Human Response 313: Be Strong and Courageous

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Moses is preparing Israel to embark on a dangerous mission: to engage in spiritual warfare against the enemies that would prevent God’s people from taking over the Promised Kingdom. In order to accomplish this violent task they will need to be strong, bold, and courageous, for the enemy will not give up easily. Jesus says, “The violent take it by force.” The violence is in the cross and the tomb, for there we see the greatest force in the universe, love.

The reason we can be fearless and bold is because the Lord is with us in the battles and Jesus will not fail. We actually go through life with the strength and courage to overcome Sin with forgiveness, defeat Death with the gift of eternal life, and resist the Devil so that he flees. We can respond to the problems of living day to day by putting on the armor of faith, truth, gospel, righteousness, salvation, and the Word of God. Therefore, we do not fear the lies and temptations because Jesus is by our side with us, fighting and winning. We apply the truth and love of the Gospel and we win.