STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

Hey everyone, this is Josh from Encounter Church

Henley and thanks so much for tuning into our

podcast. Our prayer is that through this podcast,

you can have an encounter with Jesus that will

change your life. And now get ready for an inspiring

message from our preaching team. Hi everyone,

my name is Emma and my role at Encounter Hanley

is coordinating our kids ministry, but I dabble.

in preaching. Just before we start I'd like to

start in prayer so if you could close your eyes

and pray with me today. God thank you for bringing

us here today as we explore your word we ask

that the words spoken would be your words not

human wisdom but your truth. Quiet our hearts

and help us to listen to what you may be speaking

to us today. May we leave change not because

of effort or emotion but by encountering you.

We place this time in your hands. In Jesus name

we pray. Amen. Now this week we're diving back

into our series And we're looking at a verse

that you might recognise from just a single sentence.

So just for a bit of fun, I wanna see where this

lands. I'm gonna start with the quotable part

of the verse. And if you recognise it just from

the quote, I want you to put your hands up. Be

strong and courageous. Put your hand up if you

know that verse just from that one line. Now,

this verse is from the popular Joshua 1 verse

Joshua 1:9

9 and the full verse goes like this, Now, we're

in the series called Quotable, which as you can

already tell, we're looking at why these Bible

verses are so popular that they've escaped the

pages of the Bible and made their way into the

homeware section. And Joshua 1 .9 is a classic

example, especially the line, be strong and courageous.

And you can see this verse on t -shirts. on mugs,

on key rings, wall art, and yes, if you look

hard enough, you can actually find it on toilet

seat covers. I'm not saying that I went looking,

but I definitely saw one. The whole kit caboodle,

shower curtain, bath mat, toilet seat, because

apparently people need affirmation when going

to the toilet too. A pattern arose when I was

looking for gifts and decor. I found that only

the middle part of the verse is used. Not the

beginning, not the end, just the middle, the

be strong and courageous part. So it got me thinking,

why just this part? Why does be strong and courageous

resonate so deeply with people that we want it

in our homes and on our toilets? And I think...

It's because it's comforting. There's something

about that phrase in particular that brings a

sense of comfort and comfort is a real powerful

force in our culture. Now comfort is defined

as a state or situation in which... You are relaxed

and you do not have any physically unpleasant

feelings caused by pain, heat or cold, etc. And

that definition is helpful to keep in mind because

it captures what comfort promises, a sense of

ease, safety, control and relief from discomfort.

But comfort isn't just about avoiding pain. also

tells us something deeper, that if we can just

feel steady enough, prepared enough, or confident

enough, then we'll be okay. Comfort reassures

us that we don't actually need to change anything.

We just need the right words, the right mindset,

the right systems in place, at least as long

as life behaves in the way that we expect it

to. Comfort says, if I can be strong enough on

my own, I won't have to sit with discomfort and

uncertainty. And that is where comfort becomes

dangerous because it quietly places dependence

on God with confidence in ourselves. And when

I reflected on this, I realized just how deeply

wired the desire for comfort is within me in

a very ordinary, very practical way. I realised

how much I value comfort when I thought about

packing for a trip. I am a very type A packer.

Packing for a trip is an overwhelming job for

me. Every decision feels monumental. Every item

in my bag must earn its place. My toiletry bag

is the size of a small suitcase. Everything I

might need, could need or should need goes in.

And somehow none of it is ever enough. It has

to be all of it. Packing underwear for a two

-day trip. Six pairs. No question asked. Because

honestly, who knows what will happen to your

bowels? I have learnt the hard way. The consequences

of not being prepared are discomfort. I like

comfort. I like being able to be in control.

The feeling that I have this in the bag, literally,

is comforting. It feels safe. It feels like I

can handle whatever life throws at me. And that's

why, for me, overpacking is comforting. Every

eventuality is accounted for. Extra underwear,

check. Backup snacks, of course, and shoes for

every person. mood naturally i like knowing that

i can manufacture a sense of comfort in the things

that i bring with me comfort whispers to me if

i'm prepared enough nothing can catch me off

guard but here's the reality I actually can't

know what will happen. I could act prepared,

but the truth is that no amount of packing will

protect me from the unexpected. In theory, I

could poo my pants seven times. And who knows?

Suddenly my six pairs of undies are useless.

