Scripture Reading: Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18.

Thrust Statement: God wants His people to be strong and courageous.

            As one reflects upon Christian service, one can hardly contemplate upon one’s service to God without deliberation upon God’s counsel to Joshua concerning his service. God’s word to Joshua is still timely for the Christian community today. Christians are living in a time in which it is difficult to be strong and to be courageous and, at the same time, to exhibit enthusiasm. Yet, this is the mindset that God desires of His people. Many Christians manifest a defeatist attitude in their day-to-day walk with God. But God does not want His people to go about with their heads down; He does not want them to be talking about darkness all the time; He does not want them to worry; He wants His children to be strong and to be filled with courage and to be overflowing with enthusiasm, in spite of obstacles.  God still wants His children to be “strong” and “courageous.” God wanted Joshua to be stout, robust, and solid in his commitment to the ways of God. He also wanted Joshua to be daring, bold, and brave in his compliance to His commands. If one accomplishes these two goals—“be strong and courageous”—one will need a great deal of enthusiasm to carry out kingdom work, especially in times when so many do not seem to be on fire for the Lord.

JOSHUA AND HIS LEADERSHIP

As one thinks about the life of Joshua, one quickly discovers a man in whom there is strength and courage and enthusiasm. In his youth, he lived through the bitter realities of Egyptian slavery, but, on the other hand, he also witnessed the miracles of the ten plagues, the escape from Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea, which allowed the Israelite’s to escape from Pharaoh’s army. Joshua was a man in whom the Spirit of God dwelt (Numbers 27:18). Joshua was the one who led the children of Israel in their victory over the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13). Joshua was the man whom Moses took with him up on the mountain of God to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:13). Joshua, the young aide of Moses, was the one who also stayed in the Tent of Meeting when Moses returned to the camp of the Israelites (33:10-11).

            Joshua was the one elected to represent his own tribe Ephraim when the twelve spies were sent into the land of Canaan.  In spite of the negative reports by ten of the twelve spies, Joshua and Caleb were still ready to follow God’s will and take immediate possession of the land (Numbers 14:16-24). These two men were the only ones of the twelve that came back with a positive report. Joshua was the man who assumed the reins of leadership following the death of Moses. Moses, shortly before his death, records God’s admonition to Joshua: “The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you” (Deuteronomy 31:23).^[1] Joshua’s role in Israel’s conquest is also found in his name change by Moses. Earlier in his life, Joshua was called Hoshea, meaning “salvation,” but Moses changed his name to Joshua, which means “The Lord saves” (Numbers 13:8, 16). This is the same name that an angel of God told Joseph to give to Mary’s Son (Matthew 1:20-21).

            With the death of Moses in 1406 BC, Joshua assumed leadership of the children of Israel. Again, one is struck with awe as he/she listens in on God’s caution to Joshua to “be strong and courageous.”  Four times in the first chapter, God issues His counsel for Joshua not to get disheartened. Listen to the following exhortations from God:

Joshua 1:6	Joshua 1:7
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.	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.
Joshua 1:9	Joshua 1:18
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go	Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!

            This caveat, or stipulation, is a theme that runs throughout the Old and New Testament writings. Christians must not waver in their fight against the forces of evil. One cannot read the New Testament without a consciousness that the Holy Spirit is still issuing this same requirement to those “in Christ Jesus.” If Christians are going to succeed in their spiritual warfare, they, too, must be strong. For example, it is in this vein that Paul urges this vigilance to the Ephesians:

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

            What does it mean to you to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power”? Are you “standing firm”? How does the collective body of believers at Oakwood Hills measure up to this admonition to the Ephesians? Are your eyes on Jesus? Or are your eyes on the world? If the Christians here at Oakwood Hills Church are going to succeed, then every member must keep his/her eyes on Jesus. The author of the Hebrews epistle goes right to the heart of the matter when he writes:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (Hebrews 12:1-4).

