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Contrary to Nabal’s rash response, Abigail approached David with great honor. Abigail is a good example of someone who had a clear perception in the midst of a lot of noise and animosity against David. 

Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.  Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.”…..

Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord, and evil is not found in you throughout your days.  Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” 1 Samuel 25:14-17 & 28-31

Abigail listened to her servant about what had transpired on the field. She was informed about the kindness and the help David’s men had given her servants. She also understood that not only her husband had greatly offended David, but he also had exasperated David to the point of putting the household in danger.

Consequently, Abigail prepared large amounts of food and rode her donkey to meet David. Besides the food preparation, she must have prepared herself by asking the Lord’s  intervention in the situation in approaching David.

Abigail could have carried herself as a wealthy woman who is trying to just compensate for the efforts of David’s people in protecting her servants, but that was not the case. Her clear perception about David  caused her to approach him as a servant and with great humility. She reminded him of his victories when he used a sling to kill Goliath. She called him, her lord and declared that he is the future king of Israel. Contrary to her husband Nabal who considered David a runway slave, Abigail recognized God’s anointing on David as the future king.

It is alarming that with our ease of access to technology and social media, we spend less time in getting clear perception of a situation, and we spend more time in arguing and sharing posts that may not bear true or bear any good fruit. Clear perception is essential in how we handle life!

A friend contacted me this week and asked me if I can recommend a truthful article about what is happening in the recent political debate this week. My flesh wanted to quickly give her my opinion, but my spirit led me not to influence her based on my limited facts. So I told her that I am still gathering my facts about the history of this situation, and I would be better prepared to discuss it in a couple of days. If we avoid hastiness and do our due diligence to gather facts from reliable sources, we can have a more productive and thoughtful conversation about the well-being of our nation. The current frenzy is a byproduct of cloudy perception producing rash reactions. This is very dangerous for the future of our country!

What does it take to have a clear perception? First and foremost, it requires humility. Second, we can’t let the noise around us shape our perspective. Third, it requires us to slow down and gather our facts. Fourth, we need to inquire of the Lord and discern between truth and lies about a situation. Let’s put this into practice and see the good fruit of it in our lives as well as our society. 

When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep,  David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.  And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: ‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have!  Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel.  Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ” So when David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited. Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.  Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?” 1 Samuel 25:4-11

God had already anointed David to be the future king, but at this time he was on the run trying to save his life from the hands of Saul. David had gathered warriors around him, but he did not have the constant provisions and resources to provide for them. Consequently, he tried to protect others who did not have adequate protection, such as Nabal’s servants, in the hope of being  compensated with food and  provision for his people.

Not only Nabal did not appreciate the protection of David’s people, but he also offended David by stating that he was a runaway servant. Nabal’s perception was clouded by his own pride and foolishness. He may also had been influenced by Saul’s narrative about David.  Furthermore, Nabal was a rich man, and he may not have seen a need for a bunch of nobodies protecting his people. Therefore, he did not find a need to give David and his people any attention or provision. His offensive gesture and clouded perception could have cost the loss of many lives in his household.

If Nabal had taken the time to talk to his servants, he would have found out how helpful David’s warriors were to his people. Because of caustic attitude, his servants were too scared to talk to Nabal, but they shared about David’s people and their helpfulness with his wife Abigail. She was willing to hear what the servants had to say, and it helped her to gain clarity in the situation (See 1 Samuel 25:14-17).

To have a clear perception, it requires us to patiently weigh the situation and not try to make rash decisions. We also need to be open to receiving input from those around us. Just because one is wealthy or successful, it does not mean that they have all the answers. Those who have the relevant information for our decision-making can help to clarify our perception.  If Nabal had put aside his own preconceived notions about David and had paid attention to what his servants had to say about him, he would have had a chance to clarify his view of David. 

Do you invest enough time to gather the relevant facts before you form your opinion? Are you open to receiving input to allow it to change your perception?

Our Perception is critical in navigating various situations and evaluating the people we are faced with. If our perception is accurate, it gives us the ability to know the mind of God and to align ourselves with His plan in any given situation.

Definition of “to perceive”  (Hebrew Yada): to know, to perceive, to perceive and see, find out and discern, to discriminate, distinguish, to know by experience, to be skillful in, to make known (Strong’s Concordance).

Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”  Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 1 Samuel 17: 26-28

David was instructed by his father to run to the camp and take food for his brothers. He obeyed his father and did as he asked him to do. However, when he saw Goliath intimidating the army of God, he could not remain quiet and knew that something needed to be done.

