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]Missionaries Dick and Margaret Hillis found themselves caught in China during the Japanese invasion. The couple lived with their two children in the inland town of Shenkiu. The village was tense with fear, for every day brought terrifying reports of the Japanese advance. At the worst possible time, Dick developed appendicitis, and he knew his life depended on making the long journey to the hospital. On January 15, 1941, with deep foreboding, Margaret watched him leave.
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