January 1, 2026
P.S. Happy New Year! For 2026 we’re doing something different. Three times a week, I’ll be sharing a verse dealing with fear, depression, anxiety, and worry. There will be an explaination/breakdown of the verse, a devotional, and how the verse can be applyed to us today. Each post will show us how God is so much bigger than our problems and that He is always walking with us. I will share God’s promises that have stayed the same for thousnads of years.Come and join as we kick worry to the curb.
P.P.S. There were a lot of technical screw-ups with the New Year date change-over. I have been pulling my hair out trying to get this back online. I will admit, it broke me more than once. But we are up and running so there will be posts for the 1st through the 4th all posted today.
Stepping into the New-Joshua 1
”Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
Joshua 1:Break Down and Context
Joshua 1:9 is one of the most widely quoted verses in the Bible when it comes to building courage and overcoming fear. God spoke these words directly to Joshua when he took over leadership of the Israelites after the death of Moses. He faced the uphill battle of conquering the Promised Land.
”Have I not commanded you?” This is a rhetorical question (a question so obvious that the answer is not necessary) by God. It is His way of establishing His divine authority.
Courage, here, is not an optional emotional state. It is a direct command from God. Because the Creator of the universe is issuing the order, Joshua has a good reason and obligation to obey it.
”Be strong and courageous.” This command is repeated multiple times in Joshua 1. Here, “strong” refers to physical and mental firmness and fortitude. “Courageous” is boldness is the face of danger. This statement implies that fear will be present, but action must be taken anyway.
”Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” Joshua was facing a fortified city (a city with walls and gates), giants (the Anakites), and an army they had never faced and knew nothing about. With this statement, God addresses both the immediate reaction (fear) and the long-term emotional toll it may have (discouragement). It is a warning to not let the external obstacles break your internal resolve.
”for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” This is the solid theological promise that gives validatey to the entire command. Remember, God can not lie (Hebrews 6:18 NKJV), therefore this promise is as rock solid as it gets.
This means that true courage does not come from self-confidence, talent, or favorable circumstances. It relies entirely on the constant presence of God (Immanuel). His presence guarantees that Joshua is never isolated, no matter where his mission takes him.
Core Principles for the Application
- Courage is a Choice: Feeling fear is natural, but acting in spite of the fear is a deliberate decision you make that is rooted in obedience to God’s command.
- His Presence Over Our Circumstances: The promise He makes is not that the journey will be easy, but that you will not have to walk through it alone.
- The Fix For Discouragement: Reminding yourself of God’s past faithfulness protects your heart and keeps you from losing hope despite the many obstacles in your way.
Walking Unafraid Into Your Unknown
The Command for Boldness
Courage is often treated as a personality trait-some people have it and some people don’t. However, in Joshia 1:9, God shows courage as something entirely different. He presents it as a direct command, not as a feeling: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.”
When God spoke these words to Joshua, he was getting ready to fill the massive shoes of Moses. He was given the task of leading millions of people into unfamiliar territory filled with fortified cities and trying obstacles. Fear was the natural human response to his circumstances. Yet, God bypassed Joshua’s feelings and appealed directly to his will.
Choosing Strength Over Feelings
True biblical courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the deliberate decision to move forward in obedience to God anyway. God commands us to be strong/courageous because He knows our tendency to shrink back and cower when the path ahead looks difficult or uncertain. By making it a command, He is telling us to rely on Him and His strength rather than our ever changing emotions.
The Twin Enemies of Faith
God follows His command with a double warning “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” These two emotional states represent the immediate (afraid) and long-term (discouragement) enemies of our faith.
Breaking Down Fear and Discouragement
Fear: This is the sudden panic or anxiety that takes hold and grips us when we look at the size of our problems. It paralyzes us in the present moment. It is the immediate fear that causes us to shake, our chest to tighten, and darkness fills our soul.
