What if God says "GO"? - Joshua 1:9

THEME: WHAT IF GOD IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING?” DAY 4: WHAT IF GOD SAYS “GO”? “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid.” Joshua 1:9 There are moments in life when we know what we should do, but fear tells us to stay where we are. We want to move forward, but we are afraid of failing. We want to take the opportunity, but we are afraid it will not work out. We want to obey God, but we are worried about what people will say. And sometimes, in the middle of all that fear, God says simply: “Go.” Joshua must have understood that feeling. Moses, the great leader of Israel, was dead. Joshua had been chosen to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, but the responsibility before him was enormous. There were battles ahead, enemies to face, and an entire nation depending on his leadership. God knew Joshua was afraid, so He told him, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). God did not promise Joshua that there would be no challenges. He promised something greater: “I will be with you.” Sometimes we think courage means having no fear. It does not. Courage is moving forward even when you are afraid, because you trust the One who is leading you. Perhaps God is telling you to take a step today. Maybe you need to apply for that opportunity. Maybe you need to start that work. Maybe you need to have that difficult conversation. Maybe you need to leave something that is damaging your spiritual life. Maybe you need to step forward and serve God in a way you have been avoiding. Fear may tell you, “You cannot do it.” But faith says, “God is with me.” Peter experienced something similar when he saw Jesus walking on the water. Jesus told him, “Come.” Peter stepped out of the boat. For a moment, he walked on water because his eyes were on Jesus. But when he began to focus on the wind and the waves, fear took over and he began to sink (Matthew 14:28–31). The waves were real, but so was Jesus. Your challenges may be real. Your fears may be real. But God is greater than both. Sometimes we are waiting for God to remove every obstacle before we move. But God may be saying, “Move, and trust Me as you go.” Faith does not always mean knowing exactly what will happen next. Sometimes faith simply means taking the next step because you know Who is leading you. There is also a “Go” that every Christian must take seriously. Jesus commanded His disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The gospel is not something we are meant to keep to ourselves. There are people around us who need to hear about Christ. Perhaps God is saying, “Go and tell someone.” And if you have never obeyed the gospel, perhaps God is saying something even more personal: “Come.” Come to Christ. Leave your sins behind. Believe the gospel. Repent, confess your faith, and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16). Do not let fear keep you from obeying God. One day, we may discover that the greatest opportunities we missed were not because we lacked ability, but because we allowed fear to keep us from taking the first step. So, what if God says “Go” today? Do not wait until you feel completely ready. Do not wait until every question has been answered. Do not wait until you know exactly how everything will work out. If God has made His will clear, take the step. You may not know what is waiting on the other side of your obedience, but you can know Who is going with you. God told Joshua, “The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” And that same truth should give us courage today. Go forward. Go with faith. Go with courage. Go with obedience. And most importantly, go with God.