(5-Minute Read)

This year I’ve been reading through the Old Testament chronologically (for the most part). This has done wonders for my general understanding of the Bible and my Biblical worldview, and also for my specific understanding of how YHWH (God) has chosen, and still chooses to interact with His people.

A couple weeks ago I was reading in 1 Chronicles and I came across a phrase that jumped out at me. I try to read the Bible with a lens of both curiosity and repetition, and that’s why this particular phrase caught my eye.

It’s found in 1 Chronicles 28. King David is nearing the end of his life and is giving a final “charge” to his son Solomon as he prepares to give Solomon the throne.

It says, “Then David said to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong, and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you.’”

This combination of words struck me because I knew I had read it before. I realized this was a specific charge that Moses gave when he was handing the leadership of the Israelites over to Joshua back in the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. Historically, these moments were 500 years removed from each other, but spiritually, they were building on each other, almost as if they happened simultaneously.

In Deuteronomy Moses speaks over Joshua a “core value” statement: “Do not be afraid, YHWH (God) is with you.”

Then in Joshua, YHWH (God) speaks directly to Joshua telling him: “Be strong and courageous, for I am with you.”

And then David picks up this same identity statement and adds the phrase, “and act”, to it.

I don’t think David is saying something “brand new” or different from Moses and YHWH (God), I think he was completing the definition by clarifying the result.

Moses, YHWH (God), and David all say the same thing: “Be strong. Be courageous. Do not fear.”

All three of those are internal battles—fights within our soul (the mind, the will, and the emotions). These are the battles we must confront that take place inside of our thoughts, our beliefs, and our choices.

The part that David clarifies—that “acting” part—is the external battle. It’s the product, or result, of how we handle the internal battle. I’m not talking about actually fighting a war (or another person), I’m talking about the act of making a choice.

The “acting” part is the part everyone sees, and yet, it’s the fruit of a much deeper, and important, work that each person goes through.

Steve Backlund has a quote: “The ‘wrong’ decision made in faith will have more of an impact than the ‘right’ decision made in doubt.” (He always clarifies it by saying, “I’m not talking about moral ‘wrong’ decisions, of course we need good character.”)

When faced with a decision, the seemingly “wrong” choice made with a faith-filled belief that God will work all things together, will have a greater affect than the seemingly “right” choice if it is made with a lack of faith.

“Acting” is about making choices. It’s the external battle. It’s the result of inward battles that have been fought and won, and now those battles produce action.

But that “action” is still a battle, and a choice, itself. Acting is not just fruit of the inward war—acting is compounding all of the internal victories into a force that violently pushes through complacency, doubt, fear, or anything else that might stand in the way of you making a decision.

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So where are you at?

Have you been putting off decisions because of fear?

Are you wrestling through unhealthy thought-patterns?

Maybe you’ve slipped back into an old mindset or belief because of circumstances in your life.

I’m with you. I’m fighting some of those fights daily, just like you.

And I’ve found a key to it all.

Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, and 1 Chronicles 28:20

They all have a singular connecting phrase: “the LORD your God is the One who goes with you.“

In each passage the “do not be fear..” phrase is mentioned, and each time Moses, YHWH (God), and David give us the reason why: because YHWH (God) is with us.

That battle you’re facing, that doubt you feel, that habit you’re trying to overcome—that’s where God is. He’s not just watching from a distance, YHWH (God) is right there in it with you, and that’s what you really need.

So that’s the first step. In all of this “being courageous”, and “unafraid”, and “acting”, we first have to let the truth of “God is with me” settle into the depths of our soul. And then from there we can, and MUST, “be strong and courageous, and act.”

With wisdom and gentleness,

Seth

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P. S. I’m exploring the idea of having a “sponsor” for this blog, and currently working out the details. If this is something you are interested in please email me so we can connect.