Which is exactly when it hit me so much of what

I call comfort Having everything I need so I

won't have to face the being uncomfortable is

just an illusion Comfort tells us we can control

everything we can stay safe and avoid discomfort,

but no matter how prepared we think we are uncertainty

always finds a way in the comfort of packing

for all sorts of things is actually just temporary,

it's fragile and it disappears the moment reality

shows up. The more I try and plan for everything

the worse it gets because guess who ends up hauling

all that extra luggage around? My husband. But

in reality I do have to end up managing where

all that weight of the extra things goes. And

the funny thing is, even after all of this, I

still go through the same process every trip.

I return to what is comfortable. I try to convince

myself that this time my preparation will be

enough, but it never is. Life is unpredictable

and no amount of careful planning, lists or extra

undies can change that. And just like the extra

underwear can't save me from the uncomfortable,

the unexpected messes, on a trip and relying

on a comforting phrase, neither will protect

us from life's uncertainties. Now we're going

to look at the quote. Be strong and courageous.

On its own, it's easy to treat it like an affirmation,

a pep talk in front of the mirror before heading

to work, something we repeat when we are nervous,

overwhelmed, or stepping into something uncomfortable.

And when we do this, the verse becomes about

how we feel, not about how we live. It promises

courage. confidence and reassurance without requiring

us to trust anyone beyond ourselves or to actually

move and face a challenge. We live in a culture

that values comfort, and so we are encouraged

to find strength within ourselves to push through,

to self -soothe, to self -motivate, to self -manage.

So when we isolate the quote from the verse,

like be strong and courageous, and reduce it

to a personal mantra or affirmation, it fits

perfectly within our culture's ideal. We display

the words on mugs and wall art. We repeat them.

to ourselves and hope that the reassurance of

the phrase will carry us through uncertainty.

And just like my meticulously packed bag, promise

protection from every disaster, those words give

only the impression of security. But here is

the problem. On its own, those words can only

offer the impression of comfort, not the reality

of it. And I don't know about you, but when I

have genuinely needed courage, like real courage,

telling myself to be brave over and over like

a mantra has never been enough. At its core,

this version of the verse becomes empty comfort.

And repeating the words in the moment might soothe

me for a little bit, but it actually doesn't

sustain me to get through anything. It comforts,

but it never carries me through. And this was

because the verse was never meant to function

as comfort on its own. Where culture promotes

comfort, this verse points to something more.

Where culture promises comfort, God promises

his presence. When I started researching the

common misunderstandings of the context around

this verse and how we use be strong and courageous,

isolated, one argument stood out for me. And

it was this that this verse isn't actually for

us. It was a command given to Joshua and purely

Joshua. And at first, that really unsettled me.

I actually disagreed. I thought, well, there

are plenty of things that God says in scripture

that weren't originally spoken to us and yet

they still shape our faith. So why would this

one be any different? And it's a question worth

sitting with. Why was this verse said and who

was it really for? And what might we be missing

when we take it out of its original context and

moment and apply it as a comforting phrase for

ourselves? And understanding the original context

doesn't actually strip the verse of meaning,

it actually restores it. It helps us see that

this verse was an display to it while told which

is commanded through to decor in the very Joshua's

world for a moment and we don't fill it back

Joshua 1 9 is a transition and at this point

we got of Enormous or thorough wilderness for

forces gone Israel is facing a time of uncertainty

a time of discomfort the people are grieving

the promise of the land hasn't yet been filled

and the future is unknown. And it's into this

moment that God commissions Joshua to take up

leadership. God speaks directly to him. It says

in Joshua chapter 1 verse 2, Moses my servant

Joshua 1:2

is now dead. Now you and all these people get

ready to cross the Jordan River and into the

land I am about to give them. Joshua is not a

stranger to God or to leadership. He has been

a part of the story all along. He served closely

under Moses and he was one of the two faithful

spies in Numbers 14 who trusted God when others

were afraid. But this moment is different. Joshua

has moved from the background to the forefront.

The responsibility no longer sits with Moses,

it now rests on him. And the challenges before

Joshua are immense. This is not a comfortable

moment. It is not a settled season. He is to

lead the Israel into the promised land, confront

nations and their strongholds, tear down their

idols and lead the people faithfully. It is in

this moment of enormous responsibility and uncertainty

as Joshua prepares to step into the task God

has set before him that God speaks the words

of Joshua 1 .9. It is here that God does not

remove Joshua from the discomfort of the moment.

He meets him within it. God does not offer Joshua

to escape from the uncomfortableness he offers

himself. Now when we slow down and listen carefully

to this verse, you'll notice that this verse

isn't flat. It isn't static. I'm gonna read it

to you again. It actually moves in three parts.

