Chosen, Called, and Anointed for the Assignment

Main Scripture: Joshua 1:1–9 (KJV)

When God first called Moses in Exodus 3, Moses wasn't standing before a congregation seeking an opportunity to become a leader. He was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro when God appeared to him in the burning bush. God had heard the cries of His people in Egypt, seen their affliction, and determined that the time had come for their deliverance. But what interests me about this encounter is that Moses didn't immediately embrace the assignment. In Exodus 3:11 he asked, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Moses understood something that many people overlook today. He recognized that what God was asking him to do was greater than his personal ability. He had questions about his qualifications, his credibility, and even his ability to speak. But God's answer in Exodus 3:12 was not a lengthy explanation of Moses' accomplishments or personal strengths. God simply said, “Certainly I will be with thee.”

That is where we must begin to understand the difference between someone who has appointed himself to lead and someone whom God has called. A divine calling is not established by personal ambition, popularity, education, or the approval of people. Those things may have their place, but they cannot replace the presence of God. Moses would eventually stand before Pharaoh, confront an entire system of bondage, and lead hundreds of thousands of people through circumstances that seemed impossible. Yet the foundation of his leadership was established before any of those things happened. God had called him, and God had promised to be with him. The assignment was never dependent upon Moses possessing everything he needed within himself. It was dependent upon Moses obeying the One who had sent him.

As we continue through Exodus and Numbers, we discover that leading God's people was not nearly as simple as bringing them out of Egypt. Deliverance from bondage did not automatically produce obedience in the hearts of those who had been delivered. The people witnessed the plagues in Egypt, walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, received manna from heaven, and drank water that God provided in the wilderness. Yet they continued to complain, question Moses' leadership, and sometimes express a desire to return to the very bondage from which God had delivered them. In Exodus 16:3, they complained about their hunger and spoke as though life in Egypt had been better. In Numbers 14:4, after hearing the report concerning the promised land, they even suggested appointing another leader to take them back to Egypt.

Imagine the weight of that responsibility. Moses was attempting to lead people toward a promise that God had made to them, while many of those same people were resisting the very direction that would bring them into their inheritance. He was accountable to God for his obedience, yet continually confronted with the unbelief and rebellion of those he had been assigned to lead. There were moments when the people questioned his motives, challenged his authority, and blamed him for circumstances that were beyond his control. In Numbers 11:11–15, Moses became so overwhelmed by the burden that he cried out to God concerning the responsibility of carrying the people. This wasn't a man who had lost his calling. This was a man who had discovered how heavy the calling could become.

We should be careful not to overlook the humanity of those whom God chooses. Being anointed does not mean a person never becomes tired, discouraged, disappointed, or emotionally overwhelmed. Moses experienced all of those things. Elijah, after confronting the prophets of Baal, became so discouraged that he asked God to take his life in 1 Kings 19:4. Jeremiah experienced rejection and opposition while proclaiming God's Word. Paul endured imprisonment, persecution, physical suffering, and abandonment. Their difficulties did not necessarily mean they had stepped outside the will of God. Many of their greatest hardships came because they were faithfully carrying out the assignments God had given them. Leadership requires endurance, and endurance becomes especially important when the people being served cannot fully appreciate what the leader is carrying.

But Moses was not alone in the work. Long before Joshua stood before the nation as its leader, Scripture introduces him as a young man serving alongside Moses. In Exodus 17:9–13, Joshua was entrusted with leading Israel into battle against Amalek while Moses stood upon the hill with the rod of God in his hand. As long as Moses' hands were raised, Israel prevailed, and when his hands became heavy, Aaron and Hur supported them. That passage teaches us something important about leadership. Joshua was fighting in the valley while Moses was interceding on the hill, and neither responsibility was insignificant. The victory required obedience, cooperation, and dependence upon God. Joshua was learning that leadership was not simply about giving instructions. It was about recognizing the authority of God, respecting the assignment of others, and understanding that victory belongs to the Lord.

Joshua continued serving Moses through experiences that would prepare him for responsibilities he could not yet fully understand. Exodus 24:13 identifies Joshua as Moses' minister when Moses went up toward the mount of God. Exodus 33:11 tells us that Joshua did not depart out of the tabernacle. He was close enough to observe Moses' relationship with God and to witness the consequences of both obedience and disobedience among the people. He saw what happened when the nation trusted God, and he saw what happened when fear overcame their faith. In Numbers 13 and 14, Joshua and Caleb stood against the discouraging report of the other spies. While the majority focused on the strength of the inhabitants of Canaan, Joshua and Caleb believed that God was able to give Israel the land He had promised. Joshua's confidence was already being developed through his own experience of trusting God, even when the majority disagreed.

There is a lesson here for anyone who believes God has called them into leadership. Preparation does not always begin with a title, a pulpit, an office, or public recognition. Sometimes preparation begins in service, where nobody is applauding and very few people understand what God is developing within you. Joshua served before he commanded. He followed before he led. He witnessed the burdens of leadership before those burdens became his own. And while he was learning from Moses, God was preparing him for a future that had not yet fully unfolded. We must never confuse being overlooked by people with being overlooked by God. The Lord knows whom He has called, and He knows how to prepare that person for the appointed time.

