Be Strong and of Good Courage - Leland Kropf

It's good to be with you here tonight. We greet

you in the name of Jesus, the Lord of the Church,

the Head of the Church, and we referred to this

the other night. I believe that he is building his church,

and it's a blessing to be here. I know I'm

not a part of this congregation, but I'm sure there

were many prayers who were given that God would show

his will in this matter of new leadership, and I

believe he has clearly spoken, and I think that should

encourage us, encourage our faith, and we just trust that

you all will support your new minister. We realize he

hasn't made those vows, that commitment yet, but we're anticipating that,

so we looked to him as being your new minister.

I believe it's the way it should be, the passing

on of the older ones, laying down responsibilities. And it's

maybe a little it's been an adjustment to me to

realize maybe I'm getting to be among the older ones.

You look so young, brother Eric. I hope it's okay

if I say this, Brother Jason, but in the interview yesterday,

I was kind of impressed with what you said. I

hope I get it right. You don't mind to see

the headlights coming somebody arriving. I'm not getting that. If

you're the head light, the tail lights are disappeared, are

going to be leaving. You don't mind that so bad

if there's other headlights coming. So I I think that's

a nice thought. And if I can just put in

a plug for the plural ministry, I think it's it's

really a blessing when there's a stability of older ones

that can mentor the new ones coming in. So tonight

this message is to be a message of encouragement. I'll

be focusing somewhat on you, brother Eric, but I believe

for all of us here tonight, we're all a part

of the of Christ's kingdom. We face an enemy that

is out to destroy us, to destroy the church, and

I believe that one of the ways he does that

is by discouragement, maybe a fear of the enemy. And

so I think we all need need encouragement. I need it.

So when we think of being strong and of good courage,

your mind probably went to the first chapter of Joshua.

We have this thought mentioned a few times, a number

of times in the first nine verses of this chapter. Also,

we have it if you turned back a page or

two in Deuteronomy chapter thirty one Versus seven or eight,

and Moses called into Joshua and said, unto him, in

the sight of all Israel, be strong and of a

good courage, For thou must go with this people under

the land which the Lord has sworn into thy fathers

to give them, and thou shall cause them to inherit it.

And the Lord he it is that doth go before thee,

he will be with thee. He will not fail thee,

neither forsake THEE, fear not neither be dismayed. Maybe there

doesn't need to be a whole lot more said tonight,

if we could just absorb that the beauty of that promise,

that that encouragement that Moses gave to Joshua. I think

before I read from Joshua chapter one, I like to

just give a little bit of a brief overview of

the life of Joshua. Sometime you can do a little

bit more of a deep study into it. It's really

he's an amazing man, had an amazing mentor in Moses,

but he had a good foundation for this task that

was laid upon him to lead Israel into the land

of Canaan. They were at the border land, and after

wondering in the wilderness for forty years, they were ready

to go in and possess this land. They needed a

good leader. They needed a good warrior to go in

and help them conquer these nations that were there. They

needed a great leader to take them in. And hereIt

this land that God had promised to them. I'd like

to just go back. So who was Joshua? Says? He

was the son of nun in un not in one.

But he was a young man. We read about him

first of all back in Exodus chapter seventeen, verse nine,

after Israel had left Egypt and the Amlakites started to

fight against them, and Moses told Joshua, I believe this

is the first reference of Joshua. He told them to,

you know, get an army together and fight with the Amlakites.

And that was the time where where Moses and Aaron

and her went up on the mountain and they as

they watched the battle, and as long as moses hands

were up, why Israel prevailed. When his hands got tired

and went down, Amelek prevailed, and so Aeron and Herb

Moses down, and they stood on either side and held

up his arms, and Israel had the victory. And just

a side note here as an encouragement to U, as

a congregation, to your leaders, to Eric, brother Eric, is

to be there to support them and hold them up,

hold up their arms when they get when they get

heavy and weary. The next we read about joshuas in

chapter twenty three, he was Moses' minister. They went up

to the mount of God and Moses was there forty

days receiving the law instructions from God. And Aaron went

up there with him. Do you ever wonder what Aaron

did up there for forty forty days? The mountain was shaking,

there's thunder. God came down on the mountain. It says

that Moses went into the cloud. I don't think Joshua did.

But what do you do there for forty days? I

think this all factors into the kind of man that

Joshua was, his fear of God, his trust in God.

