“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9
Dear Ones:
In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul wrote: “To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” (3:1) Why did he say this? There are some things in the spiritual life that need to be repeated over and over, because of their importance. One must trust God specifically for these, if one is to live for, and serve Him, on this earth. Actually, they are guidelines of appropriation. These things to remember are gifts from God, to direct us to consistently appropriate them, receiving and making them our own in Christ. Why are they so essential?
The apostle Peter one of three individual disciples in Jesus’ inner circle. He was also the most outspoken of the twelve. However, there came a moment on the day when Jesus was being delivered over to the Romans, and tried by Pontius Pilate, that Peter’s “strength and courage” were not sufficient to withstand the spiritual pressure exerted by Satan. Jesus had warned Peter by telling him, “Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31) Peter was called to be a strong and courageous follower of Christ. However, in order to be this, he would need Another’s strength, Another’s courage, that of Christ. The fleshly “strength and courage” of Peter could not withstand the power of the enemy, and thus, he denied Christ three times.
In the book of Deuteronomy, in Moses’ account of his soon departure to be with the Lord, God would give through him a charge to Joshua. Twice he would tell him: “Be strong and of a good courage…” (31:7,23) Why would he need to do this with this seasoned soldier and servant? It is because of the “fight of faith.” God will provide His “law” to Joshua, and to the people of Israel, that by it they will know His way of faith, the direction they should take, and how they are to be the distinguished from all the other peoples of the earth. But to live by that law, or word of God, in the face of all the unbelieving people around them who were their enemies, particularly with regard to true faith, they would need strength and courage from above. But, how are Joshua and the people to have such strength and courage in the face of the difficulty of having “…not come this way before,” and surrounded by enemies who desired to destroy them? Taking Joshua as as specific example, we find that he was chosen of God to lead the people. The Lord Jesus reveals something of the importance of this concept and condition of being chosen, when, in the gospel of John, He declares: “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (15:16) To be chosen is to belong to God by redemption and self-surrender. Christ redeems the soul who will truly believe in Him. That self-surrendered soul, who has given his life to Christ, is a candidate to receive this courage of Christ, this strength by the Spirit. They will be given and received by the one who truly knows that he belongs to Christ, and Christ belongs to him, for every need.
In the New Testament, the need for courage and strength is the same as in the Old Testament. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesian believers, wrote: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.” (6:10) Note that Paul would not have written this if it was not something very important. He mentions the application of this in the life of the believers in Colosse by writing: “…strengthened with all might according to His glorious power.” (1:11) True and lasting strength and courage comes from God, and can only be received by faith, based on a promise.
Dear Father, Give us grace to live by Christ’s strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad