Faith Over Fear

I apologize for the devotion being late. We are in the middle of a four-day study on spiritual strongholds and yesterday was a that day literally got by me without having time to write the devotion.

As I have studied strongholds, I have come realize three things. First, we all have some spiritual strongholds. Second, they are not easy to get rid of. Third, Jesus has already defeated them through the cross and the resurrection.

The spiritual stronghold that has been strongest in my life is fear.

I grew up conditioned to fear things. Fear had a grip on my life for a long time.

One of the parts of God’s Word that has helped is Joshua chapter 1.

Four times in the eighteen verses of Joshua 1 God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. God never commands us to do and be something that He does give us the resources to do or be.  

Each time God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, He also gives him a reason to do it.

Joshua 1:6

Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

The first reason is because God will use Joshua to fulfill His promise to the people.

Notice, God does not say that Joshua might or could. He says Joshua will lead the people to the promised land.

God is an all-powerful God who can do things that to humans is impossible. God is telling Joshua I have the power to accomplish this through you so trust Me.

God says that this is the land that He has sworn to give the people. God is a faithful God. He always fulfills His word. He always comes through with what He promises.

You and I don’t have to live fearfully because God is all-power and faithfully fulfills His Word.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about believing God and knowing He will fulfill His Word.

Joshua 1:7-9

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. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; mediate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 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.

The second reason is that when we obey God, He will bless us.

Obedience brings the blessing of God. That doesn’t mean you won’t face some difficult times. But in the midst the difficult times we don’t have to fear because God will bless us.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is obeying God in every circumstance and receiving His blessings.

The third reason is that God will be with you and I wherever we go.

Joshua was going into a land filled with enemies. The different people that the Israelites would encounter would have one goal, to destroy them.

We live in a fallen world and our enemy, Satan, wants to destroy us. We will face enemies, but just as Joshua did not have to fear because God was with him, so we don’t have to fear because God is with us.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing God is with us all the time and living based on that knowledge.

Joshua 1:16-18

Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. 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.

The fourth reason is that God gives us His authority as we obey His call on our lives.

Joshua may have worried a little when the people said they would obey him as fully as they had obeyed Moses. Joshua could remember plenty of times they rebelled against Moses’ leadership and had not obeyed him. But Joshua knew that Moses had operated under the authority of God and that he had been appointed the Israelite leader and that as he operated under God’s authority God would guide and protect him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is operating under the authority of God.

These four reasons that God gives us for be strong and courageous and thus not being fearful have something in common.

They all are centered in God not us.

They are based on God’s Word.

They are based on God’s faithfulness.

They are based on God’s power.

They are based on God’s authority.

Courage is not, not being afraid.

Courage is not letting the fear control you, but letting God control you.

When I came to really believe that God loved me and that He was willing and able to handle everything I would ever face in life, I started living based on faith not fear.

In Faith Not Fear Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

                                               Joe