When I read Joshua chapter 1, it stopped me in my tracks. I had read it before, but this time it struck my heart differently. Moses was dead. The great leader of Israel was gone. And now Joshua stood at the edge of the Jordan with an entire nation behind him and an uncertain future ahead of him.

And what did God say to him?

“Be strong and of good courage.”

Not once. Not twice. But again and again.

I want you to see what I see here. Joshua was not stepping into comfort. He was stepping into responsibility. He was stepping into battles. He was stepping into challenges that would test everything in him. And God did not promise him an easy road. He promised him His presence: “I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”

That same charge echoes into your life today. I need courage. You need courage. If I am going to remain faithful, I must be strong and courageous, just like Joshua.

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he told them to stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not to be terrified by adversaries. I hear the same call—do not be frightened. Do not be shaken. Live in a way worthy of the gospel.

God told Joshua not to turn to the right or to the left. Stay with the law. Meditate on it day and night. Obey it fully. I cannot pick and choose which commands I want to follow. James reminds me that if I stumble at one point, I become guilty of all. Obedience requires courage, especially when obedience is unpopular.

I know that I am running a race. Paul said he would not let tribulations move him. He would finish his course with joy. That challenges me. I am not racing to beat someone else—I am racing to finish faithfully.

Why do I need courage?

Because I often feel outnumbered. In Noah’s day, righteousness was in the minority. Elijah stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal. Paul stood at his defense and said no one stood with him. Even Jesus said the gate is narrow and few find it. If I am waiting for the majority to stand with me before I stand for truth, I will be waiting forever.

I need courage when facing the government and authority. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow. Daniel kept praying. Peter and John declared, “Whether it is right to listen to you more than to God, you judge.” I must settle in my heart that I will obey God rather than men—no matter the cost.

I need courage when facing temptation. Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife. He did not negotiate with sin—he ran from it. Satan walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour. If I am not courageous, I will be consumed.

I need courage to rebuke sin. Nathan looked at David and said, “You are the man.” John the Baptist rebuked Herod and lost his life for it. Paul rebuked Peter when he was wrong. It is easier to stay silent. It is easier to avoid conflict. But silence in the face of sin is not faithfulness.

And sometimes the greatest courage of all is admitting, “I was wrong.” Pride fights against that. But humility requires strength.

So I ask myself—and I ask you—how courageous am I?

Do I place my faith before others daily? Do I stand firm when pressured? Do I resist when tempted? Do I speak when truth needs to be spoken?

God commands courage. God promises His presence. And God assures success—not worldly success, but eternal life—to those who remain faithful unto death.

If I am going to be a Christian, courage is not optional. It is required.

So I choose to be strong. I choose to be courageous. And I pray that no matter the circumstance or consequence, I will live each day for the Lord.