Be Strong and of a Good Courage

Right before the children of Israel were to cross over the Jordan River to claim their inheritance from the Lord, Moses passed the mantel of leadership on to Joshua before his translation.  And Joshua was left with the overwhelming, probably pretty daunting task of not only leading this gigantic group of Israelites into a new land to be their leader.  But, oh yeah!, he was also commanded that before they could claim their inheritance, they had to destroy ALL the inhabitants of the land who were ripe in iniquity.  Probably pretty overwhelming, even for someone spiritually strong, doing all the things the Lord had asked, and really trying hard.  But here is what the Lord said to Joshua:

2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

 3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.


 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 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.

He reminded Joshua three times to be strong and of a good courage because he probably needed the extra encouragement.  He also told him two other important things.  (1) In verse 6 he reminds Joshua that he, the Lord, has already promised the land to the children of Israel as their inheritance.  And he will always keep his promises--and he even keeps that promise when they  fall short.  Amazing his goodness on that promise.  (2) In verses 7-8 he reminds Joshua to study and meditate on the scriptures, and turn not from them, and he would make their way prosperous and have success.

This is our counsel too.  He has made promises to us in the face of an unknown future.  So when we are in a moment when we don't see that, we have to hold to the promises he made.  He will ALWAYS keep his promises.  And what's more, he will not fail us or forsake us.  Remember, he loves those who have him to be their God.

Secondly, we need to feast upon the scriptures.   Recently I was feeling fearful and empty.  And I literally read the scriptures ALL day.  I was feasting on them all day to be lifted.  And for the first while I cried the entire time I read them.  But as I kept going, and kept reading scripture after scripture after scripture about how the Lord knows us, understands our trials, and loves us and will help us through them, I finally felt peace and hope and calm from the Holy Ghost.  But it took hours of concentrated study of the scriptures to feel that way. Take time to live in the scriptures.  Listening to others speak is good, but I don't believe it equals the power of God's word. 

He still asks, "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 withersoever thou goest He is with you."  Let go of the fear and feel it.