Be Strong and Courageous

Thank you for praying

To Eli and Matt… Thank you!

I have an incredible team

Ive been out for a long time, and this place is better…

Thats amazing!

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever followed someone who seemed impossible to follow?

Maybe you started a new job and thought, The person before me was really good at this

Have you ever stepped into a role where everybody kept reminding you how the last person did it?

Parents—have you ever looked at your kids and thought, Who decided I was qualified to do this?

Maybe you've stepped into a season where everyone seems to be looking at you and wondering:

Can you actually do this?

Have you ever asked the question

Can I do this?

This same question was asked in 2011, when Steve Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple

Steve wasn't simply the leader of Apple

He had become image of Apple itself.

The iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad had all been launched under his leadership

He was the visionary, the storyteller, the guy in the black turtleneck who walked onto the stage and made people believe they were seeing the future

Then Tim Cook got the job.

And Cook was almost the opposite personality of Jobs.

Jobs was charismatic, volatile and product-obsessed.

Cook was quieter and known for operational discipline.

The immediate question was:

How in the world do you follow Steve Jobs?

This same question would be asked of the person we are exploring today

This is why the Bible is so important… its relevant.

TENSION

About 3,000 years ago

One of the greatest leaders the world has ever known… died

The person next in line to lead was named Joshua

Joshua had a Tim Cook problem

He wasn't following an ordinary leader

He was following Moses

Moses met with God through a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire

Moses confronted Pharaoh

Moses parted the Red Sea

Moses received the Ten Commandments

Moses spoke with God face-to-face

TRUTH

And now God says, Joshua 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.”

Imagine the pressure

Imagine every decision being followed by, That's not how Moses did it

This is what fear does

Fear often makes us question… (Genesis 3:1 “The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”)

Can I do this?

What will they think?

Have you ever wrestled with that question?

If you said no, you’re a liar

Every decision could have been filtered through:

Will they like this?

Will they trust me?

Will they compare me to Moses?

What if I fail?

What if Moses would have done it differently?

These questions trap us in the fear fog (Matt Johnson)

We become consumed with Approval

And suddenly we're allowing the opinions of people who aren't responsible for our obedience to determine whether we're obedient

Joshua could have spent his entire leadership trying to live up to Moses or to impress Israel

But Joshua's assignment

Was to obey God

God never told Joshua

I need you to become like Moses

God tells him…

Joshua 1:3–5 “I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.”

Joshua didn't need to be like Moses

He needed the presence of God

My story (read from printed paper)

Some of us have traded the presence of God for the approval of man…

And the fruit of this decision is fear

Its impossible to be obedient when we are trapped on the fog of fear

Joshua 1:6–9 “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.”

Why does God keep repeating Himself

Probably because Joshua needed to hear it more than once

I love this…

Because sometimes I need God to tell me something more than once

Joshua is about to lead millions of people

He's going into unknown territory

There are enemies waiting

There's a river in front of him

His mentor is gone

And everyone is looking to him

Of course he's afraid

But notice something important

God doesn't shame Joshua for experiencing fear

He calls Joshua to move forward despite it

Courage isn't the absence of fear

Courage is obedience in the presence of fear

APPLICATION

What would you do differently if you weren’t afraid of what other people would think?

Maybe you would finally have the conversation

Maybe you would apologize

Maybe you would end the relationship

Maybe you would start serving

Maybe you would tell someone about Jesus

Maybe you would change the way you're parenting

Maybe you would ask for help

Maybe you would stop pretending

Maybe you would make the decision you already know God is leading you to make

If you knew God was with you, what would you have the courage to do?

Call the Band

They are going to lead us in a song called Holy Ground

It’s all about being in God’s presence

Here is what I want you to do while we sing

Name your fear

Who’s approval do you long for

Transfer it from people around you

To the one who gave His life for you

Notes:

Blended family. Stepping into a role that hasn’t always been yours.