‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.’
- Psalm 23:4 -
God wants you to be courageous and bold. He wants you to face life head-on, no matter what. He tells Joshua: “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). God tells us the same thing every single day. We need not fear because the Lord Jesus lives within us. There is a reason that the first words spoken by an angel after our Lord’s resurrection are: “Do not be afraid” (Matt. 28:5). Then, a little while later, Jesus appears to some women and the first thing He says is: “Do not be afraid” (Matt. 28:10). Coincidence? Absolutely not! He wants us to know that He is always with us and we need not fear.
“Do not be afraid” is the most common command in Scripture. It is given 365 times, meaning there is a “fear not” for every day of the year. Fear is a common problem. It’s been with us since the Fall. After sin entered the world, Adam’s first words were: “I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself” (Gen. 3:10). From that dreadful day until now, people everywhere have tried and failed to hide from God. We live based on unconscious fears. We choose what clothes to wear because we’re afraid what people might think. There’s the fear of rejection, of being unloved, and of loneliness. There’s the fear of losing your marriage, of losing your mind, of sickness, and of death itself. The list goes on and on.
As Christ-followers, we must never give in to fear. If we act on fear, it divides our mind, shatters our emotions, and impedes our progress. We are not to live in fear. We are to live in strength and courage, in faith and trust in the Lord. Courage isn’t just about strength. It’s about being calm in the midst of trials. It’s not a sin to experience fear. What matters is what we do when feelings of fear arise. It’s about how long it lasts and what we allow fear to do in and through us.
How do we obtain the courage needed for the battles we have to fight every day? The Bible gives the answer. First, we must choose to be courageous. God didn’t ask Joshua to be strong and courageous. He commanded it! Commands don’t appeal to emotion but to will. God is saying: “Joshua, make up your mind to do what I’ve told you to do and I’ll empower you to do it.” Likewise, Paul tells fellow believers that “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him” (Phil. 2:13). When we decide to obey God’s command to be strong and courageous, He will strengthen and energize us to carry it out.
God tells Joshua: “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). God is always with us. David says: ‘I will fear no evil for You are with me’ (Ps. 23:4). When we truly believe this, we grow strong and courageous. We know that with God’s presence comes power, protection, and provision.
King Hezekiah tells all Judah not to fear the king of Assyria’s vast army, saying: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles” (2 Chron. 32:7-8). We are to courageously say: ‘The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man shall do to me’ (Ps. 118:6). Heed the inscription found on Sir John Lawrence’s grave: ‘He feared man so little because he feared God so much.’
Giving proper attention to God’s Word is another essential for acquiring courage. God tells Joshua: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Likewise, Jesus tells the devil: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). When we mediate on the Word, we’re placing God’s thoughts in our heart and soul. Before long, His thoughts become our thoughts as ‘we have the mind of Christ’ (1 Cor. 2:16). This causes us to respond how God responds. Our Maker is fearful of nothing and neither are we. We learn what He would say or do in many situations, as God’s Word has the power to lift our spirit and fortify us for whatever we’re facing.
Not only must we meditate on the Word, but we must obey its commands. Choosing to follow God, regardless of the cost, is the ultimate act of courage (Luke 9:23). When we live in obedience to His Word, we grow strong and courageous. New boldness overflows in our life. The problem today is too many people read the Bible without also obeying it. Taking up a cross and following Christ (Matt. 16:24) takes obedience. Anyone who fails to obey God’s commands can rightly be asked: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).
Obedience is dutiful compliance to the commands of authority. As God’s children, it’s our duty and obligation to obey Him, just as Jesus fulfilled His duty to the Father by dying for our sins. And as we obey, courage steadily grows in our inner man. Courage that is often contagious. A great way to gain courage is to recall God’s faithfulness. God challenges Joshua to remember His loyalty to Moses when Israel’s new ruler is about to enter Canaan. Jeremiah even says in deeply trying times: ‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness’ (Lam. 3:22-23).
The Hebrew word for faithfulness means firmness and fidelity. So if God delivered us in the past, why should we fear now? As David says: ‘Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations’ (Ps. 119:89-90). ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself’ (2 Tim. 2:13). We learn to trust a person by getting to know their character. We learn to trust God’s faithfulness by getting to know Him, and when we study His Word, we learn that He never changes or breaks His promise. So when we recall God’s faithfulness in the past, our courage starts to soar.
When the conquest of Canaan was mostly over, Joshua told the people: “You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed” (Joshua 23:14). If you want more courage, read the Bible and highlight God’s goodness and promises. He told the psalmist: ‘No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot’ (91:10-13). Never forget the grand promises of God! Do this and courage will come.
God often uses other people to build courage in us. He told Joshua to remember Moses’ courage and learn from it. Moses feared Pharaoh, but obeying God gave him courage. So study courageous people willing to sacrifice for God. On Paul’s journey to Rome, where prison and persecution awaited, several believers came with him. Luke records: ‘When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage’ (Acts 28:15). This proves even mature believers derive strength from other disciples. As Hebrews says, we are to ‘consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together…but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near’ (10:24-25). Let us meet that great day of Christ with boldness and courage.
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