Courage to Obey God Anyway

JOSHUA 1:7

Adversity acts in our lives as a mirror of sorts. It reveals the areas in which we need to improve, from God’s viewpoint. What a benefit there is for us to gain from divine perspective! Often, we feel we know where we are in life and what’s going on in our world. What we need is an objective view of reality...one that is not tainted by our assumptions. You see, just as a college chemistry examine can reveal our fitness for further study of the hard sciences, so life’s adversities reveal precisely where we are strong and whether we are fit for life's challenges. We need this perspective.

As with all other situations, we want to consciously look to the Lord during hard-times. When troubles come your way, also look inward to see what God is trying to show you about yourself.  Our Father is a relentless teacher and people developer. While this requires real honesty with oneself, use these self-evaluations to identify areas which need improvement and refinement. After all, none of us have arrived…right?  In this respect difficulties can be used to our advantage to further our spiritual progress in the Lord.  

I am certain you will agree we must move forward. Yes, this requires real courage and a deepening trust in the Almighty. We must keep growing in the Lord, and this demands bravery because we tend to grow more during adversities. Adversity is God’s tool of examination; accepting this requires real nerve.  Therefore, we need to understand how to use adversity for spiritual benefit. Ultimately, we want to be found obedient to the plan of God.

LESSON: 

COURAGE TO OBEY THE LORD’S WILL

Keeping God's Word Requires Courage

Joshua 1:7, 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.

God here encourages Joshua, the new leader of Israel.  Perhaps Joshua was feeling a bit intimidated by the new responsibilities and the future in general for himself and his people. I can recall my first ministry as a missionary-pastor...though I was full of hope and excitement, I still felt deeply my need for assurance and power from on high. There were times I was overwhelmed with the challenges, expectations, and needs. Still the job was mine and it needed to be done in a fashion that honors Christ. Likewise, the plan of the Lord for the nation and his servant Joshua requires courageous faith of the highest order. Yes, like Joshua we need to summon our finest courage to obey the will of Jehovah anyway.

To follow the Lord faithfully requires courage. It always has. Fear of failure, fear of screwing up, fear of embarrassment, fear of not being able to sustain/maintain, fear of people, fear of the unknown, fear of conflict, and a host of other fears have stopped many people from even attempting to follow the Lord's plan for them. Yes, I do understand that God expects extraordinary things of us. No one can make our adrenalin flow and our hearts pump like the Lord and His plans for us. God habitually thinks big regarding his will for our lives…to say that He is ambitious about our futures is a massive understatement. We feel acutely that things could go wrong if we are not attentive enough or capable enough. However, God-sent adversity enable us to see if we are truly keeping pace with His plans.


Obviously, God was calling Joshua to faithful obedience. He wants him to stick to His will with great loyalty. There was no room for wandering here and there indiscriminately, and there was no allowance for a relaxed approach to the task ahead. God impressed his servant with the need for obedience and commitment. Such a standard generates motivation and tension in the same heart. 

DON’T ALLOW TROUBLES TO KNOCK YOU OUT OF GOD’S WILL

Adversity can knock us off stride. Often our routines or locations change in a time of trouble. A flood may force us from our home; an illness may force a change in work habits. A loss of employment can devastate a family with a series of changes…second and third order effects. The death of a love one can change the surviving family member’s lives in significant ways…. Life can be tumultuous; feeling trapped and without any other options we acquiesce to demanding and life-draining necessities…forgetting our own dreams…. The chances of being blown off track with God can suddenly escalate exponentially. What can we do?

1.  Remain Undaunted and Persistent in Obedience!

2 Tim. 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We need courage to remain true to God's Word and to live according to God's commandments to us. This is especially important when we confront discouragement, disappointment, or despair in the aftermath of adversity. Recognize the spirit of fear that is threatening you did not come from God; it came from the enemy-Satan. Rest in the powerful resources God has equip you with to withstand the strains you must face. God gave you “power,” “love,” and a “sound mind;” employ these helps to sustain you through adversities.

