Keep Moving Forward:

(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.”

Church, I want you to picture this moment — Moses is gone. The man who stood before Pharaoh, the man who split the Red Sea — he’s gone. And now God looks at Joshua and says, “You’re up next!”  Can you imagine the weight of that call? The fear that must’ve tried to creep in? But right in the middle of Joshua’s uncertainty, you see, God didn’t give him an option; He gave him a command! He said, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage!”... In other words, Joshua, I know what’s in front of you looks big, but don’t you forget Who’s behind you!

Oh, glory! God wasn’t telling Joshua to find his strength in himself. He was telling him to find it in Him! The Lord was shifting Joshua’s confidence away from human ability and planting it in divine reliability. God said, “You don’t have to be strong by yourself, because I’m walking right beside you!” Y'all, sometimes the Lord will bring you to a place where you can’t rely on your experience, your plans, or your people, because He wants to prove that His strength is made perfect in your weakness!

Now hear this — courage is not the absence of fear; it’s faith in motion! It’s moving forward even when your knees are shaking, even when the road ahead looks rough, even when you don’t see the outcome. Joshua didn’t have a GPS; he had a promise! And that’s all he needed! When God says, “I’ll be with you whithersoever thou goest,” that means no matter where you step on the mountain or in the valley, in the battle or in the blessing, God is right there with you! Amen? 

The same God who was with Joshua is still walking with His people today! The same power that parted the Jordan is the same power that opens doors for you! The same presence that went before Joshua goes before you! You may be facing a battle in your home, a trial in your health, or a storm in your mind, but God says, “Be strong and of a good courage!” You don’t have to be afraid because the Lord your God is with you!

So I'm here to tell you today; don’t stop now! Keep moving forward! God didn’t bring you this far to leave you. He didn’t call you out of bondage just to let you die in the wilderness. He said, “Have not I commanded thee?” That means this isn’t a suggestion — it’s a divine order! You’ve got strength in your spirit, courage in your heart, and power in your walk because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!

So lift your head up! Square your shoulders! Dry those tears and keep stepping forward — because the same God who brought Joshua into promise is about to bring you into victory! Are you moving forward?