Article : Be Strong and Courageous

by Steve Gallagher

“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Joshua 1:7-8)

As Joshua contemplated the task before him—destroying and driving out the wicked Canaanites from the Promised Land—he must have been overwhelmed. The enemy seemed so strong. Not only that, but they were deeply entrenched in fortified cities and would not be displaced without a tremendous battle.

It is much the same for the believer who is bound up in habits of sexual sin. The enemy is powerful and deeply rooted within his soul. The man’s adversaries in this battle are his own flesh and the agents of the enemy that keep him ensnared. Moreover, the pact the flesh and the devil have between them seems to make them invincible.

If this describes you, the Lord has a word for you: be strong and very courageous! In other words, don’t wimp out, don’t give up and don’t be intimidated by the fight. A few weeks previously, Moses had explained to Joshua and his men how the Lord would help them. “The LORD your God will send the hornet against them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you perish. You shall not dread them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. And the LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. (Deuteronomy 7:20-22)

This is a picture of how the Lord will drive out your enemies, as well. Chances are it will not happen instantaneously, but over a period of time. Little by little your adversaries will fall by the wayside.

However, you will notice that Joshua and his men had to fight the enemy themselves. God didn’t simply send the ten plagues on the land as He had done in Egypt. They had to learn to fight the enemy. The Lord wanted them to constantly be reminded that their adversaries would destroy them if given the opportunity and that they should be just as ruthless with them.

It is interesting that the first command the Lord told Joshua revolved around Scripture. He gave this godly warrior three things to do. First, “be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you." Sloppy obedience produces little power. The person who picks and chooses what commandments he wants to obey will find little help from the Lord. Joshua was told to take great care in this matter and how much more should we, who have been so inconsistent in our obedience?

Second, he was told “do not turn from it to the right or to the left." When the devil sees a man getting serious about becoming free, he launches a multi-lateral assault against him. The inevitable temptations—both blatant and subtle—appear. But he also attacks that which is going to spiritually empower him: the Word of God. The enemy knows full well that if he can get the man looking elsewhere for help, that he will take away the greatest weapon the man has at his disposal. A vast smorgasbord of man’s ideas and opinions are offered through books, seminars, radio shows, counseling sessions and even sermons by well-meaning but ill-informed teachers who consider the Scriptures as inadequate help for such problems. Nevertheless, the man who finds victory over these spiritual problems understands that only the Bible contains the pure truth he needs.

Last, Joshua was told “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night." The heart, soul and mind of the man who has been involved in pornography has been terribly warped and polluted. His inner circuitry has been trashed. He desperately needs a great immersion in God’s mindset. This doesn’t simply come about by “knowing" what the Bible says. The man must meditate upon it. He must focus his attention on the concepts offered in Scripture. By doing so, the Lord will be able to make those truths real to his inner man. In other words, it won’t simply be “head knowledge," but the life-transforming knowledge that penetrates the heart. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) Sitting in prayerful silence before the Bible, mulling over some precious passage, asking God to make it real, is the way God breathes life into His Word. The logos (written word) comes to life through the rhema (spoken word); what is written in Scripture becomes alive as God brings a fresh revelation to the reader. This is not accomplished by blowing through chapters at a time but only by careful meditation.

As you obey, look to, and immerse yourself in the Word of God, “then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."

Steve Gallagher, founder and president of Pure Life Ministries, has dedicated his life to helping men overcome sexual sin through holiness and a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ. He is the author of several books including At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry and Living in Victory. His remarkable story is told in his just released autobiography Out of the Depths of Sexual. Steve and his wife Kathy make their home in Dry Ridge, Kentucky.
Pure Life Ministries has been leading men into sexual purity since 1986 through two counseling programs and a vast array of teaching materials. The ministry operates a six-month residential program in Kentucky, where the sobering atmosphere and the consecration of a loving staff provides the perfect environment for those who sincerely want victory over sexual sin. They also offer a 12-week Overcomers At-Home phone counseling program for single men and married couples.

For more information about Pure Life Ministries and ministry resources, please visit their website at Pure Life Ministries, send email to info@purelifeministries.org, or call 859.824.4444.