If you are in Christ, you are called to make a difference.
God is a promise maker and a promise keeper.
In Joshua 1:1-9, the Lord says “be strong and courageous” three times. Joshua was strong and courageous, but after some time with these people, they had dulled the edge of his faith. God is reminding Joshua to trust in His promises.
The tendency is to look for courage in the wrong places, our culture tells us to look within ourselves. However, the Old Testament tells us to look at who is beside you.
Do not look inside you, look at who is beside you!
Joshua 1:6 says, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”
Joshua is the bloodiest book of the Bible. He leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, and they are supposed to kill every inhabitant of every nation. This does not sound like a loving God.
It is key to understand that this was a special time. God was using the nation of Israel to bring judgment on these pagan nations. They were an instrument of God’s wrath upon unbelieving nations in that time, that would never be repeated.
Praise God we live in an age, the church age, where His wrath has been propitiated on the cross. We no longer see His wrath being poured out because it was put on Christ, so now we live in the age of grace.
Joshua 1:6-9 says, “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
TWO FACTS ABOUT GOD’S PROMISES THAT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
- Jesus desires to use me in this life.
Jesus wants to use you. All Christians are called to serve in the ministry of the Lord.
It is not “if” I am called to serve, it is “when,” “where,” and “how”?
God is not calling most of us to leave our job, He wants to use us in our jobs, on our teams, in our classes, not just for provision but for the declaration and demonstration of the gospel.
You are not there just to make a living or get an education, you have been put there to make a difference.
God is looking for regular people open to obedience. Jesus desires to use you!
- Jesus will strengthen me as I am being used by Him
God repeats “Be strong and courageous” three times. God shows Joshua that he could be courageous because the Lord was going to strengthen him.
How is Jesus strengthening me? How is He with me?
In the Old Testament, He watched over them. Pillar of cloud and fire. In the gospels, He walked with them. In the Church Age He indwells us.
Many times, our fears keep us from believing that God can use us.
What do we fear?
One of the biggest fears in our culture is the fear of rejection. We are afraid that people will not like us or accept us. So many times, people keep us from stepping into the promise that God has for us.
Fear equals rebellion, fear equals “I am not going to do what God tells me to do.” That is why the Lord says to Joshua many times “be strong and courageous.”
Partial obedience is disobedience. With the Lord, obedience is my job, outcome is his job.
The question we must answer is: Will I be available to let Jesus use me?
He wants to use you despite your issues. He will strengthen you and be with you.
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teaching, visit us on the web at fcfamily.org and make sure you subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.
