Strength & Courage

What is strength?

There are many definitions of strength.

I am strong.

Big, out of shape but haven’t lost my strength.

Recently started going back to the gym. Noticed I had no lost my strength.

Endurance, yes gone. Physical shape- gone.

But my strength remained.

The Bible speaks a lot about strength. And while at times God speaks of physical strength very often He speaks of a different type.

Be Strong and Courageous

There is a phrase that is repeated at least 13 times in the Bible.

Be Strong and Courageous

Today we are going to focus on Joshua.

Joshua 1:1–7 NIV

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 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.

I believe when God told Joshua to be strong He meant this definition-

The capacity to withstand great force or pressure.

Let’s look at where Joshua is when God gives him these words.

His leader is dead. They have been living in the wilderness for years and years and now it is time to literally cross over to God’s promise.

Behind him is a new nation looking to him as their leader, the one who will take them to the promised land.

In front of him is a land that is unknown, unsafe, where they are uninvited.

Joshua 1:8–9 NIV

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.”

Here we see God repeat Himself, but before He does he gives another command- Keep this Book of the Law on your lips. Meditate on it day and night.

Seems like God is giving Joshua the key to his strength.

Our foundation of strength is in God. So to know Him and obey Him is to be strengthened.

I recognize that I need to do exercises to get stronger. I know that the deeper my knowledge about what exercises work best the stronger I can grow. But it is not just knowledge that creates strength it is action. I know that curls build my biceps, and bench press builds my chest. But if I do not DO it. The knowledge is for nothing.

Look back at verse 8

Joshua 1:8 NIV

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.

So that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

The knowledge is not enough. It is the working that builds the strength in our Savior.

Be Courageous

Not deterred by danger or pain.

The strongest warrior is completely useless if they lack the courage to get into the fight.

However so often strength and courage are a symbiotic relationship. When we build our strength in Christ, so too does our courage.

Courage is standing firm when everything and everyone in the world tells you to stop.

As much as I hate to say this, America is not the America it used to be. I understand that we have a tainted history filled with atrocities, but what I also know is that this country was founded by God fearing men who lived the command of being strong and courageous.

Our first president refused to go to battle without kneeling before the almighty God. He KNEW where the strength and ultimate victory came from.

Now, more than ever, we can not be deterred. We must stand courageous In His strength!

Your Jordan

Maybe you are sitting here today just like Joshua sitting on the edge of the Jordan. Maybe everything you knew up til now has changed. Maybe you lost your Moses. Maybe everything you thought you knew about your life has changed.

Maybe you are looking across the river to the unknown.

God told Joshua what was on the other side of that river. Maybe God hasn’t shown you. Are you sitting on the bank saying I have no idea where this will take me.

Even worse maybe you do see the other side and you know what you are coming up against.

God told Joshua 3 times to be strong and courageous.

Why? Because God knew that if Joshua could overcome doubt, fear, uncertainty, and weakness, what waited for him across the river was the promise that God had made all the way back to Abraham.

It’s Yours, Not Easy

Did God ever tell Joshua that it would be easy? NO! In fact, if He had then He would not have told him multiple times to be strong and courageous.

Don’t forget spies were sent from every tribe and only two gave a report off success, Joshua being one of them.

To most it looked insurmountable, but God told Joshua “I will be with you always.”

God never said that life would be easy. In fact, we see in the Bible it is very much not.

We know from experience that it very much is not.

But God is telling you today- be STRONG be COURAGEOUS I will be with you always.

It’s not easy, but the promise is yours.

The Challenge

We all face challenges. Some of us are in it now.

Be strong- but also get strong. So often when we are faced with challenge, and need God the most, we run out on our own.

Strength comes from Him, it comes from His word, and from talking to Him.

Be courageous. Stand firm in your faith and know that He is God and He is with you always!

Alter

New people- Salvation call

Prayer for strength and courage to face the other side.