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So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/deu.31.6.NLT

God had given the people of Israel a promise: The Promised Land. The promise seemed absolutely overwhelming, as the land was already occupied by other people. God personally went before them, and the Promised Land became a reality.

From human perspective, the likelihood of this happening ranked right up there with being jammed up against the Red Sea and an army of slave owners bearing down with nowhere to run or hide. God personally went before them. The Red Sea opened and the Israelites escaped on dry land.

God asks us to trust Him. If our backs are up against the wall and we can’t see how something is going to be anything but bad (A Red Sea Moment), or if there is unprecedented opportunity with overwhelming obstacles between us and realized potential (A Promise Land Moment) God is asking us to keep our confidence and trust in Him:

• Be strong and courageous: Complete focus on God produces strength and courage.
• Do not be afraid: God drives out fear in a way that no one or anything else can.
• Do not panic: The Holy Spirit will provide clear guidance as we follow God. No need to panic in overwhelming circumstances.
• For the Lord your God: The declaration of God as our God is critical in our lives. The submission to God as Lord of our lives is where trust is lived out.
• God will personally go ahead of you: God goes before us personally. He doesn’t delegate your needs to someone else. Think how Jesus Christ goes before us and intercepts the judgement of our sin with His own life, death, and life again.
• He will neither fail you nor abandon you: This is profound. As people we fear being let down and isolated by others, God does not fail us or walk away from us, ever!

Whether it is the opportunity of the Promised Land or the crisis of the Red Sea, trust God.

Encouragement: Be strong and courageous in opportunity and crisis. Trust God that He is personally going before you. Don’t give into fear and panic. Be encouraged that God will never fail you or walk away from you.

Dear Father God,

Thank you for having vision for our lives.  Let us trust you in the opportunities you place before us. Let us trust you in the challenges we face. Thank you for the assurance that you go before us in all things. Thank you for the comfort knowing that you will never fail or abandon us. We are never alone when we trust you. 

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen

–Ed McDowell, Executive Director
Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center