Be Strong and Courageous: Trust and Obey God

Sep 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When God Says, “I Am With You Wherever You Go”

The command to “be strong and courageous” is not a pep talk but a promise rooted in God’s presence. Joshua faced overwhelming responsibility—leading a nation into unknown battles, settling disputes, and carrying Moses’ legacy. Yet God anchored Joshua’s courage not in his ability but in divine companionship. This same promise holds for those navigating uncertainty, grief, or new frontiers. Trusting God’s nearness dismantles the myth that we must face life alone. His presence transforms fear into fuel for faithfulness. [49:48]

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What situation feels like a “Jordan River” in your life—an obstacle demanding courage you don’t have? How might God’s promise of presence reframe your fear?

Day 2: Obedience Is the Bridge to Unshakable Confidence

Success in God’s economy isn’t measured by outcomes but by faithfulness to His Word. Joshua’s mandate to meditate on Scripture “day and night” wasn’t about academic study but actionable trust. Like tightening a screw to fix a car instead of receiving cash, God’s solutions often surprise us. Obedience builds a track record of His reliability, whether in tithing, forgiving, or enduring hardship. Each act of surrender becomes a stone in the bridge between doubt and unwavering trust. [59:04]

“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 good success.” (Joshua 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you hesitated to obey because God’s solution didn’t match your expectations? What “screw” might He be asking you to tighten today?

Day 3: Courage Is Doing What Scares You Anyway

True courage isn’t the absence of fear but the resolve to act despite it. Joshua witnessed rebellion, plagues, and Moses’ struggles—yet he chose to lead. The pastor’s story of facing debt collectors and difficult conversations mirrors this tension. Courage grows when we name our fears aloud, then take the next faithful step. It’s the phone call made, the apology offered, the prayer whispered when answers seem distant. Every small “yes” to God weakens fear’s grip. [01:03:15]

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:23–24, ESV)

Reflection: What specific action have you avoided because of fear? How might taking that step today become an altar of trust?

Day 4: When Trust Is Built One Miracle at a Time

Trust isn’t built in a moment but through a lifetime of seeing God’s faithfulness. The pastor’s testimony—six heart surgeries, restored family relationships, decades of tithing—reveals a pattern: crisis followed by provision. Like Joshua remembering the Red Sea crossing, we collect “stones” of remembrance—answered prayers, unexpected provision, healed wounds. These become the foundation for trusting God’s next promise, even when the path seems unclear. [57:44]

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” (Psalm 37:25, ESV)

Reflection: What “stone of remembrance” from your past can you hold onto in your current struggle? How does it testify to God’s faithfulness?

Day 5: Jesus’ Promise Echoes Through Every Age

“I am with you always” isn’t a sentimental slogan but an eternal reality. From Joshua’s battles to the pastor’s hospital beds to our modern anxieties, Christ’s presence transcends time and circumstance. This promise outlasts failure, rejection, and even death. Whether facing a diagnosis, a broken relationship, or spiritual doubt, His nearness remains the anchor. The same God who parted the Jordan walks with us into every unknown. [01:04:29]

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, ESV)

Reflection: How would living as if Jesus is physically beside you today change your decisions? What burden could you hand Him this moment?

Sermon Summary

Joshua 1 opens with a massive change. Moses is dead, and Joshua has to take the lead of a nation that has seen miracles, judgment, complaints, idols, and all sorts of attitudes. God does not pretend that Joshua has an easy job ahead of him. God commands him again and again, “Be strong and courageous,” because he has every reason to tremble.

Joshua’s courage rests on God’s presence, not on Joshua feeling confident. God says, “I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you,” and that promise carries success, prosperity, and strength wherever Joshua goes. Joshua had survived the season under Moses because he did not carry the junk, build an idol, or turn against God’s appointed leader. God now calls the man who stood strong in the trials to step into what God has given him.

Trust becomes the first key. Trust is like a bridge, and broken trust can take years to rebuild. God’s faithfulness, however, does not depend on answers arriving in the exact form expected. A need for a hundred dollars may be answered by someone fixing the vehicle instead. God does not forget his people, and he always has a way.

Psalm 37 anchors that trust: “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken.” God’s faithfulness has held through painful family situations, heart operations, debt collectors at the door, and seasons that felt like hell. God’s people may face cruel hits, but God does not forsake the righteous.

