What would you do tomorrow if you are absolutely certain that the Lord was with you
like like what what courage might that give you to sort of step out from what's comfortable to
know for certain that the Lord is with you what what is he calling you to do that you might step
into fully if you were sure that he was with you look we love courage don't we we love stories of
courage we love people who are courageous we celebrate them we want to be like them
but if we're honest with ourselves most of us are anything but courageous aren't we
we are timid we're faint-hearted and we're fearful a lot of us are afraid that we are not enough
that we don't have what it takes
so so what kind of fortitude what kind of grit
might arise from a certainty a confidence that God was with us
none of us in this room none of us under the sound of my voice want to be known as a coward
God doesn't want you to be a coward God wants you to be strong and courageous
Webster defines cowardice this way it's one who shows disgraceful fear or timidity in the
face of danger and difficulty no one wants to be that person that man that woman who's a coward
who shrinks back in fear when the difficulty comes we want to be people who are strong and
courageous we want to be brave and we want to be valiant but the question is how Joshua 1:9
God says have I not commanded you be strong and of good courage do not be afraid nor be dismayed
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go here is Joshua taking over from Moses
he didn't feel qualified he didn't feel strong within himself but here is God trying to give
him a pep talk because he has to lead these millions into the promised land and God tells
him have I not commanded you you know how many times God told Joshua to be strong and courageous
seven times you know why that God God had to tell him that because he was fearful and God had to
encourage him to go forth God expects us to be courageous why he says it because I'm with you
you can operate in courage why because I am with you and if God be with us
who or what can stand against us he tells you today I want to say this to someone
I'm speaking to someone in here God is saying to you have I not commanded you have I not told you
be strong and courageous because the Lord goes with you the Lord goes with you God has promised
to us his enduring presence that's what he has promised now he said to Joshua no man will be
able to stand before you all the days of your life just as I have been with Moses I will be with you
I will not fail you or forsake you so be strong and courageous because I'm with you I'm with you
now God's presence makes all the difference in the world and God has promised when we put our
faith and trust in Jesus he's promised to come in and he says I'll give you my Holy Spirit and
he will be with you and he will be in you and he will be with you forever he won't leave you
you know David said in that great Psalm even though I pass through the valley of the shadow
of death I fear no evil why because you are with me God being with you makes all the difference
and when God is with you as as the scripture says if God is for us who can be against us so
Joshua's going up he's going to have to fight Giants he's going to have to go up against
warriors he's going to have to go up against some vicious ruthless people he can't do that in and of
himself but he can do that if the Lord is with him the Lord said to Joshua I will be with you
and no one will be able to stand before you because I am with you and the Lord says that
same thing to you and to me today don't be afraid you look to me I will be with you have I not
commanded you be strong and courageous do not be afraid do not be dismayed for the Lord your God
goes with you wherever you go God is saying you can have courage because my presence is with you
my presence will go with you you're not alone the creator of the universe
who sits enthroned in the heavens is with you he not only sends you but then he goes around turns
around and goes with you eight Romans 8:31 says what then shall we say to these things if God is
for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how
shall he not with him freely give us all things no matter how big the giant is no matter how great
the lion is no matter how great the the grave or the situation is we serve a God who's greater
still and that God dwells on the inside of every believer David said when I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death I will fear no evil it doesn't say that I won't walk through the valley
it says when I do walk through the valley I shall fear no evil for thou art with me
when I walk through the valley of my health I will fear no evil when I walk through the
valley of my family situation I will fear no evil when I walk through the valley of them
talking about me and disliking me and shunning me I will fear no evil when I walk through the
valley of the job that they know they were trying to push me out I will fear no evil for thou art
with me when we get in over our heads there is a reminder that he is there
you know the most frequent command in all the Bible it's a two-part it goes do not fear
for I am with you that command do not fear for I'm with you at least 366 variations of that in
the Bible why because we need a constant reminder that God is present with us because we get fearful
and we get scared and we start to feel like we're alone and God says no no I'm right here with you
keep going I'm right here with you we need that constant reminder of of of God's presence with us
the basis of which I have courage is not in my own strength is in the strength of the Lord it
says fear not for I am with you Isaiah 41:10 be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen
you I will help you I will uphold you with my listen look at what God is saying I am
with you I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you none according
to this verse none of those bases was on us everyone was what God was providing to us
pretty much almost everywhere in the Bible where it says not to fear it only gives
one reason not to fear and that is for I am with you it's pretty simple isn't it fear not
for I am with you
he doesn't tell us what he's going to do or when
he's going to do it or how he's going to do it he just simply says fear not
for I am with you and I love the scripture that says that
he will guide us even unto death God is never going to leave us nor forsake us
and something I practice once in a while don't do this every day but at different
times God puts it on my heart and I'll just stop sometimes throughout the day and say
God you're here he's with us he will never leave us he will never forsake us strength and courage
my my brothers and sisters are not found within you they are found in knowing that God is with you
what would I do tomorrow if I was certain God was with me what's that thing that's
just sitting in your gut right now that you know you need to do but you're hesitant that
if you knew you were certain that God was with you do and maybe it's not tomorrow maybe it's
like right now maybe it's right after the service maybe it's today what would I do
today what I do now what would I do immediately if I was absolutely certain that God was with me