Joshua 1:9: 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 stood at the precipice of greatness. The challenge was exciting and
frightening at the same moment. Tingling sensations born of the prospect
of victory after forty years of delay trickled through his psyche. Forty
years before He and Caleb and ten others had seen the potential. Ten chose to
die in mediocrity. Two chose to keep the dream kindled in their hearts. Now
all the sights and smells and touches decades old were reactivated in
anticipation.
Gather Your Heart For Courage.
Alongside, came all the what ifs of thousands of detractors over those
same years. What if you fail? What if the land is full of sour grapes? What if
you can't keep what you win? What if you lose strength in the battle? What
if you die before you conquer your enemies? What if?
Gather Your Heart For Courage.
The Father challenged him and the others to gather their hearts for
courage. Be strong. Be of good courage. Be not afraid. Be not dismayed. The LORD is
with you. The LORD, strong and mighty in battle, is with you. The LORD,
full of compassion and grace, is with you. The LORD, your shepherd, is with
you.
Gather Your Heart For Courage.
Isa:41:10: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am
thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
When the Father addressed Joshua He was talking about dismay from being
broken down. What had the years done to him and the people? Lost friends,
wars, dissension, the distance of time can break us down from our dreams.
It has to be put back together. Our heart, our courage, needs to be gathered
back to see again and desire again with vigor the dream before us.
Gather Your Heart For Courage.
When the Father addressed through Isaiah He was talking to bewilderment, a
lostness in mindset toward the goal. Flurry of activity around us can
often distract our heart. It needs to be gathered. Our heart and mind needs to
be bound together from the distractions to enable courage to operate
effectively.
Gather Your Heart For Courage.
Gather Your Heart And Take Inventory
Do you have a dream still smoldering? Do you have the courage necessary to
grasp it?
What has broken down that needs to be built up in you?
How do you blow away the bewilderment and see clearly?
Gather Your Heart Make Application
Write what you are going to specifically do in the next 30 days about
this.
Gather Your Heart And Pray For Courage
Father, be gracious to me. I've not the boldness and strength to pursue.
You do. You have all I need. I gather my heart, my mind, my dream, and place
it all at Your feet. Show me the path. Endue me with power from on high, and
I will have all the courage I need to succeed. I commit myself to take the
steps to fulfill the destiny inside of me.