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.
—Joshua 1:9
We frequently hear, “Don’t worry, God is watching over us.” It can be difficult to be strong and courageous in lieu of today’s ongoing tragedies, massacres and public strife. No matter how many times we tell ourselves the Lord is with us, sometimes we need to hear it from God Himself to truly have faith.
Twice in this chapter and once from Moses, Joshua hears the phrase, “Be strong and courageous.” The tools of the enemy, the tools of Satan, work to bring fear, terror and discouragement into Joshua’s life. Just as Satan made Joshua forget God’s omnipotence, he can make Christians forget that God is with us wherever we go.
Terror is a tough battle to fight. Faith in God enables us to be evil’s worst nightmare—invincible soldiers on the battlefield. It takes faith in God to fight against the evil and frightening things going on in our world. Every one of us must respond to
fear and discouragement with open, spiritual eyes. Not only are our peers telling us
not to fear, God Himself tells us every day. All things work together in God’s power
for the good. What we perceive as losses are steps forward— battles lost to win the war.
Today, open your eyes and see what good the Lord has given you. See past the difficulties in your life and focus on the positive. See with eyes of faith. Turn off the news, go to a quiet place and reflect with God. He has everything under control, even when we feel lost and in despair. Just as Joshua did, we need to let go of our fear and listen when God tells us He is with us.
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