Listen to the Message
Joshua 1:6-9
"The past always looks better than it was; it's only pleasant because it isn't here."
"If a man harbors any sort of fear, it percolates through all his thinking, damages his personality, makes him landlord to a ghost."
Even worse is that fear causes many people to quit too soon.
Fear always prevents us from maximizing the moment.
You overcome it with courage.
Fear is a feeling, but courage is an attitude --an attitude that leads to action.
1. Courage is essential to any kind of leadership.
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"Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them."
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If you're going to get where you need to be, you'll need to demonstrate courage along the way.
2. Courage is a choice that you make.
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"Be strong and courageous."
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Fear is a feeling; courage is an attitude
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That's why God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, because courage is a choice that Joshua could make.
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"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."
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Fear is a feeling, but you don't have to act on your feelings.
3. Courage must be nurtured.
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Courage needs to be developed.
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You nurture courage by following courageous examples.
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You nurture courage by getting into the Word of God.
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● Speak the Word.
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● Think the Word.
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● Do the Word.
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You nurture courage by putting your trust in God.
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(v. 9) "Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
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Knowing that He is with you helps you nurture the courage you need to face the future.
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Fear is a natural reaction to difficult circumstances -- but it doesn't have to hold you back.
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"Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear."
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Courage isn't optional -- it's necessary for anyone who wants to experience the fullness of God's blessings in life.
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Courage isn't automatic -- it's a choice that you make.
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Courage doesn't come naturally -- it must be nurtured through the Word of God.