Obedience becomes the second key. Jesus’ blood makes believers righteous before God, not their own works, because his blood does a complete work and removes sin. Obedience still requires a choice. Joshua is told to keep God’s Word in his mouth, meditate on it day and night, and not turn right or left. Obedience to God, including faithfulness with finances, gives confidence for the future because God’s promise does not fail.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing what feels frightening because it is the right thing to do. God gives grace to make the hard phone call, meet with the difficult person, and face the situation that cannot be avoided. Jesus seals the promise in Matthew 28: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God’s presence makes strength and courage possible.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust God beyond expected answers Trust grows when God’s people learn that an unanswered prayer is not necessarily an ignored prayer. God may meet the real need in a completely different way than expected. His faithfulness is not limited by human plans, timing, or preferred outcomes. [55:54]
2. God never forsakes the righteous Psalm 37 does not promise an easy life free from pain, debt, sickness, or family trouble. God’s faithfulness means that hardship does not get the final word and abandonment is never God’s posture toward his children. Long years with God prove his character in ways that easy seasons cannot. [57:44]
3. Obedience gives confidence for tomorrow Christ’s blood establishes righteousness before God, but obedience remains a real choice each day. God’s Word calls for a life that does not drift right or left according to fear, culture, or convenience. Faithful obedience gives a person confidence that God will sustain what lies ahead. [60:08]
4. Courage acts while fear remains Courage does not wait for internal turmoil to disappear. Courage receives God’s grace to do the hard thing that love, truth, and obedience require. God’s presence turns fearful steps into acts of faith. [63:02]
5. Jesus remains present to the end Jesus does not promise his people a brief season of help and then leave them to carry life alone. His presence reaches through every age, every trial, and every unknown future. His abiding presence is the reason strength and courage are possible.

## [64:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:57] - Worship and Prayer
[47:41] - Opening Remarks
[48:29] - The Call to Courage
[49:10] - Joshua Takes Moses’ Place
[50:42] - Joshua’s Difficult Assignment
[52:35] - A Man Who Survived the Trials
[53:57] - The First Key: Trust
[54:42] - Building the Bridge of Trust
[56:15] - God Answers in His Own Way
[57:44] - Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken
[59:04] - The Second Key: Obedience
[61:00] - Obedience and Financial Faithfulness
[62:48] - Courage Overcomes Fear
[64:08] - Jesus Is With You Always
[65:06] - Invitation to Surrender to Christ
[68:24] - Prayer for Courage

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Joshua 1:1–9
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good 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 good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” [00:48:29]

Psalm 37:25
“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” [00:57:44]

Matthew 28:20
“Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [01:04:10]

Observation questions

In Joshua 1, what major change had just happened in Israel, and what responsibility was Joshua being asked to carry? [00:50:42]
What words or promises does God repeat to Joshua, and what does God say Joshua must do with the Book of the Law?
What does Joshua’s earlier conduct in the wilderness reveal about the kind of person God was calling into leadership? [00:52:50]
What examples show that God may answer a real need differently from the way a person first expected? [00:56:15]

Interpretation questions

God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous several times, while also telling him not to be frightened or dismayed. What does this show about the difference between courage and simply feeling no fear? [01:02:48]
Joshua’s confidence was rooted in God’s promise, “I will be with you,” rather than in Joshua’s ability to handle a difficult assignment. How can God’s presence change the way a believer faces an overwhelming responsibility? [00:53:26]
Psalm 37:25 says the righteous are not forsaken, yet faithful people still experience sickness, financial pressure, and painful family situations. What should believers understand this promise to mean—and not mean? [00:57:54]
Believers are made righteous through the complete work of Jesus, but they are still called to choose obedience. How can a believer hold together grace, forgiveness, and the daily choice to obey God? [00:59:22]

Application questions

What is one situation in your life right now that feels like a “Jordan River”—a new responsibility, difficult decision, strained relationship, or unknown future? What would it look like to take the next step trusting that God is with you?
Have you ever prayed for a specific answer, only to find that God met the deeper need in a different way? How did that experience affect your trust in Him? [00:56:01]
Is there an area where broken trust—with God or with another person—has made it difficult for you to move forward? What honest step could help begin rebuilding trust in a healthy way? [00:54:44]
Joshua was told to keep God’s Word in his mouth and meditate on it day and night. What simple, realistic practice could help you keep Scripture in front of you during this coming week?
Is there an area of obedience where you have been drifting to the right or left because of fear, convenience, pressure, or uncertainty? What would a faithful next step look like?
Finances can be an area where fear is especially strong. How can you grow in faithfulness, honesty, generosity, and wise stewardship while trusting God with your future? [01:01:08]
Is there a hard phone call, conversation, apology, boundary, or decision that you have been avoiding? What would courage look like if fear does not disappear first, but God gives grace to do what is right? [01:03:17]

