Be of Good Courage
By Mrs. Cathy Corle “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? 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 1:1-9) In my early years of learning to love the Word, one of the first books of the Bible and characters that I was interested in was Joshua. I remember listening to preaching on the story when Joshua led the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho and, without one offensive action on their part other than obedience to God’s command, the walls of the city collapsed and the victory was theirs. I remember, as a teenager, singing the song, “And the walls came tumbling down, Joshua, Joshua marched seven times around.” I remember some of the first times that God spoke to my heart through His Word and challenged me to believe that God could use, bless, protect, and miraculously intervene to help me serve Him, just like He did for those people I read about. Thinking about encouragement brought me back to Joshua chapter one. Any time I am writing or speaking, I marvel at how often I find myself using the word ‘encouragement.’ I must really need it, and think everyone else needs it, too! But whether you would say that’s my spiritual gift, or just my greatest need, I find myself coming back to it again and again. So let me bring that topic around one more time! If I say to you right now, and I do, “Be encouraged! Be strengthened.” I think I might be hinting around at the same idea, except that those words coming from me are merely counsel. God’s word gives us a command to ‘be of good courage,’ and offers much to enable us to get that encouragement from Him. Joshua was commanded to be of good courage as he faced his new task. My husband says so often, “God’s commands are His enablings,” and it seemed like I could see the truth of that in this chapter. Joshua could ‘be of good courage’ because of God’s calling and command. “Have not I commanded thee? 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.” God is never unreasonable to command us in any area where He does not also equip us. Joshua could be of good courage because of God’s promise and presence. “...as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage:...” Joshua could be of good courage because our own fears and failures evaporate before God’s supply of strength and success available through the scripture. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage;...” When the Lord repeats almost the same wording of that command in verse seven, He stresses it even more strongly “...and very courageous,” adding some force and umph to the words. It’s interesting that Moses not only passed on his job to Joshua of leading Israel to the Promised Land, he also passed along the same command and promise. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Then comes my favorite verse in the chapter, and probably yours, too. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Why should I be discouraged by the fear of failure when nothing depends upon me, my ability, my wisdom or my strength? It all depends upon God’s miracle-working power that’s within easy reach through a constant 24 hour a day relationship of loving and living His Word. Notice that he mentions speaking it, meditating on it, and obeying it before the mention of prosperity and success. And of course, I need to differentiate between success in some dreams, plans, goals or desires that I have fabricated from my imagination and the plan and purpose that God has for my life. But failure isn’t mentioned within a million miles of that correct relationship to the Bible! I feel better already! After that the courage command is repeated for us again. “Have not I commanded thee? 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.” This time he also forbids us to allow the enemy to have us cowering and quaking in dread through his constant harassment and threatening and intimidation. I don’t need to be beaten down by the confusion or scare tactics the devil loves to play games with. Victory is already secured. Because of how strong and smart I am? No, not at all! Because “...the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Just like He promised back in verse five: “...as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” When I remember that God can only be limited by Himself, it’s precious to know that He cannot fail me through weakness or inability, and He refuses to forsake me by choice, and walk out of my life. ‘I am His and He is mine’ are some pretty exciting words from scripture. You can’t help but hear the echo of that in Hebrews 13:5-6, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says, “Courage n. [the heart.] Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution. It is a constituent part of fortitude; but fortitude implies patience to bear continued suffering. Courage that grows from constitution, often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it; courage which arises from a sense of duty, acts in a uniform manner.” I was surprised to see what came up from my computer’s dictionary, so I think I’ll share some of it as well. “Courage - noun - the ability to do something that frightens one : ‘She called on all her courage to face the ordeal.’ Strength in the face of pain or grief. ‘He fought his illness with great courage.’ ORIGIN Middle English (denoting the heart, as the seat of feelings): from Old French corage, from Latin cor ‘heart.’ Courage is what makes someone capable of facing extreme danger and difficulty without retreating, as in ‘the courage to confront the enemy head-on.’ It implies not only bravery and a dauntless spirit but the ability to endure in times of adversity. Guts is a slang word indicating an admirable display of courage when it really counts. Fortitude is the most formal of any of these words; it suggests firmness or strength of mind rather than physical bravery. Resolution also implies firmness of mind rather than fearlessness, but the emphasis is on the determination to achieve a goal in spite of opposition or interference. Tenacity goes one step beyond resolution, adding stubborn persistence and unwillingness to acknowledge defeat...” So if that’s the meaning behind the word ‘courage,’ what does it mean to say ‘encourage?’ Does it just mean that you sympathize and try to make someone feel better? Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says, “Encourage - give or build up courage To give courage to; to give or increase confidence of success; to inspire with courage, spirit, or strength of mind; to embolden; to animate; to incite; to inspirit.” We have the capacity, as well as the responsibility, to instill courage in others and increase their confidence in trusting and serving the Lord. The word ‘encourage’ is also used in speaking of Joshua in Deuteronomy 3. Moses is retelling of God’s dealings with him. “And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you...” Then the Lord speaks to Moses about the fact that he will not lead the nation the rest of the way, but Joshua is to take over. “But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.” (Deuteronomy 3:21-29) The words ‘edify’, ‘exhort’, and ‘encourage’ are Bible terms that seem like they could be several facets of the same ministry. It’s our job to edify and strengthen each other, spurring and inspiring each other to keep on when the devil whispers defeat. It’s a ‘you-can-do-it,’ ‘we’ll cheer you on’ type of attitude and atmosphere that we ought to create. That positive and encouraging spirit ought to prevail in our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25) But the power of the tongue is not only capable of being used for good. Webster’s 1828 defines the word ‘discourage’ in this way. “Discourage - steal or tear down courage.” 1. To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits; to deject; to deprive of confidence. 2. To deter from any thing; 3. To attempt to repress or prevent; to dissuade from; as, to discourage an effort.” Another dictionary says, “Discourage - verb - to cause (someone) to lose confidence or enthusiasm. To prevent or seek to prevent (something) by showing disapproval or creating difficulties. To persuade (someone) against an action.” I guess I was amazed when I realized that Joshua was involved in a passage that utilized this word, too. When the 12 spies were sent into Canaan 40 years prior, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who brought back a good report. They said to the other ten in Numbers 32:7, “And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?” What a sobering thought, that we have, in the power of our tongue, the ability to discourage someone from what God calls on them to do and has promised to equip them to do. It’s a fact of life (and the full time job of the devil, or so it seems) that you and I are going to need encouragement in our lives. We need to have our courage strengthened, our resolve renewed, our belief and trust in God’s promises reaffirmed. Where can you turn to for the encouragement you need? First of all, let God encourage you. Jeremiah seems to have faced one of the toughest ministries in the history of the world! Judgment was already determined, but God wanted a prophet to keep on preaching His truth to the kingdom of Judah. He didn’t want to let them forget what His prophets had been telling them throughout their history. My husband says, “God told Jeremiah, ‘I want you to go preach a revival, but I’m telling you already, there’s not going to be any revival. They will not repent.’” Jeremiah definitely couldn’t count on receiving any encouragement from the results and fruit of his labor! He had to draw his strength from his relationship with God. I’ve always loved these verses in Jeremiah chapter one. “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:4-9) From these youthful days, through rejection and ridicule, persecution and prison, even through his dark days of wishing he could just quit, Jeremiah’s only source of encouragement was God, Himself. He remained faithful and finished well, in spite of all the opposition he received. We can learn to go to God and His word for encouragement, too. Let others encourage you. It might be a sermon, a song, a book, a radio broadcast, a note or card from a friend, but there are a lot of ways we can be encouraged by others. I guess the favorite encouragement for all of us is what we can receive from a good friend. Jonathan was that kind of friend in the tumultuous early years of David’s life. First Samuel 23:16 says, “And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.” At a low point, with a broken heart and seemingly nowhere to turn, David received strengthening and encouragement through the friendship of Jonathan. We all have times when we’re tempted to quit, or maybe tempted to lash out and say or do things we know would not please the Lord. How valuable is that friend who listens and cares, and reminds us, “I know that’s what you feel like doing, BUT...” “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17) There may even be times when it seems like the sparks fly when iron sharpens iron, but there is no replacement for a friend who cares and gives you the encouragement and advice that God wants you to hear. And, as I’ve said before, in order to make it for the long haul, you’ve got to learn to encourage yourself, too. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” (I Samuel 30:6) Surround yourself with encouraging things and encouraging people, because the day will come when you desperately need it. Okay, here’s the crazy-sounding one! Let discouragement encourage you. Now you’re sure I’ve finally lost my mind! (It does wander at times!) “Cathy Corle, explain to me right now how in this world you can receive encouragement out of discouragement.” I guess it requires another look from a different perspective. When the devil fights, I guess it means I’m doing something right. It means my opportunity is not hollow and worthless, but a genuine threat to the devil’s goals, and that’s why he wants to stop it. Paul said that at Ephesus he had encountered a great door and effectual, but he faced many adversaries. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” (I Corinthians 16:9) The reason there were many adversaries is because it was such a great door. The enemy doesn’t intend to give us a free pass, but God has promised triumph in spite of all the adversaries and oppositions. We learned early in evangelism that if the truck broke down and the trailer lost a spring and we got a ticket from running late, dealing with all that, we were on our way to a good revival meeting! If we called for final directions and learned that the parsonage was flooded, the church van was broken down on the other side of town, and every two year old in the nursery had the croup, the Lord was fixing to do something good! Count on it. Every time there is a great door, there will always be many adversaries. Just recently this particular thought struck a chord with me, so I’ve been letting it hang around because I think it helps me. I have tried, since I think I’m vulnerable to discouragement, to ignore the criticism I (we) sometimes receive, and focus on pleasing the Lord. I am sometimes my own worst critic, and I have learned the hard way that for me to beat on myself accomplishes nothing that’s good, nothing that helps me to serve the Lord. Negative thoughts and words don’t do much to help anybody, not ourselves or others. I don’t want to allow what someone says about me to make me discouraged or bitter or self-conscious or vengeful or cynical or defeated. My job is to keep on keeping on, serving the Lord in the I Corinthians 15:58 fashion. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” So here’s my thought: My husband was preaching a very moving message about the trials of Job, and I realized that, at the very same time and occasion that God was saying Job was the greatest, was when other people were saying Job was absolutely the worst. While God was bragging on Job, assigning descriptive adjectives to him like ‘perfect’, ‘upright’, ’none like him’, it was not at a time that every one in town was saying he was such a great guy. Even his so-called friends were criticizing and accusing him, looking for the worst in him and sure they had found it. But God knows the truth. Even though other people may be ripping you to shreds verbally, it doesn’t mean that God sees you in the same way. That could be the very time when God is the most pleased with you. I got such a blessing from that little thought, and it just put one more nail in my determination to keep on loving and serving the Saviour, unhindered by what anyone else says, thinks or does. Even if every person in my life were to misjudge me, which is never likely to happen, God knows the truth. What God knows about me is not changed one single hairbreadth by what other people think or say about me. Even when I have failed my own expectations and am disappointed with myself, I am so blessed by the thought that God looks at me through the eyes of a loving Father, not with criticism and condemnation, but with patience, hope, help and forgiveness. If others feel I have failed or done wrong or had a wicked motive for doing something right, God is the only One who I will stand before and give account to. And since I am going to stand before Him, I had better live daily with that reality in mind, and not allow the devil to get me distracted by what others do or think or say, which in the big picture, is just about meaningless. Don’t let go of that thought. When people were saying Job was the worst man alive, God pronounced him the best. Maybe that’s even why people thought that; because Satan, in anger and opposition, worked to stir up their suspicion and attack against Job. People talk, and sinners will be sinners. What is it about us that makes us think everyone has a right to our opinion? Human nature dictates that whatever topic comes up in the conversation, (or whoever) we all have something to say. And if we’re not careful, it’s usually not very kind or Christian. I’m with Thumper’s mommy: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” But I do recall there were some moments when I wish I had been reminding myself of that little nugget of wisdom. It’s soooooo easy to fall into gossip and criticism in your conversation, even for people that are making an effort not to. But then there are other people who aren’t worried about it at all. It’s actually amusing to me that some of the most extremely unkind statements about my character, personality, family and service to God have come from people who have never one time in history had a conversation with me! Some of them I’ve never even been in the same room with! What about people who make sweeping statements concerning what I’m doing or thinking today, who haven’t seen my face in years? Where do they get all this information? Whether they are passing on (and adding to) some gossip they picked up from someone else, or just lumping me in with some group they’ve already decided to hate, there are a few folks (thank God they are not the majority!) who feel very free to trash talk about our motives (come on, you’ve never met me and you are claiming to know what I think?) our character, the sincerity and reality even of our walk with the Lord. (I thought I was the only human in the room when I read my Bible and prayed this morning.) How can they claim to know so much, good or bad, about someone they’ve never met or rarely ever see? We probably all get too much of our exercise by jumping to conclusions. I only say all that because I know that you have probably been faced with similar discouragements, and the devil will certainly try to capitalize on every one. He will try anything to get us to quit. There are times when I’m concerned about faults and failings in my life, praying, struggling and asking the Lord to help me overcome something. It’s kind of funny to think, “If those people knew what I know about my weaknesses and faults, they wouldn’t feel pressed to make up such hilarious tall tales!” I’m sure it’s God’s protection that keeps my critics from finding out the real areas where I get discouraged about myself. Nobody can ruin my day but me. Nobody can ruin my ministry/opportunity to serve God but me. Nobody can ruin my testimony but me. Their words might affect my reputation or ‘image’ in the eyes of somebody, but a testimony is based on what people see in me, not what they hear in someone else’s slanted opinion and accusation. My testimony is a tool for God to use, and I have the choice to decide what it becomes. So what should we do in response to those who criticize and discourage us? We need to follow that wise example we’ve heard about before: “I’ll just live so that none will believe them.” Jesus told us to pray for them. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44) (Okay, I may not want to, but I will again right now.) I hope you see that my motive is not just to criticize the critics! If that’s all I accomplished here, then what a waste of time! But I do want to remind you that we all face critics and fault-finders. In fact, before I had finished one year in the ministry, I had already learned that easy three-point outline on how to prevent criticism: 1) Say nothing. 2) Do nothing. 3) Be nothing. If you are determined to do anything that counts for eternity, that’s one thing you can successfully predict about the future! The devil is sure to try to discourage you through what someone has to say. But I’m learning that I can be encouraged -- even by discouragement! When God is pleased with a person, the devil will attack. When God is pleased with a person -- a few people will suspect, accuse and criticize. When God is pleased with a person -- THAT’S ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS! Why not join me in determining that all we need to do is get our eyes back on pleasing the Lord because that’s what really counts. Whether or not I hear the words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant...” is not up to the people who don’t like me. How I live and what God sees in my heart is totally up to me. Be of good courage! |
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