Be Strong and Courageous

The Promised Land. A land flowing with milk and honey. A place of abundance. A place of rest, and after forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel were ready to claim their inheritance and enjoy the blessings of the land that God had prepared for them.

We know, though, that Moses would not enter into the land with them because of his disobedience to God at the waters of Meribah Kadesh (Deuteronomy 32:48-52). He would only see it from a distance, and following his death, God called Joshua to be the next leader of Israel. His job was to lead more than two million people into the new land; a land where giants still lived. Yes, God was giving them this land, but to possess it, they had to conquer it first.  

Oddly enough, so many Christian songs of our past have equated Israel’s crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land with a believer’s dying and going to heaven. However, that’s not what we see in their story. The events recorded in the book of Joshua have more to do with the life of God’s people instead of their death, and through their experiences, we see how we can also defeat our giants and claim for ourselves all the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ (Ephesian 1:3).

Yes, victory is ours and it all begins with being strong and courageous just as God told Joshua:

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9)

As we discussed last week, obedience is active. It’s knowing what God desires and then doing it. I read in one of my commentaries that God’s promises are prods and not pillows, which seems to be how Joshua saw them too. He was a man who knew God’s law, and in the book of Exodus we are told:

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. (33:11)

I love this picture we are given of Joshua. After Moses left the tent, he would linger in the presence of the Lord. He also learned from Moses what it meant to be a friend of God, and all of this shaped him into an amazing leader. Who else but Joshua would be willing to march around Jericho because he knew his God would deliver the enemy into their hands. Yes, this man definitely saw God’s promises as prods and not pillows.

However, even great leaders get butterflies, and as Joshua stood on the banks of the Jordan, he needed God’s reminder to be “strong and courageous” as they prepared to enter the land promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. The land of their heritance, and for us this land represents the Christian life as it ought to be - conflict and victory, faith and obedience, spiritual riches and rest. It’s a life of faith, trusting Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), to lead us from victory to victory (1 John 5:4-5).

However, going from victory to victory means you are going from battle to battle. Did anyone else just let out a big sigh?

We would like to believe that being a Christian means the end of all of our problems. It’s easy to think that one defeated one giant should be enough, or at least we should get a little breather. However, it doesn’t always work that way. I know in my own life the giants keep coming. For example, after two years, we finally got my parent’s farmhouse sold. The closing is this month, and we cannot wait to celebrate the demise of this giant. However, they have discovered a spot on my mom’s lung. They don’t know what it is, so more tests are needed. A new giant to face.

At work, we were finally back to a full staff when suddenly people quit, people are shuffled, and I’m overwhelmed once again. Another giant to face, and retirement has become a reality.

Another giant is the frequency in which Kenny is having seizures, and some nights it just seems to big. Yet, as we see in the book of Joshua, life is a series of battles as we are called to defeat our enemies and claim more of our inheritance to the glory of God our Father.

I know this. I know this. I know this, but still, I am always shocked when a new giant blocks my path. I want to throw in the towel at the first sign of trouble, and I act as though God is somehow not up to the challenge.

Oh, me of little faith!

I know that you more than likely have a line of giants staring at you too, so the question is: What do we do?

I look back at the book of Joshua and four times God said to him, “be strong and courageous.” (Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18) Friends, if we are to conquer the enemy and claim our inheritance in Christ, we too must have spiritual strength and courage! I think of the Armor of God that Paul wrote about, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Ephesian 6:10) Our God is more than able!

Every day holds new beginnings, new giants, and new victories. Therefore, we must be strong and courageous because the battle is the Lord’s!

“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 1:21)

For the glory of God! Lisa

Discussion Questions

How can the reassurances God provided Joshua give comfort in your current life situations?

How can you actively 'put on the armor of God' in your daily life?

How can we ensure we don’t miss out on the “Promised Lands” in our lives due to doubt or disobedience?