Sermon Clips

61s

#CourageOverFear

“courage is not the absence of fear, but it's overcoming the fear. A lot of people think, man, you know, why do I feel this? Well, that's just part of the journey of learning how to overcome the internal turmoils. Courage is actually about doing what you're afraid to do, but know it's the right thing to do. Every one of you have had experiences, I'm sure, where you think, I don't want to ring that person. But you know you've got to. And of course, what courage does, it gives to you the grace to be able to do these things. And I've had to make phone calls. I've had to meet up with people. I've had to talk through situations, and it's all been horrible, horrible stuff.”

64s

#DoItAfraid

“I just think courage is not the absence of fear, but it's overcoming the fear. A lot of people think, man, you know, why do I feel this? Well, that's just part of the journey of learning how to overcome the internal turmoils. Courage is actually about doing what you're afraid to do, but know it's the right thing to do. Every one of you have had experiences, I'm sure, where you think, I don't want to ring that person. But you know you've got to. And of course, what courage does, it gives to you the grace to be able to do these things. And I've had to make phone calls. I've had to meet up with people. I've had to talk through situations, and it's all been horrible, horrible stuff.”

42s

#TrustThroughTrials

“But for me, it's just years of trust where I have found the Lord has done miracles in my life. I just sang to pastor Craig, I've had six heart operations, and I nearly died twice. And I'm alive, and people can't believe it. They wonder how it is. But you see, I've been young, and now I'm old. And I've been through hell, but I'm still going because the Lord is faithful and he's not forsaken me. And that's trust.”

78s

#ObeyAndProsper

“about obeying the Lord. And, you know, the thing about obedience, as he said there, you obey the word and you will have success. You'll be prosperous. You'll be okay. Now, actually, obedience is really important. And part of what happens is, you know, we we are righteous because of what Jesus Christ did for us. He cleansed us. He washed us with his blood and all of that sort of stuff. So I am righteous before God, not because of my own works, but because of what he has done. Now I understand that. I believe that. I believe that I stand before God, righteous as his child, because the blood of Jesus did something that the Old Testament could never do. The Old Testament covered. But in the New Testament, as far as the yeast is from the West, so far he has removed my sin from me. It's a very different concept once you come into the New Testament. And he has removed the sin. The blood of Jesus has done a work, a complete work. And so I can walk in obedience,”

35s

#TrustGodAlways

“God will be with me no matter what. Now I think there are two keys in all of that, and let me just share them. And the first key is trust. It's the call to trust God no matter what. Trusting that God will really live up to his word, that God wouldn't forsake him, and that he would remain with Joshua no matter what. That's a word for every Christian here tonight.”

52s

#GraceToOvercome

“So for you tonight, this is your prayer, And I believe the spirit of God would just impart to you right now. For those that lifted their hand, where there has been, father, a lack of courage, a fear, whatever that has hindered them. I am praying that right now, a grace would come in the spirit upon each one that lifted their hands, a special grace and empowerment to overcome and to be able to walk with encouragement, with strength, with a sense of your presence. Father, tonight, touch them so powerfully In Jesus' name.”

45s

#SpiritEmpowers

“For those that lifted their hand, where there has been, father, a lack of courage, a fear, whatever that has hindered them. I am praying that right now, a grace would come in the spirit upon each one that lifted their hands, a special grace and empowerment to overcome and to be able to walk with encouragement, with strength, with a sense of your presence. Father, tonight, touch them so powerfully In Jesus' name.”

45s

#TitheAndTrust

“let me tell you something. We've done that for fifty two years, tithe and given to the Lord. my future, financially, whatever happens, I'm gonna be okay. Do you know how I know that I'm gonna be okay? Obey the Lord and you shall have success. That's what he said to Joshua, and that's what he says to me. And that's why I would encourage everyone, you be a person who actually tithes, brings offerings to the Lord, and you can have absolute confidence that your future will be okay.”

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