Strength by Obedience

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of what others say about you when you’re not around? Are

you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of the future? The biblical book of Joshua tells the story of how

God kept his promise to Abraham by giving his people a new land. God’s people had every reason to

be afraid: they were getting ready to do battle with some of the world’s strongest nations, yet they

were untrained for war. Their success would not depend on their physical preparation for battle,

however, but rather on their obedience to God’s commands; if they would only obey, God would

take care of the rest (Joshua 1:1-9).

The modern site of the ancient city of Jericho. Jericho is the first city Joshua defeats as he leads the Israelites into the Promised Land. According to the biblical tradition, this city was famous for its fortified walls. Image courtesy of bibleodyssey.org.

We can take the same approach in our own lives. There is nothing to fear if we obey God. He

promises to be with us wherever we go. It doesn’t matter what other people think or say about you.

Success in this life does not depend on your own ability or strength, but only on your obedience to

God. So the next time you fear the unknown, ask yourself one question: “Am I being obedient to

God?” If the answer is yes, then you have nothing to fear because God is with you wherever you go!