Courtney Gilmore Sometimes God does all the fighting for us, and we don’t have to do anything but be patient and trust Him. In those cases, if we’re obedient and we follow Him, then we get to walk away victorious. That’s how it was for the Israelites when God freed them from the Egyptians. The people did not have to fight at all. God displayed His power and made the Egyptians so angry that they begged the Israelites to leave. The people did suffer a little at first because God had made their slaveholders angry. But all they had to do was trust God and wait it out. Eventually, the Egyptians gave up and let them go.
But the next battle they faced was different. The Lord would still fight for them, but He required them to fight too. Moses had led them out of Egypt and Joshua was called to lead them into the Promised Land. God’s encouragement to Joshua was that He would be with him and that Joshua would be successful. I’m sure Joshua was very encouraged by that. But, God also encouraged him to be strong and courageous. Three times!
This was going to be so hard that God told him to be courageous in three out of the four verses. Then He told him not to be afraid or intimidated. After that, the Israelites told him to be strong and courageous too. So, wait. I thought this was supposed to be encouraging. Was this really God’s motivational speech before the battle?
But God, That Sounds Scary
I don’t know about you, but if whatever I’m facing is going to be so hard that I need to be told to be courageous that many times, then maybe I don’t want to do it. If someone has to say not to be afraid or intimidated, then most likely I’m facing something pretty scary. If I’m being told repeatedly to be strong and courageous, then it stands to reason that I might be tempted to give up at some point. So, maybe I don’t even want to go there at all.
These seem like very natural thoughts to me. But then I remember that is exactly what the first generation of Israelites did, They saw the giants living in the land and heard of the multitudes in their fortified cities, and they were too scared to enter. They say that courage is not the absence of fear. Instead, courage is moving forward even when you are afraid.
So, the first generation did not have the courage or faith to enter. They gave up before they even started, just like I was thinking about. Because of this, they never found the victory promised or rest God wanted for them. They never got to enjoy the land of plenty. Instead, they wandered aimlessly in the desert until their death. No food grew there and they had no permanent home to call their own. Ironically, the fear of the fight kept them from finding peace and joy.
This is the Encouragement!
So, even though it might sound scary, God was encouraging Joshua. He wanted Him to be prepared. Only he could defeat himself. No other man could stand against him. So, if he did not give up, he would be successful. He would find rest and live in the land of plenty. But first, he would have to fight. God had already given them the land, but now they had to go in and take it. All the power was on their side, and they were assured of a victory. But they were still required to put their faith into action and participate in the battle.
God may not always do all the fighting for us. We may have to fight too. Not only that, but our battle may take courage, emotional and spiritual strength, and perseverance, in addition to obedience and faith. But He will be with us, and He is more powerful than any opposition we may face. He wins every battle He fights and we will never be ashamed for placing our trust in Him.
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed. Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation. On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:1-5
Victory in the End
So, I wish that I could tell you that once you choose to follow God, He will fight for you, and everything will be easy. But it isn’t true. The comfort and encouragement are not found in freedom from the fight. The comfort is that God will always be with you and the encouragement is that He is the most powerful force you could ever have your side.
If you choose to follow Him, life may not always be easy and I cannot assure you of what you will find on this side of heaven. But I do know that you are guaranteed success in the end. Because Jesus conquered sin and death and rose to sit at the right hand of the Father, you too will conquer sin and live forever with Him in Paradise.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on My throne, as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Revelation 3:20-21
This is the inherited Promised Land to all who trust in Him today.
In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will… In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:11-14
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This is an excerpt from “Spiritual Courage in Difficult Times” taught on Podcast and YouTube and as a written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free on Substack or in its entirety, along with over 25 previous lessons, for $6/month or $60/year. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week thereafter.
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