The reminder, the command and the source. For

the reminder, parents in the room, why do we

repeat things to children? Is it because we know

that they may not fully grasp the concept the

first time? They take lots of times after. Repetition

helps things sink in and it prepares people for

what's coming. When something has to be said

three times, it usually matters. That dynamic

helps us understand how God speaks to Joshua.

The verse begins with, Have I not commanded you?

This isn't a frustration, it's a reminder. God

is calling Joshua back to what has already been

spoken to him. In Joshua chapter 1 verse 6 God

Joshua 1:6

says, be strong and courageous because you will

lead these people to inherit the land. In verse

7 God repeats it, be strong and very courageous,

be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses

gave you. Now in verse 9 God says it One more

time. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and

courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.

Three times. God reinforces the call like a parent

preparing a child for the day. Put your shoes

on. I said put your shoes on. Shoes now. God

repeats these words. Not because Joshua is incapable.

but because what lies ahead is significant. Joshua

needs to remember both what he has been called

to do and who has called him. The command is

next. God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous

because he is about to lead a grieving, uncertain

nation into the promised land. He will face fortified

cities, powerful enemies, and the weight of Israel's

future is on his shoulders. This courage is not

just for battle. Joshua will need strength to

make hard decisions, to stand firm when people

resist, and doubt him and to remain faithful

even when progress seems slow. God names the

inner struggle of Joshua too. Fear will rise,

discouragement will press in and the task will

often feel bigger than Joshua's capacity. God

doesn't deny those realities but he instead commands

Joshua not to let them lead him. Strength and

courage are required because Joshua cannot wait

until things feel safe or manageable. God does

not offer his comfort first, he actually calls

for obedience in the uncertainty. Strength and

courage are not emotions for Joshua to achieve,

but rather a posture that Joshua must choose.

Now we move on to the source. The command to

be strong and courageous does not stand on its

own. Its source is the promise for the Lord your

God will be with you wherever you go. Courage

is not the source, strength is not the source,

but God's presence is the source. This presence

is not a temporary encouragement or empty comfort

as we explored before. It is a promise that has

been fulfilled again and again throughout scripture.

God was a source of Abraham's obedience as he

stepped into the unknown, the source of Moses'

perseverance in leading Israel out of Egypt,

and the source of the judge's deliverance in

moments of crisis, and as well the source of

the prophet's faithfulness in times of fear and

uncertainty. Now that same source stands with

Joshua. Joshua draws his strength and courage

not from the words themselves, but from the presence

of the one who stands behind them. Joshua doesn't

need comfort, he needs a source, a source to

sustain. Leading a nation at a pivotal moment

requires more than just reassurance, it requires

a foundation that does not shift. The words be

strong and courageous only carry the weight they

do because they are anchored to the source of

God's presence. Remove the source and the command

becomes nothing more than comfort. And this is

where we often miss the point. We take the command

out of its source. We turn it into something

that we can use for comfort. We cling to those

words to feel better rather than to live faithfully.

We chase comfort instead of God's presence. We

expect God's presence to smooth the path instead

of sustain us on it. And it confuses courage

with emotional ease. Where culture promises comfort,

God promises his presence. But scripture is not

offering comfort, it is offering a source. Comfort

asks, will this feel safe? Where presence asks,

who will go with me? Comfort looks like relief,

presence offers relationships. And Joshua faces

real fear, there's no denying that. He faces

real uncertainty and real discomfort and God

does the comfort or self assurance from trusting

the source feel. Why this uncomfort turns courage

also into a feeling and presence into something

that we are hoping for. But scripture calls us

to something deeper, a presence we trust in even

when comfort is absent. Joshua does not simply

hear the promise of God's present, but he actually

that it shapes the way that he leads. The call

to be strong and courageous places him in real

uncertainty and this is where the command finally

makes sense. Strength and courage do not come

first. God's presence is the source in which

they flow. So rather than asking what the command

means, the question becomes what does it look

like? How does Joshua live from God's presence

instead of reaching for the comfort? And scripture

shows us three ways in which he does this. The

first one is that he meditates on God's word.

