Be Strong And Courageous

JOSHUA 1:6-9
“Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
”‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:6-9‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/jos.1.6-9.nkj

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In this world today, it seems like success and prosperity comes only from having powerful influential friends and contacts, together with a relentless desire to get ahead and be above others, and walking over others, pushing them down, like everyone is in competition to be number one.
This desire comes from self and is the way of the world. Its all about me.
Sadly, selfish ambition was the downfall of Lucifer and will be the downfall of many claiming to be Christians today (ISAIAH 14:13).
But the strategy for being successful that God taught Joshua goes against any such criteria.
He said to be successful one must be strong and of good courage because the task ahead is not going to be easy.
He said, “for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land”. This is to say, not to compete with one another to get what one can, but rather to work selflessly together in unity without the desire of selfish gain, so that we can all grow together and focus on the job in hand-not drifting either to the left or the right, or being side tracked by selfish desires.
In Christ we can work together in unity as one body and independently as individuals in God’s work and purposes by the leading of the Spirit for His glory, but not with selfish ambitions and motives.
As believers, we are the body of Christ (the church). Together we have a job to do, and are the individual parts of the body, all gifted to do our part and Christ is the head.
No part is more important than another, whether the eye or the foot, we can only operate and be successful when we work together in obedience to Christ who is the head.
It doesn’t matter whether you are called to be a policeman, a cleaner, a doctor or nurse, or a health worker, do it as if working for the Lord (COLOSSIANS 3:23).
But as believers in Christ, we are all ministers of God, equipped with spiritual gifts to operate within the body of Christ (1 CORINTHIANS 12).
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
If your church is not of Christ’ five fold ministry, however good it feels or sounds, or big or small it is, it’s not of Christ and shall prophet you nothing.
This world has many needs in and out of ministry, and are all of great importance, but all things remain in God’s hand, including our governments (ISAIAH 9:6-7), which is why, though they haven’t, the church has an obligation to hold our governments accountable and maintain godly standards.
Together in Christ we will be successful and prosperous, and we shall see the signs and wonders of Christ changing peoples lives, and the fruits of the Spirit (GALATIANS 5:16-26) shining from God’s people like a lamp on a hillside for all to see (MATHEW 5:14-16).
Together, through prayer and unity we are strong, and can do much to maintain godly standard within the body of Christ, and have influence on our governments.
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬
God never promised individual prosperity, yet we naturally seek it.
He promised that He would meet our needs, not give us big bank balances.
One does not need a big bank balance to be content, but rather, he needs peace of mind.
But the truth is, if He blesses anyone with a big bank balance, it is for His plans and purposes, rather than his.
Jesus told us, ““Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬-‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Continuous peace of mind comes from transparency, obedience, and faith in Jesus Christ.
It cannot come from anything of this world, for all is vanity and temporary.
But peace, joy, and contentment in Christ is eternal, for He even defeated death itself.
Therefore, when one has peace of mind in Christ, he has it all.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
So why my beloved, put your trust in money and status, or your own personal projects that can so easily collapse.
Stand on the promises of God, and seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all, not some, but all will be added to you.
My brothers and sisters, put your trust in Jesus.
By living in obedience of His leading and by His word, you will be successful.
Paul said, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:13-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus is not a religion, He is a person, our God, and a way of life that comes from relationship with Him; a selfless way that is based on unconditional love (MATHEW 22:37-40).
He is the only truth anyone can rely on and He is the coming judge who will decide your eternal future. Furthermore, He is the only way to our Father in heaven.
It’s not difficult to see that our world cannot continue as it is; change is coming and justice will be served.
Today my beloved would be a good day turn to Christ in repentance, for tomorrow may well be too late.
My beloved, as I told you before, ““Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.