In Joshua 1:9 God says to His servant, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." There are too many people today living lives of needless fear. As you study your Bible you can clearly see the Lord, in many cases seeking, to relieve fears of the saints. When we speak of "fears" or "phobias," we speak of that which brings a sense of dread or fright. There are various types of phobias in our everyday lives. Let’s bring the matter of fear into the realm of our spiritual lives.

I. You Should Not Be Afraid To Denounce. You and I are to cry out against sin, as the people of God. Too many people today are getting "use to the dark" and are afraid to stand for God as boldly and confidently as they should in daily life. God told Isaiah in Isa. 58:1, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." When you denounce sin, make sure that your own life is pure and above reproach, or else you will hinder the Gospel rather than help it spread.

II. You Should Not Be Afraid To Declare. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" We should be like the Apostle Peter who stood at Pentecost and fearlessly preached, through God’s power, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 2). See Luke 12:5. God is much mightier than man–Jesus is omnipotent.

III. You Should Not Be Afraid To Deny. Deny who? Deny the devil of course. The Bible says we are to "Neither give place to the devil." That means we are not to give way to Satan, giving him opportunity to work (Eph. 4:27). Someone has said that the clause suggests that we are not to give the devil elbow room or a beach head of operation.

IV. You Should Not Be Afraid To Deposit. When a sinner is saved by grace, He deposits the safekeeping of his soul to the Lord Jesus. See what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Tim. 1:12. That is part of what is meant when we use the term "believe." It is a depositing of one’s soul

V. You Should Not Be Afraid To Depend. You can depend on the Lord in all situations you face to lead and guide you. The Lord will not let you down—He is faithful and true. Our text (Josh. 1:9) says the Lord is, "With thee whithersoever thou goest.". Rely on Him!