The moment one takes his/her eyes off Jesus, he/she will lose heart and faint. On the other hand, the moment one fixes his/her eyes on Jesus, one will have strength, boldness, and zeal. If one keeps his/her eyes on Jesus, then one has, as it were, the power of heaven and earth to keep fighting the good fight of faith. If any Christian succeeds, he/she must be strong and very courageous in this Christian race. How are you doing in the Christian race? Are you running aimlessly? Paul’s words to the Corinthians are to the point concerning perseverance:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  ²⁷ No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

THREE CLASSIC EXAMPLES OF COURAGE

Moses

The Fearless Leader

            As one reflects upon Old Testament leaders and prophets, one would do well to recall the words of Paul to Timothy as he encourages him to continue in the Holy Scriptures taught to him just as a child (2 Timothy 3:15). Thus Paul draws upon the benefits that one can expect to receive as one ponders the Old Testament writings: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (3:16-17).  One such example that Christians can reflect upon is the ministry of Moses. The birth of Moses (1526 BC) is recorded in the Book of Exodus (One can place a date of 1445 alongside this Book as to its date of composition.). Moses spent forty years in Egypt and forty years in the wilderness, which made him eighty years old at the time of the Exodus.

            One cannot read the story of the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings without recognition of the guts and boldness of Moses. Even though there was some trepidation on the part of Moses (Exodus 4:1-17) to speak to Pharaoh, nevertheless, Moses confronted the king of Egypt with God’s demand to let His people go (5:1).  Forty years earlier, Moses left Egypt after the uncovering of his murder of an Egyptian. But Moses himself indicates that he was afraid, but, at the same time, he does not designate specifically the one of whom he was afraid of (2:14-15). Moses was still a strong and courageous man.

Approximately fifteen hundred years after the Exodus, the author of Hebrews placed Moses in his Hall of Fame of many worthies. He writes about Moses’ faith and courage and boldness as an example of the kind of faith that all believers should imitate:

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  ²⁵ He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.  ²⁶ He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.  ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.  ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel (Hebrews 11:24-28).

What was Moses’ secret of boldness and perseverance? He had seen the One who is invisible. What is the secret of boldness and perseverance for the believer today? The secret of perseverance is keeping one’s eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of one’s faith.

Elijah  

The Fearless Defender of Israel’s God

            A second paradigm is the case in point of Elijah in his fight against the forces of evil. As one scrutinizes the character of Elijah, one is confronted with boldness, and, at the same time, one is also confronted with fright. One can hardly mention the name Elijah without reflection upon the events that transpired on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:16-40). This story about Elijah and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah reveals the boldness of this fearless man as he confronts the forces of evil (18:19).  The author of First Kings reports the events leading up to the killing of the prophets of Baal:

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.  ¹⁷ When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” ¹⁸ “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals.  ¹⁹ Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (18:16-19).

            When Elijah met Ahab, king of Israel (874-853 BC), he exhibited courage and boldness in his opposition to this wicked king. There was a conspiracy against God’s prophets in Israel. In fact, Obadiah, a devout believer in the Lord (18:4), informed Elijah that he had hid one hundred of God’s prophets in two caves in order to protect them from Jezebel, wife of Ahab (18:13-15). In spite of opposition from Ahab and Jezebel, he still challenged the false prophets of the land, and he put them to a test on Mount Carmel. Ultimately, he had the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal slaughtered in the Kishon Valley (18:40).

Elijah

The Deserter

            One cannot help but wonder if one is dealing with the same man as one reads the events that transpired after his courageous battle with the false prophets of Israel. It is very difficult to understand what came over him in his reaction to Jezebel’s threat on his own life. The author of First Kings preserves this message from Jezebel:

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them” (19:1-2).

How did Elijah react to this jeopardy on his life? This man of boldness, for some reason, trembles in fear. The Scripture says, “Elijah was afraid” (19:3). One can be on the mountaintop of fearless courage, but, on the other hand, one can also find himself/herself down in the valley of despair.  How did Elijah react to the threat? Again, the Scripture says that he “ran for his life” (19:3). Have you ever felt like running away? Things are going great, but then something happens that brings tragedy to the boiling point of your endurance. Well, it seems that something like this happened to Elijah. He prays, “I have had enough, Lord” (19:4).  Following his outburst of despair in his prayer to the Lord, he experienced two encounters with an angel of the Lord (19:5-9). With the second encounter, the angel of the Lord told him to take a journey. He then traveled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God (19:9).

