COURAGEUOS LIVING
Deuteronomy 31:6
Key Verse: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
INTRODUCTION
What is Courage?
Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain without fear.
Other descriptions of Courage?
1. Courage is grace under pressure
2. Courage is fear that has said its prayers – Karl Barth
3. Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are afraid. – Eddie Rickenbacker
But my favorite definition is given by everyone’s favorite hero, JOHN WAYNE….
Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne
If you were here last Sunday evening, and viewed the movie COURAGEOUS, then you would understand the toughest, most enduring, and satisfying job any of us take on, is to be a Christian, godly mom or dad.
Living the Christian life is not for the faint of heart. It is all too easy, as many have to run in fear from the responsibilities and challenges being a godly husband/ wife and parent entails.
In short IT TAKES COURAGE.
For the next few weeks, we will learn from Joshua what it means to be a person of courageous faith.
To fully understand Joshua’s situation, we need to go back in time to the book of Numbers.
Joshua and Caleb had been minority voices when it had come time to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14).
As Israel came to the end of their travels on the Sinai Peninsula, they came to a place called Kadesh-Barnea.
It is at this place that Moses appointed twelve men to spy out the Promised Land.
Joshua was one of these men.
For forty days they traveled and investigated the length and breadth of the land.
When they returned, they all agreed that the land was truly wonderful. It was a land of milk and honey.
But, ten of the spies gave a discouraging report. They said that the enemy cities with their armies were too great. They would be like grasshoppers to these people.
There was no way that the people of Israel would be strong enough to defeat them.
Joshua and Caleb, though, said such a report was a bunch of nonsense. If they trusted God, moved forward, and took the land as they were instructed, they would be victorious.
Guess whom the people listened to? Right…the majority view. So…
For their lack of faith and courage, the people of Israel were left to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.
This decision on the part of the people was an act of rebellion in God’s judgment.
God would not have a people that refused to trust Him enter into the Promised Land.
Why do many people choose to run the other way from God’s promises ?
• One reason is that some people are afraid of the changes they perceive marriage and parent hood brings. I hear people say things such as, “We will live together, just to see if we can really get along.” What they are saying is, they are afraid of the perceived changes they will inevitably have to make, and want an easy back out plan.
• Then there is the fear arising from the SIZE of the challenge. Some look at the problems they are facing or the challenge of family itself and conclude it’s just too big a challenge, why bother?
• If the size of the challenge doesn’t scare people off, then the lack of self confidence will. Some people feel that they do not have what it takes to be a godly husband/wife or mom/dad and so don’t even try.
Joshua and Isreal faced all this and more as they faced the challenge to move forward in God’s will.
Joshua had every reason to feel afraid, intimidated, and insecure nevertheless he chose to obediently move forward with great faith and confidence in the Lord.
Now put yourself in Joshua’s sandals.
The only leader Isreal had known for 40 years was Moses.
Moses had led Isreal out of Egypt when Joshua was just a teenager.. Moses had led them through the Red Sea. God had used Moses to provide water, food, clothing, and shelter.
Under Moses’ leadership, the Isrealites had experienced the Pillar of fire by night and cloud by day.
Under Moses leadership, the tabernacle had been constructed and the Ark of the Covenant had been built. Moses had been given the Ten Commandments. He had seen God face to face.,
Now Joshua was expected to fill Moses shoes and take up the mantle of leadership.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
We can only imagine how intimidated Joshua must have felt have to take the helm of leadership from Moses. I know how I would have felt.
“Get me the first flight to anywhere but here”
But Joshua proved to be a man of unusual courage. With faith in God he stepped up to the plate and led the most incredible leadership plans in history.
Where did Joshua’s strength come from? The answer is found in the three things he believed about God.
Joshua’ s BELIEF DETERMINED HIS BEHAVIOR.
1. JOSHUA BELIEVED GOD WAS ALL POWERFUL.
Joshua had seen first hand the power of God at work among ISreal.
He had seen the ten plagues that came upon the Egyptians and caused Pharoah to let God’s people go.
