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.
”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)
Stepping Into The New: Joshua 1(Context)
Joshua 1 takes place during one of the most critical leadership handovers in ancient history.
- Moses, the legendary leader and only leader the younger generation of Israelites had ever known; the man who performed miracles and spoke face-to-face with God, had just died. Joshua, his assistant, is suddenly promoted to Commander-in-Chief.
- Joshua, likely feeling unqualified, overwhelmed, and deeply intimidated was tasked with the responsibility of leading millions of notoriously stubborn and easily panicked Israelites across the Jordan to the Promised Land.
- In addition to the personal characteristics, Joshua was facing an uphill battle with the Promised Land. To further add to the panic of the Israelites, it was reported that the Promised Land was filled with heavily fortified cities and elite warriors-including the intimidating descendants of Anak (giants).
- Joshua, despite how he was feeling, was personally spoke to and commissioned three distinct times by God. In Verses 6,7, and 9, of Joshua 1, God commands Joshua to “be strong and courageous”.
Verse Meaning and Breakdown
“Have I not commanded you?” (The Divine Authority): God begins not with an invitation but with a rhetorical question (a question whose answer is so obvious it is not required) to shift Joshua’s focus and reminds him of His absolute authority. It reminds Joshua that he didn’t volunteer for this job, nor did he win an election. He was drafted by the Creator of the universe. This shifts the weight off of Joshua’s shoulders. When God gives an assignment, He takes full responsibility for the outcome. God is basically saying: “This mission was not your idea. I choose you, and because I ordered it, the outcome is my responsibility, not yours.”
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged…” (The Double Command): God gives two distinct commands and two explicit prohibitions.
- Be Strong: The Hebrew word used is chazak (to fasten, bind tight, or brace) relates to physical firmness and digging your heels in to resist being pushed over by pressure.
- Be Courageous: The Hebrew word here is amatz (to be alert or mentally brave) is a matter of the heart. It is the mental and spiritual stamina to move forward even when you feel fear. God treats courage as a command, not a feeling.
God is telling Joshua to physically brace his body and mentally fortify his mind for battle.
In the second part of the clause, God tells Joshua to reject both. He addresses the two (2) greatest internal enemies of any believer:
Do Not Be Afraid: Al-ta’aroz (Hebrew) refers to sudden, paralyzing terror or dread when facing an enemy. Fear panics over the future (what might happen)
Do Not Be Discouraged: Al-techath (Hebrew) means to be broken down, shattered, or dismayed by long-term exhaustion. Discouragement gets crushed by the present (what is happening). God knows that long-term fighting brings on burnout, so He commands Joshua to guard his heart against despair.
“…for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (The Ultimate Guarantee): This is the most crucial part of the verse. God doesn’t tell Joshua to be brave because Joshua is inherently strong, skilled, or smart. God doesn’t promise Joshua that the battles will be easy, that he won’t feel fear, or that his strategies will work out perfectly, He promises His Omnipresence. Joshua’s courage is meant to be a byproduct of God’s presence. The promise of Immanuel (“God with us”) means that Joshua will never step into a territory, a battle, or a crisis where God is not already standing.
The phrase “wherever you go” meant that God wasn’t confined to a tabernacle or a specific geographical location. Whether Joshua was climbing an enemy wall, walking through a dark valley, or sitting in a lonely tent making military decisions, the Creator of the universe would be physically present alongside him.
Core Principles for the Application
The core message of Joshua 1:9 is that true courage is not the absence of fear, but the presence of God. God doesn’t wait for our scary circumstances to disappear before He tells us to be brave. Instead, He sends us straight into difficult situations with a guarantee of His constant presence. Our confidence shouldn’t come from our own abilities, but from the unshakable reality of Who is walking beside us.
It reminds us that true biblical courage is not an emotion we conjure up on our own; it is a deliberate choice to step forward based on who is walking next to us. When we are faced with intimidating changes, a new career path, or a difficult personal season, our confidence doesn’t come from our own perfection, but from the absolute guarantee of God’s unwavering presence.
- Courage is a Choice: Feeling fear is natural, but acting in spite of the fear it 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. Amen.
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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