David was not there to bring attention to himself, and neither was he there looking to humiliate his brothers. However, his older brother Eliab perceived his actions the wrong way. He accused David of being proud and insolent. In addition, Eliab, in a condescending manner, reminded David that he was just a shepherd boy to imply that David should mind his own business. Unfortunately, Eliab and his brothers had learned to be skilled warriors, but they were not spiritually skillful in their perception. 

David had already been anointed to be the future king of Israel, and God had bypassed David’s brothers who would have hoped to be qualified. However, Eliab’s perception of his brother had not changed. He still wanted to see David as his little brother who is only good in shepherding. Eliab and his brothers could have responded very differently. They could have encouraged David and told him that God was with him. They could have offered their help in taking on Goliath. Instead, they tried to humiliate him and shun him, so they would not look bad. Their perception of their brother David was clouded with their own pride and jealousy, and regardless of what David did, they could not see anything good about him. 

When our perception is foggy, it inhibits us from seeing God’s work in others’ lives. We need to put aside our own ideas and preferences and ask for the mind of the Lord in regards to other people.  Sometimes others cannot see or accept the anointing of God in our lives. The opposition from his brothers did not keep David discouraged. His focus was on the Lord, and he was able to accomplish a courageous feat that others were too scared to face.  This allowed the Israelites and his brothers to be saved from the hands of the Philistines. 

In the last three devotionals, I shared about Jesus addressing some important issues with a Pharisee when He was invited to this man’s house for dinner.  Jesus told him about the condition of the Pharisee’s heart while the Pharisee was concerned if Jesus had washed before dinner. Jesus rebuked him and his companions for their accuracy in giving of their tithes and mints but neglecting love and justice. Jesus also exposed the Pharisee’s love for  the important seats and being greeted in the marketplace.

The issues that Jesus addressed can easily apply to our lives and our attitudes in living our Christian life. So how do we keep some safeguards from becoming religious!?

1. The Lord’s view of us should be the most important view in our spiritual walk 

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

The opinion of man whether it is a good opinion or a bad opinion will set a snare for us and will hold us in bondage to competition, striving, and proving ourselves. It is important to recognize that what is happening in our internal world is far more important than our external perfection before people. We need to have regular alone time where we listen to the Lord and allow Him to speak to us concerning those things that He cares about apart from all the other voices around us. It takes courage to be corrected by the Lord!

If people happen to like us or admire us, thank the Lord and then move on. We cannot let it to get into our heads or hearts. We also cannot allow it to become our identity. If people have an issue with us, instead of jumping to defend ourselves, we should take it to our prayer room (not our friends) and ask Him to show us if there is any truth in what was spoken. It would be like a person who is sick but does not want to admit that they have a health condition.  If we don’t take care of the health issue, we are the ones suffering the consequences. If we are afraid of man’s negative opinion of us, we will not admit our mistakes and will even justify them. We might even find scriptures to defend our position, while all along knowing that we have a pattern that needs to be broken.

2. Our Priority in ministry should be God’s priority in ministry

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 33:5

God cares about reaching people and representing Him well on the earth! Therefore, be willing to let go of anything that inhibits your love and justice towards others. Just because we do the work of the ministry, it does not mean that we are in a right relationship with God or others.We need to care more about love and justice than the zeal of ministry. If we keep his priorities in our lives, sometimes it will lead us to walk away from certain situations and let others have it their way. If we are not willing to experience loss sometimes, we are more concerned about self-preservation than letting the Lord have His way in a given situation. The good news is that when we operate in love and justice, the Lord allows us to see His goodness and His hand in our lives because we have put Him and His desires first.

3. Examine your life for False Security 

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

I love the above scripture for many reasons. As it relates to the subject of having a religious spirit, it is a good reminder that our significance is in the Lord’s hands not in our earthly laurels. We cannot think too highly of ourselves. Mordecai challenged the Queen, and his message to Esther was very bold and direct. He reminded her that even though she was the Queen, her life was in jeopardy as well. This probably awakened Esther from the slumber and the security of being a Queen!

Our value is not connected to our titles, positions, the most important seats, or people’s greetings. All those things can be false religious security. Esther was the Queen, but her significance was not connected to her royalty. Her royalty status would not have spared her life from being perished. Being a queen did not have an intrinsic value in and of itself, but God was going to use her royalty to fulfill His purpose. If we get enamored by false security, we will get derailed from fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives.

Praise God for the Holy Spirit who is the perfect physician. He illuminates the condition of our hearts, so we can address the religious spirit and get back on the road to recovery! 

Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”  One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. Luke 11:43-46 (NIV)

Jesus was having dinner at a Pharisee’s house, and He uncovered several issues that challenged the status quo. Why was Jesus concerned about the most important seats and the greetings in the marketplaces? How are those things religious? One can sit in an important seat and be greeted respectfully and still love God! 

According to Strong’s Concordance: Definition of love ( Agapeo):

1. of persons

   1. to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

2. of things

   1. to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

The word “love” in the above scripture has the same meaning as the one Jesus used when He gave the two greatest commandments to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Pharisees “loved” the most important seats and the respect they received in the marketplace. If they really loved God and their neighbor, they could not equally love the best seats and the respect they enjoyed in the marketplace.

This is a reminder of Jesus’ declaration in (Matthew 6:19-24) that we cannot have two masters. He also stated that where our treasure is, that is where our heart is as well. We either are captured by loving God and others, or we are focused on self-exaltation. Based on the above definition of “love”, the Pharisees received their contentment and satisfaction from the important seats and being respected in the marketplace. 

Those things that are not spiritual matters yet they capture our hearts cause us to become religious. For some it could be loving the most important seats. For others it could be the need for admiration by others. For another group, it could be the desire to be important and significant. We can even use our so called spirituality to get our way in life. Anything that captures our imagination and fills our hearts apart from the love of God and His desire for our lives can turn into idolatry. The idols that look spiritual make us religious. What are the things that give you satisfaction, contentment, and importance? Would their absence make you feel empty or insignificant? 

It’s interesting that one of the lawyers was honest enough to admit that he was insulted by Jesus’ statements. Jesus always had a way of rocking the religious’ boats and observing how people reacted to it. Maybe all of His statements did not apply to every Pharisee, but most likely, one or more of them applied to all of them. Therefore, before getting insulted with Jesus’ statements, it would be best to allow His words to examine our hearts. If we are going in a wrong direction, the sooner we find out, the easier it is to get redirected. 

Lord examine our hearts according to Psalm 51 and expose anything that is offensive to you! We desire truth in our inner parts. 

I shared in the last devotional that Jesus was very compassionate towards the poor and the needy, but he spoke sternly to the religious people who thought they had it all together. I wonder if the Pharisee who invited Jesus to his house thought that he would have the opportunity to correct Jesus on His teaching and set Him straight!

And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.  Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Luke 11:37-42

Jesus not only spoke of the Pharisee’s internal condition,  He also challenged his giving. Jesus told the Pharisee that he had accuracy about his tithing, but he was not diligent in showing appropriate love and justice to others.

This is one of those verses that can step on many toes. Mature Christians may be very happy and proud of the fact that they faithfully tithe of their money and resources, but how many of us can confidently say that we have acted justly and lovingly towards others? How many of us can say that we have been impartial in our treatment of others regardless of who they are? 

When we first accept Jesus, we love everyone and are very appreciative of anyone who tried to help us out or lend us a hand. However, over time, we develop a mental hierarchy of those who have a permission to speak into our lives or pray for us. In addition, in our relationships, we begin to see people as those who belong to the inner core or outer core. We also have a category of those who help us and those whom we can help. The ones that don’t fit either of those two categories, don’t have a benefit to us and subsequently are mostly ignored with our indifference.

Indifference and apathy are not measurable things, and neither are love and justice. It is easier to spot something that occurs rather than the absence of something that does not occur.  We have a tendency to focus on those things that are measurable and tangible such as money or time. We are proud of our roles in various ministries, the number of times we go to a prayer meeting, or have provided holiday meals. However, love and justice are not tangible items, and it’s easier to get sloppy with them. 

The absence of love and justice may not be noticed right away or raise an eyebrow from those watching. We may have ignored that unction of the Holy Spirit to respond in love or justice. We may also have overruled the Holy Spirit with our own preferences and provided love and favor only to those whom we love or we like. This results in our love and justice to be motivated by our carnality not spirituality.

In addition, sometimes we are concerned about being judged by those in power for our compassion and justice, so we are cautious and reluctant to do the good works of love and justice. I doubt every Pharisee saw Jesus’ teaching as a wrong teaching, but they were a part of a system that did not condone Him. Therefore, they did not want to be judged by the established system, incur the wrath of others, or experience loss.

The issues that Jesus addressed are not just church issues; they can happen in every sphere of society such as workplace, schools, families, and government. As the people of God, we need to courageous enough to examine ourselves in the light of scripture and avoid groupthink.  Then as the Lord leads us, we take a stand for truth and righteousness by operating in love and justice. This is what is going to bring about the transformation in our spheres of influence.

