BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS
We are called to be strong and courageous, all throughout the Bible, including Deuteronomy 31:6, Daniel 10:19, 2 Chronicles 32:7, and more. In this Word, we are given our reason to be strong and courageous, our God. I actually think this is something the world lacks/misses- reason. Many will say, ‘you need to be confident and strong!’ Why? ‘You should block out what people say and not overthink!’ How? Many commands, but no means. God and His Word provides answers to the world’s rootless statements. We know we have to be strong and courageous, as we are commanded to (Joshua 1:9) and are provided with clear explanation on how this will be; God holding us up with His righteous right hand. (Isiah 41:10). I think a great way to break down being strong and courageous is by starting with the why, and to put it simply, there are a ton of reasons.
People experience situations, varying in difficulty. From being asked to schedule a teams meeting for the first time, to moving to a foreign country alone. Both completely different ends of the scale, but because people are different, both situations will require a degree of strength and courage if it is something they are unfamiliar with. Unfamiliarity and uncertainty is something the Israelites, among others, face in the Bible. Think of that feeling you get when you’re in a place unknown to you, where it feels no one is working in your best interest, and you’re uncomfortable. Anxiety and fear can easily creep in. In this instance, strength and courage become what can help you pull through. But strength and courage aren’t just for anxiety or fear, but other things.
- So that you can obey God. As we know, the things God may ask of us could cause us a great deal of discomfort. God may tell us to turn away from friendships/relationships, things that we enjoy that might’ve become idols, or, in Moses’ case, pursue a future we did not have in mind. Many are aware of what Moses, a well-known prophet from the Bible, accomplished and how he was used by God. However, not many are aware of how Moses initially responded to God’s call. Therefore, I thought it would be good to mention.
In short, Moses was feeling incapable of completing his assignment (leading the Israelites out of captivity). He was extremely focused on his inability, and not on God’s sovereignty. He was particularly insecure about the way he speaks, where in Exodus 4:10, he actually says to God, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant.” Despite God’s responses to his worries, Moses does not want to go. Sometimes, we are so focused on our shortcomings and how we lack, that we fail to see that God’s grace can make up for it all (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). When we know this, we can have strength and courage. You might say, ‘Well, Moses still completed his assignment, this doesn’t count.’ Delayed obedience is still disobedience, and to avoid this, we can fix our eyes on God and find strength in Him.
- In the same story, when we are faced with opposition like the Israelites were, we need strength and courage so that we don’t turn to false comfort. The Israelites were blessed by God, and their favour made the Pharaoh feel threatened. As a result of his feelings, he forces the Israelites into hard labour. God’s people cry out to Him, and He hears them and sends Moses to free them of their suffering. However, once they were out and being led through the wilderness by Moses, they turned to false idols (they built a golden calf), for help. Due to their lack of strength and courage, they began tapping into harmful vices, trying to take control of a situation they didn’t fully understand. In doing this, they provoked God’s anger, something we don’t want to do.
I’ve stated the importance of having strength and courage. But honestly, it can be difficult to consistently persevere and look forward. God knows this and has told us how we can have strength and courage. There is hope!
The short answer is through faith! This is outlined for us in Hebrews 11:8-10 (MSG because I really liked how plain this version is). It reads, “By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.”
It tells us that faith was what got Abraham to take that initial step, and the maintenance of Abraham’s stay was keeping his eyes fixed on God. Faith in anybody comes from establishing relationship, there is no way around this. For God, this means trusting in His promises. You having faith in someone fulfilling their promises is an act of trust. Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise of the result of anything God would ever ask us to do, and if you know and believe this, you can have that Abraham-like faith. So, in essence, your ability to have strength and courage (like Abraham stepping out) lies in God. You draw both from God Himself and there is no way around that. It is not too hard for God to develop you to have the charcter that holds off fear and anxiety.
There is also strength and courage that comes by obligation. Joshua 1:9, and many other verses in Joshua 1, actually tell us that God has commanded us to be strong and courageous. It is not just a mere suggestion, but a command from God, and I think that when we realise this, in opportunities to be panicked, nervous, or anxious, we remember what the Lord our God expects from us. Jeremiah 1:17 depicts this to us; we have a choice. God could not ask us to not be afraid if we did not have the choice. We do not have to be overcome with anxiety or have to be overwhelmed. Fear is a gateway, allowing someone to be overcome (when God allows them to be terrified before their enemies). Instead of being afraid, we can fight back by closing the door on fear.
Concluding the topic of ‘how’, keeping your eyes fixed on Him is a sure way to build faith in God, and be able to obedient to His commands in difficult times.
I’ve certainly said a bit about when we don’t display strength and courage, but what happens when we do? I think a great example is Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, (who were given the names Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Babylon). They were all very capable men who were recruited to serve in the Royal Palace of Babylon. While they are in this strange and foreign land, they are pressured to act and live as Babylonians, to eat things that go against the Jewish food laws. This is mentioned in Daniel 1:8. In order to stick with what he knows is right, Daniel steps out in courage and asks the chief official for permission to not eat this food. Daniel and his friends asked to eat only waters and vegetables, for ten days as an initial test to see how they would end up looking. God supported them in their desire to follow Him, shown in verse 15 which says, “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” It is not always easy to be strong and courageous, but when you do this on account of God, He will surely back you up.
So how are you feeling at this point in time? Firstly, if you’re feeling convicted, thank God for keeping you sensitive in the spirit. Secondly, please don’t feel that you’re alone in this. If I’m being honest, there are things I’m yet to do, that require me to step out with courage, so no it’s not just you. It’s almost frustrating to see so clearly, why God is calling you to do this thing, but you feel fully incapable of doing it. Keep reading about Him and talking to Him, and I’m sure a difference will be made. To build up my courage and strength, I’ve recently decided to read Joshua 1:1-9 twice a day every day, for the next month. I am excited to see how I grow during this time, so please join me on this, and see your own growth, week by week <3.
At the end of the day, we don’t actually know the specific reasons as to why we need strength and courage. This is because we cannot see the future. However, you can rest assured that God will not waste whatever it is you went through, in order to develop that skill. I hope this encourages you today and you go forward in great strength and courage. I love you!
I hope you have a wonderful wonderful week. I apologise for this extremely late post. I have not been as strong and corageous in the past couple of weeks as I would have liked, but I am on the way! I love you with the love of God! Please leave an honest review or comment below!
Lots of Love,
Rachel
xoxo
(SOTW- 'Not Alone'- SSTEDI)