“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
When was a time when you have lost your nerve and that prevented you from doing something?
Fear is something we all have to deal with. The Israelites had to deal with fear, too. In the passage above, Joshua delivers that message the second time the people of Israel were at the entrance to the Promised Land. The first time, they all (except Joshua and Caleb) let fear overcome their trust in God.
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’
But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, ‘The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.’” – Numbers 13:30-33
So, this time, Joshua keeps repeating, “Be strong and courageous,” and “the Lord your God will be with you.”
It’s a good message for us, too. Why be strong and courageous? How? Because God is with us. When we follow Him, even into scary situations, we have nothing to fear. He is with us.
Is there something you’ve been holding off on because of fear?
Heavenly Father,
There are times I am afraid. Sometimes that fear prevents me from doing things I know I should do. Sometimes fear prevents me from obeying You. Give me strength and courage that I may follow You and have peace.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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