Joshua 1:6-9 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Bible seems virtually redundant on the theme of courage. More than 125 exhortations for God’s people facing overwhelming trials and dilemmas, resound against fear, notwithstanding how natural that response may seem. Courage based on faith is the universal attitude for saints in all situations. Our omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere) Father says, and repeats, “Fear not! Be of good courage! Be strong and courageous!”
Preparing Joshua, Israel’s general, for the conquest of the Promised Land, the Lord repeated this command three times in four verses, (and four times in the chapter). Having personally witnessed the giants in the land of Canaan 40 years earlier, Joshua had every natural reason to be concerned about the massive creatures aligned against his diminutive tribe.
Yet even during his first encounter with the enemy as a spy in Canaan, Joshua had distinguished himself along with Caleb, as a man of faith and exemplary courage. “The Lord is with us, do not fear them!” he pleaded and boldly proclaimed, even tearing his clothes; [Numbers 14:6-9] The man had a different spirit.
Yet, YHVH even knowing Joshua as a young spy who had himself preached faith and courage, apparently understood the possibility that 40 years of aging and wandering could necessitate another personal exhortation. And so the Lord gave it to him, and He assured Joshua of His unrelenting presence.
Whether walking in wilderness wanderings or on some Promised Land frontier filled with giants, there is never a time when “Be strong and take courage!” is an irrelevant or redundant message. The message of courage bears repeating again and again. “Be strong and very courageous! Do not be frightened or dismayed!” Our eyes love to play tricks on us, but we walk by faith, and not by sight…and it’s faith that inspires courage, for our God is an awesome God!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]We all know that prayer needs to be an essential part of our lives. And if you're like me, we would love for the Lord to answer all our prayers instantaneously -- however, we know from experience this is not always the case!
Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Jewish Believer and an amazing man of God, spent 14 years in communist prisons where he was tortured brutally for his faith and then lived to tell about it. In his book, The Oracles of God, he writes about acquiring inner peace and tells the following powerful story.
Once upon a time, Aesop wrote, the beasts and the fowls were engaged in war. A doublehearted bat was trying to belong to both parties. When the birds were victorious, he would fly around telling everyone he was a bird, and when the beasts won, he would walk around assuring everyone that he was actually a beast. His insincerity was soon discovered and the devious bat was rejected by both the beasts and the birds. From that time on and forevermore, the bat would be banned from the light and would be only allowed to appear openly at night.
In the sermon on the mount, Yeshua said, “You are the light of the world,” and commanded us to let our lights shine that we may give glory to our Heavenly Father. This world is becoming more ungodly and dark, and by deep contrast, the saints of the Lord will shine brighter! A candle in a bright room isn’t particularly significant or easy to notice. A candle in the darkness shines like a lighthouse and offers the only source of guidance for movement.
Is it me, or is the world going nuts? Have we’ve entered the “Twilight Zone”? However, the Bible gave us an understanding of what the last days would entail. We are witnessing the groanings of creation, the literal birth-pangs of the “Day of the Lord”, we also must be awakened and prepared for the coming HARVEST.
Charles Spurgeon was a minister often accused of being “controversial”. One day a friend of Spurgeon’s remarked, “So, I hear you are in hot water again.”
“No, I’m not the one in hot water,” …
As I’ve been speaking across the United States, I’ve been stressing the need for our spiritual foundation to be solidified, and how important it is right now for believers to be grounded on the rock that doesn’t move!