And we really don't read much of any failure in

Joshua's life, other than maybe in the case of the

Gibbe Knights. It doesn't really indict Joshua for that and

maybe the elders of Israel. As they came down from

the mount, they heard this noise in the camp and

Joshua said, well, it sounds like war, but it didn't

sound like it sounds like rejoicing. And here Israel had

fallen int idolatry. Already Chapter thirty three, God was speaking

to Moses. They're in the tabernacle, and the israel I

don't believe, wanted Moses or God to speak to them directly.

And so Moses was in the tabernacle and then he'd

come out and God would talk with him. Then he'd

come out and relay that to Israel. But it says

that Joshua departed not out of the tabernacle. While Moses

was going in and out, the presence of the Lord,

Joshua stayed there. That must have had a profound effect

on Joshua, and I think it shows some of his

character in his in the developing of his character to

be in the presence of God. Like that number six fourteen,

we read about Israel coming to the land of Canaan,

and Joshua and Caleb were among the twelve spies that

went out to spy out the land. And as you remember,

Joshua and Caleb were the only ones that brought a

positive report and express their faith that they would be

well able. These enemies would just be bred for them.

And the ten Spies, of course, brought a negative report.

Israel rebelled. But the thing I'd like to point out

is it says that Caleb and Joshua wholly followed the Lord. Again,

it speaks of the character of Joshua, I believe in

numbers twenty seven. Then Moses spoke to God, and he said,

set a man over the congregation, that the congregation be

not as sheep with which have no shepherd. And then

God told him to take Joshua, give him a charge.

And I believe it was a preparation for the time

when Moses would no longer be there, as we come

to the end of Deuteronomy then, and which leads us

into the book of Joshua. But we have Moses, the

man of God, at one hundred and twenty years old,

making that lonely pilgrimage from the plains of Moab up

to Mount Nebo. God had instructed him to go there.

I don't think he was limping and hobbling and using

a cane. It says that his natural strength was not abated,

his eyesight was not diminished. But he went up there

too to see the good land that he wished he

could enter, but God had told him no. And it's

an interesting account. God told him to die there, to

die up there or in the mound, But it does

say that God buried him there in a valley. But

I what was that? Like? Moses' time on earth was finished,

and this young man, Although I believe if you do

the calculations, I think Joshua is probably probably least sixty,

because he would have wandered in the wilderness for forty years,

and if he was came out of Egypt there was

a minister to Moses. No doubt he was twenty years

old or so, so probably least sixty. But it was

a formidable job before him to lead Israel. Israel was

now ready to go into the Promised Land. The responsibility

now rested on Joshua. And I believe Joshua had proved himself,

but no doubt it did. For the number of times

that it says be strong and of a good courage,

that there must have been need for that encouragements. I'd

like to read the first nine verses of Joshua chapter one.

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord,

it came to pass that the Lord spaken to Joshua,

the son of Nun Moses Minister, saying, Moses, my servant

is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, down

all this people, unto the land which I do give them,

even to the children of Israel, every place that the

soul of your foot shall tread upon that have I

given unto you, as I said, unto Moses, from the wilderness,

and this Lebanon. Even the great river, the River Euphrates,

all the land of the Hiptites, and unto the great

sea towards going down of the Sun shall be your coast.

There shall not any man be able to stand before

Thee all the days of thy life. As I was

with Moses, so I will be with THEE. I will

not fail THEE, nor forsake THEE. Be strong and of

a good courage. Front of this people, shalt thou divide

for an inheritance the land which I swear to their

fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous,

that thou mayst observe to do according to all the

law which Moses, my servant commanded. THEE turn not from

it to the right hand or to the left, that

thou mayst prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the

law shall not depart out of thy mouth, But thou

shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayst observe

to do according to all that is written therein. For

then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou

shalt have good success. Have not I commanded THEE be

strong and have a good courage, Be not afraid, neither

be thou dismayed, for the Lord that God is with

THEE whithersoever thou goest. That certainly should have been should

have been very encouraging to Joshua, as he had seen

how God had worked with and threw Moses up to

this time. And God is saying, I'll be with you

like I was with Moses. That's the way I'm going

to be with you. Well, I'm not sure of courage

and strength or strong needs to be really defined where

it's These are words that we use. But our title

here is be strong and of a good courage in

the Hebrew there the words strong would have the thought of,

to harden, hold fast, behave oneself valiantly, and to be

of good courage, courage would have the thought of, to

be alert, steadfastly minded in the one place that says

very courageous or vehemently courageous, holy courageous. No place for

doubts or a turning back. I just have a few points.