Joshua 1 .8, God says to Joshua, keep this book

of the law, always meditate on your, always on

your lips, meditate on it day and night so that

you may be careful to do everything written in

it. Then you will be successful, prosperous and

successful. God tells Joshua to meditate on the

Lord day and night, not simply as reassurance

or as a spiritual discipline, but because the

Word of God is the path through which he experiences

God's presence. A .W. Tozer captures this reality

when he writes in his book, The Presence of God,

Only one path is correct and that path is revealed

in the Word of God. Only in the Bible do we begin

to understand what these inward stirrings are

and how to find entrance into the presence of

God. A right understanding of the Bible opens

to us the only path into the presence of God.

Now, Tozer isn't saying that God cannot be encountered

through prayer, creation, community or the work

of the spirit. Scripture itself affirms that

God is present and active in all of those ways.

But what Tozer is naming is the unique role of

God's Word as the place where we come to to know

who God actually is. When we are attentive to

Scripture, it shapes our understanding of God's

character, His purposes and His ways. It gives

us the framework to rightly recognise his presence

everywhere. In that sense, the Word becomes the

path, not because God is absent anywhere else,

but because Scripture anchors our understanding

of Him so that our experience of His presence

is grounded in truth rather than feelings or

self -made confidence. And Joshua understands

this. He does not look for God's presence through

his feelings or through his self -assurance.

He seeks it through attentiveness to God's Word.

His courage is formed not by repeating God's

command to be strong and courageous, but by living

in alignment with the God who has promised his

presence. For Joshua grounding himself in God's

word is not about information or comfort, is

about staying close to the God who speaks, leads,

and goes with his people. And just as Joshua

intentionally engaged in God's word each day,

we too are invited to do the same. Imagine starting

or ending each day by pausing with God's Word,

reading even a small verse or a passage and asking

God, what are you showing me about who you are

today? When we do this, we're not just checking

off a to -do list, we're opening ourselves to

the God who walks with us. A great way to build

this habit is to join the encounter Bible reading

plan and it's never too late to start. But you

actually do need to take the first step to do

it. And like Joshua, daily engagement with God's

Word invites us into His presence that He promises

and helps us live with courage knowing that He

is with us every step of the way. The second

way Joshua seeks God's presence is to place his

trust in God's promise rather than his own strength.

The command to be strong and courageous is not

an invitation for Joshua to look inward or to

summon hidden reserves of courage and strength.

It is a call to place his trust in somewhere

specific, to place his trust in the promise that

the Lord will be with him wherever he goes. Joshua's

courage is not measured by how fearless he feels,

but by where his trust is anchored. God's present

compels Joshua to act not because he feels ready

or comfortable but because God has spoken and

will go with him. Joshua steps forward trusting

not his own strength not his own preparation

or certainty but the strength of the one who

accompanies him. And Timothy Keller puts language

to this when he says, Strong faith in a weak

branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a

strong branch. Salvation is not finally based

on the strength of your faith, but on the object

of your faith. Joshua's faith may be imperfect,

but its object is sure. His trust rests not in

his leadership ability, his military strategy

or emotional readiness, but in the promise of

God's nearness. That is what allows him to move

forward when comfort would say, wait until you

feel ready or prepared. We can practically do

the same. When fear or uncertainty starts to

grip you, you can bring those fears to God in

prayer. We have a beautiful prayer room that's

open 24 seven. We can bring fears to God in prayer.

We can say, Lord, I trust you to go before me

in this situation. You can remind yourself of

his faithfulness and the promises that he has

given you. Take time to reflect on the times

that he has carried you through or write in a

journal the ways that he has been faithful in

your life. Think about who God is, what his promises

mean for you today and how he wants you to trust

him in this moment. Courage and strength don't

come from getting rid of fear. It comes from

leaning fully on God's presence, holding on to

his promises and letting him guide you and strengthen

you in every step you take. The third and final

way that Joshua leans in on God's presence is

that Joshua sustains himself by God's presence

as his source. Meditating on God's word is how

Joshua begins. Trusting God's promises is what

moves him forward and God's presence, the source,

is how he keeps going. This focus on God as his

source shapes everything Joshua does. Turning

his attention outward toward the Lord rather

than inward towards himself. A distinction that

becomes clear when we compare presence and comfort.

Where comfort turns us inwards, present turns

us outwards. Comfort, doing okay, happy. Who

am I walking with? It fixes our eyes on who God

is and reminds us that courage and strength comes

from Him, not from ourselves. Joshua's strength

and courage doesn't come from constant self -assessment,

but from attentiveness to the Lord who walks

with him. He writes, everyone there. But they

do not call it goodness. They do not call it

anything. They are not thinking of it. They are

too busy looking at the source from which it

comes. Generate his word, his promises and presence.

