Recently, I attended the Holy Spirit Encounter Conference at The Tabernacle of David, Bangalore. Every session was powerful, but one with Pastor Abhilash Varghese revealed Courage in how I viewed Joshua 1:9.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
I have read this verse countless times, but this time it felt personal.
Joshua had spent years walking behind Moses. He had watched him lead, listened to him, learned from him and experienced God through someone else’s leadership.
But now Moses was gone. Joshua was standing at the edge of the Promised Land. This time, he could not simply follow Moses.
The next step belonged to him.
And perhaps that is where many of us find ourselves. We cannot keep borrowing someone else’s faith or comparing our journey with theirs. At some point, God asks us to take our own step.
“As I Was With Moses, So I Will Be With You”
This was the thought that stayed with me.
What do I do when I am standing at the edge of something God has promised me, but I am still afraid to step in?
God did not ask Joshua to become Moses. His assignment was different, but God’s presence was the same.
Joshua did not know how every battle would unfold. He did not know what awaited him in the Promised Land. But he knew who was going with him.
And maybe that is enough for us too.
We often compare our opportunities, timing and journey with someone else’s. But God may not be asking us to repeat their story.
He is asking us to trust Him with ours.
Courage Is a Command
What struck me most was that God did not tell Joshua to wait until he felt courageous.
He commanded him:
“Be strong and courageous.”
This is repeated. That repetition was not decorative. It was instructive. God does not repeat Himself carelessly. Where He returns to the same words again and again, it is because the weight of what lies ahead requires more than a single moment of resolve.
Courage is not fear’s absence; it is taking the next step while fear remains. Joshua stood at the edge of the promise, yet he moved before seeing all God prepared.
Maybe you are there too.
You have prayed. You have waited. You know the next step, but fear keeps asking:
What if I fail? What if I am not ready?
Joshua 1 gives us a better question:
“Who is going with me?”
Because the promise was never that the journey would be easy. The promise was that God would be with us wherever we go.
| Consider This 1. Am I comparing my journey with someone who went before me instead of trusting God with mine? 2. What step am I delaying because I feel I am not ready? 3. Am I focusing more on my ability or on God’s presence? You may be standing at the edge of something you have prayed for. You may not feel ready. You may not know how it will unfold. But perhaps God is not asking you to have everything figured out. He is simply asking you to be strong and courageous and step forward. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” |
