Joshua

     One of the most courageous men in Scripture is the man named Joshua.  But where did his courage come from?  It's not as though he had a highly trained professional army.  It's not as though he had superior weapons and grandiose military strategies.  What made him fearless in the face of a superior enemy often hidden behind large stone walls?  It wasn't what he had; it was who and what he knew.
     And what did he know?  First, he knew who he was, a child of God sent into battle by his Captain.  He was not where he was by accident.  He was not who he was by accident.  He was the man chosen by God to live in that place in that time period to face that foe.  He was a chosen man.  God had equipped him to wage the battle he had been sent to fight.  Unless God didn't know what He was doing, Joshua had nothing to fear--certainly not feelings of inadequacy.
     Joshua also knew the proper relationship between the past, the present, and the future.  God had taken care of all of Joshua's tomorrows yesterday.  "Every place that your foot shall tread, I have given to you."  Before the battle even began, the victory was assured.  Joshua's courage was firmly rooted in his confidence in the God who controlled the future.  What "might" happen was not an issue.  What would happen was in the hands of the omnipotent God he served.  The God "too loving to be unkind, and too wise to make a mistake."  Joshua need not fear an unknown future.  The future was known by the Lord of Hosts who sent him into battle.
     In addition, Joshua knew that he never went into battle alone.  No matter how hot the warfare, his Captain would never leave him or forsake him.  He would always be by his side.  Even if the entire army deserted him, he would not have to stand and fight alone.  Joshua need not fear an enemy who trembled in the presence of the King of Kings.  Though none go with him, he would follow.
     We, too, can have such courage in our spiritual warfare.  The powers we face are greater than the human ones Joshua went into battle against--"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood."  Yet, those truths that gave him such courage are unchanged.  We are where we are in time and space because God has chosen to place us here.  We are the ones He has equipped to fight the battle--to fight this battle.  We, too, need not fear an uncertain future.  The Captain of our Salvation has taken care of our tomorrows yesterday.  Our future--and the victory--are assured.  And we, like Joshua, never face the enemy alone.  We march into battle hand in hand with the King of Kings, the Lord of Hosts, the God of battle who has defeated every enemy--even death itself.  Its penalty, power, and presence are vanquished foes.  Why should I fear what man can do to me?
     The call of our Savior remains the same as it was to Joshua when he stepped into Moses' shoes and prepared to face the foe.  "Only be strong and very courageous."  Do not be afraid.  The God who has won the victory will never leave you nor forsake you.  The enemy trembles in His presence as He stands shoulder to shoulder with you in the spiritual warfare He has called and prepared you to fight.  "Put on the whole armor of God" and march on.