7.3.24 - Do not be discouraged
Good morning ,
For the past week I have been reading in the book of Joshua. I came across a scripture last week found in Joshua 1:9 and it led me to want to read more. I'll give you a quick recap but I encourage you to go read it for yourself.
The book of Joshua starts with the Lord talking to Joshua about all the territory he is going to give the Israelites, just as he promised Moses.
Similar to Gideon, Joshua needed some encouragement.
The Lord tells Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them." Joshua 1:6
Then in verse 9 The Lord says to Joshua, "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."
After this talk with the Lord Joshua is ready to go. He tells the people to get ready to cross the Jordan. He goes on to defeat Jericho. Next up was Ai. The Lord must have known that Joshua needed a reminder so he tells him in Joshua 8:1 "Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged."
How incredible is it that God will use people that are afraid and discouraged? The Israelites strategically defeated Ai and it's king. Chapter 9 tells us that the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites but God shows grace to Israel.
Next thing you know Gibeon was under attack from the kings of the Amorites. The Lord came to Joshua again in Joshua 10:8 and said "Do not be afraid of them. I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you." The Lord threw their enemies into a state of confusion and sent down hail and they won the battle, however the kings were still on the run.
I'm not sure how much time had passed but the 5 kings were found and before the kings were killed Joshua tells the Israelites in Joshua 10:25 "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."
The Israelites go on to defeat the Southern cities, but the Northern kings were so large that Joshua became discouraged again. In Joshua 11:6 - The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots."
And that's exactly what happened.
I'm currently on Chapter 13 but I wanted to share with you some of my takeaways:
The Lord is trustworthy. If he says he is going to do something, he gets it done. In Exodus, he sent plagues. In the beginning of Joshua he parted the Jordan River. He sent hail stones down to kill the Israelites enemies. Our Lord is not limited to our resources. He is all mighty and has unlimited resources.
The Lord does not want us to be afraid or discouraged. He tells Joshua to be strong and be courageous. I asked Chat GPT what the difference between these words mean: Being strong and being courageous are related but distinct concepts:
Being Strong:
Physical Strength: Refers to the capacity of your body to exert force, lift weights, endure physical exertion, etc.
Emotional/Mental Strength: Involves resilience, the ability to withstand stress, adversity, and hardship without breaking down. It is about maintaining composure and staying steadfast in the face of challenges.
Being Courageous:
Facing Fears: Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. It's not the absence of fear but the decision to act in spite of it.
Taking Risks: Courage involves taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone, often for a greater good or to achieve something significant.
Standing Up for Beliefs: It also includes standing up for your values, beliefs, or others, even when it is difficult or unpopular.
In summary, being strong is about having the inner resources to endure and withstand adversity, while being courageous is about the willingness to face and act despite fear and risk.
The Lord does not throw in the towel when we struggle. He comes to encourage us. He encouraged Joshua over and over to the point Joshua repeated the same information to his army to encourage them. The Lord wants us to be strong and courageous. Not only for physical battle but spiritual battle as well.
The Lord's plan will always prevail. It may not happen in the timeframe we plan for, but Lord has a way of making things happen on his time. I have no idea how much time passed from Joshua 1-11. It could have been months or a couple years. Maybe even longer? What I do know is God came through. What happens when God comes through for you? Do you celebrate and praise him or are you upset because he should have done it sooner? I would like to think we are relieved and can't help but give thanks. If we can be honest, we can understand why it happened in the order it did. Often times there are many lessons to learn, faith is strengthened and we learn to rely on Jesus during our waiting period.
If you have any takeaways please reply back and share them with me!
I appreciate you being a part of my community. It's always more than skin care :)
If this email has helped you please share it with someone you know.
Love,
Danielle
naturallycreated4you.com
Connect with Me!
Join My Facebook Group- Christian Morning Inspos