Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Be strong and courageous Part II


"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”  Joshua 1:7-8

We have all seen it far too often.  The person who attempts to perform the works of God in their own power will find themself consumed with spiritual pride, but the man who does the work of God in the power of God will glorify God.  The beginning of courage is the deep understanding that we are doing God's work.

Anyone stepping out to accomplish a great work for God needs to prayerfully and carefully determine that this is His will.  Fear may often be the result of not truly discerning whether or not we are doing God's will.  Fear, in this instance, may be of God and not of our weakness.  Next, we must remember that to do the right thing in the wrong way is to do the wrong thing.  Therefore, our next principle of courage…

  • The Courage of the Christian increases as he accomplishes God's work in God's way.  (see verses 7-8)
To KNOW the will of God is man's highest knowledge.  Discovering God's method requires meditation, prayer and time with God.  But just to know what God wants done is not enough.  God reveals Himself and brings glory to Himself in the WAY that He does things.  Satan loves to confuse our message by infiltrating our method.  It is just as important to know God's method as it is God's purpose.  God's message will never change, but God's method is as changeable as time and men.  To hold to methods as sacred is to lose our relevance to the world that we are speaking.  Many churches have lost their relevance because they have been unwilling to change their method.  While they understand the message, it remains clouded to the world around them.  God's method will never contradict His Word. So, He commands us to meditate upon it.  It is always relevant.  Proper meditation is:
  • Upon the Word of God, not the writings of men.
  • Performed day and night, not spasmodically.
  • Receiving God's blessing requires obedience.
To DO the will of God is man's greatest task.    We may test the value of our meditation by the obedience that results.  God's Word will bear fruit.  Prosperity and victory are the results of TOTAL OBEDIENCE.  "be careful to do according to all the law" says that God's will is not a cafeteria line.
The courage of the Christian increases as he finds confidence in God's method as much as God's message.  Pray for your church leadership.  This is the hardest task for the staff of any church, to discern the method of attack that will create confidence in the people.  Many a church today has been stilled because they refuse to be courageous in their method.

Scripture to Claim:
They answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.”  Joshua 1:16-17

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