BE STRONG: A STUDY OF JOSHUA WEEK 1

Be Strong in God's Presence
Be Strong – A Study of Joshua (WEEK 1)
Scripture: Joshua 1-2

The book of Joshua begins during a season of great transition. Moses, the faithful leader who had guided Israel for decades, is gone. The wilderness journey is finally behind them, and the Promised Land lies ahead. Yet there is still one problem: the land has been promised, but it has not yet been possessed.
Between the promise and the fulfillment was a season of uncertainty.
That reality makes the book of Joshua incredibly relevant for us today.
Life is constantly changing. Some are entering retirement while others are just beginning their careers. Some are adjusting to life as empty nesters, while others are learning the challenges of raising young children. Some are navigating health concerns, financial decisions, or unexpected circumstances. As believers, we are all journeying toward our ultimate Promised Land—Heaven. Yet between God's promise of eternity and our arrival there, life often contains uncertainty.
Joshua faced that same challenge. He was called to lead a nation that had never known life without Moses. The task before him was enormous. Yet God's first words to Joshua were not instructions about military strategy or leadership techniques. Instead, God repeatedly gave him one simple command:
"Be strong and of a good courage."
What does it mean to be strong? More importantly, where does that strength come from?

God's Presence Is Our Foundation of Strength
In Joshua 1:1-9, God tells Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. Along with the command comes a promise:
"For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:9)
Notice what God did not say. He did not tell Joshua to be strong because he was talented. He did not tell him to be strong because he was experienced. He did not tell him to be strong because he could handle the situation on his own.
Joshua's strength was not found within himself. His strength was found in the presence of God.
The same is true for us.
Our confidence cannot be rooted in our abilities, our resources, or our circumstances. True strength comes from knowing that God is with us every step of the journey.
God also pointed Joshua toward another source of strength. In verse 8, He instructed him to meditate continually on God's Word. Joshua would lead successfully because he remained anchored in both God's presence and God's truth.
Many believers struggle with fear, discouragement, and uncertainty because they neglect one or both of these foundations. Strength grows when we spend time with God and fill our hearts with His Word.

Strength Spreads Through Unity
After receiving God's instruction, Joshua immediately began leading the people. The response was remarkable.
The people told Joshua, "All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go."
What a contrast from the previous generation that had often complained and resisted Moses' leadership. This generation was unified. They were ready to move forward together.
Imagine the encouragement that must have brought to Joshua. Imagine how that unity strengthened the entire nation.
There is strength in unity.
Whether in a family, a church, or a ministry, God's people accomplish far more when they move forward together. Unity strengthens faith, encourages leaders, and advances God's work.

Strength Produces Action
Real faith always leads to action.
Joshua believed God's promises, but he did not sit still. He sent two spies into Jericho to prepare for what God was about to do.
Those spies entered the house of Rahab, a woman whose life was far from godly. Yet something remarkable happened. Rahab had heard about the God of Israel and believed He was real.
Joshua 2:9-11 reveals that she recognized God's power and believed that He would give Israel victory.
Knowing judgment was coming to Jericho, Rahab responded in faith. She hid the spies and asked for mercy for herself and her family.
The spies agreed and instructed her to tie a scarlet cord in her window.
That scarlet cord would serve as a sign. When Israel entered the city, the soldiers would see the cord and spare everyone inside that house.
The Scarlet Cord and the Savior
The scarlet cord is one of the beautiful pictures of redemption found throughout Scripture.
It reminds us of the Passover in Exodus 12 when the Israelites placed the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. When the death angel saw the blood, judgment passed over that home.
Both stories point us to Jesus Christ.
Just as the blood on the doorposts brought deliverance, and just as the scarlet cord marked Rahab's house for salvation, the blood of Christ provides forgiveness and eternal life for all who place their faith in Him.
Rahab's story also reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace.
She was a harlot. She was a Canaanite. She lived in a city under judgment. Yet God saved her because she responded in faith.
In fact, Rahab's story did not end in Jericho. She is later mentioned among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. James commends her faith-filled actions, and Matthew includes her in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
What a testimony to the grace of God!

A Final Thought
What if Joshua had allowed fear to control him?
What if he had refused to be strong and courageous?
The nation might never have moved forward. The spies may never have entered Jericho. Rahab's story of redemption may never have been told.
God's command to Joshua remains God's challenge to us today.
Be strong.
Strength begins in God's presence. It grows through God's Word. It spreads through unity with God's people. It produces action when we choose to trust Him by faith.
Whatever transition or uncertainty you may be facing today, remember that your strength is not found in yourself. It is found in the God who has promised,
"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Stay close to Him, trust His Word, and be strong.