Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Just as a bird needs both wings to fly, a victorious life requires both faith and obedience. In Joshua, God calls Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land, not just with bold confidence but with complete dependence on His Word. Faith believes what God says; obedience acts upon it. One without the other stalls the journey. This moment wasn’t just about crossing into the promise land — it was about stepping into covenant reality, where trust in God’s promise was matched by surrender to God’s command.
Faith doesn’t wait at the edge—it steps in, trusting God is already there. It doesn’t demand proof; it takes God at His Word and moves forward. That’s when the miraculous happens—the waters part, the walls fall—not before we move, but as we move. “Be strong and courageous,” God says. Real faith acts even when things are unclear, not because the path is easy, but because the promise is sure. Victory begins the moment we stop waiting and start walking.
Israel’s journey proved that faith must move. The priests stepped into the Jordan before it parted. They marched around Jericho before a single crack appeared. Persistent faith led to a breakthrough. On the seventh day, with weariness surely mounting, they marched around seven times more — then came the shout, the crash, and the conquest. True faith obeys repeatedly, even when mocked or misunderstood, trusting that God’s promises are just around the next lap.
Even Rahab reminds us that no one is too far for faith to reach. Her scarlet cord was a lifeline of faith in God’s Word, resulting in her salvation and legacy. The same faith that topples walls welcomes the outsider. One act of trust — no matter how unlikely the vessel — can change everything. God is not looking for pedigree, but for hearts willing to believe and obey.
Yet obedience must be exact. Achan’s hidden sin halted Israel’s advance. Saul’s partial obedience cost him a kingdom. The little compromises — what we excuse or ignore — can have significant consequences. Obedience requires attention, not assumption. Even Joshua failed to seek the Lord’s counsel and made a costly treaty with the Gibeonites. The lesson? Even good intentions without divine direction can lead to bondage.
Ultimately, faith and obedience are inseparable—like two wings of the same bird, they must work together to carry us forward. Joshua fulfilled his calling not just by believing God’s Word, but by acting on it with unwavering obedience. The promise was already given. The victory was already secured. But the possession of it required both trust and action.
So it is with us. We must believe enough to move—and obey enough to persevere. When faith takes the first step and obedience stays the course, nothing can stop us from walking in the fullness of God’s promises. Rise up. The land is before you. Take it.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Chanukah, a time of celebration and rededication, began last Thursday night here in the Land and for Jewish people all over the globe. Those of us who are grafted in through the atoning work of Messiah, we who know God, have an opportunity to see the deeper significance in the Jewish holidays and are not only welcome but encouraged to celebrate as well!
"In the washroom of his London club, British newspaper publisher and politician William Beverbrook happened to meet Edward Heath, then a young member of Parliament, about whom Beverbrook had printed an insulting editorial a few days earlier. "My dear chap," said the publisher, embarrassed by the encounter. "I've been thinking it over, and I was wrong. Here and now, I wish to apologize." "Very well," grunted Heath. "But the next time, I wish you'd insult me in the washroom and apologize in your newspaper."
These first two scriptures are speaking of the same "Stone", the prophesied Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), the "head of the corner" or "rosh pina", in Hebrew. This stone is laid in Zion, a common synonym for Jerusalem, where mount Zion rests. The stone is "tried", that is, tested in every way that a stone can be; the stone is precious and excellent to be set as a sure, reliable, accurate, even everlasting foundation, and a stone which is prepared and set in place by God, Himself. Can you think of a "Stone" more perfect or beautiful than our Messiah?
Years ago, I heard an anointed missionary and personal friend speaking on the consequences of sin. He told a story about a pair of brothers he knew quite well.
Junk mail -- those annoying letters that fill your mail box. Along with the junk comes the delightful bills, and renewal notices. Of course the junk, we can just throw away, the bills, unfortunately can't be ignored, but the renewal notices, those we're thankful to see. Without them, we'd likely forget that we need to renew our licenses, our credit cards, membership cards, whatever else.
A story is told of Napoleon Bonaparte. As he was busy conquering Europe in the 1800's during one of his military campaigns, Napoleon accidentally let the bridle of his horse slip while he was looking through some papers. The horse reared itself and the Emperor lost his balance. One corporal quickly leaped forward and caught the bridle just in the nick of time, bringing the horse under control and saving Napoleon from what might have been serious injury or even death. Napoleon saluted the corporal and said, "Thank you, Captain!" "Of what company, Sire?" asked the corporal. "Of my guards," replied Napoleon.
It ought to be obvious to all of us believers that we are in a spiritual war that is taking place all over the earth -- and that we are called to fight in this battle. In the world's armies, soldiers are not sent into battle before receiving many months of serious training. They need to get physically in shape first and then to learn how to handle different wartime situations and tactics of the enemy.