I'd like to give this evening as encouragement to your

brother Eric that I see here in this passage, and

I'd like to refer to other scriptures also. But if

you're to be strong and to be courageous, you need

to know where you're going. And so my first point

is a commitment to God's plan. Now, God laid out

his plan here, and you know, if Joshua would have

had other ideas of how to do this, they'd take

another route other than right across Jordan there, or he

would yeah, just had his own plans and not be

willing to follow what God wanted him to do. We

know that it would ended in disaster. And verse two

here it says a rise, go over this Jordan, down

all this people under the land, which I do give

to them, even to the children of Israel. A rise,

go over this Jordan. This is the path I want

you to take, and it will do you well. And

it will you can be successful in your ministry if

you're sensitive to what God wants you to do. You're

called to the ministry. And I'm not going to enumerate

all the responsibilities, but one verse that comes to my mind.

Preach the word, be instant in season out of season, reprove, rebuke,

exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. But I'd like

to put the emphasis on preach the word. Preach the word.

That's your responsibility. You don't need to preach about current

events or the philosophies of men, but preach the word.

It's God's plan, and if you follow his plan, you

will be successful in your ministry. Accept God's plan. That's

so important. The eternal, omniscient God knows what is best.

He has a plan for you for the church. And

constantly seek his plan, his guidance for your life. Have

that commitment that you don't want to do anything other

than what God would ask of you. And I'm confident

that that's your desire. Brother Eric, I'm ready touched on

the word. But my second point here is be committed

to God's word. And verse eight a very familiar verse here,

but there's so much here. It says, this Book of

the Law shall not be part out of thy mouth,

but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou

mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein.

For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then

thou shalt have good success. That's where your strength will be,

if you have the Word of God in your heart,

in your mind, your meditations. It says here also that

it should not be part out of thy mouth. It's

got a new thought to me, but I think it

simply means that that's what He Joshua was to be

proclaiming to the people. Again, not other ideas, philosophies so on,

But the Book of the Law. Have that commitment that

you want to preach the Word and its purity, and

that God will pray, that God will help you to

rightly divide the Word of truth. But let it become

a part of your life. God shall meditate therein day

and night, and not only meditate on it. But there's

an obedience that goes with that. If we're ignorant of

God's word, it's a little hard to obey it. So

read the word with a purpose to know what God

is speaking to you, and how to communicate that to

your people. The Psalmost said in Psalm one, speaking of

the godly man, it says, his delight is in the

law of the Lord, and in his law that he

meditate day and night. And that's the picture of a

fruitful person, a person that is strong. He's like a

tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth

his fruit in his season. Cultivate that delight in God's law.

This ps Almost also said in another place, my meditation

of him shall be sweet, real challenge for us. Some

other scriptures on the word of God. Hebrews four twelve says,

for the Word of God as quick or living, and

powerful and sharper than any two edge sword, piercing even

to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the

joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts

and intents of the heart. I've wondered already. You know.

We can read in the Old Testament, especially in the

first four books five books or so, and we wonder

sometimes how much inspiration is there really in some of

those ceremonies and laws. But that's what they were to

meditate on. They were to meditate on those things and

to conform their lives to them. Somebody mentioned, maybe it

was our revival meeting speaker recently, that would have said

that one of the requirements that for a king was

to write his own copy of the law. And I

think it was pointed out. I don't know if we

know of any of the kings that really says that's

what they did, but it would be to make them

successful in their leadership and in their walk with God.

Have that commitment be committed to God's word one Peter

two too, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of

the Word, why so you can grow thereby Hebrews chapter

Excuse me, Hebrews chapter five would speak of somebody that's

more mature rather than just taking milk. But we need

the milk too at times. But in Hebrews chapter thirteen

and fourteen, for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in

the word of righteousness, For he has obabed that strong

meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even

those by whom reason of use have their senses exercised

as to discern both good and evil. So what that

I believe is saying there is that get into the

meat of God's word, and by putting it to practice

in our lives, that's how we how we grow. Be

committed to God's word, to obedience to God's word, and

it's a message that is needed in our time, just

the pure word of God and applying it to our lives.

