OCT 3 - Have I Not Commanded You?
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 14:15 ESV
In the Story of Joshua, the Bible talks about God choosing Joshua to be the one to take the Israelites to the promised land immediately after the death of Moses. What stood out most to me in the story is written in Verse 9 of Joshua 1.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
If you read the entirety of chapter 1 you’ll see how God repeats the phrase “Be strong and Courageous” Three times to Joshua.
A lot of times as Christians, leaders, and Children of God, we tend to doubt ourselves. Doubt our abilities, doubt our calling, and try to not fulfill what God has called us to do because of our fears or insecurities.
Here it doesn’t promptly say that Joshua was scared to lead the Israelites to the promised land. But we could make the educated guess that for someone who was fairly young, and with no leadership experience. For sure there had to be fear in his mind.
And we could prove that it’s true, because God reminded Joshua 3 times to “Be strong and courageous” and repeated twice that “the Lord your God is with you”.
You may be dealing with fear or insecurities, doubting whether you’re where God wants you to be or not. But God wants you to know that he Commanded YOU! To be strong and courageous!
When God Commands Something, It’s set and stone and cannot be changed! So wherever you are in life, whatever position your placed in, you have been COMMANDED to be there and to lead.
It’s important that you stay strong and courageous, because there are people who will be healed and transformed just by you obeying the commands of God.
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.”
Joshua 1:6 ESV
If it wasn’t for Joshua being strong and courageous, and obeying God to take lead after Moses, the people of God wouldn’t have reached the promised land.
There’s times as Christians we think following God is just the easy routine of Church on Sunday and Wednesday, Group on Tuesday, repeat, and I’m good for my spot in heaven. But there are things that God has commanded you to do and because of our fear we have not allowed ourselves to be used. So Remember, John 14:15 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
If you claim to be a disciple of Christ, you’d obey his commands and not stay comfortable.
Lastly, remember to obey what God commands you must know and study the commands, there’s times where God might command us or order us to lead a group or friend or a family member, but how can we lead them and obey the commands of God if we don’t study or know his “law”, the Bible!
“But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do.”
Joshua 1:7-8 ERV
God is basically telling Joshua, that he not only has to be strong and brave to take lead of the Israelites, but to be strong and brave about learning and reading the law of God, that to be successful in everything God calls you to do, you need to study “the book, day and night. THEN, you can be sure to obey what is written there”
we might have this fear we aren’t capable to do the job. But if you study the word, and the “law of God (something that can’t be broken)” you wouldn’t have fear or doubts to do what God commands you to do, because you’d know that “the Lord your God walks with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9
Are there things in your life that God has Commanded you to take lead in, but you’ve been to fearful to take lead?
How can you be more “Strong and Courageous for God”?
Is there anything you might need prayer in, to help you take lead where God wants you to lead?