Lesson 18 Be Strong & Of Good Courage

Outline for Gospel Doctrine Class

Over-riding question – What doctrine if understood would give us the courage to be strong in living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This set of scriptures has more application to us in our everyday lives than you can possibly imagine. What a treasure is in store for you with today's readings.

The Lord called Joshua to succeed Moses. Read Joshua 1: 5


What assurances did the Lord give Joshua? How has the Lord helped you in such circumstances in your life?

Read Joshua 1:6-9 – what command did the Lord give Joshua 3 times?

What did the Lord tell Joshua to do to have good success?

Why do you think scripture study would have been important for Joshua to succeed in his calling? How does regular scripture study help us?

Read Joshua 3:7-8, Josuah 3:14-17, Joshua 4:14

How did the Lord show the children of Israel that he was with Joshua just as he had been with Moses? (The ark of the covenant was a portable altar that contained sacred wrings and the tablets containing the ten commandments)

How does the Lord show us that he directs and inspires the living prophets as he did the past prophets?

What did the priests who carried the ark have to do before the waters of the Jordan River stopped?

How does the Lord sometimes ask similar things of us?

Elder Boyd K. Packer said: “Shortly after I was called as a General Authority, I went to Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel. He listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President David O. McKay. President McKay counseled me as to the direction I should go. I was very willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for me to do as he counseled me to do.
“I returned to Elder Lee and told him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to go. He said, ‘The trouble with you is you want to see the end from the beginning.’ I replied that I would like to see at least a step or two ahead. Then came the lesson of a lifetime: ‘You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you’ ” (“The Edge of the Light,” BYU Today, Mar. 1991, 22–23).


Summarize Joshua 4:1-9 – story of Israel setting up a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan River.

Why were the children of Israel instructed to set up this memorial?
What personal memorials remind you of God’s power in your life?

Eye witness account of the fall of Jericho. (Joshua 6)
What caused the walls of Jericho to fall?

Why was the Israelites’ behavior an act of faith?

Who were the only inhabitants of Jericho who were saved? (verse 17, 22-25)
What can we learn from the saving of Rehab & her family?

Joshua 23 & 24:14-31
Toward the end of his life, Joshua reminded the people what the Lord had done for them. He counseled them about avoiding traps & snares. What are the times we must do to avoid being caught in a trap?

Last lecture series – Joshua exhorts Israel to “cleave unto the Lord” rather than “cleave unto the remnant of the Canaanite nations. (Joshua 23:8, Joshua 23:12)
How can we cleave unto the Lord rather than cleave unto the world? How would cleaving to the Canaanite nations be a snare and a trap to the Israelites? What are some of the snares and traps of the world that we face today?

Read Joshua 24:15-18 – Whom did Joshua and Israel covenant to serve?

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly: ‘Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua 24:15). Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but ‘this day,’ straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting the pace. He has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the course by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do the will of His Father” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 41; or Ensign, May 1983, 30–31).

The consequences of an individual’s sins on other people

We need to discuss the account of Achan in Joshua 7.

Because of Achan’s disobedience, the Israelites were defeated by the people of Ai (Joshua 7:1–5).

What had Achan done to cause this? (See Joshua 7:20–21. He had brought the Lord’s disapproval on Israel by disobeying him in taking clothing and money from Jericho.)
What do the effects of Achan’s sin suggest about how our individual sins can affect other people?

What is the fallacy in thinking that what we do is our own business and will not hurt anyone else?

(Examples of how one person’s actions can affect others: An accident caused by a drunken driver can affect the lives of the innocent people who are injured. A person who disrupts a class makes it difficult for others to concentrate and feel the Spirit. A person who commits sexual sins or does not live the Word of Wisdom brings pain and suffering to others. A spouse who is unfaithful can break up a family and cause great pain to innocent family members. Individual Church members who do not follow the Lord may hold back the Church as a whole from receiving the Lord’s blessings.)

To me the principle lesson of Achan is the need for unwavering obedience in order to keep the Spirit.


Elder James E. Faust said: “Private choices are not private; they all have public consequences. … Our society is the sum total of what millions of individuals do in their private lives. That sum total of private behavior has worldwide public consequences of enormous magnitude. There are no completely private choices” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 101; or Ensign, May 1987, 80).


Joshua’s final counsel to his people included the same charge the Lord gave him when calling him to be prophet – Joshua 23:1-6. This charge applies as much today as it did then because we are all engaged in the important spiritual battle between good and evil.

President Benson said that two principles are essential for security and peace: “First, trust in God; and second, a determination to keep the commandments, to serve the Lord, to do that which is right. … The Lord has made it very clear in the revelations that even though times become perilous, even though we be surrounded by temptation and sin, even though there be a feeling of insecurity, even though men’s hearts may fail them and anxiety fill their souls, if we only trust in God and keep his commandments we need have no fear” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1950, 146).