Joshua 1–8; 23–24: Lesson 62

Joshua 2–4

Exercising Faith in Jesus Christ

After the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, the Lord commanded Joshua to lead them into the promised land. Entering the promised land required them to exercise faith in Jesus Christ. The children of Israel and a woman named Rahab demonstrated their faith in Jesus Christ. This lesson can help students understand how they can exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

Student preparation: Invite students to find a scripture that helps them understand what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ. Ask them to come prepared to share it in class. If needed, they could look up “Faith” in the Topical Guide or Guide to the Scriptures.

Possible Learning Activities

Faith in Jesus Christ

Consider beginning class by inviting a student to think of a word that represents their hobbies or interests—for example, basketball or singing. Ask students to describe their words without using the word itself. Class members can guess the word.

Next, write faith on the board, and invite students to describe faith in Jesus Christ. They could share what they found as part of their preparation for class. You might want to point out that Heavenly Father wants us to exercise faith in Jesus Christ so that He can save and bless us (see 2 Nephi 26:13; Ether 12:12, 18; Moroni 7:33).

Remind students that one of the roles of the Holy Ghost is to guide us to truth (see John 16:13). Encourage students to invite the Holy Ghost to help them better understand faith in Jesus Christ.

• How might increasing your faith in Jesus Christ help you in your current circumstances?

Read what Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about faith in Jesus Christ, or watch the video “Seek Learning by Faith” from time code 3:15 to 4:33. The video is located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The Apostle Paul defined faith as “the substance of things hoped for [and] the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Alma declared that faith is not a perfect knowledge; rather, if we have faith, we “hope for things which are not seen [but] are true” (Alma 32:21). Additionally, we learn in the Lectures on Faith that faith is … “the principle of action in all intelligent beings.”

These teachings highlight three basic elements of faith: (1) faith as the assurance of things hoped for that are true, (2) faith as the evidence of things not seen, and (3) faith as the principle of action in all intelligent beings. I describe these three components of faith in the Savior as simultaneously facing the future, looking to the past, and initiating action in the present. (“Seek Learning by Faith,” Ensign, Sept. 2007, 61–62)

The image “Exercising faith in Jesus Christ” can help students understand Elder Bednar’s definition of faith in Jesus Christ. Draw the image on the board or display it for students to reference throughout the lesson.

• What has God done in the past that can help you have faith in Him?

• How can having hope in God’s promised blessings help you exercise faith in Him?

• How would you summarize Elder Bednar’s teachings about faith in Jesus Christ?

Help students identify a truth like: We exercise faith in Jesus Christ as we face the future, look to the past, and act in the present.

Examples of faith

The stories in Joshua 2–4 illustrate one or more of these elements of exercising faith in Jesus Christ.

Help students study these stories. One way is to create a learning station for each chapter. You could place one section of the handout “Examples of Faith in Jesus Christ from Joshua 2–4” in three different areas of the classroom. Students could rotate through each station and follow the instructions on the handout. For larger classes, you might want to create multiple learning stations for each section. Allow students to participate individually or in small groups.

If possible, you could display the following at each learning station:

• A red thread for Joshua 2

• A pair of shoes for Joshua 3

• A stone for Joshua 4

If students have questions about the destruction of the people in Jericho, you can refer to the question “Why were the Canaanites destroyed?” in the Additional Resources section of Lesson 63: “Joshua 23–24.”

After enough time, invite students to share with the class what they learned about faith in Jesus Christ. Students could hold the red thread, the shoes, or the stone as they share. Questions such as the following could help.

• What have you learned about exercising faith in Jesus Christ? How could what you learned help youth today?

Consider inviting students to share how they or someone they know has exercised faith in Jesus Christ by facing the future, acting in the present, and looking to the past. You could also share a personal experience about exercising faith in Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources

How can I exercise faith in Jesus Christ?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Faith as the assurance of things hoped for looks to the future. …

Faith in Christ is inextricably tied to, and results in, hope in Christ for our redemption and exaltation. And assurance and hope make it possible for us to walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness—expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way. The combination of assurance and hope initiates action in the present.

Faith as the evidence of things not seen looks to the past and confirms our trust in God and our confidence in the truthfulness of things not seen. We stepped into the darkness with assurance and hope, and we received evidence and confirmation as the light in fact moved and provided the illumination we needed. The witness we obtained after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6) is evidence that enlarges and strengthens our assurance.

Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process. This helix is like a coil, and as it spirals upward it expands and widens. These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward. And the faith that fuels this ongoing process develops, evolves, and changes. As we again turn and face forward toward an uncertain future, assurance leads to action and produces evidence, which further increases assurance. Our confidence waxes stronger, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. (“Seek Learning by Faith,” Ensign, Sept. 2007, 62−63)

How can I exercise faith by looking to the past and future?

President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. (“The Best Is Yet to Be,” Ensign, Jan. 2010, 24)

What can I do to increase my faith in Jesus Christ?

President Russell M. Nelson invited:

What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith. …

Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life. All things are possible to them that believe.

Your growing faith in Him will move mountains—not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives. Your flourishing faith will help you turn challenges into unparalleled growth and opportunity. (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 103, 104)

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency declared:

Brothers and sisters, it takes faith to be obedient to the Lord’s commandments. It takes faith in Jesus Christ to serve others for Him. It takes faith to go out to teach His gospel and offer it to people who may not feel the voice of the Spirit or may even deny the reality of the message. But as we exercise our faith in Christ—and follow His living prophet—faith will increase across the world. (“The Faith to Ask and Then to Act,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 75)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Joshua 3:5. “Sanctify yourselves”

Your students might benefit from studying how sanctifying ourselves can help us exercise faith in Jesus Christ and experience miracles. Read Joshua 3:5. Then you could show the video “Sanctify Yourselves” (4:37). Invite students to look for how the Lord used a young and worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holder to perform a miracle. Afterward, discuss what it means to sanctify ourselves and how that qualifies us to experience the Lord’s miracles. As needed, help students understand that sanctify means to make holy or spiritually clean.

Joshua 3:6. “And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people”

The following could help students look to Jesus Christ as they exercise faith in Him and press forward. Invite students to read Joshua 3:6–16, looking for what the priests did with the ark of the covenant.

Remind students that the ark of the covenant can symbolize Jesus Christ. Then invite students to look at the verses again, thinking about what they learn about Jesus Christ. Discuss ways we can press forward and expect miracles when we have faith that Jesus Christ goes before us. Consider cross-referencing these verses in Joshua 3 with Isaiah 52:12 and Doctrine and Covenants 84:88.

Joshua 4. Memorials of faith

Consider helping students to find their own memorials or examples of faith. After studying Joshua 4, you could invite students to think about the legacy of faith left by their family or the Latter-day Saints in your country. Students could talk to (maybe even contact during class) a parent or grandparent, or they could use the Family Tree app to find family memories. Students could also think about a place where they had a significant spiritual experience.

Students could also search Global Histories on ChurchofJesusChrist.org to look for accounts of faithful Latter-day Saints in your country.

Invite students to share what they found.

Ether 12:6. A witness comes after a trial of faith

To help students connect what they are studying to the Book of Mormon, invite them to read Ether 12:6. Discuss why the witness often comes after the trial of faith. Invite students to share how this was true in the life of Rahab (see Joshua 2; Joshua 6:25) and in the Israelites crossing the Jordan River (see Joshua 3). Ask students to share experiences when they have received a witness after the trial of their faith.