Be strong and courageous

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Seven times in the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua, we see Joshua being told to ‘be strong and courageous’: by Moses (Deut. 31:6, 7), by the Lord (Deut. 31:23, Josh. 1:6, 7, 9), and by the people (Josh. 1:18). It was obviously something Joshua needed to hear!
But this is not merely an exhortation or encouragement, nor words to hype up Joshua’s determination. It is a command. How can you command someone to be strong and courageous? Surely some people are more courageous than others, and some don’t have any courage at all?
Here’s the thing: we need to look at who is giving the command. God gives people all kinds of seemingly impossible commands: be perfect (Matt. 5:48), love one another (John 15:12), take up your bed and walk (John 5:8). We have a choice to obey or not – to exercise faith, or to continue in unbelief. But as we decide to obey, God enables us to do it. Through Him we can find strength and be courageous – based on the knowledge that He will never leave us nor forsake us. With God, you are on the winning side. There is no need to be afraid.