Devotional

“Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.’” Deuteronomy 31:7-8

When the LORD goes before you in those days, it usually meant that the battle will be won by Him. The Israelites learned the hard way not to go into a battle where the LORD is not with them. Their disobedience cost them their initial entry into the promised land, and they wandered the desert for 40 years. Now Moses is handing off the torch to lead the people over to Joshua. Joshua trusted the LORD from the beginning, and He obeyed the LORD.

When the LORD goes before us, He prepares the way to accomplish His kingdom works through us. Yes, the way is already set. He has predestined us for success for His kingdom cause. The path will not change, as long as we are obedient to His call. We cannot experience predestination itself because we live through time, and we are not omniscient like the LORD. But He can be trusted. Focus on the times He got us through our life’s toughest moments. He has a track record of successes that got us to where we are now, and He will continue to pull us through. So there is no need to fear life, for God is trustworthy.

Prayer

Lord, I feel the anticipation of newness all around. A crossing draws close, a river of promises fulfilled. As with all things new, I fear the unknown. There will be new trials, new victories, new joys. I am anxious of being outside of what I know – what is comfortable. And I know that the vision you have is more than a mere thought or idea; when you envision a thing it is real, it is near. Holy Spirit, be by my side as the Comforter and Companion that you are. Lead my every step and surround me with your confidence and boldness to advance, relying on your presence and promises and not my own ability and desires.

Scripture Memorization

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Photo Credit: Bill Zielinski @zphotobc

Music Credit: Here As In Heaven by Elevation Worship

Devotional Written by: Sambi Katano

Prayer: Pastor Deborah Downs