Upon his arrival, he spent a night in a cave (19:9). Then the Lord came and spoke to Elijah: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” His response is truly amazing. Listen to him as he unburdens his heart:

“I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (19:10).

Can you identify with Elijah? He should have confronted Jezebel with the same fiery spirit that he had employed in his challenge to the prophets of Baal and to the prophets of Asherah. Today, many Christians are afraid to speak their convictions about the things of God. Many Christians are terrified to speak against the traditions of men that nullify Christ’s prayer for unity. Many believers are fearful to examine the traditional concepts associated with worship that currently divides the body of Christ.  They are scared to speak to men and women about their souls. The work of Christ, so to speak, begins when one has the courage to speak about God’s Good News, that is to say, salvation by faith “in” and “through” Christ Jesus (Romans 5:21; 6:23; 7:25; 8:39).

Do you have the boldness that the apostles exhibited in their proclamation about Jesus of Nazareth? When Peter and John spoke about the Messiah, Luke informs his readers that the Sanhedrin was amazed at the courage exhibited by these two apostles (Acts 4:13). Even though Peter had earlier failed in his courage, yet, on the day of Pentecost, one witnesses a man of courage as he addressed the crowd:

This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him (2:23-24).

If you want God to use you, then you must keep your eyes on the Master. If you take your eyes off Jesus, then you will become discouraged and disheartened. In such a state of mind, God cannot use you effectively to bring about change in the world. God cannot use you to bring about change in the church so that the prayer of His Son Jesus can find fulfillment (John 17:21). As one reflects upon Elijah, one sees a strong and a weak side. This story illustrates the frailty of sinful man. How do you measure up in your own life? Are you strong? Or are you afraid? Do you remember the words of Elijah when God had to go after him? Listen to Elijah as he responds to God’s question as to what he was doing in the cave: “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty” (1 Kings 19:10). When his strength and courage failed, one can see his zeal flickering in the cave as a shadow flickers on the wall from a fire. Yet, in spite of this weakness, God took Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind, without tasting death (2 Kings 2:11)

Noah

The Preacher of Righteousness

            Today, the world is filled with wickedness as it was in the days of Noah. Everywhere Noah looked, he saw self-indulgence and lack of self-control. Sin was open and unashamed; violence was the order of the day. Wickedness was paraded and highly praised. Yet, in spite of rebellion against God, Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). Noah is a classic example of moral fiber and fortitude for the things of God. In fact, he preached for at least one hundred years before the flood, but the Scriptures reveal that he did not have one convert (Genesis 6:1-22), other than his own family—seven individuals (7:6). The Christian community needs this example of Noah’s faithfulness today.  If Noah became discouraged, the Holy Spirit withheld this information. 

            Do you ever become discouraged when you preach Jesus and godly living without visible results? Do you want to throw-in-the-towel?  How do you feel about your ministry at Oakwood Hills? When people do not respond, do you want to quit? Just a perusal of the story of Noah will lift the cloud of depression. One wonders how many individuals showed up for a Wednesday night prayer meeting in Noah’s home. One cannot find in the sacred pages of God’s Holy Word where one individual ever came to Noah and said, “I want to serve God.”  Yes, the Christians at the Oakwood Hills Church should expect good results and not get discouraged; Christians must not look on the dark side, but rather should keep on praying for God to intervene.  If the believers at Oakwood Hills are going to be successful, then the congregation must take its stand with God and let the community know that it is taking its stand with God.

            Do you want your children and grandchildren to be strong and courageous and enthusiastic for the kingdom of heaven? If so then you need to remember the words of Paul to Timothy:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,  ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

 How does one account for Noah’s faithfulness? Noah, no doubt, received religious instructions from his dad, his grandfather, and his great grandfather. For instance, Noah’s ancestry came through Adam’s son Seth. This lineage is the lineage through which the Messiah came. Noah was the product of a long-line of godly men. For example, Noah’s grandfather (Methuselah) was the oldest man (969) that ever lived (5:21-27). Also, Noah’s great grandfather (Enoch) did not die; he was taken to heaven without tasting death (5:23). Since Enoch lived on earth for 365 years, surely Noah must have talked with his great grandfather about the things of God.  Noah’s father (Lamech) lived 777 years. Without doubt, Noah must have sat on the knees of Enoch and Methuselah—Lamech’s dad and grandfather—and listened to the stories handed down by word of mouth concerning Adam and Cain and Seth and righteousness.

