2025- Be Strong and Courageous

 2025- Be Strong and Courageous

January 2, 2025

David K. Brillhart

In praying about the new year, 2025, the following scripture came to mind:

Joshua 1:1-2. 6-8

1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, tothe sons of Israel.

…

6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strongand very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

As Joshua was about to enter the land that God had promised him, he was instructed twice to be strong and courageous. As a former pastor of mine once said, every time that the Lord tells someone to be strong and courageous it is because there is a reason. If you put your ear to the ground, you can hear the hoof beats of the approaching enemy horses! So what is the lesson for us as we enter a new year?

Just as Joshua was promised a new land, we look forward to a promise of making America great again. But like Joshua, there are many enemies standing in the way of that promise. In the conquest of Israel, Joshua was not the savior and likewise in our time, Trump is not our savior. Josua would only have success if he followed the Lord’s command to be strong and courageous and to be careful to do all that was written in the book of the law. Likewise, we don’t look to Trump for our salvation, but if we follow the Lord with all our heart and pray for a true spiritual revival, then we can be strong and courageous and look forward to prosperity and success. That is the promise that the Lord made to Joshua and the promise was fulfilled. Joshua and the people of Israel had success as long as they followed the Lord’s commands. But when the failed in that, they failed in warfare as well.There is a promise and a warning in that for us as well. As long as we are careful to do all that the Lord requires, we will have success, but if we slack off and return to the old ways, then the enemy will succeed.  Therefore, be strong and courageous as we face the new year, and pray for revival in our land. Pray that the people will wake up to spiritual realities and seek the Lord once more. In the Lord’s strength we will be able to rout the deep state enemies and enter a new age of prosperity and success in the land.