Courage & character.
When I think about courage, I think about stories of war heros, sports icons, and individuals who resisted the political pressure of the day. Charlie Kirk is a great example of a person who had a great deal of courage. However, it came with a price that propelled him into eternity with his Creator. I believe his gift to us was a model that is worthy of emulating.
The following passage in The Book of Joshua gives us some important clues about the blessings we have been given and the faith that is required to experience them. Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: 2 "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them--the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
God is telling the Israelites in verse 3 that all they have to do is to walk and they will be able to occupy and possess every inch of The Promised Land. I firmly believe that this truth also applies to you and me. Think about this: what if all the desires of our heart (and more) has already been achieved by our Creator in eternity? What if all we need to do is to have the faith and courage to walk thru the demon possessed valleys of life while leaning on the Lord for strength?
The promise of success.
Would you follow a formula for success that was correct 100% of the time? What if the definition of "success" was not your definition but one that was a much better definition? What if it was God's definition of success?
The following passage contains a great success formula: Joshua 1:5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 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. 7 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 is one of my favorite passages as it reinforces the success principle found in John 15.
The baton had been passed from Moses to Joshua. Moses never made it to The Promised Land, but Joshua did. Joshua and the Israelites are in a new place that is unfamiliar to them. I'm sure they and many doubts and concerns along the way. However, they were commanded to "be strong and very courageous" and to keep their focus. They were being told to stay committed to God's promise about the land they were to inherit, regardless of the obstacles they might face.
The next passage gives Joshua and the Israelites a more granular metric to follow: Joshua 1:8 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. 9 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.
In order to be prosperous and successful, Joshua and the Israelites are told to meditate on the truth; and the truth is found in the Word of God. They are told to be confident and courageous. They are told to be unafraid. Easier said than done, right? On our own, this would be impossible. However, God reminds the Israelites that He will be with them wherever they go; and that makes all the difference in the world.
There is no wall too high to scale when God is with us. The question is, are you and I with God?
Training for success.
God does not think like you and me. His definition of courage and character will not line up with a worldly definition of these terms. Our time on earth is limited. We must prepare for eternity by changing our beliefs and thoughts sooner rather than later, as tomorrow is not promised.
Paul put it this way in Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. While this might appear to be simple "on paper", it can be a very painful process to put it into daily practice.
James puts it in a slightly different way in James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
I have come to realize that God is doing much more than testing us as He allows our trials, temptations, and circumstances to occur. I believe He is also training us for our place in eternity. Candidly, I don't know exactly what that looks like. I do believe our reward for being courageous in this world will be a place of service to Christ in The Millennium and in eternity.
Paul gives us a glimpse of our reward in 2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to be courageous and diligently seek the answers to any questions you might have about the Creator of all things.
