“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”
Joshua 1:1-6
Be strong and of a good courage.
History’s greatest heroes are men and women who made a difference in their time of difficulty or struggle. While the person may have not been well-known or famous beforehand, they made a difference by standing strong in the face of insurmountable odds. In our American history, we can look back to fifty-six men who fit that description. Fifty-six men who knew the right thing to do, and did it. They stood in the face of adversity and defied reasonable logic. Those fifty-six men were the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Most of those fifty-six men were not wealthy landowners or astute members of society. Some were cobblers, others smithies, and most were common people seeking freedom. Yet when they signed their names on that piece of parchment, they took a stand against the tyranny that had long ruled the world. They may have not realized the profound impact their stand would make on the world, yet we know now that their bravery formed a nation.
Another member of history’s “difference makers” society is seen in our verses today, “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.” Moses, the leader of all Israel was dead, and God called for Joshua to be the difference maker and lead Israel into the Promised Land.
Joshua wasn’t perhaps the wealthiest or smartest Israelite man, yet God chose him to stand in the gap Moses had left. God wanted Joshua to make a difference in history by leading His people against the inhabitants of Canaan.
Just as the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Joshua, and so many others have made a difference in history, God wants you to as well. You may view yourself as simply another Christian in an unknown place serving God in an unseen role. Yet God sees you as, the difference maker of your city, in your generation. God is calling for you to make a difference today.
How will you make a difference? God wants you to faithfully serve Him, maintain a godly testimony, and spread His Gospel message to everyone you know. You don’t have to conquer a nation or lead men into battle to be a difference maker; you must faithfully fight the Christian battle in your sphere of influence.
Will you be a difference maker in your city? Will you take up the sword from men like Joshua, Daniel, David, Peter, and Paul; and will you commit to standing strong against the devil’s attacks? Ask God to help you make a difference where you are today, and commit to doing all you can to make a difference for the cause of Christ.