Strong And Courageous

Hey guys! For those of you who took the challenge, how did it go? For me, shockingingly, it wasn’t to bad. I just needed to remind myself to be patient, and have joy in all situations. But please let me know it went for you guys!

I was just told my blog posts are on the longer side! whoops! I love writing!! So they might have to start being in parts. This will be part one of being strong and courageous!! I don’t know how many parts this one will be, we will have to wait and see.

However, I’m going to try and not be confusing but this might be confusing to some.

So I write my blogs typically the weekend before I post them. For example today is March 8th and i’m writing this post for the 14th. Typically, I  talk about the week I just went through. So this blog will pertain to the week of the 3rd through today the 8th.

This post is going to be talking all about courage, something I was reminded all week. And the fact I am not alone. Prior to me starting to write this post I started to get frustrated- not going to lie to you guys. (On this blog,  I promise I will always be 100 percent honest.)

So I will explain my week and explain how courage has to do anything with it. Also, I need to add I just started reading Josua a chapter a day with a friend. I started Wednesday.

So that week was a long week, a lot of craziness. If we are going to be honest, I have been at war with my one teacher all year, and we continue to have problems. This weeks problem was on a paper she assigned us, which we fought about a little.

But you will learn that if you fight me on something, I either have to realize I’m wrong, or make you understand how I am right. Most of the time I fight to support my side, which I did. However, that was only part of me week.

I have to be very courageous when I talk to her. Several times this year when I have had to talk to her about something, I get nervous, but I have to remember to be “ strong and courageous”

But throughout this week like I said earlier that I started reading Joshua with a friend.

One of the greatest verses I can across earlier during this devotion that a friend and I are doing together is Joshua 1:9

“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.””
‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬
This is a fantastic verse! This verse is my warrior call. When I am about to go into battle I remind myself of this verse. However, for some reason, I forgot this verse. And when I texted my friend , I was scared with my situations. I was asking myself “will this war with my teacher become so bad she will fail me?” I was afraid of failing, and forgot this verse, and what it literally says. my friend, of course, asked me a challenging question and asked, ”what did you read on Wednesday! In chapter 1, there wasn’t anything that stood out to you!? Nothing.”

He knows I love this verse but I was stumped! I couldn’t figure out what in the world he was talking about. I looked back at my notes, and there where I wrote it on the side, it had all of Joshua 1:9 written out on the side from when I studied Joshua this week! IT was so crazy how could I forget this so quickly!!

But before we talk about that amazing verse we are going to talk about why it is a big deal.

Lets flip back a book in the Bible to Deuteronomy 31.

Why some might ask because this is a big deal, some of your versions of you bible for the title of Deuteronomy 31 is “Joshua to succeed Moses.” This chapter begins to talk about how Moses is introducing Joshua to be the new leader of the Israelites. THIS IS HUGE!! Moses has been leading them FOREVER, and Joshua was has been in the shadows the whole time. However Moses’ time has passed and now it is Joshua’s turn. But like I said this is a huge deal!! Moses has been the leader forever and has had a huge role in this, but now its Joshua’s turn to fill the role that Moses had.

So in Deuteronomy 31: 6-8 says..

 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Amazing right!! Moses is telling Joshua this, to be strong and courageous that God promised them. What does Moses mean by the land God swore to the ancestors.

Genesis 12:1-3

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.””

So this is crazy, that early on the Bible that  this promise is made very early on. Yet they are still pursuing it. Throughout Genesis the promise is brought up. Genesis chapter 15 it says “ Abram believed the Lord.” Through it all Abram followed through on his side of the deal, and continues to believe that God will follow through. Later in Genesis 22:14 it mentions that, “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.”

So throughout the first five books of the Old Testament,  the Israelites are being led by Moses, but the tides change once Moses passes away in Joshua 1:2 . So now we are back in Joshua.

Joshua’s time was very important. This was because everything was about to change God was about to use Joshua in crazy ways. The Israelites were going from sheep to WARRIORS!!

Moses was the leader that everyone followed like lost whiney, complaining sheep.

Now that it is Joshua’s turn it is war time!!

But Joshua is going to have to remember to be strong and courageous through it all, since this is what God had in mind. I am going to end it here and pick up next week in Joshua 1:5-11! Make sure to check back!! However, I am going to give you guys another challenge this week. Ready?

This week, when you are about to do something inside or outside your comfort zone remember Joshua 1:9 and REMEMBER THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO!! So I challenge each and every one of you with that. Good luck! Love you all

-Raegan 🙂