Week 32
Deuteronomy 31:6-8 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
The devil has many ways to deter and de-rail God’s people. Yes, there are many times when the enemy gives a frontal assault of ugly and vile immorality; this has often been used to great effect by the adversary to destroy all that is good and right. But Christians are sometimes deceived as to the more subtle attacks of the evil one.
The flaming arrows of the enemy regularly come as fears, worries, anxieties, doubts, uncertainties, and discouragement. When such onslaughts occur, the believer is vulnerable to making wrong assumptions and decisions. Fear is not fertile ground to express faithfulness to God; the fruit of fear is disobedience. It is true that courage is not defined as the absence of fear, but the overcoming of fear. But if fear and paranoia are in control of the emotions, then most assuredly the child of God will behave in an inappropriate manner, which dishonors God.
As Christians face the future, new situations, and possibilities to come, we must be grounded in the safety that comes from God’s promises to His people in such cases. Change and modifications are a natural part of life; they are not necessarily all bad. But we must be able to manage our response to change.
In view of this, our passage lists essential promises that God gives to His covenant people as we face an uncertain future. First, God is with us, and He is all we need. The Lord will never leave us or forsake us. His love for His people is everlasting and covenantal in nature. God always keeps His promises, and one of the sweetest promises is His promise to be with us and never abandon us. Second, God will fight our battles for us, enabling us to stand in the day of challenge to remain faithful to our Savior. This does not mean that we should not fight in the spiritual battles of life. The Scriptures are full of examples whereby God commands Christians to fight the good fight of faith and resist sin and evil in this life. But we never fight against the enemy alone; the Lord is with us to win the victory. The victory is always His. Third, the Lord will stand with us to enable us to obey God’s Word helping us to follow His commands and teachings in the Scripture (See Joshua 1:6-9). Paul would say in Philippians 4:13 that he could do what God called him to do because of the strength God provided him in Christ. Such is God’s promise to us.
Child of God, as you face the future, as you face coming circumstances and events, don’t forget these great and enduring promises from the Lord. He is with you, and He will sustain you for His glory and the good of His kingdom.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to remember Your promises to me in Christ. Help me to rest in You and do what You would have me to do. Amen.