Be committed to that. Joshua was encouraged in that too,

to don't let it depart out of your mouth, and

by simulating it, it says for then thou shalt make

thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

I just want to encourage you in that. Thirdly, then

be committed to trusting in God's enabling I'm not sure

how you're feeling, brother Eric, but maybe the task looks

too big, maybe it looks insurmountable. To be faithful in

preaching the word and fulfilling your responsibilities is a leader

here in this congregation. But never get to the place

where you trust in your own ability Now God does

give gifts and abilities, but let's always recognize the need

for God to use that to fulfill our responsibilities. And

I think to the back to that, we referred to

the spies who brought back the bad report, and then

Israel rebelled, and then God told them they're going to

have to go back into the wilderness for forty years. Well,

then they decided, well, they want to go. They're going

to go. They want to come on, let's go up there.

Let's go in and take the land. You know, Moses

stayed back, and I'm sure Joshua did. To the godly people.

They realize that they they can't go up there if

God's not with them, and we know it was defeat.

They couldn't do it in their own strength. There's another

impressive scripture to me in Exodus there where after Israel

had committed that sin there by Mount Horeb, and God

would have it was ready to wipe them out. It seems.

Let me see verse twelve, and Moses said in this

bird chapter thirty three said, unto the Lord, see thou

sayest and to me bring up this people, And thou

hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me.

Yet thus said I know THEE by name, and thou

hast also found grace in my side. Now therefore I

pray THEE, if I've found grace in thy sight, show

me now the war that I may know THEE, that

I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that

this nation is thy people. And then God told him,

he said, my presence shall go with THEE, and I

will give THEE rest. And Moses said, unto him, if

thy presence going out with me, carry us not up. Hence,

don't even lead us out of here. If you're not

going to be with us. I think it's possible I've

failed in this myself, no doubt. Maybe it's in preparing

a message or the work of the church somehow, and

you kind of lose sight of the fact that will

we really need God to be leading in this and

try to go it on our own, and it will

not work. It will not work. So I just want

to encourage you in that be committed to God's enabling.

I think I mentioned this the other evening that when

God calls, he enables, and we can be so thankful

for that that he doesn't call us to a responsibility

into something we're going to have to give account for,

and he lets us set. God will not do that

if we seek his face and recognize our need for

his enabling two Timothy two to one. Be strong in

the grace that is in Christ Jesus, be strong. Be strong,

but be strong in the grace God's enabling. We can't

be strong otherwise. For Thessalonians five point twenty four, faithful

is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

In First Corinthians chapter twelve, we have that account of

the apostle Paul's struggle with the thorn in the flesh.

Whatever that was, we don't know for sure. And it

says that he besought the Lord three times. Take this away,

and I think Paul would have thought, that, you know,

this is something that's really a hindrance to me in

my ministry. The God's answer was, my grace is sufficient

for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

In Paul's testimony, most gladly therefore will I glory in

mine infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon me.

So those areas in our lives that we think are

a hindrance if we give them to the Lord. He

may not necessarily take those things away, but he wants

to his power to be manifest, not yours. Can we

say it that way. He wants to receive the glory.

And so often if we think we can handle it,

we get in God's way, and he really can't bless

our work. Let's always remember that it's God. Paul's testimony

was it's by the grace of God I am what

I am. But Paul also had the testimony I can

Implippians four thirteen, and you might if you haven't marked

that in your Bible, you can. But I can do

all things through Christ, which strengthened me. So be strong.

I think I may be referred to this at the beginning.

But you know, we're all in a battle. We have

an enemy that really hates the Christian and I believe

that he hates the spirit led committed minister, second only

to Jesus Christ himself. He hates, he hates God, he

hates what but God has provided for mankind. So you're

in a battle and you have an enemy that's out

there too. He probably would prefer not to kill you outright.

Then you'd be a hero. But if he can wound

you cause you to sin. It's probably what he would

prefer because it brings reproach to the church. OK. Number four,

be committed to endure hardness. I'm sure that Joshua realized

that it was. It was going to be a battle.

God had told them, you know, they're to take the

land of the Hittites and these Canaanine nations. It wasn't

just going to be just walking in there. Now. God

did fight some of their battles for them, but they

had to. They had to be involved many times, and

it was not not easy. Yesterday in the interview where Eric,

you acknowledged or that you are willing to endure hardness

and misunderstandings. Be committed to walk through those circumstances. Don't

let them discourage you. I think you have a congregation

here that wants to understand you to I'll make the

load heavy for you, but we're human, and sooner or

later there'll probably be things that you'll take some flack for.

