Joshua Chapter 1 (NIV)
Joshua Installed as Leader
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 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.”
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”
12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
God tells Joshua twice, to “Be Strong and Courageous” and Joshua repeats this phrase to the people of Israel. Fasting is not easy, and we will have to be strong to overcome the temptations of what we are denying our bodies.
God promised the Israelites, land for their nation… “from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.”
However, the land was occupied by various nations that weren’t willing to give it up without a fight.
Some of you will need to be strong because what you are fasting and praying for is already occupied and will not be given to you without a fight. Maybe there is a business idea you are going for but someone else has the same idea, There might be sickness and brokenness where you desire healing, or there’s debt where you want financial-freedom, or for those who aspire to be married, your potential wife or husband might be in a relationship already (an ungodly one😆).
Therefore we will need to be strong and courageous, to be victorious in the things we are fighting for. This is why God said “be strong and courageous” because what He has promised us may already be occupied, but He goes through it all, with us and ahead of us… “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.
So I am encouraging you to be strong and courageous in this season. What you’re fasting for, will come to pass, as long as you stay steadfast in Christ. Put your trust in Him and “do not become afraid or discouraged.”
If you broke fast early by accident yesterday, or you didn’t pray as much as you wanted, be strong and courageous because what you are fighting for is worth the sacrifice.
Do not give up, Be Strong and Courageous!
Prayer
Use these prayer points as you pray today.
- Revelation of the promises God has for you.
- For strength and boldness to fight for the things you are fighting for.
- Strength to overcome the temptations of the enemy.
- Boldness to seek your dreams and aspiration.
- Humbleness to come before God with your petitions.
- Love to have a heart for the people God has a heart for.
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