Joshua 1:7 - Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
When Joshua received the baton from Moses to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land, he was just at his young age. However, at such a young age, what is the secret of success of Joshua in leading thousands of Israelite? After the death of Moses, God shown to Joshua and gave him His command, which is His Word. What did He say?
In Joshua 1:5 says no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. I believe that as the Lord gave Joshua this Word, Joshua sure knows what God meant at that time. Joshua has seen how Moses led the Israelite out from Egypt, how the Red Sea departed, the incident of the serpent on the pole, Joshua sure knows when God is with Moses, what had happened! Therefore, the moment when Joshua received and believed in this God who keeps His covenant with His people, he knows that when God says no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life, I will never leave you nor forsake you, He meant it and He will surely accomplish it! It keeps Joshua strong and courageous!
Likewise, God has given us His Word, and our responsibility is to believe in what He says and act on what He says. God in Joshua 1:6-9 has been keep on telling Joshua to be strong and courageous. How are we supposed to be strong and courageous when things around us seems to be so overwhelming? How to be strong and courageous when you look at yourself and see yourself unable to lead this multitude of people? The answer lies in Joshua 1:7-8, be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you, do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful in wherever you go. Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it, then you will be prosperous and successful. In order to be strong and courageous, the first thing is you have to keep the Word within you, meditate on it day and night, talk about it and act on it. This is the instruction that God gave Joshua.
Only when you started to see His Word highly than your own, when you started to be Word-conscious instead of self conscious, then only you can be strong and courageous! Strong and courageous doesn't come from your own, it comes from the revelation of God, by knowing who you are in Christ, what you can do in Christ and what do you have in Christ! If you do not have this revelation, most of the time you will live your life like a yo-yo. The moment when you keep the Word within you, the next thing is to be conscious of God is with you. This enable Joshua to stay strong and courageous throughout his journey!
Therefore, regardless how weak you may feel right now, turn your focus to the Word and be conscious of His presence with you. Then you can live your life strong and courageous, no one will be able to withstand you all the days of your life. How great is our God!