            Noah should become an example of courage for every believer. He preached for over one hundred years about right ethical behavior, but to no avail. The time has come for every believer at the Oakwood Hills congregation to take his/her stand concerning holiness. The moment every believer in this congregation boldly acknowledges Christ, then, hopefully, others will begin to inquire what they too must do to be saved. Every Christian must become a preacher of righteousness. Every Christian must become a preacher of the good news concerning Jesus death for the sins of humanity (see 2 Corinthians 5:17—6:2).

How is this kind of ethical behavior proclamation of the Good News accomplished?  Christians do not look on the dark side; they keep on praying and working with a great deal of enthusiasm—enthusiasm generated by strength and courage. Are you strong and courageous? Remember the words of God to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6). This essay has reflected upon Moses, Elijah, Noah, and Joshua. As you examine these three leaders, one cannot help but wonder what it is about these three leaders that stand out in your own mind. In spite of obstacles, every Christian is to be strong and courageous and zealous for the things of the kingdom of heaven. 

ENTHUSIASM:

THE HALL MARK OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH

            Passion for the things of God should run through everyone’s veins for the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth. Every Christian should rekindle the flame of enthusiasm for the souls of men and women. Every Christian should imitate the strength, the courage, and the excitement of Moses, Elijah, Noah, and Joshua. How does the church at Oakwood Hills measure up to the characteristics of these famous leaders? The church at Oakwood Hills needs enthusiasm. The Oakwood Hills congregation needs men and women who are strong and courageous. This congregation needs men and women who will rejoice with those converted from Satan to Jesus, the Savior of the World. Lukewarmness is not something that God delights in. He wants His people to be on fire for the affairs of His kingdom. Jesus addresses one of the seven churches of Asia for their lack of zeal. Listen to Jesus as he has John to write a stinging rebuke for their lack of passion:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.  ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:14-16).

God is saying that you should make your decision to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. In other words, once you have made your choice, devote the rest of your life to showing your zeal for spiritual things. Since beginning my (Dallas Burdette) ministry with Oakwood Hills, I have observed a great deal of “gusto” by many Christians, but, by and by, I have witnessed many Christians “fizzling” out. Have you lost your “sizzle” for the Lord, so to speak? Are you sputtering around like some automobiles that are in need of a tune-up? Jesus concludes his short letter to Laodicea with the following weighty words: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”  (3:22).

Are you listening? Perhaps the words of Paul to the Corinthians are to the point also: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The words of God to Joshua are as relevant today as they were 3000 years ago: “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6). The words of the Apostle John almost jumps off the pages of Holy Scripture as one ponders the words strong and courageous: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5).

CONCLUSION

Christians cannot be lukewarm. They must be on fire for the cause of Christ. There must be enthusiasm to carry on the work of the Lord at DeFuniak Springs, FL. If there is going to be a great revival in this city, it is not going to be done in this building at Oakwoods Hills. It must be done one on one; in other words, God’s work must be carried out by individuals going around and talking with their neighbors, their relatives, their friends, their acquaintances, and so on. In order to reclaim skeptics, drunkards, prostitutes, lukewarm Christians, one must have a burning desire in his/her heart for the salvation of lost souls. Christians must never surrender their strength, their courage, or their zeal for the things of God.

If you cannot give a day for the Lord’s work, then give an hour; if you cannot give an hour, then give a minute. If you cannot go out into your neighborhood to reach people for Jesus, then pray for those who can. All should work and ask God’s guidance. Are you encouraging others in their efforts to teach and preach Jesus? Or are you always finding fault with these saints of God? If you cannot go into the harvest field and work, you can cheer those who are working for the salvation of men and women. You can pray that God will send forth laborers into his vineyard. The Christians at Oakwood Hills should pray that the Spirit of God would work in a mighty way in this fellowship of believers. Everyone at Oakwood Hills should pray that the spirit of criticism and faultfinding should be laid aside. Everyone should pray for the spirit of oneness that existed on the day of Pentecost. My prayer is that God will help the believers at Oakwood Hills to remember and practice God’s admonition to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6).