When God Says Be Courageous: What Joshua 1:9 Teaches Us About Fear and Faith

God does not command courage where there is nothing to fear.

Think about that.

When God told Joshua, “Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous,” He knew what Joshua was about to face.

He knew there were battles ahead.

He knew there were enemies in the Promised Land.

He knew Joshua would have to lead people who had a history of complaining, doubting and resisting.

God knew.

And yet He said:

“Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
— Joshua 1:9 AMPC

Notice the language.

“Have I not commanded you?”

Not suggested.

Not recommended.

Commanded.

There are times when we treat courage as a feeling.

We say, “When I feel ready, I’ll do it.”

“When I stop being afraid, I’ll move.”

“When I become more confident, I’ll take the step.”

But God did not tell Joshua to wait until he felt courageous.

He commanded him to be courageous.

Perhaps because courage is not always a feeling you wait for.

Sometimes, it is a decision you make because you know Who is with you.

The presence of God does not mean the absence of battles

This is where we sometimes misunderstand God’s presence.

We hear, “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” and unconsciously interpret it as, “Nothing difficult will happen to you.”

But Joshua’s story proves otherwise.

God was with Joshua, and Joshua still had Jericho.

God was with Joshua, and there were still battles to fight.

God was with David, and there was still a Goliath standing in front of him.

David did not see Goliath and conclude that God had abandoned Israel.

He saw Goliath and asked:

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
— 1 Samuel 17:26

David’s confidence was not rooted in the size of his ability.

It was rooted in the greatness of his God.

That is an important distinction.

Faith does not always make the giant disappear. Sometimes it changes how you face the giant.

You may be looking at the wrong thing

Fear has a way of making what is before you appear bigger than Who is with you.

Peter looked at the wind and waves and became afraid (Matthew 14:30).

The disciples looked at the storm and thought they were going to perish (Mark 4:37–38).

The ten spies looked at the giants and concluded that Israel was too small to possess the land (Numbers 13:27–33).

The problem was not that they had seen something that wasn’t there.

There really were giants.

There really was a storm.

There really were waves.

There really was danger.

But what they saw became bigger than what they knew about God.

That can happen to us too.

A financial difficulty can become bigger than God’s provision.

A difficult assignment can become bigger than God’s grace.

A rejection can become bigger than God’s purpose.

An uncertain future can become bigger than God’s faithfulness.

And before long, we are not merely facing a situation.

We are allowing the situation to define what we believe is possible.

Courage does not mean pretending

Biblical courage is not denial.

It is not pretending that the problem doesn’t exist.

It is not walking around saying, “Nothing can happen to me because God is with me.”

That is not faith. That can be presumption.

Jesus Himself knew the suffering ahead of Him.

In Gethsemane, He said:

“My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”
— Matthew 26:38

He prayed:

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
— Matthew 26:39

Jesus did not pretend the cross was easy.

He acknowledged the anguish.

And then He submitted to the Father’s will.

Courage is not pretending you don’t feel the weight. It is refusing to let the weight make your decision for you.

You can be afraid and still obey.

You can feel inadequate and still step forward.

You can have questions and still trust God.

You can know that something is difficult and still believe that God is sufficient.

What has fear been deciding for you?

This is where Joshua 1:9 becomes personal.

Perhaps there is something God has been asking you to do.

Perhaps you know the step you need to take.

Perhaps you have been postponing it because you are waiting for courage to arrive first.

But maybe the command comes before the feeling.

“Be strong.”

“Be courageous.”

“Do not be afraid.”

Joshua still had to take the step.

Israel still had to cross the Jordan (Joshua 3:13–17).

They still had to march around Jericho (Joshua 6:2–5).

David still had to face Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

Peter still had to step out of the boat (Matthew 14:28–29).

The presence of God did not remove their participation.

It gave them the courage to participate in what God was doing.

And that brings us to something we must not miss:

God’s presence is not permission to remain where fear has kept you.

Sometimes you have prayed for God to change the situation when God is strengthening you to face it.

Sometimes you have prayed for the giant to disappear when God is teaching you to confront it.

Sometimes you have asked God for a different road when He is giving you courage for the road ahead.

You don’t have to know everything before you move

Joshua did not have the entire journey mapped out before he began.

Abraham did not either.

“He went out, not knowing whither he went.”
— Hebrews 11:8

That is faith.

Not knowing everything.

But knowing enough about the One who called you to take the next step.

You may not know how this week will unfold.

You may not know how a particular situation will resolve.

You may not know what tomorrow holds.

But you can know that God is with you.

And sometimes, that is the knowledge you need most.

Go with God-conscious courage

So, as you step into this day, don’t ask only, “What am I going to face?”

Ask:

“How should I face it knowing that God is with me?”

That question changes your posture.

You don’t become careless.

You become courageous.

You don’t ignore wisdom.

You become deliberate.

You don’t deny the difficulty.

You refuse to let difficulty become your god.

And you don’t move because you believe you are enough.

You move because God is with you.

The command remains:

Be strong.

Be vigorous.

Be very courageous.

Not because there is nothing ahead that could frighten you.

But because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Deliberate Reflection

What is something you have been allowing fear to make you postpone?

Is it possible that you have been waiting to feel courageous when God is calling you to choose courage?

And if you truly became conscious of God’s presence, what would you face differently?

Deliberate Charge

Don’t wait for fear to disappear before you move. Become more conscious of the God who goes with you.

“The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9