Jesus had much compassion for the poor and the needy, and He was always available to heal the sick and cast demons out of people. However, He had a different attitude towards the religious crowd. They had a form of spirituality but had no desire to be right with God. Over time the Pharisees had placed themselves on the throne that only belonged to God. Their opinion of people’s spirituality took precedence over God’s view of their spirituality.

A religious spirit tries to sneak into the hearts and minds of God’s people, and we can all fall into it. Walking with God for years, can cause us to lose sensitivity to those who struggle with sin. We can quickly prescribe a method for being delivered rather than pointing them to the Man who can restore and deliver them. 

When we are needy, it easier to be humble before the Lord and have greater compassion for those who are suffering. However, as soon as the intensity of our problems subsides, pride rises up! We begin thinking of all of our successes with God and secretly look down upon those who are struggling. We can have solutions for people’s problems and claim that we are motivated by our leadership role and maturity to help others. We think that the world and the people around us cannot function apart from our wisdom, so we share it liberally whether it is solicited or not.

And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.  Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Luke 11:37-42

Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s house, but He was not shy about talking to the man about his true condition. The Pharisee was concerned about the fact that Jesus did not wash before sitting down to dinner, but Jesus cared more about the cleanliness of the Pharisee’s heart.

In our American way of life, many of us have the resources to look perfect on the outside and appear as if we have all together, but this could be the furthest from the truth. Sometimes, we act so well, that we believe our own report and try to neglect the fact that our heart condition isn’t right. Issues such as selfishness, envy, competition, bitterness, deceit, and hurt still need to deal with.

The problem is that if we are used to people looking up to us, we have a hard time showing vulnerability because we fear people will think less of us. If we want to remain authentic and genuine before God, we have to be more concerned our internal condition before our Savior than how we appear before people. 

Jesus knew everything, and He was not impressed with most of the Pharisees. Have you noticed he never commended them for what they did, but He always focused on their motives and their heart condition? What if many people are impressed with us? Does this mean that God is pleased with us? Do we know how God feels about our internal world?

Everyone needs encouragement and sometimes we are in situations where we cannot get encouragement from others. This was David’s situation. He was a man on the run as Saul was trying to chase him and kill him. Many times, he found himself alone and did not receive the encouragement or support from those around him.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:6-8 (KJV)

David was pressured from all sides in the above scripture.  The Amalekites had invaded Ziklag and had burned it with fire. They also had kidnapped women and children. David’s two wives were part of this captivity. People’s lives were destroyed in every possible way, and they all mourned their losses. Out of their anger and pain, people turned against David and sought to stone him because of the atrocities committed by their enemies.

The privilege and the responsibility of leadership is that people are not going to always be happy with our leadership. The very people who would fight for David, now sought to kill him. Jesus was also faced with those difficulties, and He was betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter. 

In the midst of all the anguish and weeping, David was able to encourage himself in the Lord. This was critical for his own sanity as well as the well-being of the people who needed his leadership. The book of Psalms shows us how David encouraged himself in the Lord. David looked to the Lord for his security and safety, and he reminded himself that God was on his side. 

How do we encourage ourselves in God?

1. We need to remind ourselves of God’s character and that He is unchanging. In Psalm 23, David reminds himself that the goodness and the mercy of God will follow him all the days of his life. There was nothing for David to fear (See Psalm 27). These declarations build security in our hearts, give us courage, and remind us that the Lord is with us on this journey.

2. Having a heart full of gratitude towards God, strengthens our spirit man and encourages us. David always praised God and did not forget the many benefits of his relationship with the Lord (See Psalm 103). We also need to praise God and recount His involvement in our lives.  This does not mean that we deny the present issues, but we come with an open heart to receive God’s grace in our time of need. The Lord has something to say about the situation. 

3. David reminded himself of what God had done in the past (See Psalm 66). We also need to remind ourselves of God’s awesome works. The Lord has come through for us in the past, and He has an answer and a way through the current situation.

While the people were trying to stone David, he was not only able to encourage himself in the Lord, but he also inquired of the Lord about whether or not he should pursue the perpetrators. Encouraging ourselves in the Lord allows us to settle our hearts and be open to God’s leading rather than taking the matters in our own hands.  

We have a tendency to wait for favorable circumstances to encourage us in life, but we also need to learn to encourage ourselves when the circumstances don’t appear favorable and no one is there to strengthen us. This week, make a commitment to yourself that you will encourage yourself. 

