I love superheroes. I grew up dreaming–praying–that I would someday become my favorite superhero, Spider-Man. And I’m not exaggerating. I literally prayed every night that God would give me Spider-Man powers. If you have ever met me you know that I did not become Spider-Man. I don’t have his powers.
Peter Parker became a superhero when he was bitten by a radioactive spider. Once that happened, he was able to climb walls, have super strength and agility, and spider-sense. Peter Parker became Spider-Man through an outside force, radioactive spider venom.
Many superhero stories follow the same one Spider-Man has. An unassuming person with little to no skills is affected by an outside force or energy that changes them into the superhero that fights the bad guys. It’s a story you see over and over.
There is a verse in the Bible that got me thinking about superheroes. Its found in the book of Joshua:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (ESV)
It’s easy for a person to be strong and courageous when he or she has superpowers. When you can climb walls and lift cars over your head it’s easy to not be scared. But this passage is an interesting command from Joshua to God’s people. They were about to go into the Promised Land and it was a little bit scary, and Joshua gave them these words to motivate them to move forward.
“Be strong and courageous!”
Here is the interesting part to me. If Joshua was telling them to be strong and courageous, it’s because he believed that they could be. He wasn’t going to command them to do something that was impossible, which also means that strength and courage existed within them. All they had to do was access it. God was with them, they were his children. Now all they needed to do was act like it.
You and I can face any obstacles like a superhero. We don’t need to be hit by lightning or be bitten by a radioactive spider. We are made in the image of God. Strength and courage already exist within us. All we have to do is plug into what God has already done, and step into the situation knowing that He is with us and we will have the victory. No radioactive spiders required.
