Jos. 1:5-7
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 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.
The community pool is where she spent just about every daytime hour of her summer vacation. She had learned how to swim from following her friends, and she could swim just fine, but she was not comfortable if her feet could not touch the bottom. One Saturday afternoon, her father joined her at the pool. Once they put down their stuff, he made his way to the deep end, walked to the edge of the diving board, and jumped right in. He begged her to join him, but she was scared. He stayed in the water in case he needed to help her, but she would not go in. He reminded her that she could swim and that she would be just fine. All she needed was the courage to jump in.
It is only the beginning of Joshua’s story, and the Lord already has repeated himself. God tells him not once but twice to be strong and courageous. The Lord had purposed to accomplish very specific goals through Joshua. However, it would not be as easy as him simply being available for God to do what He wanted to do. Joshua had to make himself a certain way to be effective in this work. He had to decide to act with strength and courage. He had to bring something to the table. If Joshua decided to be weak and fearful, to behave as if he did not have the one true God on his side, then his work would fail. It is a trade-off that should serve as an example for us as we live these lives for the Lord. If we want to accomplish his will, we must act in strength and courage.
When Daniel encountered the angelic host fighting for him, he received the same instruction. [Dan. 10:18-19] I see this instruction as a calling for us to stop living in the flesh and start living in the Spirit. The flesh will tell us to be scared or nervous or doubtful. God wants us to walk in the Spirit so that we will be brave and confident and full of faith. If we operate in the flesh and bow to those things which would make us cower, we cannot please the Lord and accomplish his will. God gives us the ability to be strong and courageous, but we first have to decide to walk in that. Father, thank You for giving us everything we need to please You, and keep us living in the Spirit as powerful and courageous warriors of yours.
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