Courageous

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous.
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn
from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever
you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in
it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:6-9 (NIV) 




If
anyone should be courageous, it should be God's people. We have His
presence and power within us. But too often, we are like the cowardly
lion in The Wizard of Oz. We whimper instead of roar and twist our tails
rather than attack.



Perhaps that is why God admonished
Joshua--not just once, but THREE times--to "be strong and courageous."
The message is still relevant to us today.



1. God has a plan and we're part of it. Notice that God doesn't tell Joshua what might happen. He tells him that he will
lead the people to inherit the Promised Land. In like manner, God has
placed people in our path for a reason. Consider these people as your
divine appointment. It's our task to lead them to Him, our Promised
Land.



2. This task requires complete obedience to our heavenly Commander-in-Chief. Remember Christ's equation: Love = Obedience. If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. ~John 14:15 (AMP)



3. We can't obey His commands unless we know His commands, and the only way to do that is to study and meditate on His Word. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. ~Psalm 119:11 (NASB) Our success is guaranteed when we keep His commands.



4.
Courage isn't an option; it's a requirement. God commands it. We're not
to be afraid or discouraged, because He is always with us wherever we
go.



Heavenly Father, thank You for the courage that is
ours because of Your presence with us. Help us to embrace that courage
for the purpose of leading others to You. Thank You for allowing us to
be a part of Your plan, a plan in which victory is guaranteed because of
the work of Christ on the cross. Help us to demonstrate our love for
You through obedience to Your Word. Grant to us a strong desire to know
Your Word and to meditate upon Your Word. Help us to always treasure it
in our hearts. In Jesus' name, Amen.