Courage is an expression of the heart
To be courageous is literally to be strong of heart. It is an expression of the heart. Both fear and courage are heart conditions.
To follow Jesus Christ is to choose to live in His adventure. How could any of us ever imagine a life of faith that does not require risk? Faith and risk are inseparable. It is no surprise to us then that a life of faith is a life of courage.
Faith as a noun may be a belief, while having faith is all about action. You cannot walk by faith and live in fear. You cannot walk with God and not face your fears.
To be courageous is literally to be strong of heart. It is an expression of the heart. Both fear and courage are heart conditions.
To follow Jesus Christ is to choose to live in His adventure. How could any of us ever imagine a life of faith that does not require risk? Faith and risk are inseparable. It is no surprise to us then that a life of faith is a life of courage.
Faith as a noun may be a belief, while having faith is all about action. You cannot walk by faith and live in fear. You cannot walk with God and not face your fears.
How faith works
We are seldom afraid when our opposition is smaller than us. When we keep our challenges manageable, we not only manage our fear, but squelch our faith. One way to deal with our fears is to surround ourselves with security and predictability.
We may look courageous when in fact all we’ve done is minimize our risk. Whenever God calls us to something, it inspires not only faith, but also fear. God always summons us to something bigger than ourselves.
When he calls us to battle, the opposition will always be greater than the strength we have.
We are seldom afraid when our opposition is smaller than us. When we keep our challenges manageable, we not only manage our fear, but squelch our faith. One way to deal with our fears is to surround ourselves with security and predictability.
We may look courageous when in fact all we’ve done is minimize our risk. Whenever God calls us to something, it inspires not only faith, but also fear. God always summons us to something bigger than ourselves.
When he calls us to battle, the opposition will always be greater than the strength we have.
A cursory look at the Bible could easily lead us to conclude that the Scriptures are full of heroic men and women who laughed in the face of danger and were strangers to fear. After all, just the names of those ancient men and women evoke inspiration and awe.
Yet the reality is much different. The history of God’s people is not a record of God searching for courageous men and women who could handle the task, but God transforming the hearts of cowards and calling them to live courageous lives.
Adam and Eve lid, Abraham lied; Moses ran; David deceived; Esther was uncertain; Elijah contemplated suicide; John the Baptist doubted; Peter denied; Judas betrayed. These were some of the leading characters.
Yet the reality is much different. The history of God’s people is not a record of God searching for courageous men and women who could handle the task, but God transforming the hearts of cowards and calling them to live courageous lives.
Adam and Eve lid, Abraham lied; Moses ran; David deceived; Esther was uncertain; Elijah contemplated suicide; John the Baptist doubted; Peter denied; Judas betrayed. These were some of the leading characters.
Acts 4:29 …”Lord, consider their threats and give your servants courage to speak your name with boldness”.
Why does one pray for courage? For one reason only: He’s afraid.
Notice the kind of help they ask for - not that God would remove their enemies, not even that God would change the circumstances, but that God would give them courage to do what they knew they had to do.
Why does one pray for courage? For one reason only: He’s afraid.
Notice the kind of help they ask for - not that God would remove their enemies, not even that God would change the circumstances, but that God would give them courage to do what they knew they had to do.
The Hebrew word “ruach”, which is normally translated “spirit,” “wind’, or “breath” can also be translated “courage”. When God breathed His Spirit into us, He not only give us power but , more importantly, His courage.
When we read Paul’s admonition to: “be filled with the Spirit”, we often translate it to mean “be filled with God’s power.” It would be far more accurate to understand it as ‘be filled with God’s courage”. What is the point of having God’s power if you lack to courage to use it.
When we read Paul’s admonition to: “be filled with the Spirit”, we often translate it to mean “be filled with God’s power.” It would be far more accurate to understand it as ‘be filled with God’s courage”. What is the point of having God’s power if you lack to courage to use it.
What God offers
What God offers when He invites us to be filled with the Spirit is not simply some elusive or magical power, but the character to live courageously and face our fears. Without courage we cannot live the life we choose - instead we choose to relinquish life. We conform to the path of least resistance and abdicate our freedom. So in the end a life without courage is a life without virtue.
What God offers when He invites us to be filled with the Spirit is not simply some elusive or magical power, but the character to live courageously and face our fears. Without courage we cannot live the life we choose - instead we choose to relinquish life. We conform to the path of least resistance and abdicate our freedom. So in the end a life without courage is a life without virtue.
