Boldness versus Fear
Let’s read the following.
Joshua 1:1-9
Moses had died and Joshua was taking his place and he was to take the Israelites across the Jordan into the promised land. A daunting task when you have read the history of how much these people moaned and groaned about every little thing that they did not like about this Journey, and it was a journey that had taken 40 years because of their moans and fears and lack of trust in God and His promise to take them to a better place. Joshua must have had a whole lot of mixed feelings and emotions about what God was asking him to do.
Let’s look at some of what God said to Joshua.
V3 every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you as I said to Moses.
Then God proceeds to outline to Joshua in V4 all the boundaries of his promised land.
V5 -9
- no man will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.
- As I was with Moses so I will be with you
- I will not leave you or forsake you.
- Be strong and of good courage.
- He was re iterating a promising for his people an inheritance.
- Only be strong and very courageous.
- Observe and do according to the book of the law.
- Do not turn from it to the right or the left.
- That your way may be prosperous
- Then you will have good success
- Be strong and of good courage.
- Do not be afraid.
- Do not be dismayed.
- I will be with you wherever you go.
We can go on with the rest of this account in the bible and find out that Joshua decided to follow and trust God so he was bold and courageous and meditated on the book and was successful and prosperous.
There are many similar accounts throughout the bible.
Let’s look at one from the New Testament.
Acts 9:1-9
Paul was a Jew born in Tarsus in Rome who was proud of his Jewish heritage (Phil 3:5) he was circumcised he was of the tribe of Benjamin he was a Hebrew. He persecuted Christians and he was good at it he took his job very seriously and at that time he was known as Saul.
Yet here he had a face to face with Jesus was saved and had a turnaround and instead of persecuting Christians he had a ministry for the gentiles to help them come to Christ.
We as human beings seem to default to the safety net of habit what we are used to and the Israelites had wanted to go back to Egypt into captivity where they had had no freedom however their food had been provided and a place to sleep which they thought was better than coming out of their comfort zone and going for something better than trusting in God to provide this. We all would like the part of the promises and hopes that God has placed inside us however we all need to be in a place of trusting and obedience of what God is asking us to do and that is never comfortable. Many of us go by how we feel, and faith and feelings do not mix.
Both Joshua and Paul are great examples of how we can trust God both experienced a fear of the unknown both decided to trust step out in faith and believe God for their future.
Ephesians 3:12 tells us: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
2 Cor 3:12
Therefore, we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech.
In the boldness we have through Christ there is freedom Amen.
We can have many situations come against us throughout our lifetime and as they arise they are used by the enemy to cause fear it’s at this point we all should be able to turn to the word and promises of God use and stand on them instead of fear the older generation of Israelites did not enter the promised land because fear and lack of trust caused them to miss out.
Luke 21:25-28
Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on earth.
Some of the things which have already come on the earth are.
- children getting to choose what sex they want to be.
- the government seems to think that its ok
- the same government says they cannot drink or vote until they are sixteen.
- Same sex marriages
- Freedom of speech has gone.
- We are not even allowed to pray in silence in some parts of Britain.
it is unbelievable some of the things that the people who govern countries actually allow so we need to be bold and courageous, and we need to keep moving forward and just be obedient to what God is asking us to do and just do it afraid!!!!
Please Note Continue to pray for our government leaders they need a Saviour just as much as we do.
Fear is something we need we need to conquer with our faith and trust in who we are in Him Amen
2Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a Spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sound mind
God just loves you the way you are and if you step out and make a mistake then get back up and try again we need to be willing to fail its how we grow and mature and that’s how it will be as long a we live in a human body we will never be perfect but God loved each of us in sin before we knew Him He still loves us now but he wants us to grow and mature in Him GOD IS LOVE
We can’t earn it just receive it AMEN.
Do you want to be bold courageous, and successful just like Joshua and Paul have a turnaround and move into the more God has for you now, we are not all called to be leaders of nations or pastors like Joshua and Paul but we are called to trust God and move out in faith right where we are whether that be in a move of church, home, workplace, ministry family, financial situations that we may find ourselves in, we do not want to be stuck in the safety net of habit doing the same old same old year after year like the Israelites were and miss out on the promises and the plans that God has for each of us sometimes we just have to take a risk even when we Are not sure.
Testimony re house, Malachi, and the Meeting place
Now God gave me the house I lived in but I was stuck by going round the same mountain for 12 years and I was terrified not just fear that it was not Gods timing but I also knew that I could not stay in the same place any longer.
This week I recognised that God used this to get me to step out afraid and the meeting place has come along right after this but the biggest thing I have gained is a sense of freedom and my trust in Him has grown tremendously and I know that I know that I am on the right path of His plan and purpose for my life AMEN.
Now I do not know what is next nor do I need to because God knows, and I trust HIM.
God will never leave you or forsake you and we have nothing to prove or earn to God just receive reach out hold on to His hand and take a step of Faith.
So is it time for you to take a step out in boldness or remain in Fear.