Strength flows to him from the source. And we

can do the same. When fear or uncertainty comes,

we can simply keep our hearts and eyes on God's

presence, staying close to the source that can

sustain us. It's no quick comfort, but a slow,

steady presence. And when comfort fades, God's

presence remains. Revealing a pattern that points

beyond the story of Joshua toward a greater reality.

In Joshua's story we see a pattern at work. God's

presence sustains him but the story itself can

only be completed from something far greater.

Joshua leads people into the promised land yet

the story is unfinished. The land is entered

but the journey isn't complete. Throughout scripture

God's people not with whether God is present,

but with remaining attentive to His presence.

Again and again, the people of God, they turn

to substitutes that promise comfort, control,

or certainty, and Joshua stands within that tension.

His reliance on God's presence does not resolve

it, it reveals something more. It becomes a signpost

toward a greater reality, that God's presence

is... God's presence with his people extends

far beyond one man, one moment, and one land.

And scripture itself invites us to see this connection

more clearly. Even their names tell the story.

Joshua in Hebrew is, I'm gonna butcher this,

Yehoshua, meaning the Lord saves. The Greek form

of that same name is Jesus. Where Joshua leads

God's people into the promised land, Jesus leads

them into the life God promises. Where Joshua

steps forward amid fear, Jesus steps into a broken

world shaped by sin and suffering. Where Joshua

is told to be strong and courageous because God

will be with him, Jesus is God's present among

us. Jesus walks in perfect dependence on the

Father. He continually returns to God's presence

as his source, shaped by God's Word, trusting

God's promises and sustained by God's nearness.

His strength doesn't come from avoiding the suffering

that is before him or seeking comfort, but it

is from remaining aligned with the Father. Both

Joshua and Jesus are sent. Both are obedient.

Both move forward not by comfort but by God's

presence. But only Jesus carries that presence

to its ultimate fulfillment. Entering the battle

Joshua could not finish against sin, death and

separation from God. On the cross Jesus does

not turn from suffering. His surrender is held

and carried by the Father's presence and through

that same presence he carries God's presence

into death itself. It says in Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 12:2

12 verse 2, for the joy set before him he endured

the cross. On the cross, the separation between

God and humanity is finally reconciled. What

once stood between us and God is removed. The

barrier is gone. God's presence is no longer

distant or meditated through fear or law or effort.

It is open. It is secure. It is given freely.

Jesus' surrender on the cross was sustained by

the source. That same source, the presence that

carried Joshua and was fully revealed in Jesus

is now available to us. We are invited to remain

turned towards the source that sustains to trust

the one who has gone before us and to live in

the reality of God's presence already given in

Christ. Where Joshua needed courage to step into

the unknown, we live in the presence of the One

who has already gone through every trial, sin

and shadow for us. Joshua is a signpost. Jesus

is the destination. This is the point where everything

began to come together for me. When I first came

across the idea that this verse was spoken just

for Joshua and not directly to us, It did unsettle

me. I had assumed that it was a command meant

to give us courage and strength in the current

moment. But as I sat with the question of if

Joshua 1 .9 was spoken to Joshua, what does it

mean for us today? I began to see that this verse

was never meant to function as comfort detached

from its context. And it was in discovering the

connection between Joshua and Jesus that finally

helped me understand why. The command be strong

and courageous was given to Joshua because he

stood on the edge of uncertainty. He was being

asked to obey while the outcome was still unknown.

The battles were still ahead. Fear was still

real. God's promise was sure, but the victory

had not yet been secured. Joshua needed courage

because obedience carried risk. But our position

is different. For us, obedience still involves

risks. But in Jesus, God's presence is already

with us. In Jesus, we have God's presence with

us in a way that Joshua never did. Where Joshua

depended on God going with him, Jesus is Immanuel,

God with us. His presence dwells among us in

a tangible and real way. We can see him in his

life. We can hear him through his word and experience

him in prayer and trust him in every fear and

struggle. This means that God's presence is no

longer distant. It's no longer conditional or

promised for the future. It is fully accessible

and already secured for us right now. The command

is no longer a call to find courage by ourselves

but an invitation to live in the reality of God's

presence that has already come. Because of Jesus

the verse now flips. For Joshua the command comes

first and trust is required without resolution.

For us Christ has fulfilled God's promise not

by removing discomfort and uncertainty but by

securing God's presence within it. Our trust

flows from what has already been done for us.

We do not hear Joshua 1 .9 as people standing

on the edge of the unknown, hoping that God will

meet us there. We hear it as people standing

on the other side of the cross and resurrection.

