Day 3: God is With You
Joshua 1:7-11 (NIV)
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’”
As we follow on from a year of Jubilee and Gratitude, there is a strong stirring to believe God for new and significant moments of Faith. Faith that stretches us, building greater capacity and resilience within each of us, and ultimately seeing God move across our lives and church in a powerful way. In Joshua 1, we read of a pivotal time for Israel. This is the moment that should have happened many years earlier, except for the negative report and fear that gripped the spies that went into the Promised Land (Joshua & Caleb brought a faith-filled response but were ultimately outnumbered – Numbers 13). Now though, Joshua stands as the new leader, ready to lead Israel into their promise, and largely into a new unknown.
Joshua 1:9 gives Joshua and us, a wonderful confidence for every step of faith we make. “...the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
This verse has helped my family and I through many seasons of ministry. There’s been times we’ve made big decisions with potential big consequences, and we’ve had to exercise big faith, but the calm and confidence we’ve needed has been in knowing that God is with us wherever we go.
Isaiah 41:10 is another passage with the same confident promise of the Lord being with you.
· It’s an assurance of God’s presence in your daily life and activities.
· It is confidence that the Holy Spirit is the one who strengthens and empowers you, not your own abilities.
· It’s a promise of Godly courage that enlarges your inner world as you take significant steps of faith.
This year – you can trust and believe God for big things! We know God is calling each of us to exercise big and enlarging faith! As you walk in that obedience and step into all that God has for you, take confidence in knowing that He is with you!
Family Discussion Questions
1. What can you see or imagine for the year ahead, that will require you to take courage?
1. In what ways do you sense, or know, that God is with you? How do you experience His presence on a daily basis?
Response - Write
Write down your faith goals for 2025. At the end of the year, you can look back on what you have written and reflect on God’s goodness to you.