Moses was dead. It was only after Moses death that God spoke to Joshua. Joshua was Moses aid, yet his first assignment was not only to take over where Moses left off, but to accomplish what Moses didn’t. After forty years in the wilderness, Moses failed to get God’s people into the land that he had promised them. Now God was telling Joshua that he would do what Moses couldn’t
Two promises were given to Joshua,
#1 “I will give you every place where you set your foot”.
#2 “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life”.
A promise of conquest, yes, but not a promise of tranquility.
Two promises were given to Joshua,
#1 “I will give you every place where you set your foot”.
#2 “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life”.
A promise of conquest, yes, but not a promise of tranquility.
What God did not do:
It would have been great if God had commanded Joshua to set up camp along the Jordon and enjoy a season of fishing and sun bathing. Everyone would have been thrilled if god had said, “there are giants in the land. I need a little more time to get Canaan ready for you. Just wait and be patient, enjoy your stay, and when everything is prepared I’ll send for you.”
You can imagine what Joshua could have then said, “No Lord, I insist. Let me help You. You shouldn’t go at this alone.” Then God would have said, “No, Joshua, this one’s too dangerous for you. I’ll have to go it alone, but I’ll be back. I would never think of putting you through this.”
It would have been great if God had commanded Joshua to set up camp along the Jordon and enjoy a season of fishing and sun bathing. Everyone would have been thrilled if god had said, “there are giants in the land. I need a little more time to get Canaan ready for you. Just wait and be patient, enjoy your stay, and when everything is prepared I’ll send for you.”
You can imagine what Joshua could have then said, “No Lord, I insist. Let me help You. You shouldn’t go at this alone.” Then God would have said, “No, Joshua, this one’s too dangerous for you. I’ll have to go it alone, but I’ll be back. I would never think of putting you through this.”
God expected more from Joshua and His people. God would give them the land, but they would have to take it.
God would go with them but he would not go for them.
This was essentially the only conversation God held with Joshua to prepare him to lead. This was Joshua’s Achilles’ heel. It was where Joshua needed reinforcement. He was afraid to lead, but he would have to face his fears if he was to step into the future. God exhorted Joshua to be strong and courageous, he was to live a courageous life.
God was calling Joshua to more than just a single act of courage; he was to live a courageous life.
God would go with them but he would not go for them.
This was essentially the only conversation God held with Joshua to prepare him to lead. This was Joshua’s Achilles’ heel. It was where Joshua needed reinforcement. He was afraid to lead, but he would have to face his fears if he was to step into the future. God exhorted Joshua to be strong and courageous, he was to live a courageous life.
God was calling Joshua to more than just a single act of courage; he was to live a courageous life.
The Strength of Courage
There is a difference between momentary courage and moral courage. Momentary courage energizes you to rush into a burning building and save a child trapped in a fire. Moral courage empowers you to live a life worthy of being emulated. Both kinds of courage are important. The first can be had without the second. The second is far more profound, and affects every decision and everything in a person’s life.
The Hebrew word for “be strong” means to fasten yourself to something. It is a picture of someone grabbing hold of that which is right and true and refusing to let go. This is the pit bull part of character. It is the tenacious part of courage.
It is called, Doing what we know is right.
There is a difference between momentary courage and moral courage. Momentary courage energizes you to rush into a burning building and save a child trapped in a fire. Moral courage empowers you to live a life worthy of being emulated. Both kinds of courage are important. The first can be had without the second. The second is far more profound, and affects every decision and everything in a person’s life.
The Hebrew word for “be strong” means to fasten yourself to something. It is a picture of someone grabbing hold of that which is right and true and refusing to let go. This is the pit bull part of character. It is the tenacious part of courage.
It is called, Doing what we know is right.
The key to the future is not revelation, but obedience. When we submit our lives to what God has made known, the future becomes clearer to us. When we neglect to do what we know, we begin to live as if we were walking in a fog. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves condemning God for being silent, when in fact we have condemned ourselves for refusing to listen.
You may not know how God is going to solve your financial crisis, but you can know that the solution is never to steal. You may not know when God is going to bring that special person into your life, but the solution is not to compromise. You may fear the consequence of telling the truth, but God’s solution is not to lie.
One of the greatest mistakes we make in our spiritual journey is circumventing the process of accomplishing our God-given dreams by trying to achieve those dreams in a manner that violates God’s character.
You may not know how God is going to solve your financial crisis, but you can know that the solution is never to steal. You may not know when God is going to bring that special person into your life, but the solution is not to compromise. You may fear the consequence of telling the truth, but God’s solution is not to lie.
One of the greatest mistakes we make in our spiritual journey is circumventing the process of accomplishing our God-given dreams by trying to achieve those dreams in a manner that violates God’s character.
Shalom
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