Courage
Pastor Stan Roberts
Character – A distinguishing feature; characteristic; a complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person or a group. A moral strength.
Character is “who we really are when no one else is looking”.
1. Character is not something that we are born with, and it isn’t something that is a gift from God.
2. Character is developed and that opportunity is available to any and all.
3. Character is a process in our lives and none of us have arrived.
4. Character is connected to our experiencing growth, development, success, and impact in this life.
5. Our character is a determining factor in where God is able to take us in this life.
Joshua 1:1-9 KJV
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 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.
God’s Promise:
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
Can we go into the Land and not prosper?
Can you attend church and not get anything out of it?
Can you be a member of church and not get anything out of it or Grow?
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
The prosperity of Israel was in their own hands.
Everyone suffers from fear, whether it is the
fear of rejection,
fear of failure,
fear of doing or saying the wrong things,
fear of what people think,
fear of taking risks.
THREE Areas Where We Need Courage:
1. Courage in Personal Examination-
2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Philippians 2:12 KJV
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
It takes courage to examine ourselves and be honest with both God and ourselves.
James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” KJV
Notice that it is our job to humble ourselves, and it is God’s job to lift us up!
Three things that can help us in this process.
a) We must be honest with ourselves.
b) We need to learn to be repentant in our shortcomings.
c) We should take responsibility in our mistakes.
2. Courage in Relationships
a) Marital Courage:
Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” KJV
(The next verse puts an even greater degree of submission on the wife.)
:22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”
The husband is called to exhibit sacrificial love to his wife.
:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
It takes courage for wives to submit to their husbands, and it takes courage for husbands to love their wives in a self-sacrificial manner.
b) Parental Courage-
Ephesians 6:4
“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” KJV
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” KJV
PARENTING involves teaching, training and discipline.
It takes patience to teach and both patience and courage to discipline.
c) Courage in Friendships
Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” KJV
True friends tell us what we need to hear not what we want to hear.
Proverbs 11:3
“A good man is guided by his honesty; the evil man is destroyed by his dishonesty.” TLB
3. Courage to Pass the Test of Life
When He sees us faithful in little things, He knows that He can entrust us with bigger things.
God does not entrust His precious kingdom and the virtues of His kingdom to untrustworthy, unfaithful people.
Deuteronomy 8:16-18 NIV
16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Deuteronomy 8:19-20 KJV
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
Joseph’s experience in Egypt.
Psalms 105:16-24 KJV
16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of
the LORD tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. 23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
Joseph had to come to realize what was in his own heart.
James 1:2-4 KJV
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
It is only under trials and testing that we find out what we are really like.
Isaiah 48:17 KJV
17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit , which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
Profit – gk. To be valuable, useful.