Building a Strong Godly LifeSample

OPTIMISM AND ENTHUSIASM

INTRODUCTION

Are you an optimistic, hopeful, and enthusiastic Christian? You should be. After all, as a believer, you have every reason to be optimistic about life here on earth and life eternal. As C. H. Spurgeon observed, “Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainstream of our joy.”  But sometimes, you may find yourself pulled down by the inevitable demands and worries of life here on earth. If you find yourself discouraged, stressed or fearful, then it’s time to take your concerns to God. When you do, He will lift your spirits and renew your strength.

Besides being optimistic, you have got to have enthusiasm, or you are never going to make it to the finish line. The way you stay enthusiastic for a lifetime is found in the word “enthusiasm.” The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek phrase en theos. En is the Greek word for the English word “in.” Theos is the Greek word for “God.” So, en theos means to be “in God.” When you get “in God”, you will be enthusiastic. It is the kind of enthusiasm not affected by the economy, or the weather, or your circumstances. It is eternal because you are tied to the eternal God. You are in Christ.

SHARING

As the book of Joshua opens, the Israelites are camped along the east bank of the Jordan River at the very edge of the Promised Land, and they were completing the mourning period of Moses, who had just died (Deuteronomy 34:7-8). The Israelites had an opportunity to enter the Promised Land 39 years earlier after spending one year at Mount Sinai receiving God’s law, but they failed to trust God to give them victory. As a result, God did not allow them to enter the land until the disobedient generation had died out. When the last of the older generation had died and the new generation had become adults, the Israelites prepared to make their long-awaited claim on the Promised Land.

Joshua’s new job consisted of leading more than 2 million people into a new land and conquering it. What a challenge – even for a man of Joshua’s caliber! Before Joshua entered the Promised Land to conquer it, the Lord spoke to Joshua and gave him three keys he could use to maintain his enthusiasm.

1. Master the Heart (Verse 6, 7, 9)

Three times in verses 6, 7, and 9 God commanded Joshua to “Be strong and courageous.” In Joshua 1:9, God commanded 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.” Does this promise apply to Christians today?

While the promise that God would be with Joshua was specific to Joshua, the principle extends to us today. God expects His followers to live strong and courageous lives. In the New Testament, we find the apostle Paul telling Timothy, “The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In addition to living bold and courageous lives as Christians, we are called to live without fear. Jesus taught, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28). When Paul was imprisoned, he wrote, “Because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (Philippians 1:14). While there is a sense in which we are called to fear God, meaning to live in respect and reverence of Him, Scripture is clear that we are to live with confidence in God’s promises and power.

The reason we can live courageously and without fear is that God is with us wherever we go. What God commanded Joshua is also seen in the Great Commission: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). Also, we have the promise of Hebrews 13:5: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

2. Master the Mind (Verse 8a)

The Lord told Joshua in Verse 8a to “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night,”. What does it mean to “meditate” on God’s Word? When reading God’s Word, the Bible, meditation is thinking about the verse over and over, seeing it from every angle, and applying it to your own life. When a cow eats, it goes out to a field and eats the grass. However, to really digest the food the way the cow needs to, the cow will throw up and eat it again. This is like how we should meditate on God’s Word. We think about what the verse says. We mentally chew on it, sinking its meaning in. Then, we look at the passage again and think of what else it could mean.

The more you meditate on God's Word, the more you begin to understand God and the way he thinks. And the more you leave the mindset of your secular worldview, you are "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). With this renewal of the mind comes faith, a confidence in God.

3. Master the Action (Verse 8b)

The Lord continued to tell Joshua in Verse 8b “that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

After we meditate on God’s Word day and night and gain an understanding of the Word of God, we are to place our trust in the Word of God by putting God’s Word into action. We are to apply the Word of God in every circumstance of our life, knowing that to do so will lead to success in the Christian life. The Bible says in James 2:17, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Faith alone saves us, but it must be a living faith. We can tell if faith is alive by seeing if it is accompanied by works, and if it does not have works, it is dead. Living faith is simply real faith. If we really believe something, we will follow through and act upon it.

CLOSING

Today, make this promise to yourself and keep it: vow to be a hope-filled Christian. Think optimistically about your life, your profession, your family, and your future. Trust your hopes, not your fears.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. Master our hearts by being strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy. Master our minds by obeying God’s law, constantly reading and studying the Book of Law – God’s Word. Finally, master our actions by putting God’s Word into action as we place our trust and faith in Jesus.