Be Not Dismayed
Joshua, the great man of faith, was suddenly fearful and dismayed. The dictionary defines “dismay” as “consternation and distress, typically that caused by something unexpected; a feeling of fear, disappointment, shock, or...
worry.” In the original Hebrew language, this word means “to lower someone's spirits; make downhearted.”Joshua’s
spirits were down. He was downhearted
after the nation’s unexpected defeat at the small city of Ai. Perhaps Joshua never considered the
possibility that Israel would actually face losses during their military
deployment to conquer the land of Canaan.
Perhaps he thought it would be one decisive win after the other. Their defeat at Ai was “something unexpected”
and it rattled Joshua’s confidence. His
morale was low. It probably shook his
equilibrium a bit.
In
the same way, when you and I enter God’s “Promised Land” and begin to conquer
our spiritual enemies (sin, the flesh), we sometimes get so confident that we
begin to think there will never be setbacks or struggles in our battle to
overcome sin. When a setback comes – and
it eventually will – it can rattle our confidence as well. Perhaps we felt that sin would just “melt
away” as we progressed in our walk with Christ.
Perhaps we never realized that some sins are more stubborn than others
and may take a concentrated and prolonged effort to conquer. When this happens, we can become dismayed –
getting downhearted and discouraged.
Satan loves to use these moments in our lives to get our eyes off of our
God and begin to mistrust and worry.
When
the LORD saw that Joshua’s spirits were down, He spoke to him and said “Do not
be dismayed.” With these words, He
inspired Joshua to new courage. He
exhorted him to be filled with faith once again. In fact, the command “do not be dismayed” is one
of the most often repeated phrases in Scripture, appearing over a dozen times. God doesn’t want His people to be downhearted,
shocked, worried, or fearful. He wants
His people to be filled with faith as they confidently rely on Him. Yes, there will be setbacks and struggles,
but never let them rob you of your joy and faith.
Whatever
battle you are facing today – whatever stubborn sin is giving you
disappointment and worry – listen to God’s words to you… “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.” (Joshua 1:9)
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