Day 9: Beating Discouragement (Bible Tribe Joshua 5-8) - Denise Pass
Beating Discouragement
Good morning, friends! Day Nine! Being encouraged in a discouraging world is hard and it is a fight. But when we know that our God is for us and with us and in us, we can rise to the challenge and walk in Christ’s strength. Beating discouragement begins with faith in our mind.
Bible Reading: Joshua 5-8
Verse of the day is: Joshua 8:1(a) “Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Word of the day is: Discouraged. It is the Hebrew word: חָתַת (khaw-thath’).
This word means: to shape, create, or fashion.
Beating Discouragement With God’s Strength
The Book of Joshua has many lessons for us. It teaches us to accept the good things that God provides for us. Joshua is getting training for this position that God has placed him in.
In chapter 5 Joshua encountered the Commander of the LORD and was struck by the fact that the Commander of the LORD said that he was on neither side—on the side of the people of God or on the enemy’s side. It wasn’t about sides. It was about God’s purposes prevailing. And time and again God encouraged Joshua to press on, to not be afraid or discouraged. Do you need encouragement today, friends?
Be Strong and Courageous
It is encouraging to consider that the LORD spoke an encouraging word to Joshua 9 times in the book of Joshua and the 31st chapter of Deuteronomy, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” “Be strong and courageous.” God knows that fear is difficult to overcome.
One of my favorite quotes ever is from Jerry Falwell Sr., “The measure of a man is what it takes to discourage him.” Y’all, life is discouraging because it falls vastly short of what life will be like in Heaven. Life is discouraging because we have hopes that get crushed and just want to be accepted or encouraged and are often met with the opposite. Life is discouraging when we compare and long to please man rather than God. This is particularly difficult in the social media world. But keeping our eyes fixed on Christ gives us the encouragement we need to face difficult seasons.
Application
Be encouraged, friends. This means to have courage – God is with us!
God is rooting for you—time and again! He is for us! Who can be against us?
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