I love timeless nuggets of advice, pieces of information unaltered by time, generation or culture. These nuggets are not easy to find and are often overlooked for something believed to have greater value.

Joshua was given one of these timeless nuggets. God told Joshua, “be strong and very courageous.” Strength and courage are emphasized four times in the text, but only once is it specifically “strong and very courageous.”

As timeless as the advice is, the immediate context of this phrase has powerful implications for spiritual leaders.

Strength and courage were needed to lead with God’s law. Notice some of the key phrases.

Be careful to do according to all the law.
Do not turn from it to the right or to the left.
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth.
You shall meditate on it day and night.
Be careful to do according to all that is written in it.

God specifies how Joshua’s success depends on carefully and actively following His advice. The success of our leadership depends on the same. Imagine how different our world would be if spiritual leaders today had the strength and courage to do so.