Joshua I
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 ESV)
Willing and Able
God repeatedly tells Joshua, and Joshua tells his people to, “Be Strong and Courageous.” It might seem that the message is to stand proudly on a mountain top, chin extended, eyes on the horizon, ready to leap tall mountains in a single bound.
But that is not God’s message.
Joshua’s name is actually the same as the Messiah’s, Jesus.
And it refers to God’s salvation.
Joshua led the insignificant Israelites through struggles, conflicts, battles, and wars. And while he led through being strong and courageous, a better understanding of those words would be: able and willing.
Joshua was able to be a military genius, because the real general was God Himself.
Joshua was willing to dangerously fight the Canaanites because Joshua knew God would be with him.
His strength, his ability, came from God.
His courage, his willingness, came from God.
And the message to be Strong and Courageous, able and willing, rings in our ears, too.
Whatever enemies you fight, or think you fight… following the Lord instead of your own self will enable you to be strong and courageous… able and willing.