However, we cannot speak about Moses' leadership without acknowledging that even an anointed servant remains accountable to God. In Numbers 20, when the people complained because there was no water, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock twice. Water came forth, but Moses had failed to honor God's instruction before the people. In Numbers 20:12, the Lord told Moses and Aaron that because they had not believed Him to sanctify Him in the eyes of Israel, they would not bring the congregation into the land He had given them. This is a sobering reminder that God's calling does not place anyone above obedience. Moses had performed extraordinary works through the power of God, but even his history of faithful service did not excuse disobedience. The greater the responsibility, the more seriously we must regard the instructions of the One who called us.

As Israel approached the end of its wilderness journey, Moses knew that his own assignment was coming to a close. In Deuteronomy 31, he told the people that he was 120 years old and would not cross the Jordan. He also told them that Joshua would go before them, just as the Lord had spoken. Moses did not abandon the people because he would not personally complete the journey. He encouraged them to remain faithful and publicly strengthened Joshua for the responsibility ahead. In Deuteronomy 31:7–8, Moses told Joshua to be strong and courageous because he would bring the people into the land, and he reminded him that the Lord would go before him and would not fail or forsake him. Moses understood that God's promise to Israel was greater than the years of his own leadership.

This is something every leader must eventually understand. The work of God does not belong to the person carrying the assignment. It belongs to God. We may be chosen to begin something, to build something, or to guide people through a particular season, but that does not mean we will personally witness every part of its completion. Moses was permitted to see the promised land from Mount Nebo, but he was not permitted to enter it. Deuteronomy 34 records his death, and Scripture tells us that the people mourned him for thirty days. Yet even in the passing of such a remarkable servant, God's promise had not died. Moses' journey was complete, but Israel's journey was not. The responsibility would now pass to Joshua.

The transition was not without preparation. Numbers 27:18 tells us that God instructed Moses to take Joshua, “a man in whom is the spirit,” and lay his hand upon him. Moses was to present Joshua before Eleazar the priest and the congregation and give him a charge in their sight. Deuteronomy 34:9 later tells us that Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him. Joshua had been publicly commissioned, spiritually equipped, and prepared through years of faithful service. Nevertheless, when we arrive at Joshua chapter 1, something remarkable happens. God speaks directly to Joshua after the death of Moses and establishes the responsibility that now rests upon him.

In Joshua 1:2, God says, “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.” Those words mark a significant moment in Israel's history. The servant who had led them through the wilderness was gone, but the God who had led them through Moses was still present. Joshua was not being asked to become Moses. He was being commanded to fulfill the assignment God had prepared for him. The leadership had changed, but the authority behind the mission had not. God did not ask Joshua to depend upon the memory of Moses alone. He gave Joshua His own Word and His own assurance.

Listen carefully to what God says in Joshua 1:5: “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.” This is the assurance that establishes Joshua's confidence. His preparation was important. His experience mattered. His years of service under Moses had not been wasted. But none of those things could replace the presence of God. Joshua was facing a nation that needed direction, a river that had to be crossed, and enemies occupying the land they had been promised. He needed more than the endorsement of Moses or the acceptance of the people. He needed to know that the God who had been with Moses would also be with him.

This is why the call and the anointing are so important. We sometimes speak of the anointing as though it is merely an emotional experience or something demonstrated through a person's ability to preach, teach, sing, or command attention. But throughout Scripture, God's Spirit equips His servants to carry out His purposes. The anointing is not permission to seek personal glory, nor is it a guarantee that the assignment will be free from opposition. It is God's enabling presence for the work He has called a person to accomplish. Zechariah 4:6 declares, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” What God requires cannot ultimately be accomplished through human strength alone.

God then tells Joshua three times in the opening chapter to be strong and courageous. In Joshua 1:7, He says, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee.” We must understand that God was not encouraging Joshua to become reckless or confident in his own abilities. His courage was to be grounded in obedience. God instructed him not to turn from the law to the right hand or to the left, and in verse 8 He commanded him to meditate upon it day and night. Joshua's success in fulfilling God's assignment would require more than bold leadership. It would require a continual commitment to the Word of God.

That principle has not changed. Anyone can claim to have a calling, but the calling must remain subject to the God who gave it. A person may possess influence, talent, knowledge, or an impressive position, but without obedience to God's Word, those qualities cannot substitute for spiritual faithfulness. Second Timothy 2:15 instructs us to study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth. First Peter 5:2–3 reminds spiritual leaders to feed the flock of God willingly and not as those who lord authority over God's heritage, but as examples to the flock. Godly leadership is not measured merely by how many people follow us. It is measured by whether we are faithfully following Christ.

