Courageous | Joshua 1:1-9

Our word for 2026 as a church is Courageous: What does it mean to be courageous? When you hear the word, who comes to mind? A parent or grandparent who sacrificed. A friend who stood firm when it would have been easier to walk away. A mentor who told you the truth when you didn’t want to hear it. Or maybe someone from history whose courage shaped the world that you live in. Every one of us are here today because we are standing on the shoulders of those who were courageous. Think about it as an American, the reason we are still not a colony, or the reason we don’t have slavery, or the reason why we don’t speak German or Japanese, or the reason why we still have freedom and are not an ISIS caliphate is because of some very courageous men and women. All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. But as great as that is, courage is more than that. Biblical courage is more than just fighting for freedom or standing up in a single heroic moment. It is bigger than bravery in battle. It is deeper than bold words. It lasts longer than a flash of emotion. It’s lived out in the everyday and ordinary. It requires a determination despite the difficulty, faithfulness over the long haul, and trust in the promises of God when the outcomes seem uncertain. Courage is rarely loud, but you know it when you see it. It is often quite obedience over time.

This is where Joshua finds himself in Chapter 1. He has faithfully served Moses for over 40 years. He watched him confront Pharaoh, part the Red Sea, call down manna from heaven and receive the Ten Commandments from the finger of God. Now, Joshua and Caleb are the oldest living people left in the whole nation. This is when God calls Joshua to take over as leader of a nation with over 2 million people into the Promised Land. Three times God tells him the same thing, “Be strong and courageous.” In these verses, we get the definition of Biblical courage that will help us through 2026. Biblical courage is not the absence of fear in your life, but it is faith fueled obedience in the presence of God.