Tag: I am with you always

If you are in ministry, I am sure you know that the visions God gives for the ministry are usually much bigger than the personal abilities of the ones He calls to complete it. This is normal. God’s plans will always be far greater than our own. If we are left to ourselves, we ought to be completely incapable of accomplishing them. The truth is, however, that too many people in the ministry find themselves living small lives and not accomplishing the visions God has given because their inadequacies and self-consciousness overwhelm them and paralyze them with fear. There has to be a secret to changing this. Well, it actually isn’t a secret at all. As we spend the next few posts looking at principles from the book of Joshua, today we will see that “boldness comes in the presence of the Lord.”

A Little Background

The book of Joshua begins with the death of Moses. The Exodus period and forty years of wandering in the wilderness is complete. Now it is time for the people of Israel to come into the land of their promise. It is at this point that Joshua, who had been the assistant to Moses for many years, as well as one of the original spies going into the land, is called by God into ministry leadership. 

The Lord said to Joshua, “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” (Joshua 1:2-3).

So Joshua is the new Moses. He is the head of the nation of Israel, and will now lead them into their inheritance.

There’s Still Something Missing

Filling the shoes of Moses was a big task. This man had led Israel for decades, and did so with many unusual talents. Moses spoke to Pharaoh with authority. He called down plagues on Egypt. He parted the Red Sea, brought water from a rock, and stood face-to-face with God, receiving the law, when all the people trembled and sought other idols. Moses was graced with supernatural wisdom in dealing with the people, and continually received revelation on where the people should go or what they should do.

Moses led Israel, not by his own strengths and abilities, but by walking daily in the presence of the Lord. That was the promise God made to him at the burning bush encounter! 

“Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, “But I will be with you…” (Exodus 3:11-12).

Now, after years of the supernatural taking place, Joshua is called to take over for Moses? Joshua is called to lead the people into an even more dangerous place, conquering kingdoms and claiming the promised land? How is he supposed to do that? Who wouldn’t be afraid?

In the midst of this calling is where God’s promise comes to Joshua, just as it had to Moses. “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).

The Fear-Breaking Presence

Moses was afraid of Pharaoh and the people of Israel when God called him to lead the people from Egypt. It was only on the promise of God’s abiding presence that he agreed to go. Over and over again, in his life, he brings this promise back to the Lord. In Exodus 33:15-16, Moses essentially tells the Lord, “If Your presence is going to leave me, then kill me now. I’m not doing this without You.” He knew that his fears were justified, if the overcoming power of God was not at work in and through him.

In Joshua, it is now this same fear-breaking presence of God that comes upon him. Immediately after making the promise to be with him, God expects Joshua’s outlook and expectation to change.

“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” (Joshua 1:5-6).

Joshua’s strength and ability to fulfill the vision the Lord gives him is directly tied to the presence of God in his life. Boldness comes in the presence of the Lord!

It Bears Repeating

God continues speaking to Joshua concerning the mission ahead of him. He gives an overview of the inheritance at stake. He then directs Joshua to keep righteousness according to the law of Moses as a priority. This would be a sign of his being “strong and courageous” (see Joshua 1:7-8).

Then, once again, so there is no misunderstanding, God makes clear the source of this boldness. “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).

From this point forward, throughout the book of Joshua, we see the presence of God at work, enabling Joshua to do everything God directed him to do. The Lord parted the waters so they cross the Jordan river on dry ground, the same way their ancestors crossed the Red Sea. Joshua is continually directed by the voice of the Lord in where to move, where to rest, how to build, and who to attack.

Over and over again, the miraculous is at work in Joshua’s life. Just think about the wall falling at Jericho as an example.

What About Us?

For those of us in the church, this principle is unchanged. While circumstances have changed in the details: how God saves His people, who is called to ministry, how we are called to serve, etc. What remains the same is that the task is much greater than we are. God is calling us to take the Gospel to every dark corner of the earth. That is scary! He is calling us to disciple entire nations. That is beyond any of our skillsets! 

The only way we are able to do everything He asks of us, and fulfill the visions He gives, is to find our boldness in His presence. It is the same for the church as it was for Joshua and Moses! Our boldness comes in the presence of the Lord. The New Testament spells all of this out for us.

The Promise Is Made

In Jesus’ final day on earth, right before He ascended to Heaven, He reiterated the promise to His disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

This isn’t the first time He told them that His presence would be with them, even if not physically. In John 14:12, He told them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” 

They were dismayed at His announcement that He was leaving, but in John 16:7, He again promises His presence to lead them and guide them in the work. “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

In Luke’s recollection of Jesus’ final commissioning, He writes that Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Once again, His presence is tied with the strength and courage to fulfill the work God has called us to do in the earth!

So What Do We Do?

If it isn’t obvious already, we, too, must find our boldness in the presence of the Lord.

He has called you, as a believer, to do the work of saving the lost and expanding His Kingdom in the world. This task is bigger than you are capable of doing. The natural tendency is to be overwhelmed by the size of the mission and to shrink back in fear.

We cannot!

Just like Moses; just like Joshua, and just like the first apostles, we must learn to depend on God’s presence to give us courage. We must listen to His voice for the wisdom of what to do and how to go about it. 

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). We cannot let fear of failure, nor the size of the task ahead of us pull us down. It is true that everything is against us. We are fighting against bigger and more powerful enemies than Joshua did, and our enemy is actively seeking our destruction (see John 10:10). It is true that we are sometimes lacking in our knowledge and education. It is true that our finances run short. It is true that the size of our teams helping us complete the work are too small.

Yet it is still true that none of those things matter, because we have the presence and power of the Lord working on our behalf.

So what do we do?

• We seek His presence, daily.
• We listen for the voice of God. (See my blog series on hearing His voice, here.)
• We await His instructions and wisdom to do the work.
• We look for opportunities for Him to demonstrate His power.
• We lay down our fear and find rest in the confidence that He is with us.

This is the principle we learn from Joshua, which has been demonstrated in every generation of believers in history! “Our Boldness Comes In the Presence of the Lord.”

Time to Take Action

So what about you? Do you live in fear of the calling on your life? Are you overwhelmed because God’s vision is too big for you to pull off alone? How can you seek His presence today to begin to turn things around? How does your prayer life need to change? Where do you need to seek wisdom and boldness to move forward? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership advice!