Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you
wherever you go." Js. 1:9 ESV (afraid from MKJV)
This is said
to Joshua who is in charge of the people of Israel
as they go into the Promised Land to take it over from the inhabitants. It was a tough job and I’m pretty sure not
all of the people enjoyed fighting. Joshua
had to lead these people into a difficult situation by first getting them
across the Red Sea .
But the promise would only be fulfilled as they (both Joshua and the
people Js. 10:25 ) stepped out of
their comfort zones and followed God’s will.
For that, they needed strength and courage, but then they needed to
abstain from two behaviours- fear and dismay.
Do not be afraid:
to tremble,
dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble
Some people are
risk takers and others are not, so how do we stop being afraid? Only by relying on the Lord for ALL that we need to step out, and
then do it anyway remembering:
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love. 1Jh. 4:18
When I am afraid I will trust in You. In God I will praise
His Word; in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me. Ps.
56:3,4
For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind. 2Tm. 1:7
Do not fear; for I am
with you; be not dismayed; for I am your
God. I will make you strong; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with
the right hand of My righteousness.
For I, Jehovah your God, will hold your right hand, saying
to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Is. 41:10,13
But now so says Jehovah who created you, O Jacob, and He
who formed you, O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are
Mine. Is. 43:1
Do not be dismayed:
to be
shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid
Fear can be
pervasive and it can stop us from doing what God wants and what we need to
do. That is why it is important to know our powerful and mighty God, and
to remember we are His children whom He favours.
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good
courage, and do it. Do not fear, nor be
dismayed, for Jehovah God, my God, will be
with you. He will not fail you nor leave you until you have finished all the
work for the service of the house of Jehovah. 1Ch. 28:20
And he said, Listen, all Judah, and you people of Jerusalem ,
and King Jehoshaphat! So says Jehovah to you, Do not be afraid nor dismayed because
of this great multitude. For the battle is
not yours, but God's. 2Ch. 20:15
King Hezekiah to the people. Be strong and courageous. Do
not be afraid nor dismayed because of the king of Assyria ,
or for all the multitude with him. For there are
more with us than with him. 2Ch. 32:7
So in all the
Scriptures from yesterday and today, the reason we can be strong and courageous
and also not fear or be dismayed is because we do not step out on our own for
there is one with us who is stronger than all others and He resides in us.
(1Jh. 4:4) He is our strength, our song,
our Rock, our salvation, who holds and upholds us, and whose love is forever
with us. He supplies us with everything
we need to do the work He has called us to do.
He is with us, will not leave us and battles for us. “…I will be with
you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.” (Js. 1:5)
And Jehovah is He who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear; nor be dismayed. Dt. 31:8
Being afraid and dismayed are both burdens and wrongs, and
we need to lay them aside, stepping out in faith to do the work God has called
us to do.
Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight* and the sin* which so
easily besets us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and
Finisher of our faith… Hb. 12:1,2
*burden,
encumbrance *err, do wrong, sin