Courageous Faith (Joshua chapter 2)
Courageous Faith believes in God.
- Rahab was a courageous woman and had courageous faith because she believed in God.
- Following are three truths Rahab believed about God that fueled her courageous faith.
Courageous faith believes in the promises of God.
- “and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.” Joshua 2:9 ESV
So, Rahab knew that God had promised them this land. How did she find out about the covenant promise? We don’t know. But she said, I know that God has promised you this land. And if you and I are to follow in the example of Rahab we need to believe in the promises of God. God is a God of promises, and God fulfills His promises. Rahab knew that sooner or later, God was going to fulfill His promise, fulfill His Word, and give this land to the Jewish nation.
Courageous faith believes in the power of God.
- “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.” Joshua 2:10 ESV
She had heard about the power of God. She heard about the testimonies. The interesting thing is that Rahab never saw a miracle, but she believed in the power of God. But even though she did not see any of those things, she was courageous enough to believe that there is a God of power, the Almighty one, the omnipotent God.
And how did that faith come to her? Listen to her testimony carefully. She said, “We have heard.” Her faith was built up by what she heard. Romans, chapter 10, verse 17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God.” And she said, I believe that there’s a God that promises and I believe that there’s a God of power.
Courageous faith believes in the preeminent God.
- “And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” Joshua 2:11 ESV
Rahab is a Canaanite. The Canaanite people believed in false gods, idol worship. Rahab says, I know that your God is the true God. Your God is different because your God is powerful, your God keeps His promises. Your God is the One and only true God. And Rahab knew that the God, the God of the Israelites, was the God of Heaven and the God of Earth and the God of the universe. So, we see that Rahab had her courageous faith because she believed in God. She believed in the promises of God, the power of God and the preeminence of God. But she also is a woman of faith, courageous faith, because not only does courageous faith believe in God, but courageous faith must obey God.
Courageous faith will obey God.
- “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”” Joshua 2:12-13 ESV
- “And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” Joshua 2:21 ESV
There’s a lot of people who believe in God, but that’s not enough. We need to obey God. Grace is released the moment we step into obedience. And we see that the faith of Rahab was a courageous faith because it was an obedient faith. As a matter of fact, her obedience is described in the book of Hebrews and in the book of James:
- “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” Hebrews 11:31 ESV
- You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” James 2:19-26 ESV
Rahab risked all and put her trust in the God of Israel. She showed her faith in Israel’s God through her actions and let the spies down the outer wall of the city by a rope through the window (Joshua 2:15-18). Rahab had faith and acted on it. It’s not enough to just believe in God, we have to act on what we believe. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). In other words, it’s not good enough just to believe in God, that He’s a God who keeps promises, that He’s the preeminent God, that He’s the powerful God. You must do something about what you say you believe. You must act in obedience. You must walk out that faith by doing something.
Courageous Faith Sees what God is doing.
- “and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.” Joshua 2:9 ESV
Rahab saw what God was doing. She saw that God was giving the Israelites the land. Courageous faith seeks to join God in what He is doing. Let’s compare the report of 10 of the spies that Moses had sent with the 2 spies that Joshua sent out.
- “Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Numbers 13:31-33 ESV
- “Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”” Joshua 2:23-24 ESV
What I want us to notice is what they saw. The 10 spies saw the enemy. They saw how big and bad the enemy was, and they were filled with fear. The 2 spies in Joshua 2 saw what God was doing, they saw where God was at work, and they were filled with courage. I wonder if we spend too much time worrying about what the enemy is up to? What would happen if we intentionally focused our everyday lives looking to see what God is up to?
Courageous Faith Knows Who They Are.
It’s interesting how in the bible, she is specifically called “Rahab the prostitute.” But I don’t think this was meant to defame her but to emphasize that despite her background, she received God’s mercy and grace for her actions. That despite who she once was she is no longer that identity. That despite who she once was God worked in and through her to help others obtain the promise.
Is anything beyond the grace of Jesus, even our past? Do you look back on your life and feel haunted by failed relationships, self-destructive seasons and choices that derailed your dreams? Yet isn’t it amazing how Jesus always finds a way to redeem what was once considered lost? We see it throughout the Scriptures, as God takes broken lives and uses them for His eternal purposes. Rahab’s story for us is that despite whatever we came from, if we believe and trust in God, have faith, and act on that faith, God will redeem us and our past. Only God could turn a woman defined by wickedness into an example of faith and good works!
You were made for more.
Don’t miss that God worked in and through a gentile-woman-prostitute to help Israel enter the land He had promised them. God didn’t just save Rahab and that was it, she was made for more. We also find in Matthew chapter 1 Rahab listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
God can and desires to work in and through you to help others enter the promises He has for them, eternal life. Your past does not disqualify you. You were made for more. The label you, your family, your friends, or this culture has placed on you does not disqualify you from being a disciple-maker of Jesus. You were made for more.
What we speak about ourselves and over our lives has a profound impact on how we live our lives. So, what are the labels or identities that you or others have attached to your name? If they are not who God calls you than they need to go. I encourage you to get alone, or if you’re courageous get with someone you trust, and out-loud renounce that lie about your identity. Maybe it sounds something like this: “I renounce the lie that I am John Doe “the ,” and I choose to believe that I am John Doe the redeemed and forgiven child of God.” I would also encourage you to keep doing this, often it takes time to uproot and remove lies that have been spoken into our lives over years. Take this step of faith and believe and speak out-loud what God says about you and receive grace and healing to live like who you really are in Jesus.
“Why would I make a bed in my shame when a fountain of grace is flowing my way?”
Living Hope Ministries 