21/08/2023
Jos 1 v 1 - 2 v 24

Be strong and courageous

6 “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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.” (vers 6-9) [NLT]

Be strong and very courageous

Have you ever had to prepare for something that caused your bones to shiver? One can easily become strong by following a vigorous training program combined with the correct diet, but it takes more than physical strength to have the courage to take on an army. We often confuse the two and in the above passage God mentions this twice, while emphasizing just how courageous Joshua should be.

Obey all instructions

Joshua was instructed to obey the Lord’s commandments, without deviating from them. Then, and then only would he take possession of the promised land. Moses knew how rebellious the Israelites were and that it would take a special leader to take charge of this mammoth task. Joshua had the reassurance that he would be victorious and that God would never fail, nor forsake him (Deut 31 v 8; Jos 1 v 5).

Do not be afraid

Can you imagine the responsibility Joshua had to take on his shoulders? We find it hard sometimes just to approach our managers in the work place or even a large corporate that could become a potential client. Here, Joshua would take over a city and even though it was promised to his predecessor, surely he had to ask himself whether he was up to the task… This doesn’t seem to be the case as he took charge and immediately instructed those who were to follow him, regarding the plans to invade the city.

Study the Word and meditate on it

Reading God’s Word and following His instructions is not an instant recipe to worldly success, nor is it a gateway to salvation. If that were the case, everyone would become a Christian. We are called to study the Word and meditate on it yes, but there should be a change of heart and as a result of this, we would want to follow God’s instructions and obey His commandments.

It takes courage to trust in the Lord, but God never disappoints and therefore we can take heed and know that He will never leave, or fail nor forsake us, as long as we put our faith in Jesus and no longer rely on our own bodily strength and intellect, but purely on His provision.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation”

Photo by Dylan Flying