Discouragement: This is the slow, heavy drain on our spirit that takes hold over time. It causes us to lose heart, making us want to give up on the future entirely. It is very hard to break free from discouragement. It is best to stop it before it takes hold and swallows us.
God addresses both of these because He wants to protect both our immediate reaction and our long-term endurance. He knows that if we let fear dictate our steps, or let discouragement settle into our souls, we will miss out on the “territory” He has called us to possess.
The Secret to Ultimate Confidence
The most beautiful part of this verse is the fact that God doesn’t leave us alone to gather up the courage. He gives us the ultimate reason for our boldness: “for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Our confidence doesn’t rest in our talent, our resources, or a guaranteed easy outcome. Our confidence rests soley on a Presence. Because the Creator of the universe walks beside us, we are never outnumbered, never abandoned, and never truly ill-equipped. Wherever your path leads today-into difficult conversations, new responsibilities, or a deeply uncertain future-you do not go alone.
This verse gave me comfort in light of my new endeavor; the same way God’s words comforted Joshua. When God called Joshua to lead, he was stepping into a massive, unknown future. He likely felt the same “what-if” worries we feel when we are starting a new job, project, or season of life. God didn’t just tell Joshua to “stop worrying”; He gave him a reason: His presence is the “guiding light” that traveled with him. The same “guiding light” that travels with us. This means we are never walking into a new situation alone. God will be with us in this new year, helping us succeed at whatever venture we are being led to.
Applying Joshua 1 Today
Navigating New Careers or Missions
Use this verse when you are stepping out to do anything new-a job, starting a business, facing unemployment, or a new endevor God has called you to. True courage means moving forward despite the uncertainty.
Overcoming Mental Fatigue:
Apply this verse as a warning against the daily burnout, anxiety, and emotional drain from prolonged personal trials.
Stepping Into Leadership Or a New Mission
Lean on the presence of God when you have been tasked with leading your family, beginning a church ministry, or a team project in the workplace, especially when you feel unqualified.
Facing Difficult Conversations
Gather strength from the promise of God’s presence when you have to have a difficult conversation about setting boundaries, addressing conflict, or speaking the hard truths in a relationship.
Breaking Free from Stagnation
Recognize that staying comfortable out fear misses the best of God. He can do so much with you and your life if you obey His commands. New spiritual growth requires stepping into the unknown.
Grab a sticky note, index card, or piece of paper and write the Sticky Note Minute down. Keep it where you can see it or have access to it throughout the day. Look at it when you need to remind yourself that God is always with you. Let it remind you that you don’t have to have everything figured out-you just need to take the next step, with Him.
Sticky Note Minute: He is with me wherever I go.
A Call to Bold Obedience
Do not shrink back from the “territory” God has put in front of you. The obstacles in your life are real, but they are no larger than the God who rules over them. Your fears are loud, but they command of your Creator is louder.
Do not allow the immediate panic of your circumstances paralyze your steps, and do not let the slow weight of your discouragement eat away at your endurance. You are not called to move forward in your own strength, your own wisdom, or your own resources. You are called to move forward because the Sovereign Lord walks beside you. Step out in faith, take the next right step, and own the “ground” He has promised you.
Doxology of the Constant Presence
Now to Him who never leaves nor forsakes His people; To him who breaks the power of fear and heals the heavy, discouraged heart; To the eternal King who shields us in our going out and our coming in (Psalm 121:8 NKJV); To the only wise God, our Immanuel, be all power, glory, and praise, now and forevermore.
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You do not send us into the battles of life alone. Forgive us for the moments we allow fear to dictate our choices, or let discouragement settle deep into our souls. Break the paralyzing grip of anxiety in our in our hearts today.
We thank You that our courage does not depend on our own fluctuating emotions or our ever changing circumstances. Our confidence rests entirely on the unshakable promise of Your presence. As we travel the unknown paths of this week, give us the grace to be strong and courageous. Help us to feel Your hand guiding us and Your Spirit comforting us wherever we go. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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