“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors” (Joshua 1:6). These were the words the Lord spoke to Joshua when he succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel. But to fully understand their weight, we need to go back about forty years—back to the moment when God instructed Moses to send a man from each of the twelve tribes to scout the land of Canaan.
After forty days of exploring the land, the scouts returned to Moses and the entire assembly to give their report. Ten of the twelve spread fear among the people, describing the inhabitants as giants, the cities as heavily fortified, and the opposition as too powerful to overcome. But Joshua and Caleb—two of the twelve—stood apart. They were the only ones who encouraged the Israelites to trust the Lord and take possession of the land. Joshua and Caleb said:
The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into the land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. (Numbers 14:7-9)
After Joshua and Caleb spoke these words, the Israelite assembly even talked of stoning them. These were the same people who had witnessed the miraculous works of the Lord again and again, yet they continually complained, doubted, and feared for their lives—even though God had rescued them repeatedly. The Lord described them as a “wicked community” who had “grumbled” against Him. Because of their unbelief and lack of faith, He declared that they would not enter the promised land. The Lord said:
How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with an uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die. (Numbers 14:27-35)
Forty years later, Moses is dead, and the Lord tells Joshua:
Moses, my servant, is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors. (Joshua 1:2, 5-6)
The command to be strong and courageous is repeated four times in the first chapter of Joshua. In one of the commands, the Lord tells Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” The Lord, however, did not stop there. There were specific expectations that needed to be met:
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law 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 prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:7-8)
Listen to the command God gave Joshua: “Be strong and courageous!” Lead with meaning and purpose. Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged. But notice what comes next—true success and prosperity begin with keeping the Word of the Lord always on our lips and meditating on it day and night.
What does that actually mean? It means we must continually immerse ourselves in Scripture. It becomes the foundation for our thoughts, actions, and decisions. It calls us to live with integrity—doing what is right no matter the cost—and to walk in a posture of humility and self-reflection. Read the Word of God, listen to what it says, and live it intentionally. As James reminds us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
Yet we face countless distractions that pull our attention away from what is right: wealth, fame, power, status, resentment, selfish ambition, personal gain, and—perhaps most distracting of all—social media. These things weaken our character and our faith. They keep us from leading with strength and courage. Solomon wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
Did you catch that? “In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” It echoes God’s instruction to Joshua: “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” Strong and courageous leadership begins with submission to God.
If you want your company, organization, nonprofit, team, family, or children to prosper, start by leading with strength and courage—and that begins with surrender.
Selfless Leadership Is Purposeful Leadership 