Old Testament

The Life of Joshua

Today, I would like to speak to you about the life of a successful man of God — Joshua — so that we may learn the reasons for his success and follow his example.
What were the spiritual characteristics that distinguished Joshua’s life and became the cause of his success?

The Life of Joshua

The Life of Discipleship:
The first reason for Joshua’s success was his life of discipleship — being a disciple to a great spiritual teacher. Joshua was a disciple to Moses the prophet for forty years.
During this long period, he was able to absorb spiritual life from Moses. Moses “entered the cloud… and the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend… and when Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle” (Exodus 33:8–11).

As a young man, Joshua served his teacher, stayed by his side, and learned from him throughout his life. The first school in which he was trained under Moses was the school of visions…
He saw his teacher speak with God face to face. He saw the cloud and the glory of God in the tabernacle. He also entered the school of prayer when he fought against Amalek. Joshua was the commander of the army, and Moses raised his hands in prayer. Whenever Moses lifted up his hands, the army prevailed; but when his hands were lowered, the army was defeated.

Joshua learned by experience that his sword, without uplifted hands, was of no avail and could not bring victory.
Then Moses died, and Joshua’s sword stood alone without those hands raised in prayer. Joshua had to perform both his own duty as a commander and that of Moses as an intercessor.

He learned the importance of prayer, the power of raised hands, and the divine intervention in battle. He knew that “the battle is the Lord’s,” and that the Lord is able to conquer whether by many or by few.

He also learned another lesson from Moses, of whom the Scripture says: “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).
Once Joshua saw two men prophesying and wanted to restrain them out of zeal for his teacher, as though prophecy belonged to him alone! But Moses said to him: “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets!”
That was a lesson in humility — Moses was free from self-interest and cared only for the kingdom of God.

Joshua was a disciple of Moses — in his teachings and in his life. He absorbed his spirituality. When Moses grew old, the Lord said to him: “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit… and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest… and give him some of your authority.”

God prepared Joshua for forty years before entrusting him with service. This shows us the importance of discipleship and preparation before taking responsibility.

Many fail because they have not received a sufficient period of discipleship and reach leadership positions too quickly.
Notice that the apostles of Christ were called disciples. They lived in discipleship, constantly accompanying the Lord for several years, and even then He told them: “Do not depart until you are clothed with power from on high.”

This spirit of discipleship also clearly appeared in the lives of the saints, and the Paradise of the Fathers is full of wondrous stories about it.
If you cannot be directly discipled by saints, then be discipled by their books, thoughts, and spirituality. Even if you become a teacher to others, remain always a disciple to those greater than you.

Some people stop being disciples once they become teachers — but blessed is the person who remains a disciple all his life: a disciple of the Lord, of the priests, of the saints, and of the writings of the Fathers.

The first source of Joshua’s strength was that he had a long enough period of discipleship. Yet when he took responsibility, he was afraid — afraid because the responsibility was great; because he was dealing with a stiff-necked people; because the external enemies were strong; and because the gap left by the great prophet Moses was immense, making Joshua feel small in comparison.

He was so afraid that God repeatedly encouraged him, saying: “Be strong and of good courage… I am with you; I will not fail you nor forsake you.”
He was afraid despite his forty years of deep discipleship, despite being a spiritual man filled with wisdom! For Scripture says: “Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.”

He was afraid despite the many divine promises by which the Lord encouraged him — truly, this fear showed his deep sense of responsibility. Often, the absence of fear in such cases reflects carelessness or indifference.

The Encouraging Promises of God:
Many mighty ones are not chosen by God because they rely on their own strength. And if they succeed, they attribute success to their intellect, personality, or human power.
Therefore, Scripture wisely says: “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” Thus, the Lord chose the fearful Joshua, who would not attribute success to himself because he was aware of his weakness. Yet once God chose him, He did not leave him alone but clothed him with divine power from above.

How wonderful were the words of encouragement with which the Lord strengthened His servant Joshua!
He said to him: “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:5).
Joshua had been a warrior since his youth, but the greatest weapon he used in his life was this divine promise:
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.”

With nearly the same words, the Lord encouraged His servant Jeremiah, who was also afraid and said, “I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth.” The Lord said to him: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth’… Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you… I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms… They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:7–19).

Let us, like these saints, stand before God as weak ones, so that we may hear from Him such promises and receive His power to fight with it.

The story of Joshua is a beautiful one — showing how God works through a weak servant, granting him strength and steadfastness so that no man could stand before him all his life. Thousands fell at his side and ten thousands at his right hand; the snare was broken, and he escaped — not just in one or two or three battles, but all the days of his life.

It is the same promise that God gave to the Church:
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper. The gates of Hades shall not prevail against you… Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

It is the same promise with which God encouraged His servant Jacob, who was weak, afraid, and fleeing from his brother Esau. While he was fleeing, he received the divine promise: “Behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go… and will bring you back to this land.” That is what his ears heard, and his eyes saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with prayers ascending and God’s love and gifts descending.

David also lived by the promises of God; therefore he said to the Lord:
“Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction” (Psalm 119).

The disciples of Christ also lived relying on His promises: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”; “I will not leave you orphans”; “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them”; “I have engraved you on the palms of My hands”; “The very hairs of your head are all numbered”; “I go to prepare a place for you.”

Truly, Lord, remember the word on which You have made us hope.
Blessed is the soul that rests under the shadow of these promises.
It says to the Lord in confidence: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
“Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise against me, in this I will be confident.”

Surely, these promises gave Joshua strength and steadfastness.
His story is the story of a man working with God — the sword fighting while the hands are raised upward; faith is present, and the human will works with it. It is the story of a weak yet mighty man of God.

The Secret of Joshua’s Strength:

1. The working hand of God with him: “I will not fail you nor forsake you.”

2. The long spiritual discipleship he lived.

3. The spirit of wisdom within him.

4. The constant presence of the Word of God in his mouth day and night.

The Lord said to him: “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.”

This is the description of a successful man: “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1). Likewise, the Lord said: “These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6).

Truly wonderful is David’s saying: “Princes also sit and speak against me, but Your servant meditates on Your statutes” (Psalm 119).
And what will you do with these enemies then? I leave them to God. They are not my enemies, but His. I meditate on His commandments, and He will deal with them — for as He promised before: “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Truly, if the Word of God is in your heart, you will be in God’s heart. If the Word of God is on your lips, your lips will be sanctified by the divine Word. If you befriend Scripture, God will befriend you.

Surely, we are much less than our fathers who memorized Scripture by heart — God’s words were on their tongues; they did not need a written book.
Today, printing has spread, books have multiplied, but memorization has decreased. In ancient times, when books were few, memory grew stronger to make up for the lack. God’s words were in people’s hearts, not just in their libraries.

How beautiful are David’s words: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
In this way Joshua lived, fulfilled his mission, and succeeded.
May the God who was with him be with us all. Amen.