Slideshow image

BIBLICAL FOCUS:

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  — Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

What decision have you been delaying because you’re afraid of what it will cost you?

Courage doesn’t mean fear isn’t present, courage is obedience in the midst of fear. Joshua 1:9 is one of the clearest reminders in Scripture that God doesn’t just give instructions, He assures us that he is also present with us.

Joshua was stepping into unknown territory. Moses was gone. The responsibility was heavy. The future was uncertain. And God didn’t start by giving Joshua a detailed blueprint for every step. He started by commanding courage and grounding it in one unshakable truth: “For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

That’s enough to give us a ‘New Courage’. Because courage isn’t built on confidence in yourself. Courage is built on confidence knowing God’s is present. It’s the ability to move forward even when you don’t feel “ready,” because you trust the One who goes with you.

Most people don’t avoid obedience because they don’t love God. They avoid it because of false fears: fear of rejection, fear of conflict, fear of losing control, fear of being misunderstood, fear of failing again, fear of what could be the outcomes of decisions.

Fear offers “safety,” but it creates stagnation. It protects comfort, but it steals growth. It keeps you in the comfortable, even when the comfortable is unhealthy.

That’s why God’s Word says, “Do not be afraid or discouraged.”. Because fear wants to make you small. Discouragement wants to make you stop. But God calls you to stand up again, start again, try again, move forward again, because He is with you.

So today, ask for a new courage, courage to step out in faith. Courage doesn’t mean you won’t feel scared. It means you refuse to let fear be your leader. Because it is God that will lead you forward.

Steps of Action: Read, Write, and Pray

1) READ:

  • Joshua 1:1–9
  • Optional: Psalm 27:1–3 (God as your strength)

2) WRITE:

Answer honestly:

  • What step have I been avoiding out of fear?
  • What do I believe I might lose if I obey?

Write one sentence beginning with: “Lord, today I choose courage by…”

3) PRAY:

“Lord, You are with me wherever I go. Strengthen me with new courage. I refuse fear and discouragement. Help me obey You even when it’s hard, and trust You even when I can’t see the full picture. Lead me forward in faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.”