Why the Bible’s most frequent command speaks to our context.
In Japan, courage often takes quiet and subtle forms. The value placed on harmony and consensus can make standing out—whether by speaking of Christ, taking initiative in leadership, or voicing honest questions—feel daunting. In such an environment, it’s not easy to openly express faith or assume a significant leadership role.
Scripture reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to trust God amid it. The Bible’s most repeated encouragement is “Do not be afraid.” God invites His people to act not because they feel brave by nature, but because He is faithful and near. Few passages express this more tenderly than God’s charge to Joshua as he prepared to lead Israel toward the Promised Land:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deu teronomy31:6).
The essence of biblical courage is not self-confidence, but confidence in the Lord’s unchanging presence. When we know that He goes with us, fear loses its claim and ceases to be the final word.
God’s Promise Comes First
Before Joshua hears the call to “be strong and courageous,” Moses reminds the peo ple of what God has already pledged:
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“TheLord your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these na tions before you” (Deuteronomy31:3).
In everyday terms, people often think of courage as inner toughness. Yet scripture be gins elsewhere—with grace that moves before us. God’s people are never asked to generate strength from within; they are invited to rest in what he has already promised to accomplish. The Israelites were not told to create salvation but to trust the One who saves.
Such dependence may seem counterintuitive in a culture where modesty and social harmony are deeply treasured. Shame is a powerful force that can prevent individuals from publicly expressing their religious beliefs. Still, God’s word reframes courage as reliance upon Him rather than resistance to culture. The Lord promises to go before His people as He did before Israel—so that obedience, even quiet obedience, be
comes a truer expression of courage.
This promise also reveals the fragility of self-reliance. If courage depends only on our own confidence, it can quickly fade when challenges arise. But courage rooted in God’s steadfastness endures because He does not fail. As Moses declared, “TheLord will deliver them to you” (Deuteronomy 31:5). The outcome rests in His hands long be
fore the struggle begins.
Timothy Keller emphasises this perspective when he writes, “A faith that apprehends God’s promise, a belief that God is fundamentally for you, unleashes a surprising strength.” This faith is not simply a hopeful wish but a deep-seated confidence in 1 God’s unchanging character and promises. When we root our courage in God’s faith
fulness instead of our own abilities, we discover a resilient strength that can withstand life’s trials and tribulations.
1 Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New York: Dutton, 2008), 168.
Courage Is Obedience in the Face of Fear
When God says, “Be strong and courageous,” He acknowledges that fear is real. Courage is not pretending we are unafraid but choosing faithfulness despite trembling hearts. Neuroscience reminds us that humans are naturally sensitive to threat;2 scrip ture meets this reality with assurance, not denial. “Do not fear or be in dread of them,” God says, “for it is the Lord your God who goes with you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). The comfort lies not in our strength, but in His presence. .
In our context, where Christians comprise a small percentage of the population, the fear of social misunderstanding or isolation is felt deeply. To confess Christ publicly can risk misunderstanding or distance, even among loved ones. Yet God’s promise to Joshua still speaks today: “He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Courage, then, may be best understood as trust in a relationship. The same Lord who called Joshua walks beside every believer. When someone in Tokyo quietly shares hope with a friend or prays for a colleague, that act participates in the same story of faith.
In this light, it might be helpful to discern between two forms of misplaced courage. One is avoidance—holding back out of fear. The other is self-assertion—pressing ahead without dependence on God. Both arise from anxiety. True courage, however, looks upward rather than inward, resting in the One who accompanies us through every uncertainty.
2 Sabine E. M. E. van der Veen et al., "Neuroscience of Threat Perception: The Role of Brain Net 2 - works in the Processing of Threatening Stimuli," Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Reviews 131 (2021): 124-135, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.010.
The Lord Himself Strengthens His Servants
“Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that theLord has sworn to their fathers to give them’” (Deuteronomy31:7).
Leadership, we see, is both personal and communal. Within our culture, humility often finds expression through reserve, and leadership can feel presumptuous. Studies of leadership in Japan note that hierarchical expectations sometimes differ from the ser vant leadership modelled by Jesus. Yet the Lord’s words to Joshua show that humility 3 and courage can dwell together.
True humility acknowledges that strength must come from God: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Every act of Christian leadership—whether in a congregation, workplace, or family—is to be anchored in this companionship.
For pastors and lay leaders, such assurance offers comfort. A 2017 survey by the Japan Evangelical Association found that 58 percent of pastors sensed strong spiritual resistance in their work. This challenge is not unique to Japan but echoes throughout the global church. Even so, the Lord promises to go before His servants.
The same God who strengthened Joshua still renews the strength of believers today. Whether guiding a congregation or serving quietly in daily life, we are reminded that His presence turns fragile hearts into steadfast ones. Because He goes before us, even hesitant steps can become acts of confidence in His faithfulness.
3 Exed Asia, "The Impact of Japan’s Cultural Values on Leadership Styles," May 14, 2025.
Christ, Our Greater Joshua
The name Joshua in Hebrew means “TheLord saves.” Centuries later, that same name was given to Jesus (Yeshua), who perfectly embodied God’s saving presence. Where Joshua led Israel into the promised land, Christ leads his people into the fullness of God’s kingdom. The courage that God required of Joshua is now fulfilled in Jesus, who faced the cross with trust in the Father.
Jesus’ own life shows that courage is not loud or self‑assertive. In Gethsemane, he prayed in anguish yet submitted: “Not my will, but yours be done.” His obedience under pressure redefines bravery not as fearlessness but as faithfulness. Because he conquered fear through love, believers can now walk in his courage. The risen Christ goes before us just as God went before Joshua.
For the church in Japan—and anywhere believers face pressure to remain silent—this gospel truth brings comfort. Christ does not merely command us to be strong; he shares his strength with us. His Spirit dwells within, transforming hesitation into hope. Even when social harmony feels threatened by open faith, Christians may remember that the Lord who saves also sustains.
Every generation must learn afresh what it means to trust God amid uncertainty. For some, that courage looks like a public witness; for others, it is quiet perseverance in prayer. In Japan, courage might mean inviting a coworker to church, praying aloud at home, or moving from participating to leading. Wherever disciples choose faith over fear, they bear witness to the same steadfast Lord who strengthened Joshua.
The biblical command “Do not be afraid” appears 365 times—one for each day of the year. This repetition is not coincidence; it reflects God’s daily intention to meet our fears with His presence. We need not wait for the absence of anxiety to begin obey ing. We act, trusting that God walks ahead of us.
When fear feels safer than faith, remember: the Lord goes before you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Therefore, take heart—your courage rests not in your resolve but in his unwavering love. As Timothy Keller said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the presence of faith.”4
4 Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (New York: Dutton, 2013), 24.
Author:Damian Grateley