Joshua had seen Moses stand and lift his staff over the Red Sea as Pharoahs armies were bearing down on Isreal. Then once the Isrealits were safe on the other side, Joshua saw God’s power as the waters of the red Sea came crashing down on Pharpoahs armies, decimating the most powerful army on earth.
Joshua had seen God trun bitter water into sweet. He witnessed and partook of the daily portions of Manna God provided for the people.
For over forty years Joshua witnessed time and again God’s power, provision and presence in the wilderness.
For Joshua it was not merely Sunday School stories of long ago. His was a personal expereince with God.
What about you. Are you walking and experiencing God power, presence and provision? DO you believe God is All Powerful? Do you believe that there is nothing too hard for God?
2. JOSHUA BELIEVED THAT GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES
Joshua knew all about the story how God poromised Abraham that he and his decsendents would occupy the land. In Genesis 12:1-2 it says,
The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.[a]
God repeated this promise in Gen. 13:15, ‘All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.
And now Joshua stands dipping his toes into the Jordon river, looking across at the land that God promised His people so many years before.
God had kept his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and now He was going to use Joshua to fulfill it.
Do you believe God keeps his promises? Sometimes time can dim the vision, dreams and hopres we have had growing up. We can wonder if God really will do what HE promised.
There was a man who got lost in the desert. After wandering around for a long time his throat became very dry, about that time he saw a little shack in the distance.
He made his way over to the shack and found a water pump with a small jug of water and a note.
The note read: "pour all the water into the top of the pump to prime it, if you do this you will get all the water you need". Now the man had a choice to make, if he trusted the note and poured the water in and it worked he would have all the water he needed. If it didn’t work he would still be thirsty and he might die. Or he could choose to drink the water in the jug and get immediate satisfaction, but it might not be enough and he still might die. After thinking about it the man decided to risk it. He poured the entire jug into the pump and began to work the handle, at first nothing happened and he got a little scared but he kept going and water started coming out. So much water came out he drank all he wanted, took a shower, and filled all the containers he could find. Because he was willing to give up momentary satisfaction, he got all the water he needed.
Now the note also said: after you have finished, please refill the jug for the next traveller.” The man refilled the jug and added to the note: “ Please prime the pump, believe me it works”!
We have the same choice to make, do we hold on to what we have because we don’t believe there are better things in store for us, and settle for immediate satisfaction? Or do we trust God and give up all that we have to get what God has promised us? I think the choice is obvious. We need to pour in all the water, trust God with everything.
Then once we have experienced what God has to offer, the living water, we need to tell other people, “Go ahead prime the pump, believe me it works”!
Joshua knew that God could be trusted. He knew that God always keeps His word. And He does the same for you and me today.
3. JOSHUA BELIEVED THAT GOD WOULD ALWAYS BE WITH HIM
IN our text Moses lays his hands on Joshua’s shoulders, and gives him an encouraging reminder that will permeate his journay through Canaan,
Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Then in a few short weeks, God Himself repeats this promise to Joshua in Joshua 1
As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Then again God repeats it in verse 9, ‘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.”
God does not ask Joshua to do something without the promise of being there to stand right with him. This is still true today. God will not ask you to do anything without also being there to enable you to do it!
ILLUSTR: 5 year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’’t want to go alone. "It’’s dark in there and I’’m scared." She asked again and he persisted. Finally she said, "It’’s OK-Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said, "Jesus, if you’’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup
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God will never waver in his promise to be with us. Jesus issued this same statement in Matthew 28:20 ‘and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
He is telling us as He told Joshua to have courage. Do not be discouraged and be strong. God will always be with us! With God we will be invincible. We will never be without His presence. And we will never fail when we walk in obedience to His voice.
Do you want to be strong in the Lord?
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not let the past get in the way, but rather let it be a foundation for more growth in the kingdom of God.
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not let the size of the task get in your way; instead be excited that God has so much for you to accomplish.
Be strong and courageous and move forward…do not be distracted; keep your focus; and realize that God because God is the With-Us God, there is no challenge that cannot be accepted and accomplished.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
