Sometimes we feel the challenges God presents to us are too big to overcome.
The problems we face seem to form a giant wall we can’t get past. It looms over us, and no matter how we batter at it, it seems to dig deeper roots and grow ever taller.
How can we make our walls come tumbling down?
Take Joshua and the battle of Jericho. An old spiritual tells us that Joshua “fit” the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down. Yet, in Joshua 1:9, in the midst of battle, God told Joshua three times to be strong and of good courage.
Why did God say this to Joshua, not once, but three times? This was one of the mightiest men of the Old Testament, Moses’ successor, one of the two spies that had the courage to take the Promised Land, even when the other ten quaked in fear.
Joshua knew fear and discouragement. God understood Joshua needed to find a way to believe in himself again.
Lesson #1: Fear can destroy our effectiveness for God.
Fear comes suddenly and stops us from doing what God has called us to do. Even so, there is hope in Jesus Christ. We don't have to live in fear.
In WWII, Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself." That is also true for the Christian. We cannot let fear strangle us. Remember God’s words to Joshua: “Be strong and of good courage.”
Lesson #2: Discouragement can destroy our effectiveness for ourselves.
If we let discouragement in, we lose heart, our days become dark, and it is all we can do to put one foot in front of another.
Why do you think God had to tell Joshua three times to be strong? He faced discouragement. He was the great man of God, but the height of his walls had pulled him down.
As Christians, God wants us to be strong and of good courage. He tells us to meditate on the Word day and night, and to encourage one another daily. If we reach out to others and give them a good word, we will find our own heart lifted as a result.
We must also remember that God’s timing is not our timing. It wasn’t until the seventh day when Joshua commanded the people to shout that the walls tumbled to the ground. There are times our walls will seem impenetrable. However, when God says to shout, he will bring our walls to the ground.
In 2 Timothy 1:7, we find encouragement we can all take to heart, for Timothy tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage.
Fear and discouragement can knock down any Christian. However, when we encourage one another, and we follow God’s instructions, he will bring us our victory.
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