When Joshua finally led Israel across the Jordan in Joshua chapter 3, the river was overflowing its banks. Once again, the people stood before something they could not overcome through their own ability. But God instructed Joshua concerning the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, and when their feet touched the waters, the river was cut off and the people crossed on dry ground. Joshua 3:7 records the Lord telling Joshua, “This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” God established Joshua's leadership before the people, not because Joshua had demanded recognition, but because God had chosen him and was fulfilling His promise.

What strikes me about this account is that the same God who opened the Red Sea for Moses made a way through the Jordan for Joshua. The circumstances were different, the generation was different, and the leader was different, but the power of God had not changed. Moses had been called to bring the people out of Egypt and guide them through the wilderness. Joshua had been called to lead them into the land and begin possessing what God had promised. Their assignments were connected, but they were not identical. Each man had to obey God within the responsibility entrusted to him.

We need to recognize this in the Church today. Not everyone has been called to the same assignment, and not every season requires the same person to lead. Ephesians 4:11–12 tells us that Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the perfecting of the saints and the work of the ministry. First Corinthians 12 reminds us that there are different gifts and responsibilities within the body of Christ, but they operate under the same Spirit. We should not spend our lives competing with another person's calling or attempting to occupy an assignment God has not given us. Our responsibility is to recognize what God has entrusted to us, prepare ourselves faithfully, and remain obedient to His direction.

There is also a responsibility upon those who follow. Israel's history reminds us that rebellion, unbelief, and constant resistance can bring unnecessary suffering upon an entire community. Hebrews 13:17 instructs believers to obey those who have the rule over them and submit to their spiritual care because they watch for souls and must give account. That responsibility does not make leaders infallible or place them beyond correction. Moses himself was accountable to God. But it does mean that spiritual leadership should not be treated casually. We should pray for those whom God has entrusted with responsibility, support what is consistent with His Word, and understand that unnecessary division can hinder the work that God has called His people to accomplish.

Joshua's experience also teaches us that the Lord does not call us merely to admire what previous generations accomplished. There comes a time when we must take what we have learned and move forward in obedience. Joshua could have spent the rest of his life remembering the miracles performed through Moses, but the Jordan was still before him. There was a promise that had not yet been possessed and a nation waiting for direction. God did not tell Joshua to remain at the edge of the river discussing what Moses had done. He told him to arise and cross over. Preparation had served its purpose, and now obedience required action.

For those who are called to serve God, whether in ministry, in the home, in the community, or in another responsibility He has entrusted to us, we must understand that the assignment will sometimes demand more than we think we have to give. There will be people who misunderstand us, circumstances that discourage us, and seasons when the weight of responsibility becomes difficult to carry. But we must never forget that the Lord who calls also provides what is necessary to fulfill His will. Second Corinthians 3:5 reminds us that “our sufficiency is of God.” We do not have to possess every answer before we obey. We do, however, have to remain close enough to God to hear His instructions and humble enough to follow them.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, God has raised up men and women to carry out His purpose, and the work continued as He prepared others to serve. Moses led Israel out of Egypt, but Joshua was chosen to take them across the Jordan. Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal and proclaimed God's Word during a time of widespread idolatry, but in 1 Kings 19:16, God directed him to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place. When Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha received his mantle, and the Lord confirmed His presence with him at the Jordan in 2 Kings 2:14. The servant had changed, but the God who empowered the servant remained the same.

Deborah, a prophetess and judge in Israel, delivered God's command to Barak and accompanied him as Israel confronted the army of Sisera in Judges 4. Their responsibilities were different, but God used their obedience to bring deliverance to His people. The Apostle Paul endured persecution and imprisonment while carrying the gospel to the Gentiles, yet he also prepared Timothy to continue teaching the Word. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructed him to entrust what he had learned to faithful men who would teach others. Aquila and Priscilla likewise strengthened the ministry by instructing Apollos more fully in the way of God, as recorded in Acts 18:26. We also remember Samuel, David, Solomon, Barnabas, and the many faithful servants who helped prepare others for the responsibilities God had placed before them.

Above all, Jesus Christ called His disciples, prepared them through His teaching, and commissioned them to carry the gospel into the world. In Acts 1:8, He promised that they would receive power through the Holy Ghost to become His witnesses. These were the men and women who carried forward what we often call the bloodstained banner of the gospel. Some suffered rejection, persecution, imprisonment, and even death, but the message of Jesus Christ continued because the work belonged to God and not to any one individual.

As servants of the Lord, we must understand that being called is not about recognition, titles, or personal ambition. It is about obedience, preparation, spiritual accountability, and the anointing necessary to fulfill God's assignment. We may not all be called to lead a nation or stand before a congregation, but each of us has a responsibility to remain faithful to what God has entrusted to us and to help prepare those who will continue the work.

Moses completed his journey, Joshua crossed the Jordan, Elijah passed his mantle to Elisha, and Paul prepared Timothy. Their assignments were different, but their dependence upon God remained essential. And when our own earthly assignment is complete, may we be able to declare as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

The servants may change, the generations may pass, and the assignments may differ, but the God who calls, equips, and sends His people remains the same. The bloodstained banner of Jesus Christ must continue to be carried, not for our glory, but for His.