Being strong is not an option

UV 403/10,000 Joshua 1 v 9 Being strong is not an option Jos 1:9 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. Being strong and faithful is not an option that the Lord gives us- it is His commandment. The enemy uses fears and discouragement to shake us off the path of faith and eternal life. But, the commandment to be strong and courageous comes with the promise that the Lord our God will be with us wherever we go. The word ‘strength’ in this context does not refer to our natural abilities, our intellectual or emotional strength but it refers to our spiritual ability to endure difficulties for the Lord, our patience to wait for the fulfillment of His promises to us. The word ‘courage’ originates from the word, “ couer” or heart, the core of our being. We must be strengthened and hopeful in our inmost being. Joshua and the Israelites in their march to the land promised to them encountered natural barriers like the Jordan , man-made barriers like the wall of Jericho and several formidable foes like the Midianites and the Jebusites who opposed their advance. Faith is demonstrating hope when fear would have been justified and it is about advancing towards the goal even when giving up seemed a better option. Joshua relied on the presence of the Lord to underwrite their victory. The size of the enemy’s army or the military prowess of his opponents did not deter him. The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. He will fulfill the words of promise that He has spoken to us. Yesterday, I attended the funeral of Ryan, my cousin’s five year old son who died of injuries sustained in a road mishap last week. Even in this tragic hour, my cousin sang the song, “ Count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done..” He had suffered the worst possible test of a man to loose his beloved son. He had suffered the pain of our Father in loosing His son on the cross and yet he held on to his faith and testified to the Lord’s goodness. He exhorted everyone to be strong and faithful to the Lord and and not to be sorrowful. He was neither afraid nor disappointed or bitter with the Lord at the great loss the family had endured. He accepted the fact that the Lord has the right to pick the best flower from His garden at the time of His choosing. In good times, we must build up our faith. In times of adversity, we must utilize these reserves of strength. The Lord’s presence in us and with us is the source of our strength, power, courage, wisdom and grace. In difficult situations, He will enable us to fight with God-given strength. In impossible situations, He will give us courage to face it with grace, wisdom and serenity. Joshua overcame natural barriers, man-made barriers and supernatural barriers in fulfilling the will of God. We too by increasing our strength and enhancing our courage and discounting or denying our fears, regrets, worries and disappointments can overcome natural, man-made and supernatural challenges. The supernatural presence of our Lord is the source of our strength and courage. Our hearts and minds are the receptacles just as a pool of water at the bottom of a cliff receives water from the ever-flowing waterfall. Prateep V Philip