Joshua 1:9
The faith which you
confess through your mouth is best displayed in your actions and ability to
trust the Lord despite the situation or what others may think… Joshua was faced
with a daunting task, one that literally called for him to display His faith instead
of simply professing it as he did in the 14th chapter of
Numbers regarding the land that the Lord was going to give to His children… In
this life, you are guaranteed to endure various situations and the message for
today is that you must be strong and of a good courage… There
are so many circumstances that plant seeds of fear, doubt and despair in our
lives; so many situations that cause us to second guess our decision and often
times end up delaying our advancement in the knowledge and kingdom of God…
Joshua was tasked to lead the rebellious children of God and the only message
that was given was a message that God would be with him… He was charged to
stand firm in the will of God, to not become frustrated with the task at hand
or to become distracted by all the other variables that would lead to leaving
the goals set by the Lord unaccomplished… The same message Joshua received is
the same message that you have today which is that God will be with you; don’t
get it twisted, this doesn’t meant that you won’t endure or go through tough
times, it doesn’t mean that you will not be subjected to trials and
tribulations, what is means is that God will always be with you as you go
through your trying time and season… The enemy has you defeated when you are
not prepared for the curve ball that life will throw at you; Satan has you
right where he wants you when you are not vigilant as to the changeup that is
about to come in your life… Joshua was being groomed for this moment without
even knowing that in the blink of an eye he would have over a million people
looking to him for direction… Everything in your life that you endure is
preparing you for something; learn the lesson, take notes and be vigilant for
the test that is coming… Your faith will be tested, your trust in God will be
tested, your relationship with the Lord will be tested… This test is
inevitable, there is nothing you can do to avoid it, nothing you can do to get
around it, the charge for you today is to embrace your test and be not
afraid… Do be discouraged when you go through, the word of God tells
us countless times that we will endure; there is no secret to the suffering
that a child of God will face; however, there is a way to handle it and defeat
the snares of the enemy and that is by reminding ourselves daily that God is
with us whithersoever thou goest… Remind yourself that God has
not left you, remind your household that God is still near, remind them that
growing pains are in fact painful, but the end results will be well worth the
struggle… Joshua ended up being known throughout the land which the Israelites
took over because He held to the promise of God and did not deter from His
will… You can have your legacy and fame known, the greatest thing that people
can know about you is that you walked in the will of the Lord… Joshua led the
children into the promise land, he was marching around the walls of Jericho as
they came tumbling down and he made the declaration at the height of the
Israelites rebellion that as for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord… Joshua was commanded by the Lord to be strong and courageous… In the
midst of a perverse world we, like Joshua are commanded to be strong and
courageous… A command is not optional, nor is it negotiable… They only
we that we will align ourselves with the will of God and be successful in our
endeavors is to be strong and courageous when it comes to the task that are put
before us… How hard is it to move when you are uncertain of where you are
going? Do you find it difficult to lead when you would rather follow?
These are the questions that faced Joshua in this verse, Moses has lead the
people out of Egypt right to the doorstep of the promise land and know God has
removed Moses and placed Joshua in charge to lead the people over into the land
flowing with milk and honey… Joshua knew that he would have to fight; he
understood that his faith would be tested and that the people may even begin to
rebuke him just as they did Moses! He saw the uphill battle before him and God
is now encouraging him to not be afraid or dismayed at the task, but to simply
trust him and hold to his hand knowing that God is always with him… Today we
must take note that in the middle of adversity, in the middle of confusion
and/or chaos we must be strong, we must stay encouraged knowing that we will be
victorious through the will and plan of God…This passage surely can be applied
to our lives today, we are in a transition and God is calling us to leadership;
He has appointed you to cross over from the darkness and lead people into the
light… This leadership could be in your household, on your job, in the church
or throughout your communities… Often times we find ourselves feeling like
Joshua, we see the uphill battle and we believe in God but still doubt our own
ability… God is saying to you today to be strong in the Lord and of good
courage… He wants you to remember that He has already brought you a might long
way and that He will see you through the battles that you are to face in the
future… Jesus tells us in John 16:33 "I have told you these
things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world." Trouble is certain,
hesitancy is a given; but know that God has already overcome these obstacles
and you will overcome them as well… We have a lot of daunting task before us,
but God is saying now is not the time to run, now is the time for you to stand
and allow me to manifest my power in your life so that you and others can see
my faithfulness! “He who has begun a good work in you will surely continue in
it until the day of Christ return…” God will not see you defeated, He will not
leave you at you weakest moment, and He will certainly not abandon you in your
time of need… The people were looking to Joshua to lead them after Moses died;
who is waiting for you to lead today? Who is waiting for you to step up to the
will of God and “not be afraid?” The answer is simple, all of
us are!!!!!
BE BLESSED!!!
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