“BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!”

 Deuteronomy 31:6-8                                 (ESV)

“[6] “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS”. DO NOT FEAR or BE IN DREAD OF THEM, for it is the LORD your GOD WHO goes with you. HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.”

[7] Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS”, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. [8] IT IS THE LORD WHO GOES BEFORE YOU is the LORD. HE WILL BE WITH YOU; HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU. DO NOT BE AFRAID OR BE DISMAYED.””

Moses begins Deuteronomy by reminding the people of their journey with GOD from slavery into the Promised Land thus far. He reminds them of the victories GOD gave them over their enemies, and how GOD wanted Moses to pass the baton to a new generation of Israelites led by a next-generation leader, Joshua, the son of Nun.  By the end of the book of Deuteronomy Moses dies, but not before instructing Joshua to “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS”!

Moses was known as someone who GOD ALMIGHTY would “speak to face to face”, according to Exodus 33:11.  Moses KNEW that GOD was capable of speaking to Joshua, but he wanted to make certain that Joshua was LISTENING TO GOD and not children of Israel, like Aaron had done in Exodus 32.  That brought about worshiping the Golden Calf, a low point of the Exodus.  Moses surely didn’t want this to occur again!

Far too often in my walk with GOD I have failed to “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS”, relying on my own wisdom or ideas to guide my steps.  Anytime “the enemy” can cause our focus to on ANYTHING other than GODS PURPOSE for our lives, he isn’t far from having us defeated!  We MUST “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS” and keep our focus on doing what HIS PLAN is for us, and in HIS TIMING!  For us to “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS” means that we MUST rely on the HOLY SPIRIT living inside of us (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) for our guidance, NOT our own wisdom!

Relying on ourselves to “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS” is a recipe for disaster!  Our INDWELLER, the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, must be given freedom to guide and direct our lives.  Our choices are we can either attempt to go where we want to go, or we can travel where we are LED, as we “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS”, yielding to HIS LEADERSHIP!!!