Joshua 1:6-9 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” NKJV

The Lord said to Joshua three times, “be strong and of good courage.” Every person wants to have a successful life. Life is influenced for good through inner courage and strength to achieve dreams and goals.

Courage is:  mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, it is determined in difficult situations.

Be sure and not overlook the promises in God’s Word for courage.

1. No man shall stand before you! (No power can stop you)
2. You shall inherit the land. This is achievement; however, sometimes it will take longer than you thought. Stand your ground through courage!  You shall prosper and succeed eventually.
3. Fear in any form is the enemy of courage and mental strength. Remember, “As a man thinks, so is he.”

Joshua and Caleb said, “We can take the land.” Everyone else said it couldn’t be done. Joshua was a devout follower of the Lord; he often stayed in the tent of worship after Moses left. Joshua was committed to fight for the victory of Israel. He was also faithful to Moses, the man of God.

Strength requires a faithful character, vision, certainty, integrity, and a belief in something greater than you. Such a strong person is one who can overcome adversity. Such a person is one who refuses to give up, even in the face of tremendous odds. Such a person will not be defeated. Such a person finds his or her worth, not in outside circumstances, but rather in one’s standing as a child of God.

You can relate this to Abraham’s words of being fully persuaded God will do what He says.

Romans 4:20-21 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. NKJV

Without courage you have little chance of success. Courage gives a person inner strength to stand upon good convictions. The Christian that stands with the Word of God will need courage.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! NKJV

Courage is developing the internal characteristic to face truth, reality, problems and do the right thing. Our call is to live our lives according to Jesus and the Gospel.

The building of courage gives you strength; while the lack of courage defeats your right to the victory. This is why we are reminded to take every advantage God gives us.

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand NKJV

Courage and strength in the inner man give you the substance to be obedient to the Lord and overcome human frailties.

Stand for the Gospel; the Bible. It is the book of life. Be courageous; don’t let the crowd destroy your character or your faith.

The Lion’s Tail

There is a story about the man who bragged that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocket knife. Asked why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head, the man replied: “Someone had already done that.” Source Unknown

When I say; “Be strong”. This sounds like something we tell our sons, doesn’t it.” Be strong. Stay tough. Hang in there. Don’t give up. But it is good advice for all of us, regardless of gender.

Let’s face it, human life is not for the faint of heart. You never know when things will challenge you. You never know when your well laid plans will try to unravel. You never know when your own mistakes will catch up with you. Stuff happens in life. Sometimes it is unexpected.  Often it is unwelcome. It causes us to reach outside our comfort zones and find new ways of coping, surviving, and winning.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. NKJV

The Lord gave Joshua instruction to meditate in the Word day and night. Then he would receive the power to succeed in all he did and no one could stop him.

You too, can draw the power of grace, favor and the blessing to help you achieve His purposes in your life and overcome everything. Do not fear; for He will uphold you
with His promises. Learn to read encouraging material, such as the Bible. Listen to good
speakers and ministries that will teach you how to overcome challenges.

Prayer

Father, I pray for your help to overcome fear and discouragement completely; to face tough circumstances with the confidence that You will see me through them. I am persuaded faith will give me the victory to the glory of the Lord. Thank you, in Jesus Name. Amen!