Fear

God calls us out of fear and into courage. In Joshua 1:9, God commands courage. Why? Why is God so persistent in us living a life of courage? What are we missing? In Psalms 23, David provides a unique answer. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staff, they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4). Here is a declarative statement of truth; fear cannot exist in the presence of God, for divine love casts out all fear. So the antidote to fear is relational connectedness with Jesus. Think about when you were younger, and the dark was a scary thing; however, the presence of your parents brought you peace. Jesus calls us to be born again, to be like children. As children of God, His presence dispels fear. There will always be fearful events and circumstances; however, as children of God, we are called not to focus on the fear but on our Abba-Father. 

When God is our focus, the darkest of valleys have no power over us. Fear cannot conquer us when our focus is on Jesus, the God Shepheard that leads and comforts us.

God commands us to be courageous because He is with us. Courage comes from a relationship with God.