Message topic: Christians need courage and determination.
Scripture text: Deuteronomy 31:1-6
To-day, we want to reflect on two words that every-one who has hope to see and to spend eternity with God the Father and his heavenly host, should truly understand and practice.
To live a life pleasing to God, we must understand who God is, and what does he requires of us in order to please him: the reason for that is, there are two powers in this world, good and evil: so how can we tell the good from the evil, and who has the ultimate power and control over all things. We need understanding.
We do not want to come to a church service and leave feeling good because we hear some comforting words of what awaits us because we go to church regularly: we want to go to church and be challenged to live a life dedicated to God through Christ our savior
That is why to follow the true leader, we need courage and determination which can only come when we listen to the words of the father as he says to us, let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments and live; get wisdom, get understand and forget it not neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she will keep thee; wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding.
It is sad to know that there are so much lack of understanding of the truth of God’s words and what he truly requires of us who says we know him and is abiding in His will; God did not patricianly make a way for mankind to overcome the craftiness of the evil one, he did all that is necessary, therefore he require the same from us, which is obedience is all that he requires of mankind for whom he send Christ to be our redeemer.
That is why you must know the truth, and the truth will set you free, when you follow with courage and determination as God commands us to do: the question has been asked so many times and by so many, where do I get courage and determination.
God is our source of all things at all times, it is He who commands us to be courageous: when we know we are protected by God, we can conquer all fears and live a life of courage: God commands us to do this.
Deuteronomy 31: 6, tells us, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you, through the scriptures we discover the courage that God wants us to have.
While courage is a desirable quality and to live a life of courage is particularly empowering, being courageous when it comes to your faith is a lot easier said than done. Why? For two reasons: courage requires you to be willing to face fear and uncertainty and many of us don’t really know what courage means.
Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, it is acting in spite of the fear. Nobody knows this better than Christians who defend their faith in countries where Christianity isn’t the dominant religion and they are persecuted for their beliefs.
Courage reflects our trust in God: when we express courage, we reflect how deeply rooted we are in Christ and how deeply we trust God when it comes to facing all circumstances.
Courage represents that we are rooted in Christ: when we understand that experiencing God in our live isn’t just about our personal relationship with Christ, but also our ability to shear Christ with others, courage will become a more natural part of our faith equation.
As Christians, courage is a vital expression of faith, this comes with risk, people will challenge your faith, taunt you for your faith, laugh at you and your faith, but if you truly live a life in unity with Christ, those things will become trivial.
When we become born again and take up our cross to follow Christ, we recognize that we may be crucified by those who don’t agree with our faith or our values.
One of our most outstanding men of courage and determination to resist the evil power that is trying separate us from the will of God was Moses who left these encouraging words for us to follow the commands of God as is recorded for us in Deuteronomy 31, starting at verse six in these words.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Then he said unto Joshua in the sight of all Israel, be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
Moses was at this point saying to Joshua, with courage and determination I have brought these people out of their bondage in Egypt, I have cause them to cross the red sea on dry land, cause them to drink water from a rock, and now they can see in a distance the land of promise to their fore fathers.
Are there any promises to you and I that we will inherit if we will be determined and courageous to follow? Listen to this statement which Jesus made to his disciples which includes you and me.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me; for whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profit if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
After the death of Moses and Joshua began to be the leader of the people of God, God spoke to him in these words which are found in Joshua 1:6-9: be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance, the land which I swear unto their fathers to give them.
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 goes: 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.
Are there any promises for people today who are striving to be courageous and determined to follow the examples set for us by so many who have passed on? Listen to Isaiah 41: 10: fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
When we have courage and is determined to live our lives pleasing to God, Jesus has some encouraging words for us in Matthew 10: 28-31 when He said to us fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Paul made this recommendation to us as believers in Ephesians 6: starting at verse 10: finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: put on the whole amour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Message topic: Christians need courage and determination.