“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

This verse is the capstone completing God’s commissioning of Joshua. In this verse and the eight that precede it, God is calling Joshua to step up and speak out as he continues the work of his predecessor, Moses.

More than a commission, this charge from God Himself is a command, and the seven words smack dab in the middle of this verse caught my eye and moved my heart...

“do not be afraid, nor be dismayed”

The two words AFRAID and DISMAYED not only sound similar, they have similar meanings. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines them this way: