![[Photo of a Scripture verse]](https://www.deankwilson.com/Blog_images/Joshua_10_25.jpg)
| Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” |
| —Joshua 10:25 |
I’m no athlete. In fact, I’m the poster boy for non-athleticism. But, I know barely enough about sports to know that a key moment occurs just before the game begins when the coach offers the team words of encouragement. The coach will give specific instructions to the team. The coach hopes that these words of challenge and enthusiasm will ring in the ears of the athletes as they go out to “battle.”
This is what Joshua does when he prepares to lead the soldiers of Israel into battle for the Promised Land. Joshua knows that God has called His chosen ones to take the land as their own. So, Joshua shares these words of encouragement and instruction, as found in Joshua 10:25:
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
“No matter what happens in the days ahead,” Joshua intones, “do not let fear bind you, nor fear assail you. Instead, grab ahold of strength and courage. God will defeat our enemies and hand this land He has promised us into our control.”
Each new day presents those of us who follow Christ with a new challenge. Satan desires to fill us with fear and discouragement. Satan wants us to keep silent about what God means to us. But, God wants us to sense His support. He gives us His strength. He dispels our fear. He imbues us with courage. He will defeat our enemy and protect us, as we follow the path He has laid out for us.
God gives the very best pep talk. It’s just what we need to hear. It contains the words that need to ring in our spiritual ears, as we begin yet one more day of serving Him.
