I just returned from the Winter Advance that was held for Spokane Washington. It was a great weekend. If you have never attended, you might consider going next year.

The theme was Seeing 20/20 in 20/20.

Even with 20/20 vision, usually, we can only see what is right in front of us. To see further into the future than today, we may have to look at the past.

My generation is growing older. Some of the generation that follows us may feel some apprehension at what they perceive to be a loss of wisdom and insight that we provide about God’s Word and life in general. Others in the past in God’s Word have felt the same way. You could look at several examples like Solomon following David, Elisha following Elijah, or Timothy following Paul. But the one I chose this time is Joshua following Moses.

Joshua was one of two men that believed God’s promise of giving the promised land to Israel and as a result he not only did not die in the 40 years in the wilderness, he became Moses’s understudy – servant – personal assistant.

But there came a day when Moses, the servant of God, the law giver, the great intercessor for God’s people, the friend of God (Exo 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend…) and a prophet, was about to die. Joshua was to step into the shoes of Moses.

Jos 1:1-9 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest

You can see from this record the great apprehension Joshua must have had about stepping into the shoes of Moses. He had seen Moses write the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, He had seen Moses stand up to Pharaoh and deliver Israel out of Egypt; he was by Moses’s side when he defeated kings in battle in the Wilderness. Now it was his turn. He would have learned a lot about walking with and for God by observing the life of Moses.

Still God had to remind him that “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee”. God no longer needed the books of Moses written. Israel had been delivered from Egypt, but now God needed Joshua to divide the promised land for the tribes and help them claim their inheritance in the land of Canaan.

God is not a respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) But he does respect those that believe and carry out what He has said.

So how does one generation prepare to take the places of leadership once their fathers, leaders, mentors have passed away? Here are some suggestions.

1. Study the Word of God for yourself.

This could include:
Listening to classes or digital teachings
Reading about the lives and teachings of great men of God:

EW Bullinger
Smith Wigglesworth
Spurgeon
Dr. Wierwille

2. Practice the operation of the manifestations of the gift of holy spirit.

Speak in tongues a lot.
Ask God to teach you how He works within YOU.

3. Find men who walk with God and hang out with them and copy their example of the renewed mind.

Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Obviously, we do not follow their mistakes or where they fall short, but we do follow them where they walk according to the Word of God.
In other words, you simply continue to develop yourself and develop your walk with God.

Then, remember, when that day comes, as it will come if the Lord tarries, God will be with you, walk and talk with you just as he was with those that went before you. The situations you face may be different, but God is always the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is the faithful God.

This is seeing 20/20 down the road into the future. This is life, a part of the prosperous life.