Strong, Courageous, and Humble

Joshua was Moses' field commander in the fight against the Amalekites
(Exodus 17:9) and his assistant when the Law was given at Mount Sinai
(Exodus 24:13). After initially exploring the land of Canaan, Joshua
was one of only two men to advise the Israelites to trust God and
enter the promised land (Numbers 14:6-9). When the people refused,
Joshua received an additional 39 years of leadership training from
Moses while the Israelites were led through the desert.

God then selected Joshua to succeed Moses; "At his command he and the
entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command
they will come in" (Numbers 27:21). After Moses died, God gave final
instructions to Joshua before leading the people into the land of Canaan.

Joshua 1:9
"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 would be required to fight many battles and lead a great
multitude of people, so God repeated His encouragement several
times... "Be strong and courageous!"

This is an awesome exhortation for us today. God has given us His
instructions, empowered us with His Spirit, and has told us to boldly
proceed down His path knowing He is by our side wherever we go. But
there's an additional lesson God desires all His children to learn.

Prior to his first battle in Canaan, Joshua "saw a man standing in
front of him with a drawn sword in his hand" (Joshua 5:13). This
caused Joshua some obvious concern, so he approached the man and
asked; "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

Joshua 5:14
"'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I
have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence,
and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for His servant?'"

We are called to be bold, but our boldness will always become self
serving unless we totally submit to God's leadership - unless we say
with complete humility: "Lord, You are the Commander and this is Your
army. I will fight with courage and strength, but these are Your
battles. What would You have me do, and where would You have me
go?" As we boldly go forward into God's Land of Promise, our
marching orders are clear: we are to always be strong, courageous, and humble.

Have a Great Day!

Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries

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Scripture references: The Holy Bible: New International Version.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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Lorena, TX 76655
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