Be Strong

When Joshua replaced Moses as the leader of Israel, God had instructions for him.

“Be strong and very courageous,”

God said. In Joshua’s inauguration speech to the nation he told them three times to “be strong and very courageous.”

“Why?” They were getting ready to cross the Jordan and go into the promised land. Ten of the twelve spies who had scouted the promised land spoke scary and formidable things about the inhabitants of the land. They said that there were giants in the land and that they were like grasshoppers in the face of these enemies.

So how are you to be “strong and very courageous” when inside you host a wilting spirit and dark clouds of fear swirl around your head?

Have you been there? I have.

What do you do?

How do you turn your overwhelming fear into courage?

How can you gather confidence in your ability to overcome,

when you feel like turning tail and running?

First of all, you must remind yourself of God’s promises and that “you are more than a conqueror through the One that loves you (Romans 8:37). Romans 8 is an excellent chapter to read if you are feeling fearful. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

When I was producing outreach events across the Midwest, I was on the road about half of the time. My road trips were on average 10 days to two weeks long. When I returned home, I always struggled spiritually and physically for several reasons. You tend to let down when you get into the comfort and safety of your home. You just collapse, so to speak. Then, there was the exhaustion of several days of hard work away from home.

So, what do you do?

There are some practical things to remember. First of all, your body is trying to recover from extreme fatigue, so you must remember to eat well. Eat well and eat in balance. It’s a good idea to eat some raw fruits and vegetables, along with plenty of protein . . .  and drink lots of water. Dehydration will make you feel like death, warmed over.

Secondly, create a positive environment for yourself as you recover your strength. Put on some worship music and read the Bible in large doses. As hard as it may seem, pray and praise God out loud.

Thirdly, call on your friends. If you have some good friends you can talk to, call them on the phone and talk for a while. Tell them about what you have been doing. Tell them about both the victories and the challenges you have encountered. Notice, I said, “Talk.” Texting won’t do it in these situation. You need to hear the warmth of a human voice and you need to talk. Talking is good. Talking is necessary.

If you are able, take some naps. Sleep will restore you. But don’t just sleep, do some exercise. If the weather is warm, walk or bike on some hiking trails. When I was recovering from long trips, I would go to the park reserve near my home. Usually I would bike. Biking allows you to feel the wind in your face, blowing your hair back. It’s refreshing and it makes you feel alive. The reserve bordered the Mississippi River, so I would stop here and there, sit by the river, listen to the sound of moving water and the birds singing in the trees. Being in nature can restore your soul.

Remember what David said in Psalm 23? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He leads me beside the still waters, and he makes me lie down in green pastures. He restores my soul!

After a battle, you need time to restore your soul, but when your soul is restored, you need to get back at it. Too much idle time will give you too much time to think about the things that fill you with fear.

So, getting back to what Joshua said, “be strong and very courageous.” How do you do that when circumstances may be overwhelming you with fear?

Prayer, praise and worship can quick start your engine. You may have heard about Father Nash. Father Daniel Nash was Charles Finney’s main intercessor. Charles Finney is often referred to as America’s most successful evangelist. He preached primarily in upstate New York around the middle of the 18th century and saw thousands come to Christ.

Father Nash would go ahead of Finney into a town FInney planned to preach in, and Nash would pray. Boy, did he pray! Father Nash liked to find a place in the woods just outside the town to pray . . . and he prayed LOUD. He prayed so loud that people a mile away could hear him praying.

Why is praying loud of such value? When you pray loud, you are like a warrior preparing for battle. Walking and praying is the best combination. I love to pray this way. It get’s your blood going and it quickens your heat beat. If you are feeling sluggish, you will soon begin to feel invigorated. When you pray out loud, petitioning God and reminding Him of His promises, you will begin to feel new energy and excitement. In addition, when your ears hear your prayers, your spirit is built up as it listens to audible words lifted to God and you are strengthened and encouraged.

Be strong and very courageous.

Remember that you can do all things through

Christ who strengthens you

(Philippians 4:13).

The sum of all of these things is that you may be “filled with all of the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19).” If you are full of God, how can you be afraid?

. . . And that’s how you defeat fear.

Photo designed and taken by Lorraine