Every morning my daughter and I recite a scripture before she goes to school. Joshua 1:9, “Haven’t I commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” I love this scripture so much, and I feel as though this scripture sets the tone for our day. When she’s at school she knows that God is with her no matter where she is and that she has no reason to be afraid or discouraged with obstacles but to be strong and courageous. It hit me when reciting this that God is my Lord and he is with me when I am feeling discouraged, I know that God will give me strength and pull me through whatever it is that is discouraging me. God is a BIG God, and nothing can defeat him, why? Because God is the creator of ALL things and has the victory! Sometimes in this life we may feel weak and feel as though the walls are crashing in on us, we don’t know where our help comes from. But God. God is our strength, God is Sovereign, God is our source.
This scripture is a command! What is a command? A command is to give an authoritative order. So, God has given you the order to be strong and courageous, Courageous means to be brave, fearless, bold, etc., he has given you the order not to be afraid or discouraged. Why? Because He is with you! So, why are you discouraged? Why are you afraid? Pick yourself up and know that God is with you.
Let’s go back to the beginning of chapter 1, so after Moses’s death, the LORD speaks to Joshua, who was Moses’ assistant and God is instructing him to go ahead and cross over the Jordan to the land that he has promised the Israelites. God has instructed him, can you feel how Joshua is feeling right now?! The shoes that Joshua has to fill right now are bigger than him. Moses had a hard job, leading the Israelites who were ungrateful and complaining left and right. But God was instructing Joshua, three times God encouraged him to be strong and courageous, to be strong and brave, to be strong and bold. Sometimes the job that God has called us to, we need encouragement and for us to remember that our Strong and Mighty God is with us.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
The LORD, mighty in battle.
Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD of Armies,
He is the King of glory! Psalms 24:8,10
This is the LORD your God that is with you he is the LORD of Armies which means God is with us as our Warrior God. He fights for you wherever you go! Wherever your mind tries to take you, whatever your body is feeling God is fighting for you!
So today, I want you to remember who is this king of glory. The LORD, strong and mighty, who is this king of glory? The LORD, mighty in battle. Who is this king of glory? The LORD of Armies, He is the one that is with you. Be strong and courageous. Be Blessed.