Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua1:8-9
Moses has died and Joshua has to take over as leader of the Israelites.
Joshua was one of two of the twelve spies who trusted God instead of being intimidated. He was mentored by Moses. He'd spent many hours in God's presence in the tent of meeting. He'd been victorious in battle while Moses, Aaron and Hur upheld him in prayer.
But now he begins a new chapter - without Moses and with big challenges ahead.
What does he need???
According to God, he needs strength, courage and to be saturated in the principles and truths of God's Word. (More on these tomorrow)
There are also some things he doesn't need: Terror and Discouragement.
TERROR comes from letting our circumstances and challenges overwhelm us so that our reason and logic fail us. I succumb to terror when I am tired, when my tank is empty, when I don't break my problems into bite-sized chunks, and when I forget how big my God is. Terror grabs me when I allow myself to be overwhelmed emotionally or mentally. Terror is a liar - it blows circumstances out of proportion and it hijacks child-like faith and common sense. Terror is enemy-centred instead of God-centred. We have to _choose_ not to be terrified.
DISCOURAGEMENT is the result of being gradually worn down. Discouragement is faith eroded, courage depleted and strength worn down. Dealing with discouragement requires rest and re-visioning. To counter discouragement we need to be reminded of God's faithfulness and we need to remember His goodness. Discouragement focuses on how weak and tired I am instead of on how faithful God is. We have to find _replenishment_ to overcome it. (See Isaiah 30:15)
Discouragement and terror are the enemies of strength, courage and obedience. Be relentless in rooting them out - it will give you a new start.
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Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