There are times that we need God’s encouragement, and He speaks to us through His word or His spirit to give us the courage to move into an unknown territory. The below scriptures show how the Lord encouraged Joshua before he embarked upon his new role as the leader of the Israelites.

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:  “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:1-9

Following the death of Moses, the Lord began speaking directly to Joshua. Now he was the leader of Israel, and he was accountable to the Lord for guiding His people. The Lord promised Joshua that he would never leave him nor forsake him. What a beautiful assurance as he was walking into a unknown and hostile territory! The Lord also promised Joshua that Israel was going to get the land of their own. In addition, he specified the territories that they were going to get. 

Then the Lord encouraged Joshua by telling him to not be afraid nor be dismayed. Fear is the opposite of courage. Fear has a tendency to pull someone back from God’s plan for their lives. It can also make someone stay stuck in their situation because they are too afraid to seek a change. In addition, being dismayed causes someone to get weak in their resolve because they are discouraged by the circumstances. This leads them to shy away from moving forward.

It is interesting that when Moses sent the twelve spies years earlier to the Promised Land, Joshua was one of only two people who had the courage to believe that they could defeat the giants. Nevertheless, God knew that Joshua would be faced with people and circumstances that will cause him to be afraid and dismayed, so He prepared him for what was ahead.

All of us need encouragement when we take on a new task that we have never done before. It can be very unsettling when we move into new territories that we have never walked before and are not familiar with. In the new season, we can’t be hard on ourselves and expect that will have all the answers. It is important to call upon the Lord and ask Him to help us. It is also important to get around those who have walked that path before, and they can be a source of encouragement.  We need people who can remind us of God’s faithfulness and His word when we are stepping into new territory and can be a source of support and strength.

The Lord encouraged Joshua by telling him to be strong and courageous. Interestingly, the Lord repeated his encouragement three times, but the Lord also exhorted Joshua to follow His commandments. True encouragement is not empty platitudes. It is about understanding what is required to move forward and be strengthened to accomplish God’s purpose. Sometimes we may shy away from reminding people that following God’s instructions is still part and parcel of the courage and strength that God promises us. We still need to partner with the Lord, do our part, and allow God to do His part in giving us the supernatural power to move forward.

Are you in a new season? Do you feel overwhelmed by what is going on around you? Seek the Lord and let Him speak to you. Listen to His instructions. Then ask Him to show you those who can be a source of support for you in this season. 

Encouragement is something we all need more than we realize,  and at certain times in life we need it more desperately than other times.  When we take on a new task or responsibility, we need encouragement to fight our fears and insecurities. At times, we may be weary of a tough situation, and we need daily encouragement to get us through it. Encouragement gives us the extra push to move forward and helps us not to stay stuck. 

God uses the Holy spirit, His word, and His people to encourage us. He also trains our minds, and emotions to learn to encourage ourselves when there is no one to help us out. 

According to Strong’s Concordance, to encourage means (Hebrew H2388): to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute…

And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying,  ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,  except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.’  The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Deuteronomy 1:34-38

God was angry with the Israelites for their unbelief and rebellion against Him. He was also angry with Moses for misrepresenting Him before His people for striking the rock to provide water to the Israelites (See Numbers 20:10-12). Consequently, God told Moses to encourage Joshua for he was going to lead the nation of Israel to inherit the Promised Land.

This could have been painful for Moses. Not only he was denied entrance to the Promised Land, but he was also directed by the Lord to encourage Joshua for taking on the task of leading God’s people to the Promised Land. Moses had to humbly sacrifice his own desires to lift up Joshua and encourage him for the task that Moses had hoped to do all those years. 

As for Joshua, he must have been completely blessed and honored by Moses’ encouragement. God allowed Joshua to have Moses’ encouragement before he died. Joshua would have to lead the people alone when he no longer had the voice of his mentor in his life. God prepared Joshua for success in his new task by helping him to be strong and courageous. The plan of deliverance was not about Moses or Joshua, but it was about God’s plan and purpose being fulfilled in the lives of the Israelites. 

God uses us to be a source of encouragement to others, and He uses others to be a source of encouragement to us. Encouragement is not flattery and is not meant to used to gain the favor of others. This is about partnering with the Lord to strengthen those who need to push forward in God’s purpose. Do you have words of life and encouragement for those around you? If you were Moses, would you be able to encourage the Joshua in your life? 

God uses every one of us to provide someone with that extra dose of strength and courage in difficult and uncertain times. This week, let’s be sensitive to the Holy Spirit for those who need our encouragement.