If that’s true, then the next three follow from that faith and God’s promise to be strong for us. The thing was, though, that he’d be taking over for one of the most renown leaders of all time. This means that when we start to feel fear rise up, we can combat it with the truth of what God has given us. Three times God told Joshua to be strong and courageous and also gave Joshua His promise. Copyright © 2020, iBelieve.com. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. The reason that you can be strong and be courageous and not fear and not be dismayed is that the Lord is going to be with you wherever you go. Please consider this request from John Piper and become a monthly partner by December 31. Let’s read on to see how God meets our weakness and fear with His strength and might. Joshua was the appointed leader to take… In the book of Joshua, the Israelites are about to enter the promised land. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. (commanded!). 1.) But glory to God, fear and weakness aren’t our inheritance. I met fear the day my daughter was born. In verses 6-8, God told him twice to be strong and courageous. "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." "Do Not Fear" Fear and I have definitely gone round for round over the last two years of my life. So Joshua, the leader of Israel, sends two spies into Jericho to ‘look over the land’. Part of being strong and of a good courage means trusting in the Lord as our true source of strength. “But, I feel weak, Lord,” was my response. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. "Faith Without Works is Dead" No matter how many times I tried to move on to chapter 2, I kept being pulled back to read and re-read Joshua chapter 1. She serves in the worship ministry with her husband at their home church in Glendale, AZ and writes with the sole purpose of pointing others to Christ. For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. If you have it, repent and fly to me and to this promise, and let’s get rid of it together.” We’re commanded not to fear, not to be dismayed; be strong and courageous. Faith initiates the work of God in and through us. Therefore, we can be courageous and live above fear. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.”. I can say that I am a victor over fear, but it took me being afraid and having to be placed in situations to face and reject it. God was giving me wisdom, experience, and the opportunity to keep moving forward in my life through faith, even though I didn't understand how I was going to overcome. He calls us to do things like have impossible strength and courage because, at the end of the day, we have to realize that those were never things we were going to be able to accomplish on our own. 5. Maybe Joshua was not the great warrior from the get go. “Be Strong and Courageous” After God continued to tell Joshua what His plan was, He then began to tell Joshua what his next steps should be. “Have I not commanded you?” The commands are four. Jesus gained the victory over fear and death. Question 7: In Joshua 1:5, what is the key promise of verse 5? During that season, he impressed on my heart that even though I felt weak, I was not. This was during a time where I felt weak. Joshua's Need for Courage and Strength. "Eye for an Eye" The complete version says, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.” This verse is set in Joshua 1, where God is appointing Joshua as Moses’s successor and the person, He will use to … As a new year dawns, consider that God’s word offers great treasures on a first reading, and many of its greatest ones as we reread year after year. Who needs God on the field? Deuteronomy 31:7,8,28. I didn't even understand how we got there. Because we know He is our strong tower. We know that all the blessings that come into the lives of sinners are coming from the purchase of Jesus Christ. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. (Joshua 1:6) Moses had died and God was now giving Joshua the responsibility of dividing the Promised Land between all … 1:7, God said to be strong and very courageous so they may do what? But in my heart, I knew that Jesus was my savior for a reason. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that … God gives us strength and courage through continual encouragement (6, 7, 18) Since Joshua was so overcome by fear, God knew that he would need continuous encouragement to face his fears and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The contractions that were supposed to bring her alive into the world were instead hurting her. I know what it's like to feel weak. Courage. And this fear isn’t a dreadful anxiousness. It encourages me to know that one of the bravest men in biblical history felt afraid and discouraged occasionally. There is no need for fear when we lean on the powerful presence of the Lord. He is our protection. And he knew God had made a promise and he was going to trust him for it. We will. Like us, Joshua was often besieged by other voices, but he chose to follow God, and he did it faithfully. Decide not to live in a place of weakness and fear. And two negatives: Don’t be frightened. The phrase "be strong and courageous" appears one time in the KJV bible (2 Chronicles 32:7). God wanted Joshua to know that He was the One that had given Joshua this task. And it wasn’t just my life that I feared for. He created all things, so having him on our side is a sure win in every situation we face. "Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart" 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as t… Fear is not an option for the Christian. Being strong and courageous is required for prosperity. Christopher was the sole provider and times were hard for us. Be courageous. God told Joshua, "Be strong and courageous because to these people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their forefathers to give them. We start, but He is the one who accomplishes the mighty, powerful work in our life. No one will ever succeed against him because God is with him. Don’t be dismayed. You’re not going to be puffed up if God is the one giving the strength, which triggered in my mind 1 Peter 4:11, “Whoever serves, [let him do it] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” So if you were to break this Scripture down into bite-size pieces and meditate on each line, you will become stronger and stronger in your faith. In Christ, he says, I’m an offspring of Abraham, so that the promises made to the people of Israel are made to Christians, because we are offspring of Abraham in the Messiah (see also Galatians 3:16, 29). There was a period of my life where the Lord had me meditating on this section of Scripture and he wouldn't let me move past it. I've come to learn that God is always calling us to do things we don't believe we can accomplish. At the end of another year, Pastor John reflects on 2020, the world of Ephesians, and the need for a new tidal wave of God-centered teaching. My answer to the first question is: Yes, John Piper, you may embrace this promise and in Christ apply it to yourself. Almost instantly, the fear in that room melted away. I love the scripture in 2 Timothy 1:7 that says this, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.”. Actually, though, my life was coming together. "All Things Work Together for Good" Don’t be frightened. With these words, Jehovah * God assured his faithful worshipper Joshua that he could “be courageous and strong” despite facing challenging circumstances and seemingly overwhelming obstacles. In Joshua 1, before the Israelites cross over the river Jordan into the Promised Land, the Lord tells Joshua to be strong. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. "The Lord is my Shepherd" He saw the giants in the land, but he also knew his God was mightier. What Is Purgatory and Is it in the Bible? Christians are unavoidably out of step with this world. And I didn't understand why He was telling me to be something that I didn't believe I was capable of being. I felt like I had no control over the things that were happening in my life. Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. God says, “Don’t have it. In verse 7 God tells Joshua again to be strong and courageous. God wants you to come up higher to where he is, so that you can view the things that make you feel small and weak the way he does. God said: “Be strong and courageous! Joshua 1:9 Perhaps, you are looking at your situation through your perspective. "Feafully and Wonderfully Made" Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! Just before this, however, Joshua gets this command from God – “Be strong and courageous. The bottom line is that this is a call to faith — faith in the promised strength of God. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. Take captive of the victim mentality and choose to know yourself as God knows you. The God of Moses is the God of Joshua....he makes his promises, he keeps them. I thought my world was falling apart back when I was a new stay at home mom. Since we are human, we all have areas where we are weak and where we are strong. Joshua’s courage was not predicated on wishful or positive thinking. "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself" Later on, however, Joshua found out why he would need strength and courage despite the guarantee of victory from God. And I also know what it's like to look fear in the eyes, and with everything in me, want to run in the opposite direction. Let’s read on to see how God meets … God will win these battles for them. Actually, God tells him to be strong a number of times in the first chapter alone. Question 4: Why do you the God tells Joshua to not be afraid? It was overwhelming. It’s powerful! All rights reserved. Question 6: In verses 3-4, what is happening? He calls us to step out into faith obediently, and trust that He is going to be there to put a firm path under our feet. I smelt it in the air. What care some things could cause Joshua to have fear? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Because he was going to divide the land for an inheritance which he swore to their fathers to give them. My husband, Christopher, and I had decided that I would be a stay at home mom after the birth of our first daughter. When God spoke, Joshua listened and obeyed. Joshua 1, verses 6 and 7: Be strong and courageous [God says to Joshua], for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. I will say that I wasn't ready to die on that operating table. God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous in the face of an enemy that would have made Joshua tremble with weakness and fear if it had not been for God’s powerful reminder of His presence and power. We do not think the same or act the same because we serve a different Master. Paying attention to what the early church prayed for can help keep your prayer life from falling into a rut. 1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. "God is Love" Why else would God tell him not to be afraid or discouraged? "Be Still and Know that I Am God", 3 Beautiful Prayers for the World We Live In, 10 Ways to Pray Bigger Prayers in the New Year, 7 Ways a Husband Can Show His Wife He Loves Her, 10 Ways Satan Wants You to Respond to the Coronavirus, 4 Compassionate Ways to Be Kind to Yourself. “I command you – be strong and courageous. The second reason is that Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:20, in Jesus all the promises of God are Yes. 6. Because God Has a Plan for Us. Joshua’s puny strength is not going to be enough. But God didn’t just throw Joshua out there with a pat on the back. If I’m strong in the strength that God supplies, I don’t need to be afraid. I had Jesus. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today. I felt like a victim to my circumstances. In Joshua’s case, he didn’t have all the answers for the challenges before him. But I felt like it. God told Joshua: “Be courageous and very strong.” He also told Joshua that if he obeyed the Law, he would act wisely and do well at his assignment. God wants us to "be strong and very courageous" (1:6-8) in spite of our trepidations and fears. The phrase "be thou strong and very courageous" appears one time (Joshua 1:7). Be strong. In that operating room, I trembled with fear. So, I thought on his name. Joshua 1:9 tells us, “Be strong and courageous. God’s Word is the same for my situation, as it is for yours, as it is for the next person. He gave fear and death black eyes and knocked them out for good. Joshua heard God's command (to take the land) and God's promise (he will surely win) and His encouragement (be strong and courageous). This doesn't mean that we won't ever feel afraid. Joshua 1:9 – “Have not I commanded you? "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" Question 5: In Joshua 1:2, what promise did God tell Joshua that he would do? We need to understand that having faith requires courage, and that being courageous does not mean that we never feel afraid. He did have great faith in God. Well, I'm here and alive to tell you that God was right! “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” — including this promise? "Pray Without Ceasing" That's okay, it doesn't make your weakness and fear any less valid to God. God commanded Joshua to lead His people into the promised land. Is it so we can be puffed up? "I Can Do All Things Through Christ" - Psalm 40:2. God said: “Do not suffer shock or be terrified, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7-9) Those words must really have strengthened Joshua! Like Joshua, we seldom have all the answers to our personal challenges. I mean, to be honest, up until that point, my pregnancy was healthy and extremely low-risk. The same words are used in Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed” — those two words, don’t fear and don’t be dismayed, for I am with you. So, if being in the hospital could happen to someone like me, surely death could happen too, right? It’s broadened out in Isaiah 41:10. "Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go" Be strong. I had him on my side and my weakness only served to display his strength. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. So, if I’m in Christ, all the promises are Yes. God will win these battles for them. Britnee is a free-spirited, Old Navy-wearin', coffee-shop lovin', wife and momma. Joshua’s puny strength is not going to be enough. Obedience, faith, and dependence on God made Joshua one of Israel's strongest leaders. We had to have an emergency c-section, which was never part of the plan for me and Christopher. If Joshua is to be strong courageous does not mean that we never afraid. Heart rate dropped with every contraction I had no control over the things that were supposed to bring alive. Joshua 1:9 – “ have I not commanded you? ” be strong for.... We know that he would need strength and might and of a good courage unto people... Maybe Joshua was specific to Joshua, and that being courageous does not mean that we feel! Understand how we got there of our trepidations and fears have definitely gone round round! 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