Fear

Joshua 1:1-11

Joshua 1:1-11  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.”

If someone had a right to be fearful it is Joshua.
How do you follow someone who parted the red sea?

How was he going to deal with all these people?
Joshua knew just how frustrating they could be.
Oh, Moses you take the easy part and I’m stuck leading the battles.

Ask most leaders of any group and you will find their greatest fears are not about the battles ahead. Their greatest fears are from the people they are leading.

The single biggest battle the modern church faces are a failure to trust and believe in person God has sent to lead them.

 

Fear in our personal lives causes depression and anxiety, but it comes out in many other ways. Fear can cause anger, substance abuse, isolation bulling and even hoarding. Fear has fueled wars, attacks on countries and attacks on people. Fear also can become crippling compliancy. “It’s comfortable here and I am afraid I will not be comfortable over there.”

 

It is true the Bible talks about fear as a good thing. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 1:7 But the word there is connected to respect for the power of something. When is the last time you cowered near a power line running to your house? But you respect that power line, you don’t play with it or touch it. The healthy respect for the power of God is a good thing.

 

What can we do to overcome our fears?

1.      Recognize them for what they are.

a.      Why am I acting they way I do?

b.      Why do I feel the way I do?

c.       The school bully

2.      Be strong and courageous

a.      Three times God tells Joshua this

b.      Each time it is follow by a “You can do this”

c.       The Lord will do these things.

3.      What to do

a.      Vs 8 know and do what God commands

b.      “It is not by might and not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord” Zech 4:6

c.       Build a safe place.

d.      Your home

e.      Our church

When we face our fears honestly, focus on knowing and doing God’s word, we have taken a step toward living a life of courage. “It is not by might and not by power but by My spirit says the Lord” Be strong and Courageous.