And Paul Is in his encouragement to Timothy to be strong,

he said in chapter two, verse three of two Timothy,

they will therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of

Jesus Christ be willing and committed to suffer. If that's

what God calls you to be nice to maybe promise

you something different than that, Eric, But it's reality as

time goes on. But I also like the testimony the

apostle Paul verse ten of this chapter. He says, I

endure all things for the elect's sake, and so there

needs to be that love, that commitment to do what's

best for your people. Paul also told Timothy the time's

going to come when they won't endure sound doctrine. So

expect opposition. If not within your congregation, maybe it's out

without second Timothy four fifteen, he again encourages him. He

talks here about somebody that greatly withstood him. I guess

verse five is what I want. But watch down all

things and dure afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist,

make full proof of thy ministry. But I thought I'm

pulling out here is and endure afflictions. Encouragement to me

and time past was, you know, you can't stop all

the criticism, You can't make every thing come out. Maybe,

but what Peter wrote about Jesus was an impress has

impressed me and I rested in that sum where it

says that Jesus was when he was reviled, not again,

when he suffered, he threatened not but committed himself to

him the judges righteously, and we need to be honest,

we need to be humble, we need to accept criticism.

But finally, God is the judge. I just want to

give that his encouragement to you. That hardness may mean

to stand alone. And I'm not advocating here that you

stand apart from your fellow ministers or that, but I

think of Joshua when he got to the end of

his life. Well, first of all, I'd like to just

refer back to when he was one of the spies.

That wasn't an easy position to be in against two

and then the congregation threatened to stone him, but Joshua

stayed faithful. He knew what was right, and that's where

he stood. And then I go to the close of

Joshua's life and Joshua twenty four where he made that

great commitment. He said, you can serve the gods you

want to, but as for me and my house, we're

going to serve the Lord. Willing to stand alone in

the face of opposition someone who is true and committed.

I take this also from the life of Joshua. As

you go to the end of the book, after Joshua

died he had passed on, it said that the people

served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all

the days of the elders that would have served with Joshua.

It talks of influence. It talks of the blessing of faithfulness,

and that's what God calls us to be committed to faithfulness,

to endure hardness. The last point I have here is

or lessen our title here to be of good courage.

So be courageous, be steadfastly minded, not discouraged. You know,

it's one thing to be strong. We could have a

man here that's six foot six, two hundred and seventy

five pounds, muscular man that could beat any of us.

But you know, if there was no courage there, they

wouldn't accomplish much. So there needs to be courage along

with the strength. And I think of that as it

has to do with our spirit, our mentality, our outlook,

our faith. To be courageous. I'd like to pull a

lesson from the time when Goliath was challenging Israel. Goliath,

what was he nine foot tall? And when he came

out and challenged the armies of Israel, it says they

were dismayed, and that's the opposite of courageous. That's the

opposite of courage. They were dismayed. And I think it

infers that Saul was among those that were. At least

he didn't go out after him, and he was heading

shoulders above all the rest in Israel. Why wasn't he

there leading the way that they lacked courage? We have David,

this stripling. Saul called him stripling. He was a shepherd boy.

I don't know how old he was. I don't think

he looked very formidable as a warrior. But he went

out to face the giant courage. He had strength, but

not physical strength. He had courage, and he went out.

He told the Goliath and told Goliath, he said, I

come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts,

the God of the armies of Israel. And that's what

gave him courage. So what can I can we say

tonight to encourage you, brother, rest in the promises of God.

Now I'll refer to a couple here. It's interesting that

if you go back to Deuteronomy chapter three, verse twenty eight.

When God, maybe I should turn to that God had

had told Joshua Moses to to call Joshua. He was

given him instructions. God was giving Moses and last instructions

in his way here. But he said, by charge Joshua,

and encourage him and strengthen him, or he shall go

over before this people, and he shall cause them to

inherit the land which thou shalt see. So he came

back to the promise of God. And you, he said,

encourage Joshua, as you spend time in the world, look

for those promises of God's presence, of God's enabling. I'd

like to read from Isaiah chapter forty one, a beautiful

verse here, verse thirteen. I'll just read verse thirteen. This

for I the Lord I God will hold thy right hand,

saying into thee fear not. I will help THEE. Jesus

the head of the church. As he gave that great

commission to the church, he said, and lo, I am

with you alway even unto the end of the world.

So to night, Eric, be strong, be of good courage,

preach the word with all your responsibility as a leader.

Here God bless you.