Be Strong and Courageous, That’s an Order
- hilannycastrejon
- Mar 16
- 6 min read
A few weeks ago, I heard a preacher say:
"Los valientes no son los que no tienen miedo, los valientes son los que tienen miedo pero entienden que tienen un llamado por Dios y lo hacen aunque tengan miedo."
That translates to:
"The brave are not those who have no fear; the brave are those who feel fear but understand that they have a calling from God and follow it, even when they are afraid."
And let me tell you something for almost a year now, every time God opens a door or calls me to something, I am immediately met with fear. Yet somehow, I always find confirmation in the phrase "Esfuérzate y sé valiente" (Be strong and courageous).
This past year, the doors opened for me to go on a mission trip. The moment I was filled with fear, my Tía was one of the first people I spoke to—just minutes after receiving the call to confirm. She told me:
"Esfuérzate y sé valiente."
When I confided in a leader at my church about an opportunity to serve, he said the exact same words:
"Esfuérzate y sé valiente."
After a church service, my mom and I went out to eat, and right outside the car door, there was a mural with the phrase:
"Esfuérzate y sé valiente."
That night, I had been feeling so anxious.
Last night, I was at a women's service, and the sister who wrapped up the service started her closing remarks with the words:
"Esfuérzate y sé valiente."
This scripture is tattooed on my heart. Joshua 1:9 had never meant anything to me until I began dealing with fear.
The other night, I was reading Matthew (I’m trying to start reading the Bible in Spanish), and I stopped at something I had always read past.
MATTHEW 2:
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
Joseph was afraid to go back to Israel, but he had received orders from the Lord, and he obeyed. I don't think the fear and anxiety of returning to the place where last time you were there, they were trying to kill your child went way, But he did it scared anyway
When Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah, he was scared, so he ran away.
1 KINGS 19:
"1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
The Lord Appears to Elijah
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 So Elijah went..." (I'm only going to talk about this part of the story.)
Elijah was devastated. He wanted to die. But God gave him an order, and he obeyed.
Then, I think about the book of Joshua.
Joshua came after Moses—he had big shoes to fill. God had used Moses to bring the Israelites this far, but now it was Joshua’s turn to take the baton and lead them into the Promised Land. Throughout that journey, Joshua led the Israelites through many battles.
And I don’t think God would have commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous if he wasn’t afraid.
"Joshua is told to “be strong and courageous” four times, three times by God, and once by God's people. And, three more times, Joshua is told that God is with him."
Why all this repetition? My high school english teacher told me that repetition was important, and frankly, I don't think God did this without a reason.
"The phrase 'do not be afraid' (or similar variations like 'fear not") is often cited as appearing 365 times in the Bible,"
I know it's hard, but it's not a suggestion; it's an ORDER. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (JOSHUA 1:9)
Has He not commanded us?
Be strong. Be courageous.
I know you’re scared, do it scared.
I know you have doubts, but like the man in Mark 9:24 said:
“I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
It’s not about the absence of fear.
It’s about your obedience being bigger than your fear.
A courageous person isn’t someone who lacks fear. It’s someone who is scared, trembling, maybe even crawling to the finish line, but they have decided in their hearts to obey because God has commanded them to be strong and courageous.
Here are 365 reminders for when you need them:
So, be strong. Be courageous. That’s an order <3
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