God tells Joshua to be brave!
“I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
Joshua 1:9 (NET 2nd ed.)
These words written to the successor of Moses, Joshua, and they were to provide support and courage to a man who was going to lead God’s people into the promised land! Just imagine the pressure Joshua must have felt as he took the leadership role after MOSES!
In the preceding verses of this passage, God gives Joshua a glimpse at what will make him, and keep him, courageous:
Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep. Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.
Joshua 1:7 (NET 2nd ed.)
It was the Word of God that was going to give him courage and bravery! It was obedience to the commands of God, and his whole-hearted devotion to keeping these words of God close to his heart that would provide him the wisdom, strength, direction, and the help he would need to lead God’s people well!
And…finally, it was the promise of God that He would never leave or forsake Joshua that I’m sure gave him the biggest bode of confidence of all!
No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone. Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them.
Joshua 1:5-6 (NET 2nd ed.)
As Joshua acted in the role of Moses’ assistant, he watched as Moses interacted with God. He went up on the mountain with Moses, went into the Tent of meetings with Moses, and even when Moses left to inform the people of what God spoke it was Joshua that stayed behind in the tent with God! He knew God’s reliability, but that didn’t stop God from reminding him to be strong and courageous – to be brave as he led the people into the promised land!
God calls us to be brave too!
God calls us to some really difficult tasks as well! I know it may not involve leading millions of people from the wilderness into the promised land by fighting and conquering battles with a multitude of nations, but our assignments can seem insurmountable nonetheless.
Loving an unlovable spouse, overcoming an addiction, removing bitterness from our heart for someone that hurt us, and the list goes on and on. These are some of the spiritual battles that we face and need God’s strength to make us brave and help us to overcome!
Some of us are called into leadership positions, have children with special needs, have to stand up for what is right at work and are facing the possibility of being laid off if we do, have a cancer diagnoses and are facing months of treatment, etc.
There are also some that are asked to risk their lives in service to our country in the military with very uncertain times ahead! To which I say – THANK YOU for your service. I am praying for you and your families!
In all these things, the promises that God made to Joshua stand for each of us who trust in Him! To those who stay close to His Word and choose not to swerve off of what it commands He promises to make His presence known. That is the source of our bravery! Not in ourselves, but in God.
Questions for Reflection
- What are you facing this week that has affected your ability to remain confident in God’s ability to help you through?
- Do you have an intimate knowledge and understanding of God’s Word? If not, why not?
- Do you look to God to make you brave in the battles you face?
Prayer
Father in Heaven, my Champion of Heaven. I praise Your mighty and powerful name always! I look for You to make me brave as I encounter situations that seem to be insurmountable to me. Holy Spirit help me to remain steadfast and not to swerve off of the commands of the Scriptures, even when my fear tempts me to compromise. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture to reflect upon
(Please hover, or click onto, the Scriptures to read the specified text!)
- Joshua 1:5-9,
- Deuteronomy 31:6, 8,
- 2 Timothy 1:7,
- Psalm 4:8,