When God called Ezekiel to the ministry of the prophet to Israel during their exile in Babylon, He also challenged him to be tough-minded and determined.  He made it extremely clear that Israel will not respond favorably, but Ezekiel was to remain undaunted by their lack of response to the message.  God told Ezekiel to refuse to allow himself to be discouraged and to Preach the Words of God.  Ezekiel 3:7-11, But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. [8] Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. [9] As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. [10] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. [11] And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Beloved, this is precisely what Ezekiel did though it was accomplished through extremely hard conditions. Likewise, we need to be tough-minded and determined to see God’s will through!

     A.  Troubles Will Temp You to Give Up. Our loss or pain may lead us to think, What's the use? Why bother? Why live a godly life if this is what happens to Christians?

      B.  Keep Your Eyes on the Lord and Eternal Rewards.  Remember always that the Lord doesn't promise us worldly success and circumstantial ease in this life. He promises us His unfailing presence and His eternal rewards. Recall the words of the Psalmist in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

When troubles come many began to reduce or neglect their spiritual activities and their zeal for service is greatly dissipated. 

1.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Church & Christian Fellowship.

2.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Witnessing & Soul Winning.

3.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Bible Reading, Praying, & Devotion.

4.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Growth and Maturing.

5.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of God’s Calling and Ministry for Your Future!

Insist on continuing in the fundamental areas of obedience and commitment to the Lord. The trial will only reveal the level of your constancy in Christ!

2.  In Troubled Times, Cherish and Obey God Anyway!

A.    Time and again in the law of Moses we find the word keep.

B.     The children of Israel were commanded to keep the feasts, to keep the law and commandments, to keep the Sabbath day holy, to keep the ordinances, to keep their oaths to God, to keep themselves from evil, to keep God's judgments.

C.     To keep means to hold fast and to cherish at the same time.

When adversity strikes, this should be our mind-set: above all else, we need to hold fast to the Lord and cherish our relationship with Him. Rather than blame God or turn from God, we need to turn to God and rely on His help. Do not allow troubles to push you farther away from your heavenly Father; use them to cling to God even more tenaciously.

REALIZE THAT WE PROSPER AS WE CONTINUE IN THE LORD’S WILL REGARDLESS!

Joshua 1:7, 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.

God prescribed blessing for His people and ensured they understood how to secure His great blessings upon themselves. There was no secret formula and Israel did not have to struggle under great rigor to figure out how to be blessed of God. God told them up front. Yes, from the very start God made it abundantly clear that obedience brought tremendous benefit, fortune, prosperity, and good to God’s people.

     1.  Consider What Moses Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

Deut. 29:9, Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

Moses said to the children of Israel as he led them into a covenant relationship with God to: “do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” (Deut. 29:9). Keeping God’s laws in the face of adversity truly leads us toward prosperity—a better state of being...a more ideal situation. Our obligation is to follow through obediently and God is free to bless as He sees fit.

     2.  Consider What David Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

1 Chron. 22:13, Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

That was the advice of King David to his son Solomon. He said this to Solomon as part of his final blessing to him. As New Testament believers, we enjoy so many spiritual blessings simply because we are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. While we are not guarantee financial or material wealth as Israel was, we are privileged to enjoy some of God’s highest and most profound blessing. Beloved, we really do not miss out on anything of eternal value because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Let us sing with the Psalmist of Israel in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Yes Beloved, life can be hard…really hard. It may seem at times that obeying God is the last thing you want to do. You may have occasions where you wonder if your obedience even matters…still follow your Lord faithfully. I urge you to refuse to allow bitter feelings, doubts, and frustrations to obscure what is truly important. Just as King David left a way of blessing for his son Solomon, our King Jesus is our generous source of blessing for all eternity. Trust and obey Him even when life makes no sense at all.

Remember troubles should be used for spiritual progress and benefit.  When adversity comes your way, it is time to look inside to see what areas may need to be strengthened to continue to grow spiritually and to stay on course with God’s specific plan for your life.  Self-examination should not be limited to areas of sinfulness or pride; it may also involve areas of weakness we need to strengthen and develop.  Fear is often a natural response to difficulties, and troubling circumstances.  But God calls us to use these challenges to grow in the areas of courage, hope, and faith.  Remember we should never waste an adversity. Learn all you can from each one. Realize that you can grow when you are willing to examine yourself closely and make the necessary changes. Beloved, have courage to obey God anyway.