Have you ever wished to be strong and courageous? Is it even possible to be strong and courageous in a world full of challenges?
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
God spoke these words to the people of Israel when Moses appointed Joshua as his successor. The entering into the promised land has not yet happened. Maybe you are in a position, where your promised land lies before you. It could be your financial breakthrough, the healing you long for, the restoration of your marriage or a spouse, because you don’t want to go through life alone anylonger. Whatever it is, these words are for you today: be strong and courageous! But how do we do that? You find the answer in the second part of the verse: God himself will go with you! You don’t rely on your abilities to be strong and courageous, you rely on Jesus abilities. It’s the grace of God, that lets you be strong and courageous. Grace is personified in Jesus and he is the foundation you stand on as a believer.
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.” Joshua 1,9
Grace is the reason, why you don’t have to panic when you are confronted with challenges. The foundation of grace is not a shaky ground, it’s a solid and strong rock, it’s Jesus. The right perspective will let you be strong and courageous, you won’t be afraid and you won’t be discouraged. Jesus is your hero who fights the battles for you, changes situations and manifests Gods promises in your life.
You don’t get strong and courageous by trying hard to be strong and courageous. It needs you to admit, that you can’t do it on your own and you are dependent on the help of Jesus. Stop doing it on your own and let Jesus create his masterpiece. To do nothing and let Jesus take over might be more challenging than constantly trying to do something on your own. But it’s the way how the blessings of God will manifest in your life. To do nothing is to let go of your own effort and let Jesus do what he needs to do. You do that, by throwing Jesus into the problems you face, by speaking out Gods truth. Do it whenever you are reminded of the problem. Position yourself on the foundation of grace and see how Jesus calms the storms in your life.