In Christ, God's presence is not something promised

for our future. It is something that is already

given. God is with us. His presence is with us

now. Jesus has stepped into fear, darkness and

death and has not been overcome by them. The

greatest enemies have already... been defeated

for us. So when we hear be strong and courageous

it's no longer the call to rely on our strength

it is an invitation to live in the response of

God's good grace. In Christ God says I am with

you I have gone before you I have overcome and

because that in my strength you can be strong

and courageous not to earn my presence not to

secure the victory but because both have already

been done. So instead of haven't I commanded

you be strong and courageous, do not be afraid

or discouraged for the Lord God is with you wherever

you go. It becomes in Christ the promise is fulfilled.

God is always with you. Fear, hopelessness and

despair have been overcome. And because He is

with you, you can be strong and courageous. We've

seen how Joshua's courage was rooted not in comfort

but in the presence of God and we've seen that

Jesus embodies that same presence for us. He

has already entered the greatest battles and

secured the victory. But what does that mean

for our everyday lives? How do we take the call

to be strong and courageous out of an ancient

text and into the reality that we live today

while remembering that we are standing on the

other side of the cross? The pressures, the fears,

the uncertainties we face at work at home in

our relationships are different from Joshua's,

but the invitation remains the same. The command

is no longer about finding strength or courage

by ourselves, but is an invitation to live in

the presence of God. Now, comfort just like my

giant toiletry bag. It's heavy. It promises safety,

but it rarely feels like extra cloth or convinced

that it will put is by harder if you just hold

on, if you just push through. And in our lives,

comfort often looks like this. Trying to fix

our own feelings instead of letting God meet

you where you are. Pushing through fear or anxiety

without pause, pretending you're okay when you're

not. Clinging to self, helping you grow. The

weight slowly builds. We carry the burden of

trying to control what was never ours to carry.

And that's the backpack of comfort. We think

it where comfort makes us carry the weight ourselves

Pray does not promise comfort does not take away

fear and uncertainty It does not remove the cost

but it does change the weight that we carry God

calls us to step away from comfort and to move

forward into uncertainty but into his nearness

courage and strength no longer depend on our

own resolve, it flows from walking in step with

God. Presence is light, but it asks something

of us. It asks us to release what we cling to,

what we trust, to step forward even when it feels

uncomfortable. And here's where surrender becomes

the hinge. the pivot between comfort and presence.

Where comfort tightens our grip, surrender opens

our hands. Surrender is not giving up, it's not

doing nothing. Surrender is about earning, is

not about earning courage or strength or God's

presence. Surrender is the act of putting down

the backpack, letting go of control, letting

go of... Letting go of the illusions that I've

got this and turning towards God. Surrender is

not a passive action. It is participation. It

is choosing presence over comfort. It is a posture.

It is a choice. A step. And like a mirror turning

toward the light, the light is already shining.

Our job is simply to turn and reflect it. The

posture of surrender itself is uncomfortable.

It asks us to leave behind the weight we've been

clinging to. It asks us to step away from the

familiar even when staying put feels safer. And

here's the truth. Again, the weight we need to

release was never ours to carry in the first

place. When we surrender, the heavy luggage falls

away. The things we thought we had to hold on

to. Our control, our plans, our attempts at courage

no longer can anchor us down. In that letting

go, something remarkable happens. Courage begins

to flow, strength rises and life itself feels

fuller and freer. And it is in this revelation

that we see it clearly. Surrender, not comfort,

is the power that overcomes because surrender

keeps us abiding in the presence of God. From

that place of abiding, everything we need, courage,

strength, freedom, comes as a gift freely given.

They're not gifts that we earn. They are not

resources that we have to manufacture. They flow

naturally from the one who is already with us,

the one who has carried the heaviest of loads

before we ever stepped onto the path. God's presence

fully given in Jesus becomes tangible in our

lives. It is something that we can feel in the

quiet moments of prayer, see reflected in the

scripture, hear guiding us in the decisions and

trust in the midst of fear. We don't have to

lean on comfort, the false assurance that we

can manage it all on our own or pretend to muster

it together. That weight drops away when we engage

in a posture of surrender. Thanks so much for

tuning in to this week's message. If you felt

challenged or need prayer, we'd love to hear

from you on Instagram at encounterhenley. Or

if you're interested in how you can support this

ministry, please go to our website encounteradelaide

.com .au. Thanks again for listening. God bless

you.