Be strong and courageous...

Be strong and courageous ....

As I was reading the beginning of Joshua, the phase, "be strong and courageous" repeatedly stood out...in fact it is repeated 4 times in the first chapter...

Here is a man in his seventies, who had been a spy for Moses along with his friend Caleb...the two men who had faith enough to want to take the land forty years earlier...the only older men who survived in the desert crossing to actually go into the promised land and be a part of the conquests of taking that land and be given an inheritance ...leaders...but relying on the deliverance help of his God...as his name implies ...."God is help"...

In Chapter one, Joshua is on the verge of going into the promised land...what he must have felt to finally be going into it...trepidation, elation, fear, "finally"... But he was forty years older , but with forty years more faith building in the God whom he followed and revered...with his beloved leader admonishing "be strong and courageous"...as Moses hands off the leadership of this nation to him...

My take away...what do I need to be strong and courageous about? What does God have for me to face with courage, resting in His strength?   Only time will tell...
But, somethings have happened and I have had to step into roles that I didn't think I was ready for...God was there ready to comfort, guide...when my mom died, when my husband died and finally when my father died...I became an orphan, a widow with a business, a matriarch of my family...lands and roles which I hadn't explored before...yet for whatever reason I had been prepared for it in the preceding 40 years...in our desert wanderings...

I am be no means a Joshua, a leader of millions, a courageous warrior, but God prepares each of us in our own way for what he has for us...even when we don't know it...He has given us helpers, advisors and a Helper in which to confide and listen...

"Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with you wherever you go..."
Thank YOU...

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
Deuteronomy 31:7,23

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
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.” Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous! ”
Joshua 1:6-7,9,18

Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Joshua 10:25

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
1 Chronicles 22:13

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2 Chronicles 32:7-8

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17


http://biblehub.com/topical/j/joshua.htm