Living a Courageous Life
After the death of Moses, the role of leadership fell to Joshua. It is here that we see how being a servant uniquely positions a person to become a leader. The lesson for us is that we are all leaders and those fit to rule must first be servants. (Any man not willing to take on the role of a servant is not qualified to lead.) Look at Joshua 1:2: “Moses my servant is dead ...” If we are Christians, we are then servants.
Joshua had a huge task before him. He had to lead his people across the Jordan River. He could not see a way to cross the river. Joshua had no devices that he could get the people across the river. The banks of the river were overflowing and although the generations had passed away that left Egypt, still there were those who were murmurers. They were the children of murmurers.
At the banks of the Jordan River, God worked through his servant leader Joshua. God brought the Children of Israel from the promise of “I will give” to the reality of “I do give.” “I do give” means you can have it right now.
Joshua could not see, but he believed God. God said they were going over the river and he chose to believe God. Joshua was courageous.
Just as Joshua had challenges and an overflowing riverbank, we have challenges of different viruses, those who murmur and plant seeds of deceit and discourse, not to mention the challenges that are the product of living in a society that moves at a maddening paste. However, we have assurance just a Joshua had. In John 10:10, we have promises upon which we can depend and through faith we can live a life courageously even when we do not see the promise with the natural eye.
Just as Joshua had to do some things to reap the promise of God, so must we put in the work before we can reap. We cannot walk out on what can be seen with the natural eye but must instead follow the precepts laid out by God.
Let us look at what is required:
1. Make a decision to be courageous: Do not look inside to come up with courage. Look at the Word of God. It is a faith walk – The unwavering belief in God and His Word. God told Joshua “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (Joshua 1:5). Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “He will not fail thee, neither be dismayed.”
John 10:10 is a promise of abundant life, let us remember what God gives no man can take away. You can have what God said you can have, and you can go where God said you can go.
The words from Hebrews 13:5-6 further encourage us: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Choose to believe the Word of God. Choose to be courageous!
2. Meditate upon the Word: Joshua was instructed to conform himself to the law of God and to meditate upon the law, day and night. Not just to have it memorized for philosophical debate, but to guide him as a man and as a leader. Joshua himself was subject to the law. No man is above God’s law!
As Christians, we must be courageous enough to speak what is right even if the light of reproof falls upon us are those we love. We are all subject to God’s law. A thou shalt not means it is not lawful to do that thing. If the law of the land is to wear a seat belt it must be applied to everyone without exception. Therefore, we can learn from Joshua, 1) as leaders we must be doers of the word; 2) we must do according to the word in all circumstances, there are no free passes; 3) Do all that is written. We cannot do only what is pleasant and pleasing to the flesh; 4) We cannot turn to the left or to the right. We must go down the straight road.
3. We must remember the commission: It is God Himself who has commanded and called us to a life of boldness in Him and has offered us abundant life. Psalm 84:11: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Let us profess our faith by walking courageously in the Lord. It is by his grace that we can walk upright, and it is in Him that we have abundant life.
