the status quo and now as they would look at the future ahead of them as Joshua announced the move, they could easily become so afraid. Contentment could change to concernment.

To some degree we all fear change—

• We fear poverty, certain sicknesses.
• We fear war, we fear death.
• We fear our past, we fear our future.

But think how different our lives would be if all that we feared was God and His word!

Heavenly  Encouragement
When Joshua heard God’s directions that historic day (v2) he could have been so frightened!

But God quickly encouraged him: ‘Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.’ (v6). That’s what I call real 5G communication— an up-to-date assuring word from Almighty God to His chosen servant. God communicated 5G style… clear voice, great connection, easy-to-understand directions.

And what were God’s directions to Joshua? What was he to do in this new season of his life? Carefully read and think about this extract from Joshua 1:7-9…
^‘Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law … do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night … Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ 

1. Speak God’s Word
Verse 8 says that Joshua was to always keep God’s book of Law on his lips.

KJV reads: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth.’ The emphasis of not (lō’… no, not, never) strongly indicates ‘never withdrawn or ceasing.’ As the Message Bible strongly puts it: ‘And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind.’

Speaking God’s word boldly will strengthen your faith, dear fellow Christian, and embed in your memory what God has promised you through His word.

But… to speak it you must remember it and that involves reading and studying it! Do you read and study God’s word, the Holy Bible?

2. Meditate God’s Word
To be able to speak God’s word, we need to know it!

Strong Christians read and know their Bibles! We are able to recall comforting, encouraging scriptures, especially when we’re moving on in God. Oh we may not be able to recite every word of scripture (few can!) but when negative circumstance arise, such as fear, we recall the like of 2Timothy 1:7NKJV ‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’ 

Meditation really means quiet reflecting… something you can do anywhere as you have a quiet time with God. And why medicate? Because doing so will purify your thought processes and when you are free from distractions and misdirected fear you look to God alone and real communication is established!

3. Obey God’s Word
Joshua was to obey God’s word; having been told to be careful to do everything written therein.

1Samuel 15:22 says that obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience means you are doing what God wants you to do without hesitation or argument, whereas sacrifice means you’re doing it your way… sacrificing something… and hoping this will please God.

Obedience results in blessing— prospering comes from obeying God! As 1Kings 2:3 directs: ‘And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.’ 

There are lots of voices we can listen to—

• God’s voice.
• Satan’s voice.
• False teachers!

Beware of non-biblical teaching! Beware the devil speaking to you for he will always raise deceptive questions (like he did with Adam and Eve in the garden) and raise doubt in your mind. Obeying God’s word is putting it into practice and in so doing we will please our God! Like Joshua you will prosper.

Heavenly Instructions
Here’s another reason we should read Joshua’ story, the Israelite’s story…they are recorded so that we may learn lessons from history! That we may observe the weaknesses and strengths of the decisions of those who went before us and gain instruction about life’s pathway and God’s challenges.

The book of Joshua is a story of God’s people who had become complacent and forgotten the promise that God had given their fathers. They had accepted the status quo.

One of the greatest failures of the church worldwide is individualism— we’re determined to live the Christian life alone and on our own terms! We think that because our relationship is personal, all our battles must be personal too. No! We’re brothers and sisters in Christ and we can fight and conquer together… whether it’s kingdom matters, local church matters or personal matters!

All of the 12 tribes of Israel were required to participate in the conquest of the Promised Land. In respect of the body of Christ in every church, know that each one of us contributes something to the strength or weakness of our believing church.

Heavenly Realities
Bible believing Christians know they are a part of a family of faith. That means—

• No orphans.
• And no Lone Rangers!
• Working together within the family.
• The first mission is to the corporate body.
• Our second mission is for the entire church to tell the entire world!

Without Jesus all humanity is lost and it will take all of us to get that message out there that ‘Jesus loves you and so do we.’ Complacency may mean someone misses out on the ‘promised land of salvation’ in Christ! Our life and actions can influence the future of those we know or will meet.

Even as Joshua was not given the option to cherry pick what he wanted to do, neither are we. Actually, Israel had paid 40 years for their disobedience before they were permitted to move ahead into the Promised Land. May nothing hold us back from moving ahead into whatever God’s 2025 Promised Land may be for us, for our local church!

Heavenly Rest
Joshua 1:13 records what Israel’s new leader told them: ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ And the encouraged people happily responded: ‘Whatever you have commanded us we will do.’

The Lord directed Joshua to totally subjugate His enemies. The lesson here is that we must also ‘fight the good fight’ and overcome our enemies! Oh yes, we have enemies that seek our destruction— the world, the flesh and the devil are always nipping at our soul to keep us discouraged.

But if we are serious about wanting God to bring lasting change and victory in our life then we must identify the enemies wewant to see defeated. I suggest that you begin by naming three attitudes, habits or sins that need to come under authority. And go to God’s book as Joshua was commanded… speak it out, meditate on it— and act on it!

Heavenly Perspective
When we see the enemy ‘just over there’ what’s important is our perspective—

• The longer we look at them the smaller God becomes.
• But the greater our obedience the smaller the enemy!
• The question is ‘Do we want a big God or a big enemy?’

The perspective is ours. Friends, instant communication with the Commander who is Chief of the Universe is just a prayer away!

Have you got God’s 5G?  Do remember that sin can lower your bandwidth. Complacency can cloud the communications process. Disobedience can prevent a decision that God has made clear.

Obedience to God’s word will bring victory.

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Dr Richard Winter pastors The Connection Church, Huntington Beach, California. Link: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com  
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