Yesterday I introduced a new series, “The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage.” Make sure you check out part 1 first!
As was said yesterday, there are three important things we can do to make strength and courage natural.
Remember that God is with Us
The first thing we must do is Remember that God is with us. This thought surrounds verses 5 through 9. In verse 5 we see, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” And then, just in case Joshua forgot, God finishes with the same protective reminder in verse 9, “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Isn’t that amazing? God promises Joshua that He will be with him, always. Imagine going to the gym to play basketball. It’s a new gym, you don’t really know anyone, and the court is full of guys who are really good. Now, you may not be such a bad player yourself, but these guys are intimidating and you don’t want to be destroyed. As you contemplate whether or not you should play, someone taps you on the shoulder.
You turn around, and there is LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron says, “hey man, you mind if we play with you?” Now, all of a sudden, you’re probably not too worried about losing your basketball game. Even if you do nothing but walk onto the court, your team will win! Because no matter how big those other players are, no one in a YMCA gym or L.A. Fitness is going to compete with NBA players.
The same is true with God. If we only focus on the challenges ahead of us, they can be daunting. It can be very difficult to be strong and courageous, and that is why it is so important to focus on God and remember that He is on your team. Because it doesn’t matter how big your opposition is, it has no chance of competing with God.
God was with Joshua. If we belong to His people, He is still with us today and will always be with us.
We’re on His team. We cannot lose. Jesus has conquered, and through him, we ourselves are “more than conquerors.”
Practical ways to remember God is with you:
1) When God moves in your life, write it down so you won’t forget. Read these in the hard times.
2) Enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation.
3) Worship God in community with others.
4) Repeatedly fill your mind with His truth by reading God’s Word.
5) When in doubt, look to the cross. Jesus already proved he would never leave us by dying for us and returning to life.
6) Got another idea? Share it in the comments…
Stay tuned for part 3 of “The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage” tomorrow.
*Photo Credit: Keith Allison
