The Lost Art of Courage
Multiple times in the Book of Joshua, Joshua encourages the Israelites to be courageous if they wanted to enter into the Promised Land and if they wanted to receive all of the promises that God had for them.
Today courage is honored and revered for those who dedicate their lives or even risk their lives for the sake of a cause that we respect. It may be a policeman, a fire fighter, an athlete, a political activist or just an average person that attempts and accomplishes above average things.
In Bible days and during the making of the history of our Nation, we find those God fearing Christians who were not afraid to be courageous on behalf of God. They were found to be couragous for that which they believed in and for that which they knew to be true.
Joshua 1:9
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."
Joshua 10:25
And Joshua said unto them, "Fear not, nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage, for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."
Where is courage amongst Christians?
Where are the Christians today when it comes to standing on behalf of God for righteousness and justice in our Nation? Where is the courage of Christians standing on behalf of the 53 million children that have been murdered in our very own nation since 1973? Where is the courage of Christians to stand with God on his behalf of the God given sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, while a gay genderless lifestyle is being promoted even to our youngest children at the earliest age in our public schools? Where is the courage of Christians to stand on behalf of God when our nation is attempting to remove every influence of God from our every fabric of our society, all in the name of Freedom of Religion.
Courage does not mean the lack of fear
Courage does not mean that a person is immune from fear. But courage looks fear in the eye and courage says I will not yield to fear even when I may feel fear or when I am facing it face to face. Fear may even surround me but I choose courage in God.
Today is a time when it is a time for us, to move up to the front of the line and stand before God and the devil to see all of our victories won. We need to see victories won in our own personal lives and we need to see victories won in our Nation so that God’s blessings will continually increase in our lives and in our nation.
Is the fear of God greater than the fear of the enemy?
Fear is also a healthy attribute if it is directed towards God in reverence and respect towards him. But the fear that keeps me from stepping out into new areas in my life is the fears that courage can overcome.
Joshua knew that there would be many battles facing the Children of Israel as they moved into their promised land. He knew that fears would naturally overcome them if they did not exercise courage. Joshua knew the challenges that would face them as they were inheriting their promises and that is why he told them over and over again, that they would need to be courageous.
Jason Crabb sings a popular song that says “You can’t have a victory without a fight”.
My courage must be built upon something substantial
My courage must be founded upon the written Word of God and it must be founded upon the Word of God that the Holy Spirit has given to me. From this place we cannot doubt. Most of us know what the Bible already says and most of us already know what God is saying to us - but it takes courage to act upon God’s word and what he is saying for us to do.
Obedience becomes easier and easier as we use courage to overcome our fears and intimidations - until eventually we look forward to challenges
We need courage in our Nation.
Our nation was founded upon courageous men and women who were willing to be courageous in the midst of fears of life and death.
But is seems like the anti-God sentiment in this nation has overcome the lack of courage amongst Christians and the American church.
Where do we stand today? Will courage fill the average church once again? Will courage be a common word used daily amongst Christian families in their homes and within their daily living?
Will the courage of Christians once again fill this Nation so that God himself will be honored and revered in our society once again?
God Bless.
Ron Brumbaugh
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