Three times in Joshua 1, the Lord tells him to be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, and 9). But He doesn’t give this command without explaining how to accomplish it. He drops the secret in verse 8:
Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. (Josh. 1:8 CJB)
To meditate means to murmur, ponder, speak, talk, etc. It is not just an external act, but it actually engages the imagination. God can do amazing things with the imagination when He is leading us. An old prophet used to say, “The sanctified imagination of a child is the playground of the Holy Spirit.”
I can picture Joshua imagining himself and the armies of Israel going to war against the inhabitants of the promised land: giants, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites. He knew what God had told him, and subsequently he “saw” great victories in battle. He expected to take the spoils of war for God and Israel.
But he didn’t just imagine and ponder these things. He spoke out loud the truth of God so others could hear it and gain strength and vision as well. He kept the Word “on his lips.”
Ultimately, as Israel pulled up in battle array against the walls of Jericho—walls that were 70 feet tall and so wide that they housed a racetrack where two or three chariots could run next to each other—the children of Israel began speaking out the victory that Father God had spoken to them. And He tore those walls down easily.
That is our preparation as well, friends. It is how we become strong and courageous:
As we are faithful to practice those steps, when we face the enemy that will most certainly come to each of us, our heart will not fail because of what we see. We will not melt like wax, but we will grow strong and courageous. We will be able to remember that the battle—the hard part—is the Lord’s, but the victory is ours.
Our heart will overflow with His Word, and when strength is needed, He will supply the power to pull down walls, invite people out of wheelchairs, open blind eyes, deliver those in prison, and set the captives free. Wounds from childhood will be healed. The balm of Heaven will restore broken and wounded souls, and we will find rest.
May these few words inspire you to put meditation to work in your heart. Let’s grow strong and courageous together.